Monday 4th March 1968 and it’s my 17th birthday. My parents paid for my driving lessons as a birthday present and at 7.00pm a Connaught Green Morris 1100 pulled up outside the house for my very first lesson, and this was my first introduction to the ADO16.

I immediately fell in love with the car, it was easy to drive and a fantastic looker. I had 9 lessons and passed my test in the 1100.

Unfortunately, I could not afford to buy an ADO16, so had to make do with a 1958 Ford Anglia 100E. This was replaced by a 1959 Ford Anglia 105E and a 1959 Austin Cambridge A55 followed that. When the A55 went to the scrap yard I bought a 1964 Hillman Imp. After I met my future wife, the Imp was sold and we purchased a 1968 G Reg Red Austin 1100 MK2.

My Wife in front of our first ADO16 (c1974)

Foolishly, we sold the 1100 and replaced it with an Orange MG Midget, which only lasted a year before sense was seen and we purchased a 1973 L Reg - Black Tulip Austin 1300 MK3. We kept this car until Maggie Thatcher put the interest rates up to 15% and sadly that was the last of our motoring days for a while.

Over 20 years later in a doctor’s surgery, I picked up a Classic Car magazine that was on the waiting room table, looking through I saw an article on ADO16s and that was it, my interest in the model came flooding back, and I decided that I needed a new hobby.

I had always wanted to own a Wolseley ADO16 but after several failed phone calls chasing adverts in Classic Car Magazines, and a few unsuccessful bids on eBay. I finally changed course and bid on a 1971 white Austin 1100 MK III which came up for auction situated about 20 miles away. I was bidding against 2 others I won it…WOW fantastic back driving an ADO16, albeit this one was a 2 door and my others were 4, and it was an Austin and I wanted a Wolseley, but what the heck I was back in the car I first drove.

Me and my Austin 1100

Three weeks later I was browsing on eBay and !!!!!!!!! "NO I DON’T BELIEVE IT" a 1968 Wolseley 1300 – 2 previous owners from new and in exceptionally good condition (so the advert said), "I will just put a watch on it I said to myself"…"well" I said "One little bid to start it won’t hurt" I convinced myself I would be strong and not bid.

Every day for a week I kept a check on how the auction was going, and with 3 hours to go until the auction end, it was still a reasonably low price that was winning this little treasure.

"Look at this" I said to my wife, "It is what I always wanted" with the entire hurt little soldier feelings I could muster.

"But you have just bought one" she said dispassionately

"But I could sell that one if I won THIS One - my sweet darling wife"

So after washing up the dishes, vacuuming the whole house and promising to go to the garden centre every week, my bidding fingers were on the keyboard with just 30 minutes left on the auction.

One minute to go and I put in my final bid, only for another bidder to outbid me!!

“Bid Again” the page asked... typing with the speed of Superman I increased my offer, with seconds to go I was the winning bidder.

My Dream achieved - The Wolseley

Much as I wanted to keep both cars I had to sell the 1100, a local chap snapped it up within 3 hours of it going on sale.

The Wolseley although very solid was not in the best of condition inside. Leather seats were ripped, carpet was poor, and the door cards and back shelf had been painted black (instead of light blue) with Hammerite paint.

Looking on the 1100 club website, I saw an advert about a Riley 1300 being broken. I immediately telephoned and the next day I was off to London to purchase a set of door cards and a full set of seats (vinyl) in the correct colour.

In the short time I have owned the Wolseley we have been to 3 local shows, where I have had a lot of interest shown in the car, lots of advice and my wife and I have enjoyed many evenings out - just driving around the countryside.

The Wolseley at a couple of local shows. - Click the image to see a larger version.

I am planning to take the Wolseley to a few more local shows and "The 2006 - 1100 Club National Rally" which is only down the road from me, before getting down to some serious restoration, respray – waxoyl, replacing the original leather seats, carpet etc etc.

I also intend to drive the car as much as possible whilst restoring it, to make up for the 20+ year gap in my ownership of an ADO16.