Formed in 2003 by former London/Sire recording artist John Lardieri, Twin-A… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 2003 by former London/Sire recording artist John Lardieri, Twin-A picks up where Lardieri left off, but with a new rhythm section and a raw exuberance that the original seemed to lack. Paul Ogunsalu (of Wax Poetic) and NYC session drummer Jorge Pertuz compliment Lardieri’s powerful and compelling voice perfectly. The trio’s unique sound has been described as “widescreen pop rock” Introspective lyrics and melodic hooks set against ringing guitars and breaking beats are what sets TWIN-A apart. Some of the their most recent achievements include an amazing SXSW performance at the Hard Rock Café and a highly attended industry showcase in the UK, as well as a handful of stand out opening performances for national acts like Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, Vanessa Carlton, The Samples and Fuel. Their music is regularly spun on radio including NYC's Q104.3 and WBER 90.5 in Rochester, New York where their single "Sugarcane" made the Top 50 most requested songs for 2003.

Twin-A played their final show on May 13, 2006 at Crash Mansion in NYC.

Automobile
Twin-A Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Let's drive in your car
Go out way too far
Til we don't know where we are
Let's drive in your car

Automobile
I'll be fine when you take the wheel
Can we go for a ride in your automobile?

Automobile

We'll go out pass the lake
I'll show you my mistakes
The house where she once lived
It's up around the bend

Automobile
I'll be fine when you take the wheel
Can we go for a ride in your automobile?

Slow down round the bend
We're closer than we might have been
Caution up ahead we're closer than we might have been

Automobile
I'll be fine when you take the wheel

Can we go for a ride in your automobile?
Automobile

Overall Meaning

In Twin-A's song "Automobile," the singer invites the listener to go on a drive with them. The lyrics evoke a sense of adventure and the desire to get lost with someone. The phrase "let's drive in your car, go out way too far, till we don't know where we are" suggests that the duo wants to go on an unplanned trip and leave behind their mundane routine. By taking a ride, they intend to clear their minds and step outside of their comfort zones. The guitar strums and the bass lines give the song an upbeat feel, and the chorus "Automobile, I'll be fine when you take the wheel" repeats throughout, emphasizing the sense of security and trust the singer has in their companion.

As the duo makes their way past a lake and the house where someone once lived, they reflect on their past mistakes. The lyrics "I'll show you my mistakes, the house where she once lived, it's up around the bend" suggest that the ride is also about sharing and opening up to one another. The bridge of the song, which goes "Slow down round the bend, we're closer than we might have been, caution up ahead we're closer than we might have been" reinforces the idea that by taking this ride, the duo has grown closer together.

Line by Line Meaning

Let's drive in your car
Let's take a drive in your car

Go out way too far
Drive to a far-off location

Til we don't know where we are
Keep driving till we lose track of our location

Automobile
Referring to the car

I'll be fine when you take the wheel
I trust you to drive

Can we go for a ride in your automobile?
Can we go on a drive in your car?

We'll go out pass the lake
We will drive past the lake

I'll show you my mistakes
I will reveal my past errors to you

The house where she once lived
Referring to the house of an ex-girlfriend

It's up around the bend
The house is located up a bend in the road

Slow down round the bend
Drive cautiously when turning around the bend

We're closer than we might have been
Our relationship is getting stronger

Caution up ahead we're closer than we might have been
Be careful, we're getting closer in our relationship

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

Robert Taylor

1y↑4

Love it! Love it! Love it!

Ed, the return to your fantastic format which is so far ahead of another presentations by its enthusiasm, bubbling personality, erudition, brilliant research and quite stunning knowledge as, was as ever brilliant! I fear I am running out of hyperbole to express just how much I enjoyed this, as I did your superb Ford theses on its having lost its way, and all your presentations! Thank you, and I so, so look forward to more. Oh, and give your Jack Russell a stroke for me - I have the Parson Terrier version!

In my grossly misspent youth when my sadly late and good friend, John, borrowed his father's 1500 we and another friend had a long weekend touring southern Scotland. All there of us slept in it as well. Sadly I was given the space behind the front seats, with the most comfortable back seat rightly allocated to to John. So I spent a rathe uncomfortable few night doing battle with the transmission tunnel, though slightly numbed by several pints of ale! But hey ho they were super little cars, something you really exemplified. But I still wish I had taken my Wolseley 6/80 for more comfort!

Thanks again for truly memorable, enjoyable and informative auto-knowledge!

Rob

throwback19841

1y↑1

Magnificent! This was my Dad's first car, and then later his first classic car so I drove it quite often. He had a Riley one point five. Lovely car. Just so practical and nice in so many ways, and not expensive to own either.

Practical - It'll do just fine in modern traffic, and even motorways if you stay in the slow lane. 4 doors, four seats, all usable. Nice boot.
Reliable - keep up to date with maintenance and it will always get you there.
Handsome car - not drop-dead gorgeous, but very nice to look at.
Great vibes from other road users - it gets you there quickly because people let you out at junctions and are generally very nice to you.
Fuel economy - excellent, and meant I didn't get hate from all my hippie mates who also loved being in the thing.
Not a penis substitute - girls loved it. Seriously, I got lots of attention from ladies when driving this thing. You definitely aren't compensating in a riley one point five.
Easy to fix - only thing that ever went wrong was the Lucas fuel pump, and you just had to hit that with a spanner and it would kick into life.

My old man replaced it with a bristol 411 - that he never got running smoothly... that absolutely was compensating, and couldn't be depended upon. The riley was the much more practical classic.

Also - floor mounted headlight dip switch! All cars should have this, even today.

All comments from YouTube:

Corr Bhán

1y↑72

Ed, your obsession with the history of the British motor industry is not unhealthy at all. It's wonderful. And for an old fart like me (I'm 64) it's great to see that there are still young people interested in classic cars. I love your videos, please go on just the way you do.

Jim Simpson

1y↑11

Even older fart here (69) and I agree totally.

barry

52w↑7

@Jim Simpson An even older older fart 72....must be somebody older? The young fella does a great job.

Pierre Christian

51w↑1

@barry even older fart,73

Pierre Christian

51w

@barry my brother and I have been Wolseley fanatics most of our driving lives. I wish I could show you my brother's 2 Wolseleys. One a 1953 6/80 and a 1926 Wolseley custom built boat tail tourer. I had the Austin version of the 1500, great little car.

3 More Replies...

Roy young

1y↑77

Just got to say that your videos have improved tremendously over time.
No exaggeration today that it would easy to say better than most on TV.
Best of luck with your career,no doubt you will picked up by a mainstream company in the very near future.
Excellent work,thanks for these videos.👌

Zero Cool

1y↑7

I just said the same thing lol (Better than anything on TV) I liv3 in the US, so compare it to The History Channel, TLC, Discovery Channel when they were at their peak. Well done historical entertainment.

Mancozeb100

1y↑9

Ed puts in the background work. Always a delight to watch and listen.

Cisium

1y↑5

I was just thinking the same thing. His presentation has become smooth and professional, and the pacing of the camera cuts has gotten much crisper. Even that the long shot with the dog walking through it worked, almost as if the dog was sent in there on purpose.

MdvK

1y↑5

- eloquent
- witty
- interesting car taste
Ed's channel more than ticks those three boxes! Nice to have him around on YT :)

Mike Galvin

1y↑6

His genuine love for these cars shines through.

2 More Replies...

oldmill78

1y↑15

I owned two Wolseley 1500s consecutively in the early seventies. It was just a shame they rusted out so badly. They would still hold their own on the road now, they were high geared enough to keep pace. The Riley version had several features over the Wolseley. The Riley had a nitrided crank, twin SU s, and a front antiroll bar. The reg on one of mine would probably be worth a good bit,13 FWL

Oh Gosh

52w

Anti roll in 1964...

Michael Treadwell

1y↑26

What beautiful little cars - such a shame this one is ruined by having all the woodwork painted ! Years ago, our neighbours sister had a Pink Riley version of these. Both models are quite rare nowadays, but always look like happy little cars. Thanks for sharing this with us. Take care 🙂

Sodham G'morris

1y↑1

Right you are, but to be fair, the wood underneath may have split or something - the paint looks like it's from the 1970s.

Tooley Headbang

1y↑1

@Sodham G'morris That would be typical.

Anders Falkman

1y↑7

I had a 1500 as my daily driver for a couple of years back in the early seventies. Drove it in the harsh winter even for visiting skiresorts in the north 700 kms away from my home in Stockholm. I always rmembered it as a nice little car ,even on long trips,thanks to the gearing, 3.7:1, which means relaxed cruising at low revs. Alas, I have now a completely restored Mk 1, bringing a lot of memories and great fun.

FRED BURLEY

1y↑21

The innovation and invention of English cars was pretty amazing - shame it wasn't matched by astute management and reliability. Nice video.

Zero Cool

1y↑6

The Brits would've ruled the auto industry is they would've gotten their ish together.
So many cool cars came out of the UK all the way up until the 90's.

Neil from Down Under

1y↑25

Imagine running around in one of those with an MGB 1800 engine and a 5 speed gearbox these days, what a great little sports car it would be!!

Sodham G'morris

1y↑5

I own a SUPERCHARGED 1622 Morris Major...it's completely NUTS!

Liam Blackett

1y↑2

The 3 main bearing 1800 bolts straight in common made on cambridges and oxfords.

The later 5 main bearing engine can be made to fit but is more work.

Pierre Christian

51w↑1

My Austin lancer had an M.G. 1600 with extractors and 2 hot dog mufflers to make it easy on the ears. It went like a bat out of hell.

Darryl Gilbert

1y↑3

Darryl here from Australia. My first car in 1971 was a uniquely Australian Morris Major Elite. 1622 B series engine built in 1963. Very similar mechanically to the Wolsey . The body had little fins and two tone paint. A brilliant and reliable car

Geoff Payne

1y↑16

The Wolseley 1500 was sold in Australia, but the badge engineered no frills Austin Lancer series 1 and Morris Major series 1 sold in greater numbers. The first car I owned was an Austin Lancer from 1958 which was 14 years old when I bought it. I loved it for all the reasons you have mentioned, plus it was simple to work and parts were plentiful. The weakness of the drivetrain was the differential, and a company in Melbourne used install an FC Holden diff to cure that problem.

Andrew Anderson

1y↑2

I drove a morris major series 1 as a daily driver until the early 90's I loved that car and wish I never sold it ... mine was a little hotted up.. twin su's worked cam wider rims and agree the down side was the diff and axles ... the diff would drop a spider gear and snap your axle ...

Sodham G'morris

The axle was way too soft...everything else was rock solid - great brakes, great steering. I own a Series II and an Elite...one learns to drive gingerly (one snapped half shaft and one shattered spider gear in my history with the cars...I want to build a stronger unit, budget permitting.)

Oh Gosh

52w

I think it always a great shame that this after-market improvements could not have made it to production for such vehicles.

Zero Cool

1y↑25

Random animal showing up in a video is always a sign of a good omen...
I grew up in the US, I'm from Chile. So these foreign cars are so fascinating to me. Your videos are on par or better, more entertaining than anything on TV, streaming sites.
Cheers from Chile!

Alan Robinson

1y↑5

I owned a maroon example about 20 years ago. It was quite capable of keeping up with then-current cars and was a joy to drive on most roads.

Ian Lord

1y↑5

Followed an immaculate Riley 1.5 the other day through the peak district roads, I was amazed how nibble and quick it went through the bends.. Easily keeping up with modern cars.😊

joe Corrigan

51w

bought a riley one point five in 1971. Cost £90 & 5 pounds for the Mot! Body work rotten, but it could shift! The brakes failed, £15 pounds for scrap!

Tricia Best

1y↑10

Packed full of useful information that I didnt know! This is better than most every other channel on YouTube....its actually better than any!! Really enjoyed watching how natural ur presenting style is to watchers :) Cute cars!!!

Andrew Moorhouse

1y↑5

You’re knocking it out of the park with these videos Ed. Great stuff!

Stephen Shelley-Davis

1y↑9

The first car I drove on the road was a morris minor. I had a Wosley 1500 a few years later and I loved it. Great review, bought back fond memories.

Robert Smith

1y↑1

MY father allways liked Woleley`s because the badge lit up and you could recognize one in the dark funny thing memories he had a 680 at one time

TX200AA

1y↑3

I learned to drive on a Wolseley 1500. I had to double de-clutch because 2nd had no synchromesh left and 3rd very little. I doubt I could drive it as smoothly now, 50 plus years later. Great little car as the 1500 engine gave it quite good performance for its age.

Huw Davies

1y↑15

And in Australia we had the Austin Lancer and Morris Major. Local built in Melbourne apparently! The Morris Major Elite has a longer wheelbase and a 1600cc motor - at least according to Wikipedia. Great video too!

Pauline's Pastimes

1y↑4

Unfortunately, there was no BMC factory in Melbourne. All BMC cars were produced at BMC Australia's Victoria Park plant at Zetland in Sydney. It is now a housing estate with the streets named after the various BMC cars that were made there. The Morris Major Elite was a peppy little car with it's 1620cc engine. Australian engineers at Zetland helped to develop the 1620cc B Series engine and it was used in Australian BMC cars 2 years before it appeared in UK BMC cars.

Paul Jenks

52w↑1

@PaulinesPastimes There was an Austin factory in Melbourne prior to the merger of Austin and Morris, it closed, and moved its production to Zetland with merger. Leyland/Standard/Triumph were Melbourne based, known as AMI. AMI would be eventually brought out by Toyota.

Pauline's Pastimes

52w

@Paul Jenks Thank you, I stand corrected. Very interesting information.

John D

50w

@Paul Jenks the AMI company was separate and had no company connection with the West Melbourne Austin assembly plant. BMC having a Leyland and Triumph connection was a late sixties merger well after the short lived West Melbourne plant was closed around 1951 or so.
Standard Triumph, Mercedes Benz, Rambler and Toyota assembled at Australian owned and stock exchanged listed AMI based in Port Melbourne but nothing from the BMC era firm.
There is a great photo of the West Melbourne Austin plant in the State Library of Victoria online collection with the street address so the current use can be seen. Austin took over a local motor body builder before production shifted to Sydney arising from the formation of BMC.
The later Leyland era just accelerated the demise of BMC.

John D

50w

The West Melbourne Austin assembly plant can be seen by doing an image search for :
Austin 109 Dudley Street West Melbourne
As well as the older professional black and white photos , the current usage of the factory can be seen.
Adding BMC to the search there are some production interior shots as late as 1957. Lucky the professional industrial photographer, Lyle Fowler, was so prolific and high standard and that his vast collection made it to the State Library of Victoria and is mostly now online.

4 More Replies...

Philip Gallagher

1y↑6

A 1957 with just 13000 miles was my first car when I passed my test in '74. My parents never owned a car and never had a licence, so I was the family driver. The car was a year younger than me and had been owned by a friend of my Grandmother. Its green and cream paintwork matched with the Leather/vinyl combo seats were a delight and you're right...the gearbox is a gem. I, and my friends went everywhere in it and, despite terrible mpg (often as low as 16 if you really tried to use your right foot) we would load it up and head off into the sun. It was written off one dark and rainy night, when an Austin 1800 Land Crab, came barrelling out of control down the centre, "overtaking" lane of the A41 around Watford. It hit us front on and we buried ourselves in it's door pillar. The Land Crab was bent like a banana and although the Wolseley didn't look too bad, it was written off. And seatbelts....it had none. ALWAYS GET THEM FITTED IN ANY CLASSIC....my Dad spent the night in hospital having dived headfirst into the dashboard.... He was lucky, it could well have been worse. I still miss it now........

Peter Anderson

1y↑5

Hi Twin-Cam and thanks for the video. I notice you didn't brave the back seat. I recall these cars being called the world's only 4 door 2 seater! They sold in reasonable numbers here in Australia, though not as late as this car, so the tail lights on this one are a bit of an unsightly shock to Australian eyes. BMC Australia chose to morph them into the Austin Lancer and the Morris Major by extending the wheelbase and body by a little and adding tailfins, and in this guise they sold very well, culminating in the Morris Major Elite with 1.6 B series engine. There's a car you might like to google an image of. Cheers.

Paul's Country Garage

1y↑2

Excellent work Ed. Another great video. Google the Australian built Morris Major and Major Elite, same center section as the Wolseley but with totally different front and rear end treatment. There was also an Austin version, the Lancer.

nik james

1y↑2

Good video Twincam....The Wolseley 1500 and Riley 1.5 desperately needed a front anti roll bar. They never got one but one is easily fitted. An auxiliary pair of telescopic dampers at the front transformed the handling. I had many Morris Minors, none of which had operational dampers. To top it off a set of modern tyres will complete the package. The axle half shafts had a strength akin to milk chocolate. These cars were unique in having a tall final drive - 3.7:1 - which gave it quite long legs. I fitted the 1489 to a Minor with the 3.7 diff, and it would do a genuine but rather scary 100mph

promerops

1y↑1

In my (much) younger days I had,at different times, two Minors and a Riley 1.5. In my opinion, the Riley was the BMW E30 of its day. I found the Minors handled somewhat better, mostly, I imagine, owing to their lighter weight. Thanks for another great video!

Free_Gold

1y↑2

My dad had one of these back in the 70's when I was a youngster. I loved it, beautiful car, very quiet, lovely seats and wooden dash (not painted like this one). I still remember the reg no UGG 629, it rusted away unfortunately, you could see the road going past through the floor by the end.

Steve Coin It In

1y↑3

Always did like this car, right from being a 6 yr old in the early 70's. It just seemed that little bit special amongst many much younger cars then. If I was an adult back in the late 60's, I would have favoured a second hand one of these over a new Ford Anglia.
A car with a nice amount of character and a bit of luxury is right up my street.

Robert Taylor

1y↑4

R08Tam

1y↑5

Such a pretty car. I was surprised that you've never driven a Minor. The gearbox on mine is lovely. The gears snick in like butter.

Sodham G'morris

Morris Major Pervert, here. The Minor and Magnette gearboxes are indeed the cat's whiskers - selector being all solid steel / nylon and housed in the top of the box makes it direct and positive, it also recieves oil splash from the gear train which makes it smooth.

If you've ever driven an old Aussie or US car with column shift (pressed steel tubes and dry linkages), our cars feel like prestige sports machines by comparison.

Frank Spence

51w

Morris 1000, Wolseley 1500, and 850 Mini: I enjoyed driving them all. The Wolseley felt like a much bigger car than it was, and the walnut facia added a touch of class. The Mini could beat almost anything around corners; it was a delight, although the position of my right foot on the accelerator was not quite ideal.

John Shaw

1y↑1

I've commented before Ed about the pitiful state of management within the British car industry back in the 60s, 70s and 80s.
These were great little cars, admirably reviewed by your great channel. It's wonderful that a young fella like you (no patronising intended) is enthusiastic about cars from this era.
Many thanks.

Richard Bullock

1y↑3

I have always loved these little saloons. If I had the storage facilities, and the finances, I would love to have one.

1y↑2

Those were the days when you could identify a car 100 yards away - and the Morris Minor by the exhaust tone alone. Thanks for sharing.

Marcomanseckisax

They would fart quite loudly when one changed up from first to second.

David Winthrop

1y↑3

Great video of a beautiful car. I’ve always had a soft spot for the Wolseley 1500/ Riley 1.5 ever since my brother-in-law used to pick me and my late father up in his to take us to the Carlisle Utd home football games in the late 1960s. I can still remember the smell of that real leather all these years later and that beautiful red leather and vintage radio look of that walnut dash on this beautiful example bring that all back to me 50 plus years later!

Michael Bacon

1y↑2

I vaguely remember my grandparents' maroon and old english white Wolseley 1500 and arguing at the age of about 3 with my father that a Riley 1.5 parked nearly was in fact a Wolseley until the blue diamond badge on the radiator was pointed out! (He had a Riley RMA 1.5 at the time). It was interesting to see on the video the strange juxtaposition of the leather and wood in the interior with an unexpected amount of painted metal especially on the B pillars and cant rails above the doors!

SpacedOdyssey

1y↑2

I had two 1500sThe 2nd was a 1963 MKIII which was 10 year old when I bought it.
Spent fortune on it MGB engine, Lowered , Telescopic shocks, Koni/SPAX, Anti Roll Bar, Riley brakes with a servo, One off exhaust with 3 branch manifold, 6 inch wide Four Spoke Revolution Alloys. plus lots of other bits and pieces.
100 mph all the way to to the Costa del Sol in 1975, a Real Q Car

malcolm herbert

1y↑3

You absolutely have to drive a Riley RM series car. Superb torsion bar suspension with (I believe) double wishbones, rack and pinion steering and a twin camshaft engine. All this in 1946, in a car which looked like one of the high end coach built cars from the best of European body shops from the 1930’s.

G Bentley

They are excellent cars. My RMB is pretty fast but my smaller engined RME early style is a real joy. 2oomiles in a day no problem, no fatigue. Excellent Riley Club too.

Tooley Headbang

I was amazed that the RMs had central change. Spoilt the image.
They caught on too late, with the Pathfinder.

Dean Walker

1y↑1

Love the video. Reminds me of my youth where I brought one with my pocket money from an uncle for my parents. My mother passed her test in it and we sold it on to my cousin a few years later. Always recall the red leather and that interior smell. Gorgeous.

Steve SAS

1y↑2

Great video. My late father used to tell me of his love for a black Riley One Point Five he once owned I the 60's. He told me trips to the Lake Districts, & how well it drove, compared to a Ford Prefect he had around those years. I still have a couple pics of the Riley.

That Cheap Guy

1y↑2

another super video Ed.

this is a car on my shopping list. it's cute compact and stylish and as you say it's kind of modern. mechanically its the development link between the Morris Minor and Marina/Ital.

James Ellsworth

50w

It is good to see a young man who is so interested and so knowledgeable concerning the 'cars of my youth.' The gearbox IS lovely in the way it pulls with the engine and in the sounds it produces on B-roads.

Twin-Cam

50w↑1

Thanks James 🙂

Chilterns Roamer

1y↑1

Useful-sized looking boot on that Wolseley.
Must admit if I was time-warped back 65 years, I might well buy one.
(I learnt to drive in my grandmother's Wolseley Hornet, so I guess that gives me a bit of "Memory Lane")

Nigel Keith-Walker

I bought a second-hand Wolseley 1500 back in 1972. The Riley version tended to have been thrashed whereas the Wolseley had a plushness and a few more miles in it.
Many thanks for the video.

Jimmy Ainscough

52w

Of all the cars my family owned, I always remember our Wolseley 1500. Registered in Ireland. ZY 8008 was the reg no. A smashing motor car.

sj g

1y↑1

Cracking video lad! Was fascinated by the point about not bothering to re-body, I distinctly remember that but was too young and lived in a town with 50 cars so rarely saw much variety and you really demonstrated what that meant. I would say though that your point about dealer distinction, which I could not understand when Audi kicked VW out, was excellent. Now I realise that I thought that Audi kicking VW out was stupid, because my family were there for:- a Derby, Jetta, Polo, Golf, Golf, Golf, Golf and I drive a Passat in drag. (beautiful leather uber comfy walnut accented drag). Then I worked in South Kensington and realised that nobody likes to have poor people around them and they will pay through the nose for that. Its really so obvious in London now but I suppose that back in the 50's and 60's every town like now had segregated shopping. It even helps explain to me why it took the financial crisis of 2008 get get some people to go to Aldi and Lidl. 57 and never realised that some people would rather starve than go to Iceland.... 🤣💦💦💦

Landmatrose

Thank you for that charming video; especially for your analysis why Wolseley and Riley never consistently meet their own expectations. That is a real plus! Carry on. I cannot wait for the next portrait.

Mancozeb100

1y↑2

Great vid, Ed. Brilliant stroke there, having the Minor on screen for reference all through the episode. A real treat with brekkie on a Sunday morning ! Well done!

G Bentley

Remember them well when new. Good transport, gearbox and relatively quick. Problem? of course more rust traps than a minor. I am suprised how good your example is; plenty of TLC. Glad there are survivors. Thanks for posting.

mark simpson

1y↑1

In 1968/9, my mum had one, and used to run us toddlers around Rugby in it! She said she never "loved" a car, but really missed it when it succumbed to the deadly "rust worms"! It's the FIRST CAR my infant brain can remember riding in, along with my GREAT grandfather's old 1950's Hillman Minx! After my father came home from his travelling service engineering job, where he drove the new mini all day long, we then had 1100 and 1300 then a HUGE 1800 AND an even bigger 2200! ....until the mid 1970's! Then Fords took over!

Roger King

Back in the 1990s we had a Riley 1.5 in for some work because it wasn't running well. It had been modified for historic rallying and needed setting up on the rolling road along with various other jobs. Feeling mean, I gave the job to a newly qualified mechanic who was used to plugging in to the diagnostic socket and reading out a list of fault codes. Unfortunately, I don't think he even knew what contact breakers were, let alone how to turn a dizzy to set the ignition timing; as for carburettors - how do they work? Anyway, we had a lot of tantrums and sulks (he genuinely was "not amused") but with guidance he eventually got it sorted. Then we sent him out to test drive it, and it was as if a miracle had happened - he kept coming back and reporting that "something" wasn't quite right and he needed to adjust it and have another test drive. We actually had a struggle to get him out of it, he was enjoying it so much! I'm now about to let my 36 year old son have a go in my Frogeye for the first time so we'll see how that goes.

mike marin

The Large Steering Wheel gave you something to hang on to during a crash till seat belts came along. A good friend had a Morris Minor woody wagon, we live by the beach, and it looked great with Surf Boards hanging out the back. That gearbox wine is part of the charm --- straight cut gears??? Ed, always a fun watch.....

Bruce May

Always loved the Wolseley 1500 and Riley 1.5.Ed!Great classics id love to own ! Great detailed video,Thanks..

John Sherborne

1y↑1

In 1975 I drive my trusty Minor Traveller to Sennen cove with four adults and two kayaks. I knew nothing about brake fade when I set out, by the time we reached the mercifully long car park I I knew the terror of no brakes. Six inch drums were really not enough, I found that the Riley 9” drum and back plate fitted the holes in the king pin perfectly. I still have the original BMC parts list for the wolsley/ Riley

RedHunter500

51w

Excellent vid. For a bet I once drove from WsM all round the coast of Cornwall & back home in a 1500 Morris Oxford Mk V in a day and can confirm those engines are sweet as can be. Always wanted a Riley 1500 but have to put up with a Minor 1275 for now :¬)

timc924

Between 1966-1969, my Mum owned a 2nd hand Mk 3 Riley 1.5- registration "LCU 83", It was a sumptuous car after our basic Triumph Herald 1200. I loved the Riley, its pleasant body shape, chrome trim and with a two-tone paint job, red leather interior, walnut timber inserts, and big wire-spoked steering wheel. Its central radio speaker grill and dashboard all memorable to a 9 year old. I spent most journeys straddling the prop-shaft tunnel enjoying watching the gear changes and that view down the lovely bonnet. It looked classy and stayed in the family until her new husband- not my dad, wrote it off when he was drunk. It was replaced with a new Mini Clubman estate...to rust away inside five years.

Steven

50w

A fascinating interest I should think, and once broadened to motorcycles & general engineering, a truly astounding story of human endeavour.

barry

52w

Thanks great presentation and love the old British cars. My first car here in Australia was a 1967 Mk1 1275 Cooper S, and believe it or not still have the motor some panels and above all its front and rear badges with the 'S' 's. Just for interest I have an Australian Clubman GT with original 1275 Cooper S Mk2 motor its a gem with sunroof... Its very rare to because it was one of I think first 500 GT's, that were fitted with Mk2 Cooper S motor and running gear, albeit on rubber cone suspension. Thanks great vid

Martin Doe

1y↑1

In 1981, when all my peers were driving MK1 Escorts or Vauxhall Vivas, I bought as my first car a Wolsely 1500 MK3. The axle ratio was such that top speed was pretty much cruising speed. I always liked the separate starter button alonside the ignition key, modern cars aren't so 'modern' then are they. Separate compartment in the boot for the spare wheel so you didn't have to unload the boot to change a flat.
The model you have there is a 'Fleet' model designed for car hire firms and company cars. It has vinyl upholstery and a vinyl covered dash top as opposed to leather and a wooden dash top.

Peter Ward

1y↑2

Every time I look at a Wolseley 1500 reminds me of my grandmother.
As a 12 year old in 1969, dad, mum myself with gran took a day trip to Portsmouth in our two tone black and red 1500, I was sitting in the back with gran.
As we drove around a roundabout her door flew open and she seemed to me to be falling out.
I quickly grabbed her to stop her falling out, she let out a scream as I grabbed her in my panic.
I only grabbed her ample bossom.
She often wondered what would have been more painful, being grabbed by her bossom or falling out of the car, it became a family joke.
I was mortified then and still blush about it now lol 😂 I just had to mention this story. Other than that it was a lovely medium sized car with a hint of luxury about it.

Marcomanseckisax

Ed, what a brilliant and unexpected conclusion, I'd say you'd smashed it there. I have never heard that analysis of the BMC decline and my heavens does the penny drop. One day you will write the definitive work on BMC (which you seem to prefer to the commercially more successful contemporary Leyland/BMH group) and the comparison with the VW Group deserves a whole chapter to itself. In fact, BMC started with far stronger brands than VW did. Riley was the undisputed BMW of the 1930's, Wolseley was the already well established 1990's Audi, not the barely out of its two-stroke DKW period Audi of the 1970's (and remember how Audi's chief engineer had to develop the first Audi 100 in total secrecy from the VW board), VW doesn't have an MG counterpart to this day (unless you go for Lamborghini) - really strong marques and customer loyalties! I imagine that at the end of the 1950's there will still have been discrete dealers with e.g. a Riley heritage and customer base which BMC were forcing together with Austin / Morris or forcing to close, what stories there must be. A true tale of woe.

Geoff Wright

One if the nicest cars that were good to be in when it was the daily driver of the time.

Stephen Naylor

My father in law had a Wolsley 1500 when I first met my wife to be. At that time I had a ford side valve van, and what a difference when I drove his Wolsley... it was beautiful by comparison to mine.

Mopar Maniac 64

I enjoy your vids very much. I wish you would do one on the MGA ! The absolute ,bar none, hands down, the best looking car to ever come out of Britain !!

minipup1

I've owned Riley 1.5s for many years, great cars, especially when hotted up, our current one has sat on the tail of a bmw M3 at 100mph.

paul wilson

I've owned several Wolsleys, the 15/60, 24/80, 6/110, as well as Austin 1800 mk 1 & 2. All good to great cars

Nigel Barratt

51w

In 1969/70/71 I had one of the last Riley 1.5s produced, registered in April 1965 (EAY582C). It was Bermuda blue. As well as the twin carbs and different walnut dashboard with a rev counter in the Riley, it also had larger Girling drum brakes than the Wolseley (to cope with the extra twin-carb power presumably), and better quality seats, mine were all leather, blue and white. For its day it was a sporty car and very refined compared with most cars of the time, and it was a joy to drive, if a little cramped inside. I had it for a couple of years and then swapped it for a Rover 2000 P6, but I loved it when I had it, all the positive steering and excellent suspension of the Morris Minor plus a better image and a lot more power.

Gordon Robertson

In Australia the Wolseley 1500 was assembled at the BMC Zetland factory along with the Morris Major series one and the Austin Lancer Series one. I believe the Riley 1.5 was imported. I had a '58 Wolseley bought in 1967 and it had been raced. I have no idea what they did to the engine capacity was but it went like stink. It would do a genuine 100mph but the first gear was shot. I refurbished the car and fitted the manifolds and twin 1.5inch SU carbies off a wrecked Riley 1.5, used the Riley gearbox and fitted the Riley brakes as the shoes were a quarter of an inch wider and stopped a lot better. Also changed the instruments to the Jeager set from the Riley, replacing the Smiths instruments. Repainted the car with 8 coats of black, shellaced the burled walnut woodwork and polished all the brightwork. It ran beautifully (and very quickly) until I traded it in on a Renault 1600 some two years later.