Vauxhall Victor FB
Luton's clean-cut family saloon.
The story
The first Victor had been mocked for its fussy American styling and its rust. The FB replaced it with a simple, handsome shape and much better build. It sold well at home and abroad.
Inside
A front bench seat, a column gear change and a wide strip speedometer.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
The sporty VX4/90 version had twin carburettors, disc brakes and a coloured stripe down each side.
Meanwhile, in 1961
Yuri Gagarin became the first man in space, and Tottenham Hotspur won the league and cup double.
Best-selling single of 1961: Wooden Heart by Elvis Presley
Before you buy a 1960s car
- Check the sills, floorpans, wheel arches and the bottom of the doors for rust.
- Ask for any old MOT certificates, service records and bills.
- Parts for popular cars are often available from specialists, but trim and body panels can be hard to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.