Lot 190 1958 Vauxhall Cresta 'Three Window'

• Desirable 'Three Window' example
• Well known in the Vauxhall Cresta community
• Many rare and original parts

Introduced in October 1957, the Vauxhall Cresta PA represented a dramatic departure from its predecessor and remains one of the most distinctive British saloons of the post-war era. Conceived at a time when American culture exerted an increasingly powerful influence over British tastes, the PA combined Detroit-inspired styling with dimensions better suited to European roads. Its wraparound 'dog-leg' windscreen, pronounced tail fins, elaborate grille, and generous detailing gave the Cresta an unmistakable presence, while its six-seat accommodation ensured that flamboyance did not come at the expense of practicality.

This particular example was first registered on 6th March 1958 and is especially desirable as an early 'Three Window' Cresta. It retains a number of features subsequently phased out, including stainless-steel gutter rails, split-top rear indicators, narrow front quarter lights, early boot mouldings, and the distinctive two-tone interior with chrome seat piping. Finished in Mountain Rose and Charcoal Grey, the car is powered by Vauxhall's 2,262 cc overhead-valve straight-six, producing approximately 82.5bhp, coupled to a three-speed all-synchromesh manual transmission operated via a steering-column change.

This Cresta's recorded history begins with its first owner, Frank Santoro of Southgate, who appears to have retained the car until 1976. It subsequently passed to Jeffrey Nolan of Highgate in 1980 before being acquired by its present custodian, Steve Godden in 2016. Although remarkably sound, the Vauxhall had by then been off the road for many years and required comprehensive recommissioning and restoration. Work undertaken included an overhauled radiator, new brake master cylinder, wiper and starter motors, ignition leads, heater hose, and rear lights, together with attention to the engine bay. Rare replacement rear three-quarter panels were sourced in 2018, following which sill repairs were completed and the body repainted in its original Mountain Rose colour.

Combining charismatic period styling with the smooth, torquey character of its straight-six engine, this early Cresta PA represents an increasingly scarce survivor from one of Vauxhall's most adventurous periods. With its unusual early-production details and carefully restored presentation, 626 PMK offers an evocative reminder of an era when British motoring looked enthusiastically across the Atlantic for inspiration. Consigned by Will Penrose