1959 Vauxhall Cresta PA
Announced in October 1957, the Vauxhall Cresta PA was Vauxhall’s deliberate attempt to bring American styling sensibilities to the British market in scaled-down form.
Inspired in part by contemporary Buicks and Chevrolets, it featured wraparound glass, pronounced tail fins, and substantial chrome bumpers front and rear, a considerable visual departure from the conservative British family sedans of the period.
All factory-built PA Crestas were four-door sedans. Pre-1960 examples are distinguished by a three-piece rear window, which was replaced by a single wraparound rear window when the car received its facelift for the 1960 model year.
The 2,262cc six-cylinder engine features pushrod-operated overhead valves and a single Zenith carburetor, producing 82.5 horsepower (SAE gross) at 4,400 rpm. Drive goes through a three-speed column-shift manual gearbox to the rear wheels, with independent coil spring suspension up front and a live rear axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs.
Period tests recorded a top speed of approximately 85 mph, respectable for a British family sedan of the late 1950s. Curb weight was approximately 2,900 pounds (1,315 kg).
Total PA Cresta production reached 81,841 examples across the full 1957 to 1962 run, though only a small number are understood to survive today. The model was sold primarily in the UK and Commonwealth markets and was not officially offered in the United States.
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