A Wolseley named Humpty Dumpty – Andy and his Wolseley Wedge

“I call it the ‘Humpty Dumpty’ car – because I had to put all the pieces together again!”.

When Andy came by his Wolseley ‘Wedge’ in 2021, it had enjoyed a chequered earlier career, including ten years residing in a garage. But at the 2025 BMC & Leyland Show at the British Motor Museum, its first major outing as a member of Andy’s fleet, the blue Wolseley rightfully attracted vast amounts of attention. It was, after all, the “A car of today; it’ll be beautiful tomorrow and the day after”. 

British Leyland’s sales copy from 1975 was no mere hyperbole as the profile of the 18-22 ‘Wedge’ attracted much positive attention. To quote the Daily Telegraph, that “dramatically good-looking shape that any up-and-coming young executive would be proud to have in the driveway”.

Separate Wolseley, Austin and Morris badges lasted only from March to September of that year as the Ryder Report on the future of BL suggested a more streamlined approach to marketing, promoting vehicles under the ‘Leyland Cars’ banner. The 18-22 now wore ‘Princess’ badges, and after eight decades, the Wolseley name was no more. 

Forty-six years later, Andy saw an advertisement for an early Wolseley Wedge – a Tahiti Blue model registered the 5th of May 1975. Naturally, he bought it and then had the rather formidable task of returning his ‘Wedge’ to a condition befitting a Wolseley.

To look at Andy’s fine vehicle now is sometimes to underestimate the scale of the challenge of restoring a car dating from when Mud’s cover of Oh Boy was No.1 in the Hit Parade. The engine, transmission, body panels, and Hydragas suspension are but one of many challenges. “When I bought her, she was just a shell on the rotisserie”.

Not to mention that as the range’s original flagship, the Wolseley has more elaborate fittings and furnishings than a Morris or an Austin. This, in turn, can result in sourcing difficult-to-obtain trim parts and equipment, such as the second cigar lighter for the rear seat passengers. The upholstery may resemble that of the later Princess HLS, but official sales of that model ceased in 1982.

Then you have the problem of obtaining Wolseley badges for the steering wheel ub and ensuring the illuminated ‘Ghost Light’ works.  To add to the excitement of restoring Humpty Dumpty, he was equipped with a full-length fabric sliding roof - “A Weathershield, not a Webasto”, Andy points out. Unfortunately, “the sunroof kit was in pieces when I bought the Wolseley – and some of the vital parts were missing!”.

Such incidents can transform even the mildest-mannered enthusiast into someone resembling the irate sibling of Jack Nicholson from The Shining. Happily, Wedge and Wolseley drivers are renowned for their good humour and fortitude, and so Humpy Dumpty was, at last, put back together again.  “I'm no mechanic, or mechanically trained, but I've done all the work, electric, suspension, welding, painting etc. myself”.

There are now believed to be only eight or nine surviving roadworthy Wolseley Wedges and so it was a proud moment when Andy drove his Tahiti Blue example from Durham to Gaydon for the BMC & Leyland Show. Naturally, throughout the journey, many people acknowledged the car that Motor Sport once described as “The finest car to come out of British Leyland since the Jaguar XJ6”.

And, incredibly, this is not Andy’s sole Wolseley Wedge - “I'll be starting the other one in the winter”. But that is another story!

With thanks to Andy Farrell for his time.

With thanks to Andy Farrell and Simon Hayes of Leyland Princess for permission to use the images in this blog.