Wolesey at Wisconsin car show

I just returned to NC from an MGA gathering in Wisconsin. At the car show there were two Wolseley six-ninety's there. The owners said that those two were the only ones known to exist in North America. They had never gotten together before but arranged the meeting at this show. One car with LHD had that weird left hand shifter, the other was automatic. There were also 31 ZA and ZB Magnettes there along with about 150 MGA's.

Jim

That left hand shifter is a head scratcher. Why would someone go to the trouble to engineer a left hand shifter for a left hand drive market that was used to shifting with the right hand? Unless is was meant for the UK market as some kind of service or law enforcement vehicle? That might make sense, like right hand drive Jeeps built for US mail delivery vehicles. But a big Wolseley seems like a bit of overkill for a meter maid's car. Very puzzling.

Red Riley, I was told the design was done to assure that three people could comfortably sit in the front seat. Furthermore I understand the RHD cars had the shifter on the far right.

Very interesting...

bmcelf wrote:Red Riley, I was told the design was done to assure that three people could comfortably sit in the front seat. Furthermore I understand the RHD cars had the shifter on the far right.

Of course,the middle passenger would not want the driver groping around for the gear stick between their legs! (would you?) Similarly certain cars have the handbrake beTween the drivers seat and door.