1973 Vauxhall Firenza HP 2.0 XE Redtop

One of the most popular custom build upgrades when creating a Droop Snoot homage is an engine swap to the Vauxhall/Opel C20XE 2.0-litre DOHC 16-valve engine – known to all and sundry as the ‘Redtop’ for the vibrant hue of its cam covers.

Many of these engine-swapped Firenzas are uprated with twin Weber 45 carbs, a DTA engine management system, a Getrag 5-speed ‘box, and a Jenvey inlet manifold.

This fine example is one such and, consequently, it has a very useful 170bhp at its disposal.

This ‘Starfire Silver’ car started off in life as a Vauxhall Firenza 2300 Deluxe and was rebuilt as a Droop Snoot tribute in the 1990s, having changed from its original blue colour to yellow in the 1980s.

It was the cover story feature in a contemporary edition of Performance Vauxhall magazine.

Circa 2001, the pre-penultimate owner purchased the car and began what was intended to be a complete restoration. The body was stripped and painted but the project remained unfinished and the car stayed in warm, dry storage for more than two decades. 

The penultimate owner bought the car in 2024 and promptly embarked upon a comprehensive, ground-up restoration that incorporated all manner of mechanical and performance upgrades and turned this Droop Snoot evocation into a car that goes as well as it looks.

We have driven the car and can attest to the fact that it’s a proper, macho, old-school, analogue, carb-breathing, noisy, raw, unfiltered, joyous thing.

It starts, goes, handles, stops and performs with plenty of enthusiasm and does exactly what you would hope and expect of it.

The car has covered no more than 50 miles since its 2024 rebuild and its excellent all-round condition is an accurate reflection of that fact.

You don’t need to be an expert to deduce from even the briefest glance that this car means business.

If the quick release bonnet pins don’t give the game away, then a quick look under the bonnet surely will: twin Weber carbs, heat wrap tape on the manifolds, competition-ready lines and hoses…all the clues are there.

The car’s unmistakable Droop Snoot styling is shown off to good effect by the Starfire Silver finish and, viewed in side profile, its apparent that’s there’s every bit as much droop to the boot as there is to the snoot.

The panel gaps and shut-lines are as they should be and, thanks to the glossy black finish on the spokes, the car’s refurbished 13” Revolution wheels look very fetching.

The wheels are shod in matching Nankang Econex NA-1 rubber that’s so unfamiliar with tarmac that the tread still has the adhesive stickers in evidence.

Faults are few and far between on this car but, after peering at it closely for a long time, we finally spotted the following.

In no particular order, we found: a paint chip just off-centre above the front bumper on the offside; a paint chip just above the nearside headlight unit; a paint chip on the nearside front corner of the bonnet; chips to the rear edge of the door and the rear wing on the nearside; a little light overspray on the roof; a chip to the nearside corner of the boot lid; some splits to the paint on the n/s/f wing adjacent to the bumper; and evidence of some previous touch-up repairs on the nearside windscreen surround.

We also spotted some paint that’s rubbed away on the n/s/r wheel arch and a rather flat finish to the paint atop the front bumper.

None of which adds up to anything worth worrying about, as far as we’re concerned.

The brightwork is beyond reproach and, as far as we can see, the car’s lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings are equally irreproachable.

Renewed during the car’s restoration the interior is, accordingly, generally in very fine condition. 

The seats, with their black vinyl sides and backs, have the same velour upholstery as the original Droop Snoot cars – and very good it looks, too, in our opinion.

The seats are comfortable and supportive, front and back. 

The black plastic above the dashboard is a little faded, frazzled and spilt in a few places, as is its parcel-shelf counterpart at the rear.

The door cards are decent, bar a little scuffing and fading in places. 

The headlining is free of any holes that we noticed but is a little ruched and warped here and there.

The carpets are new throughout and the interior has been fitted with new sound-deadening material.

The charmingly of-its-era Mountney four-spoke alloy steering wheel looks fine, as do the gear lever and handbrake.

The boot is in excellent condition and contains a full-sized spare wheel and a few spares.

As far as we know, all buttons, knobs, switches and dials do what they’re supposed to do, with the exception of the rev counter, which has taken early retirement, and the temperature gauge, which doesn’t seem to move even when the engine is well and truly warmed up.

The engine bay is reassuringly dry, clean and orderly. 

Everything on and ancillary to the engine looks to be in excellent order and the quality of the lines, hoses, and other components gives a sizeable nod to the car’s sporting potential and the build quality desired and achieved during the restoration.

The undersides look notably sound, clean and possessed of oodles of structural integrity.

We know that the car has covered no more than 50 miles since the 2024 restoration, so the following list of components and work noted then is still relevant and true.

• 170bhp, 2.0-litre naturally aspirated 16-valve Red Top XE engine
• Twin Weber 45 carburettors
• Jenvey inlet manifold
• DTA engine management system
• Getrag five-speed manual gearbox
• Rear-wheel drive
• Suspension stripped, painted and re-bushed as required
• ECU-controlled electric cooling fan and fuel pump
• Refurbished brake callipers, fuel tank, and four-branch tubular exhaust manifold
• New brake shoes, flexible lines and wheel cylinders
• New fuel pump, filters, rubber lines, and fuel tank sender unit
• Custom prop shaft, alloy radiator and pipes, engine bay wiring, DTA ECU wiring loom, brake system (including master cylinder with remote reservoir and remote electric servo and pump)
• Recent battery, cambelt, water pump, alternator, fan belt and adjuster, spark plugs, coil pack, HT leads and oil cooler
• Professionally rolling road tuned.

The undersides of the car are following the same script in terms of quality and condition.

During the restoration, the undersides of the shell were stripped to bare metal, removing decades of paint, underseal and accumulated road grime, before being treated with rust inhibitors and refinished with high-quality protective coatings to ensure long-term preservation. 

No alterations were made to the bulkhead in order to fit the engine.

Nothing we’ve seen has made us question the car’s integrity, character or honesty.

Everything on and in this car has been built to the hilt, and it’s all beyond reproach as far as we can tell.

The car comes with plenty of bills, invoices and receipts attesting to recent work carried out.

It also has full sets of keys, a recent HPI report and a V5C.

The objective during the car’s restoration was to create a faithful homage to the original Droop Snoot Firenza HP, but one that had the engineering integrity, competition components and mechanical upgrades to make it as reliable and usable as it is potent and desirable.

We think those objectives have been attained and, indeed, exceeded.

It’s really a very special car.

We’re confident to offer this fine car for auction with an estimate of £20,000 - £25,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.