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| Vauxhall Viva HB SOLD (1969) C67607 | | | Not for sale - it has been sold via a Car and Classic Free Ad | | I have owned this car for seven years and bought it to replace a written off Rover. Fortunately for me the guy I had asked to the welding on the doomed Rover was somewhat of an expert on Vivas (hats off to Mr Sharp for those in the know). Pretty soon he had convinced me to upgrade the worn out 1159cc and I bought a nasty 1.8HC which we ripped to pieces for the engine and running gear. That did me fine for a few years until it was clear that some of the bodywork was well past its best.
Basically everything from the bulkhead forwards was removed - new inner and outer wings (bare metal zinc coated), new export front panel (HC indicator and side light units) , GT bonnet and grille. The engine was dismantled. A 2.3 block was skimmed and bored, new oversize rings, heavy duty (CF) conrods, balanced crank and flywheel, new heavier clutch plate, stage 2 Kent fas road cam, ported head with unleaded conversion (hardened seats), twin 175 strombergs, electronic ignition, new waterpump...ermm I think that's it - oh the exhaust system is a 2 box stainless steel Powerflow with a flexible coupling at the front to kill the vibration. Front seats are electric out of a BMW M3 and it has a a wikid sound system (innit) or in other words a Pioneer stereo cassette player with attached 6 disc CD changer and posh speakers. The door panels were chucked and replaced with 3 ply sprayed black. There's no roof lining - I just sprayed the inside of the roof black - I don't even notice its not there. Interior light is Toyota as the original turned into dust.
The rust was cut out of the rear arches and new metal let in. New cills, better boot lid and doors and then a respray in Opel krystall blau - pastel (OP631). More recently I've replaced the headlamps and rear lamps for unused (new old stock) items, new front brake discs, new offside caliper, practically new silver miniator alloy wheels (with centre caps!) and tyres and fitted a few silicon water hoses to replace the brittle heater ones. Last months MOT required the wiper mechanism sorting - this took all day and a far bigger pain in the ears than doing the window winder mechanisms and a small plate welding onto the n/s front rail. I also lobbed a couple of poly bushes at the rear trailing arms.
Free tax of course and I pay AON £130 fully comp with all mods declared.
There are a couple of faults - the starter solenoid aint great (clicks in and out but does engage) and the current battery is a bit too small for the 2.3. There's very slight vibration from the propshaft. Only really noticable at above 60. The prop is a 2 piece and the centre bearing has been on the way out for a whle. I have a spare (bright blue) one piece prop to go with the car along with a spare 2.3 gearbox. There's also a spare rear arch repair panel and a capri quad round headlamp assembly if you want to convert from the standard set up and a small box of other bits. The gearbox diff and brakes are off the 1.8HC and are more than adequate for the lighter HB. The body is still very good - the front wings will outlast the rest of the car and probably the driver by a good few years thanks to the zinc. There are a few bubbles on the rear arches and top right lip of the bonnet - but easily sorted. The top picture is most recent and shows where I have sprayed the front panel and leading edges of bonnet and wings black. I also sprayed the lower edges of the doors and wings (below the swage line) and the rear panel (a la GT). I did this because It makes the car look longer (which I thought was a good thing!) and I was bored one afternoon!
This is a excellent car and goes like poo off a wooden thing. On a long (private of course ;-) road with my Mrs following in a her Golf she reported speed of 120ish - the needle on the Viva had disappeared from sight by this stage.
Reason for selling? We have three cars and two motorbikes. I can't sell the other two cars as one's hers and my other is the workhorse, my house needs loads of work doing. I'm 6'8", my backs knackered and I need a new motorbike that I can commute on without folding myself in half. Please don't offer me a knackered crosser in p/x! I also can't bear to plough it through another 4 months of wet salt which will happen as I can't not drive it - it's even more fun in the wet!
Years MOT, taxed until next year - can't remember when but it's free anyway. Not sure on mileage as it's on about 4th dash. About 80 thou but only about 6000 since restoration. It's been featured in Retro PPC and Total Vauxhall
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Vauxhall Viva HB SOLD (1969) on Car And Classic UK
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