whats really rare in vivas

[Colin]

A friend here in nz has what I believe to be quite rare 4 door hb SL with factory fitted 1600 ohc and AUTO.

Yep, that's a pretty rare high spec HB.

Only around a dozen HB 1600SL four doors seem to have become known to the club over the years - of which just a couple apparently survive in the UK. It looks like neither of them are autos.

viewforum.php?f=155

So your friend's NZ car might be a unique survivor! I hope there are one or two more out there somewhere.

My Dad had a new HB 1600 SL estate - manual fitted with non-optional Laycock overdrive back in 1969. Dad was a Vauxhall factory service engineer. I'm guessing that car, now long gone, might have been unique.

[jpsmit]

I think that 1600 cars were generally more common in the various export markets - as presumably was automatic. I took some parts off a already partially stripped car that the owner swore was a GT with a GT bonnet and a 1600. engine was gone but bonnet remained by the time I got there. (it's long gone now)

I suspect that like other GM products that you could spec these cars pretty much any way you wanted - unfortunately I can find no records of any of it - and given the rust on this side if the pond it doesn't in any way change the rarity of the 4 door SL.

[yoeddynz]

Here's some photos of it. He looks after it very well!

[Colin]

Very nice... And ultra rare!