Saved by the Bell

[HC]

Last night a friend of mine saw a Viva HA VAN on a scrapman truck. The Viva HA van seems in a good/fair condition and was too good for scrap.
That evening my friend had just phoned me to inform me about this HA van and how in good condition it was & should be a shame to scrap it.
(At the moment I'm recovering at home from my illness after spending several days at hospital), so he just want my permission to try and purchase this HA van on my behalf.
My friend had just contacted the scrapman. Who from his end was not willing to sell this van. He was going to crash it the next morning cause his previous owner said so. My friend after consulting with me, insistedwith the scrapman that he is very interesting in buying this HA van and would arrange his own transport for it & even pay a good sum of money for it.
The scrapman was very surprised when his redicoules asking price was accepted & definately money was not the major problem for me, the major problem was that I was not willing to see it being crashed.
So the next morning the van took a new route instead of the scrapyard to my friends premises.

I'm very glad that I've obtained this HA van and rescued it from the crashman.
The only thing is that time is too tight right now, but atleast it's in good hands & Someday restoration will turn up.

[pbottomley]

Thats actually looks in good nick Chris...

Can you post it to me please

[hbpeter]

Well saved that man! Hope your feeling better as well.

Peter

[HC]

Yesterday the scrapcollector man who had I argued with to obtain that HA Van, whose pride & joy is to crash cars, had just took to the Crashyard a 2door yellow Viva HC Saloon.
He insisted with the Crashman that it must been crashed although that morning the Crash machine was out of order and the crashman assured him that it will get crashed the first one as soon as the machine had been repaired.

The crashman just informed my friend about this incoming HC (full of dust - which indicates it was stored for ages)
My friend had just sattled the matter on my behalf by replacing the metal weight value with equavalent metal weight.

Waiting its crash time.

The Viva on its way to my friends' shed for dismantle the good remaining spares (if any)

Where do these classics came from?? such as little island like MALTA.
Is there sort of Aladdin's cave somewhere?

[Fred Dukes]

Chris you and your friend are really busy at the moment with all these Vivas coming out the woodwork
You are nominated as the Vauxhall Viva Club (Malta) club Rep. I think you deserve a Calendar
Fred

[HC]

Hi Fred
There isn't much Vivas left here on the road. I think they're maybe stored/garaged somewhere. and are coming out from time to time for scrap.
If it wasn't my friends' help, I wouldn't obtained these two Vivas. (Cause I'm still sick at home).
I'm very glad that the yellow saloon had not been completely crashed. maybe axles and wheels are saved as a doner spares for mine.
I think I would be a MALTA club Rep for myself. cause there isn't much Viva Owners here.

Chris Long (MALTA)

[HC]

Today had just finished dismantling the HC saloon.
Now just waiting for its last journey to the Scrapyard (The place where she came up from)

[HC]

My Friend Rennie's Bedford CA Van towing Hippy my 1981 Bedford HA Van to my new premises from where it was kept till these last seven months.
It's now 100% safe.

Ready to sail away. Hello to Happinness.

[hbpeter]

That CA, is it used as a Bakers van normally?

Peter

[HC]

It was a very common sight in Malta to see a Bedford CA Van used by (Hawkers) such as bread sellers (Bakers), vegtables or even selling cheesecakes. Nowadays its very hard to catch this scene as Ford Transits and even recently Japan imports such like Isuzu or Toyota Dyna pick-up trucks had took their roles)
That CA belongs to my friend Rennie's father. He's a Motor Vehicle Technician by trade and daily uses his CA for his work needs. (buying spares for clients vehicles, transport client's engines to the engineering shop, Even towing my HA's )