vauxhallviva.com

I currently own two Morris Minors (a '68 van and a '71 pick up). I use these most days for my gardening business. I am toying wit the idea of getting a Bedford HA van to compliment my fleet as I am thinking of setting up a part time chimney sweep business. I know I can virtually get all the parts for my Morrises but I am guessing that body panels are hard to get hold of. I assume engines, suspension and running gear are relatively easy to get hold of? What is the HA like to own and what's it everyday capability like? I remember driving a knackered Bedford HA van back in the early 80s on a farm and was impressed with it then. Does anyone know of a Bedford HA going? Ideally it should be running with some MoT on it. I am looking for a work in progress rejuvenation project or a recommoning project not a restoration one. Thanks.

I suspect your going to come up very short, the HA van is near extent and parts are nearly the same. Its a very different world owning a HA van to that of a Minor where just about everything is available new. However good luck with your searches for a van.

Hi, welcome to the forum, finding a half decent mot'd van is getting very hard these days, there is the odd one that comes up via eBay or this forum but usually requires major restoration.... Try and go for the best body and chassis as you can as most mechanical parts are still common...
In my opinion a decent van will handle most things you will throw at it.....
Good luck with it...
Steve
Oh and join the club for full access to forum as we have a "cars offered to members only section"

Thanks for the feedback about the rarity of parts and the actual van itself. There's a green Bedford HA van (SOG 778H) in Swansea for £7500 (on classimap.co.uk) that has been on since October. Is this typical of the price of these early ones? On anther website carandclassic (HDH 73N) a blue one went for £2000 to £2500. Again is this a more accurate price? Also I saw elsewhere on the forum a price guide for these vans. Is that guide pretty accurate? How much to join the club please as I like a challenge to source a runner! Thanks Andrew

Welcome to the forum.

£7500 sounds very steep. A car/van is only worth what someone is willing to pay for one.

The £2k mark sounds about right for a solid one with mot.

Goodluvk with your search

Hello and welcome. HDH looks a very nice van, and for around £2000 is the top end to pay really. Although the door looks a poor fit.

Carnt find the site you mention, classimap.co.uk, do you have a link to the advert. We have SOG listed in our register but no pictures. As mentioned £7500 is very high, the van would ahve to be like new for that money. Joining the club also gives you acccess to club spares and the magazine.
Membership details here, http://www.vauxhallviva.com/?page_id=337

A HA van would handle a the buisness you have in mind no problem. Plenty of space in the back, easy to drive, economical, reliable, especially when fitted with elec ignition. Good luck and keep us informed if you get one.

Peter

£7500 is taking the *Bleep*, that's like asking £21000 for a Morris minor van...

Seriously take a good look at magazine prices and the advice here, anything more is just explotation, rarity doesn't make for exspense in the viva world

The advert is actually off Gumtree but I can't find it on the Gumtree search engine. However, I saved the advert under my favourites. I can perhaps email you the advert if you PM your email? £2000 for a classic Vauxhall HA van is just dandy with me; after all Morris vans can go for around £7000 in VGC whilst the pickup can go for around £9000. There's a Morris Traveller, a Series 2, going for £17000 at the moment.......

To email me just click on the email button under my name on the left of this post.

This chap runs three HA Vans, maybe try and conntact him and have a chat, I dont have any conntact info, anyone else know how to conntact him?

Theres also,Peter

£7500 is indeed serious money for an Ha van, And really needs to be near concourse for that kind of money but I have seen them change hands for that sort of figure before, Really nice show vans will command 3-4k on fleabay with a premium for tax exempt ect although in my opinion later vans were nicer to drive than early examples....
Trouble is very few come up for sale as most van owners (myself inc) are constantly bombarded with "How much do you want for it ect"
My advice to help get a good van is to join club, advertise on forum/ club mag.
Be prepared to travel.
when you see a new one advertised, move quickly as all the good ones are snapped up...
Ebay/ gumtree/ classic van and pick up ect..
£2-2.5k will get a good solid useable van and in my opinion will hold if not gain a bit in value if kept in good condition...
Good luck and keep us informed
steve