Beschreibung
WOW, what a find!
This is a 1959 Commer Express Delivery van, one of the last built as production ended that year having begun in 1950 with the small 1390cc Rootes Group engine. This is the 1500cc. The half-ton van ran alongside the Hillman Minx Mark 1-VIII cars and was replaced by the small Commer Cob. Being born in 1954 and a car-mad kid, I do remember these vans running about for bakers, butchers, plumbers etc. They rivalled BMC's Morris Oxford/ Cowley van and the Austin A55 commercial too. They were an extremely popular and versatile vehicle. And, like many small commercials of the era and notably the little Austin A35 van, an awful lot were bought as vans (in order to avoid purchase tax) and then "magically" acquired side windows in order to be transformed into family estate cars. You could, if you wished, remove the windows and re-introduce steel side panels!
Anyway, that's the Express Delivery van for you.
Now this old girl is just incredible. She has had just three owners from new with the original owner keeping her for 33 years! This could well account for her amazing all round solidity. She is showing a mere 17, 000 miles on the clock? Could this be correct? Could "Mr Joe Buggins the plumber" have just tootled around his local area for 33 years with his trusty Express Delivery van and hence the low miles? We can't say that for sure can we? But it's feasible.
Body-wise, she amazes me. The Rootes Group were known for using extra thick metal on their vast array of vehicles. But, sll the same, everything rusted to some degree. Strange then that this 61-year-old commercial hasn't! Her front wings, doors (including the all important bottoms), all four arches, sills, door checks/ sills, rear trailing edges etc all appear to be void of any repair work. You can go round and hit these areas with a hammer. Same goes for the floor pans and the load bay. Look underneath and she appears to be just as sound. Old, odd, rare, unique, quirky. She may be all these things and more. But there is no inherent rot. It's so surprising to find a van like this. Her seats are not the originals and she has been converted from column to floor change. All these vans were original supplied with a column change - but then there were factory options were there not? It's a Minx range gear stick with a light coloured Rootes gear knob. It may have been like that from new. Again, we will probably never know. Her steering wheel and dash are the originals. The headlining has perished. She turns freely on the key and would be running but for a troublesome fuel tank which has been removed in readiness for repair. I am leaving that to the new owner. Her last MoT expired in 2005 and so she has not been tucked away for ever. Just prior to that, there are bills for a complete brake rebuild. Oh, and you would probably choose to make some door cards for her.
All in all, a total joy. Someone can have so much fun with this vehicle.
Another bonus is that she carries her original registration of WAA 358 which consequently is transferable.
All my classic cars are treated as the equivalent of motoring antiques. This one, for example, is 62-years-old. They cannot be compared to the wife's six-month-old Chelsea tractor and they are bound to come with imperfections, quirks and bits and pieces that will need attention even if it is some time in the future. They do however come with oodles of charm, appeal and are there to be loved like a family pet. If you are new to the classic car scene, then please bear all this in mind. Most examples have clearly had work over the decades and I cannot predict how much or how little they will need in the future. That, I am afraid, is the nature of the beast in the world of classic cars. Motoring antiques is what they are. I love my Georgian dining table, but I can see all the scars and signs of previous woodworm. Had I wanted a brand new table, I would have gone to Oak Furniture Land. Well perhaps. Demand is outstripping supply these days and they don't make the old girls any more. So, make some allowances and drive away with a smile on your face. It goes with the territory, and therefore must be accepted, that they are always going to need on-going care, attention and repair. Don't tell me some way down the line that the full beam doesn't work or that you have discovered something I knew nothing about. They are bloody old. It happens. They come in and they go out. It seems as though I have become a "re-homer" of classic cars.
I accept all major debit cards and a ten per cent deposit is required at the point of sale with the balance due within three days. I can also assist with delivery and so please ask for a quote. Thanks for reading, Martin. the details below).
