The HA Series Vauxhall Viva was introduced in 1963 and was the first entirely new Vauxhall compact car since 1936. Its development was aimed at competing with the Ford Anglia and the Morris Minor. In 1965 the HA Viva 90 was introduced, it was powered by a modified engine now producing 54 bhp, thanks largely to a higher 9:1 compression ratio, it also came with front disc brakes and a number of other higher-end features.

This particular example is arguably the most famous of all HA Vivas, following its appearance on the Discovery TV Show, Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars (Season 6 Episode 3), starring car enthusiasts Drew Pritchard and Paul Cowland. To view the episode, follow the below link:

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In addition, it was also featured in the June 1974 edition of Custom Car magazine.

Originally acquired brand new by one Mike Dobson in 1966, he owned it for an incredible 54 years until 2019 and spent most of the 60s and 70s, expertly customising and enhancing it to his unique specifications, both performance and interior wise. This included converting the standard HA 90 engine, to a genuine Blydenstein performance engine, from Vauxhall’s tuning guru Bill Blydenstein, whose initials are stamped on the engine’s cylinder head.

Rescued from a long period of storage, the Salvage Hunters: Classic Car team sympathetically restored the car, keeping to the original owner’s vision, by maintaining all the original custom features, refreshing and restoring areas of the car as needed, but all the time trying to preserve as much original patina as possible.

During the restoration process, a thorough examination of the vehicle was conducted, revealing that the bodywork was in exceptionally good condition. As a result, the decision was made to preserve the original bodywork and focus on refurbishing the underside of the car.

This car's cabin is a true masterpiece, a testament to the original owner's unwavering dedication to creating the perfect Viva. It’s a far cry from even the top of the range standard HA 90 Super Deluxe set-up. Every inch of the interior’s sporting customisations exudes excellence. The front seats are fully-reclining period Contour Microcell units with adjustable headrests and the rear bench seat has been replaced by a modified Viva HB GT set-up, featuring individual seats. The dash is a one off design item, faced in walnut veneer and is complimented by a lovely period three spoke leather bound sports steering wheel, it even has electric front windows! During the restoration the wooden dash fascia and door were beautifully re-veneered and the headlining and roll-bar, re-trimmed.

Underneath, the brakes, suspension and drive-train were all restored and the entire underside, floor pans, and chassis rails were cleaned, repaired as necessary, rust-proofed, and repainted.

The result is a genuine “one of a kind” HA Viva 90, with an incredible history and equipped with a rare and genuine performance engine, from Vauxhall’s most renown performance engine builder. As such, this car represents a fantastic opportunity for any collector or enthusiast, in search of an absolute gem of a classic car, that’s also a tv star, with a fabulous history and a captivating back story.

For a full description and over 100 HD photos, please visit our website or should you wish to chat, you can call us on the contact number listed above.