MEET THE OWNER – ANDREW PYLE AND HIS VAUXHALL VIVA HA GT BRABHAM
By Ellie Priestley |
24th July, 2020
In our last blog about the Viva HB Brabham, we noted its HA predecessor and how just one is believed to survive. The owner of that very car recently contacted us and so here is the story of Andrew Pyle’s Vauxhall - one of the most exclusive vehicles ever to wear the Griffin badge.
At first sight, the HA appears to be a bizarre choice of car to convert to a sports saloon, as the original Viva had few or no pretensions to glamour. However, motoring writers praised its gear change and engine, while an Autocar test of 25th October 1963 noted ‘the extreme lightness of all its controls’. The “Viva GT” would appeal to motorists who might otherwise consider a Mini Cooper S and, as Andrew notes, they had the social kudos of being converted by ‘Brabham themselves. They did them in their spare time between races’.
The keen Viva owner could specify a range of options to suit their needs from twin SU carburettors; a hand fabricated intake manifold to a front anti-roll bar, lowered suspension, and a free-flow exhaust. Andrew’s Vauxhall is equipped with ‘optional disc brakes and this was essential before converting a car’. The HA’s exterior could also feature three badges and a side flash, with which to denote the GT’s status - and thereby impress all members of the local golf club.
As for the HA’s low-key interior, this could be enhanced by a Smith’s tachometer and ammeter in a custom-moulded plastic binnacle plus a wooden rimmed steering wheel and a matching gear knob. You could also order special front seats in place of the Viva’s usual, and not overly comfortable, items. When fully equipped, the GT was clearly the ideal vehicle for a world of driving gloves, club blazers and Graham Hill moustaches.
John Bolster evaluated the HA in the 8th April 1966 edition of Autosport, and his test Viva was to the full “GTO” specification. The engine was bored out to 1,190cc, giving 80 bhp and an acceleration of 0 – 60 mph in 10.8 seconds, and there was also a close-ratio gearbox. He also remarked the Vauxhall ‘goes and handles like a sports car, though it is “soft” enough for auntie’s shopping jaunts’ – the late 1960s were indeed another world. The great man concluded:
Jack Brabham has made a genuine 100 mph car out of the Viva and he has done it in the proper way with a completely balanced bottom end as a basis. Unlike many “hot cars”, one feels that this is built to last, and that the fairly substantial price is moderate in view of the quality of the work.
This was praise indeed but the reference by Bolster to the Viva’s price is a possible key to its limited run: the Autosport Vauxhall cost some £259 5s more than its donor car. A further problem was the Brabhams were not covered by a factory warranty, unlike its HB successor - which also appeared in Luton’s PR materials.
The inhouse magazine Vauxhall Motorist claimed a production figure of 500 GTs but ‘according to Sir Jack they converted 25 cars. He told this to my mum at the Classic Adelaide rally around 1999’. The remaining 475 may well have been subject to the basic £17 performance kit and other minor modifications.
Andrew came by his car in December 1996 when it was advertised in the monthly magazine for the Vauxhall Owners’ Club of Australia. ‘At the time, I was 16 years old and had been building a Brabham replica. My family and I had four HAs - a Standard, two De Luxes - all Australian assembled - and an imported SL.’ Mr. Pyle first heard of the Brabham late on a Sunday night, and so he took a “sick day” on Monday. ‘I drove a 400-mile round trip to purchase the vehicle. I knew how rare these cars are, and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity’.
Mr. Pyle became the owner of not only one of the world’s rarest Vauxhall Vivas but one with a fascinating history. ‘We believe that my car is the Melbourne Motor Show car and that it was demonstrated on 21st February 1965 at the Sandown Tasman meeting. I have a copy of the programme, and there is a full-page S A Cheney advert “Watch for Jack and his G.T VIVA”’. Andrew is currently waiting for confirmation from the registration authorities regarding the show car’s chassis number. As for the Vauxhall’s condition at that time:
It had not been on the road since 1974 and considering it was only ten years old when it was put in a shed, it must have had a very hard life. The side strip has been painted in Lotus Green, and the front bumpers have been cut into bumperettes to look like a Lotus Cortina. The vehicle has been resprayed, and there are various panels in different shades’. Fortunately, the Viva came with every option except the extra seats.
Since then Andrew has been collecting parts from around the world and ‘by far the most exciting parts were a set of three NOS badges from Canada’ which the Viva displays on the front guards and the boot lid. He remarks ‘since I have owned the vehicle I have not actually done a lot of work on it. My theory was to have at least ten years’ experience working on cars to make sure it was done properly. In hindsight, it would have been better to crack on and do it instead of other cars that I have restored’.
Mr. Pyle now resides in Europe but ‘I go home to Australia regularly, and I plan to restore the car in its original colour to a high standard’. He is especially interested to hear of any other Viva GTs that may survive anywhere in the world. And in the meantime, Andrew is also occupied by his other Vauxhalls – 1937 25HP GY “Sloper” convertible with a GMH body, a 1953 E-Series Velox Ute, a 1964 HA Deluxe, a 1971 FD Ventora II and a 1971 FD Victor 2000SL. But that is another story!
With Thanks To:
Andrew Pyle
The Vauxhall Viva Owners’ Club - https://www.vauxhallviva.com/
The Vauxhall Owners’ Club of Australia - - https://www.vauxhall.org.au/
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