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‘Usually, the response is I drove one of those when working with BT. Or surprised to see one of those thought they had all rusted away. I enjoy going to car shows and like the response of people in regards to seeing an everyday car from years gone by’. The HA-Series Viva is indeed a rare sight; the production run was only from 1963 to 1966 and, as with several British vehicles of that era, it was prone to corrosion.  

All of which makes the Winchester-Horscraft Viva a very unusual machine – especially as it is a “One Family from New Car”. Marc has ‘always had a passion for cars of that era. My mum’s uncle sold the number plate and gave me the car. I had it partially re-sprayed about nine years ago when the engine died on me, so I had to focus on that.’

Vauxhall claimed the Viva was ‘the 1-litre car with the millionaire ride’ and their marketing efforts left nothing to chance. There was a six-minute PR film starring Katie Boyle and a brochure to promote the HA to the female customer – ‘Did Woman have the first as well as the last word about the design of this spacious, vivacious Vauxhall?’. 1963 was indeed another world.

And the Viva was a genuinely attractive machine, offering the buyer a large boot, rack & pinion steering and all-synchromesh gearbox for a very reasonable outlay. It was a car that appealed to the motorists who equally distrusted FWD and rear engines (ruling out the BMC ADO16 and the Hillman Imp) and could not afford a Triumph Herald. The Vauxhall’s main rival was the Anglia 105E but while the Ford delighted in its “Late Period Teddy Boy” styling the Viva’s looks were very low-key.

BSJ 269 was registered in early 1964 and is the De Luxe version. For your £566 1s 3d, you gained a new Vauxhall with a heater, a passenger sun visor and “Screenclean” washers as standard. Should you wish to throw caution to the winds, a water temperature gauge cost another £2 5s.  Meanwhile, Luton priced the “Standard” model at just £527 7s 1d, but it was both incredibly Spartan and consistently outsold by its more expensive stablemate.

By and large, the automotive press was impressed by the Viva, although Motor found it ‘commanded respect rather than great enthusiasm for its virtues from our testers’. However, Autocar thought the HA ‘outstandingly easy to drive’ while Motor Sport was impressed by the light controls and the ‘outstanding performance’ from the 1,057cc engine. The reviewer also enjoyed the ‘delightful gear change’.

Today, Marc finds the Viva ‘has its quirks, best performing in the colder weather as in the summer in traffic it has a tendency to overheat. The gearstick is a bit of a challenge to get into reverse - if pulled up too far the whole gearstick ends up in your hand!’. Above all, BSJ is motoring history that can be driven and enjoyed every day. As well as a reminder of a time when ‘two-colour’ door trim was a significant sales feature.

With Thanks To: Marc Winchester-Horscraft

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limited mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your Vauxhall today.