Vauxhall Viva SL

The HB Viva was announced in September 1966 and sold until 1970. It was a larger car than the HA, and featured "Coke bottle styling". It had the same basic engine as the HA, but enlarged to 1,159 cc, but with the added weight of the larger body the final drive gearing was reduced from 3.9:1 to 4.1:1 to keep the nippy performance. The HB used a completely different suspension design from the HA, having double-wishbone and coil springs with integrated telescopic dampers at the front, and trailing arms and coil springs at the rear. Lateral location and anti-squat of the rear axle was achieved using upper trailing arms mounted at approximately 45° fixed to lugs at the top of the differential. Both front and rear could also be fitted with optional anti-roll bars. The HB set new standards for handling in its class as a result of the adoption of this suspension design, where many of its contemporaries stuck with leaf springs and MacPherson struts. The example offered here is described by the vendor to be in excellent all round condition with over 35 MOTs which appear to verify the 26,000 miles showing on the odometer. This car comes with only 3 former keepers and a large history file with many old Service Bills, over 150 pictures of work carried out, its original Hand Book, and a build sheet and five advertising brochures. Minilite style wheels are fitted to the car but the original steel wheels and hub caps are included in the sale. A superb starter classic, or for the serious low mileage collector.