Lot Ended
Description
Ex-Co-op TV van; restored to show-winning condition by its long-term
owner, with various subtle upgrades; has been used for TV work; only 6k miles on
rebuilt engine; recent new clutch kit; find a better one!
Affectionately
known as ‘Wilfred’, this stunning Austin 6cwt Van was built in November 1969 and
was first owned by the Dudley Co-operative Society where it was used by the TV
and Radio Services department.
Although 85% of British households had a
TV by this time (virtually all black-and-white), they were very expensive to buy
and to maintain, with frequent component failures, so the vast majority of
people rented rather than bought. The Co-op was a leading player in the TV
rental market so this van would have spent its early years on engineer
call-outs, either fixing broken sets or delivering new ones.
Our vendor acquired the van in 1995 and spent
the next four years treating it to a total nut-and-bolt restoration, the whole
process detailed in an album of photos in the history file (a small number of
them are reproduced here).
A member of the
Morris Minor Club, the owner then used the van extensively until 2010, including
many foreign jaunts and charity runs. It was also used for TV work, including
appearing in a 2003 episode of Midsomer Murders as a rope maker’s
van.
Between 2010 and 2014 it was treated to a
second nut-and-bolt `restoration, the owner researching the history of the
vehicle in great detail beforehand, even talking to former Co-op staff who
remembered this actual van. This revealed that although it had originally been
painted Persian Blue when it left the factory (the colour that was used in
the late-1990s restoration), it had quickly been repainted in red when it
entered service with the Co-op so it was returned to this colour and the TV
Dept livery was faithfully reproduced in gold, hand-painted in the
traditional way.
Although there are only a
few invoices to show the full extent of the work carried out, there
are lots of photographs to document the process and our vendor has also written
down the main points in some detail, along with a summary of his research into
the vehicle (see photos). Aside from a full engine and gearbox rebuild, the
restoration also included an upgrade of the suspension to handle 8cwt
loads.
Since the second restoration was
completed, Wilfred has only covered around 6,000 miles and has been meticulously
maintained, as shown by invoices on file. This includes an upgrade to
servo-assisted disc brakes in 2023, along with new polybushes for the front
suspension. A new clutch kit was also fitted in April 2025, plus numerous other
minor jobs. Wilfred has been starting promptly and running beautifully as
we have moved him around on site, with that light and nippy feeling so
characteristic of the Morris Minor range.
As you
can see in the photos, this cute little van is a real tribute to the workmanship
and sheer dedication of its long-term owner. It really is in wonderful
condition, both above and below, and has scooped various awards over the years,
including winning 'Chairman's Choice' and 'Car You Would Most Like to Take Home'
at the 40th Anniversary Morris Minor Rally on the Isle of Wight in 2016.
Our vendor has cherished Wilfred for over 30 years and has greatly
enjoyed not just the van, but the social side of all the club events
that have been such a big part of the ownership experience. Now in his
twilight years, his only wish is that it will go to an equally good home where
it will continue to be well-looked-after for future generations to
enjoy. He has generously left two well-equipped tool boxes in the back,
along with sundry useful spares, to assist in keeping it in tip-top running
order for many more years to come.
On offer here
at no reserve, Wilfred will win friends wherever he goes and is no
doubt capable of scooping more silverware on the show circuit, not to mention
earning a decent crust doing more TV and film work. We like Wilfred a
lot and we are sure that you will too, so make sure you come and
see him!
Consigned by James Dennison –
07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com