Vauxhall Viva HB & HC buyer’s guide

The Vauxhall Viva HB and HC are handsome, easy-going British classics that make a refreshing alternative to the more obvious Ford and British Leyland choices. Here’s how to buy one

The original HA-series Viva was a smash hit for Vauxhall, with more than 300,000 built in just three years. Its 1966 replacement, the HB, was a far more stylish and sophisticated proposition, with a fashionable ‘Coke bottle’ profile and a chassis widely praised in period for its handling. The HC followed in 1970, keeping the same basic rear-wheel-drive thinking beneath a more contemporary body which remained in production until 1979.

The HB was important because Vauxhall had produced a small family car that could genuinely compete on more than price. It arrived before the Ford Escort and combined attractive styling with double-wishbone front suspension, trailing arms and coil springs at the rear and unusually light, accurate controls. The basic 1159cc engine was adequate, but the range quickly expanded into the SL90, Brabham, 1600 and the 104bhp Viva GT, giving buyers everything from simple family transport to a convincing sporting saloon.

The HC broadened that formula. It was larger, roomier and available with a bewildering range of engines, trims and body styles, including the Firenza coupe and the more luxurious Magnum derivatives. The line-up eventually stretched from very basic economy models to 1.8- and 2.3-litre slant-four cars, with the famous HP Firenza and Sports Hatch showing just how far Vauxhall could push the basic design.

The Viva never displaced the Escort or BMC/BL’s small-car offerings at the top of the sales charts, but it became a familiar part of British motoring and sold in substantial numbers. More importantly, the HC marked the end of an era: it was the last wholly British-designed and built Vauxhall before the company’s mainstream range became increasingly aligned with Opel.

That history gives the HB and HC a character their rivals do not quite share. An Escort may be easier to keep on the road and is usually more valuable, but a good Viva is light, straightforward and pleasant to drive, while its relative rarity makes it far less obvious as a classic choice.

Values

Mainstream HB and HC Vivas remain affordable by the standards of comparable Escorts, but scarcity means good cars are no longer throwaway classics. A usable standard HB is roughly a £2000–4500 proposition, while very good examples can move towards £7000. The sporting HB models command more: a Viva GT can sit around £3500–6000 in sound condition, with the best cars capable of reaching £10,000.

For the HC, around £4000–5000 is a sensible starting point for a sound ordinary saloon or estate, with exceptionally clean, low-mileage or high-specification cars capable of significantly more. Very good 1300 GLS examples have reached around £8000, and cars of similar quality can justify asking prices approaching £10,000.

Firenzas, Magnums and the rarer performance derivatives sit in a more specialist market and should be judged on specification, originality and provenance rather than treated as ordinary Vivas. Whatever the model, structural condition matters more than saving a little on the purchase price: bodywork can be much harder and more expensive to put right than the simple mechanicals.

Bodywork

Whichever generation of Vauxhall Viva you favour, the inevitable news is that rust can be a major issue. Vauxhall’s reputation for early corrosion had improved by the time the HB appeared, but any mass-produced saloon from this period has its fair share of rust traps and the Viva’s survival rate is low. Early HCs can be particularly vulnerable; later cars benefited from what Vauxhall called ‘complete underbody seal’.

Both the HB and HC suffer from rot in broadly the same areas, although in reality you should be checking just about everywhere for signs of rust, filler and poor-quality previous repairs. Even if the car looks good at first glance, pay especially close attention to the front wings, which can rot around the headlamps and where they meet the A-pillars, particularly low down behind the wheels. Bubbling here is usually evidence of corrosion pushing through from behind, which means the problem is likely to be worse than it first appears.

Make sure both outer and inner sills are in good order along their whole length, looking for previous patch repairs, rust-hiding underseal and evidence of corrosion, as problems here are an obvious structural issue. As you work your way back, check the rear wheelarches too, as bubbling is again a sign of rot pushing through the paintwork. The bottoms of the doors are also prone to rust, and the same applies to the bootlid.

There’s plenty to check structurally aside from the sills. Inspect around the front suspension turrets, the A-pillars – looking for sagging doors and rot at the bottom of each pillar – and where they meet the windscreen. Check the inner front wings, particularly around the headlamps and bonnet hinges, as well as the whole underside of the car for issues with the box sections and crossmembers. The boot floor is another known rust area.

One downside of the Viva compared with its Escort rival is the relative shortage of replacement body panels. Repair sections exist for some areas, but new-old-stock genuine Vauxhall panels are scarce and can be expensive, making a badly corroded project much less attractive than it might first appear.

Engine and transmission

Both the HB and early HC models used Vauxhall’s familiar 1159cc overhead-valve unit, with the HC gaining an uprated 1256cc version from late 1971. HB buyers seeking more performance had a 1599cc OHC option, while the HC range expanded to include 1759cc and 2279cc four-cylinder OHC units.

The most commonplace Viva is the 1256cc HC, as it enjoyed by far the longest production run. It’s noisier and less refined than some 1.3-litre contemporaries but is reasonably smooth and straightforward to maintain. These engines could be tired at relatively modest mileages if neglected, so check for excessive blue smoke on start-up and under load, plus any low-end rumble that might mean imminent expense. Regular oil changes matter.

The overhead-cam engines are similarly durable and capable of high mileages, but when checking their history you should look for evidence of cambelt changes. The 2.3-litre engine is of the non-interference type, but the 1.8-litre isn’t, so a snapped belt with the latter is potentially disastrous rather than simply an inconvenience. Also keep an eye out for long delays in oil-pressure build-up, as OHC oil pumps are scarce. Check the cooling system for leaks and make sure the car isn’t running too hot, something Vivas can be prone to.

Most Vivas have a four-speed manual gearbox, with the optional three-speed GM automatic much less common. Smaller-engined models are prone to transmission whine, but that is a characteristic rather than necessarily a fault. Make sure the gears all select without crunching – first and second can suffer worn synchromesh on high-mileage cars – and check that the gearchange is smooth and light.

Suspension, steering and brakes

The traditional rear-wheel-drive layout and conventional mechanical specification of the HB and HC Viva bring few surprises, which is an advantage in terms of maintenance. When buying, carry out the usual checks, making sure the car sits correctly and doesn’t feel sloppy on a test drive. Even if basic mechanical jobs need attention, these are refreshingly simple cars to work on.

The double-wishbone front suspension is a reliable set-up, but check for worn or leaking dampers, worn or broken springs and play in the suspension joints.

Other areas to pay attention to include the two ball joints on each side of the front suspension, particularly the lower ones, which can wear. Early HCs had drum brakes all round, with servo-assisted front discs available as an option, while front discs later became standard across the range. Converting an early car to front discs is a popular upgrade and gives useful extra reassurance in modern traffic.

Interior and electrics

As with exterior panels, interior trim for any Viva can be difficult to source, so it is important that the cabin of the car you’re buying is in good order. The Viva scene is not as comprehensively catered for as the equivalent Ford Escort market, and good secondhand trim can be hard to find.

Most Vivas have vinyl upholstery, which is very hardwearing. Look for splits in the seams and on the ‘welded’ edges, but otherwise it should remain serviceable unless it has been abused. Versions such as the Magnum and late-model Viva GLS came with velour seat facings, and this is more prone to wear on well-used cars.

Check the top of the dashboard for splits and discolouration caused by sun damage, and make sure the headlining is intact. Worn carpets are less of a concern because replacement sets are available, but original mouldings, plastics and trim pieces deserve close inspection.

Chrome bumpers and other brightwork should be checked for pitting, dents and damage; re-chroming is possible but high-quality work is not cheap. Make sure all the electrics function as they should, too. It’s a simple system, but headlamp switches are known to fail and good replacement light units can be difficult to find.

Verdict

The HB and HC Viva were pitched directly against cars such as the Ford Escort and BMC 1100/1300, and they remain an intriguing alternative to these more obvious choices. A good Viva provides useful space, simple rear-wheel-drive mechanicals and an easy-going driving experience without the premium attached to many comparable Fords.

The main issue is rust – mechanical faults are generally straightforward, but scarce panels and trim can turn a cheap restoration project into a long search for parts. Buy the best-bodied, most complete car you can find rather than assuming everything can be sourced later.

For anyone wanting a British-built saloon or estate with real period character, the Viva has a lot going for it. The HB is arguably the prettier and more sporting design, while the HC is roomier and available in a broader spread of specifications. Either way, you get a rare survivor from the last generation of wholly British-designed Vauxhalls.

Timeline

1966
HB Viva launched, replacing the HA with larger dimensions, Coke-bottle styling and a new suspension layout.

1967
Brabham Viva introduced with a tuned version of the 1159cc engine.

1968
Viva 1600 and 2.0-litre Viva GT added, bringing Vauxhall’s slant-four OHC engine to the range.

1970
HC Viva replaces the HB with new styling and a broader model range.

1971
1256cc OHV engine replaces the 1159cc unit; Firenza fastback coupe joins the range.

1972
Firenza and HC range gain 1.8- and 2.3-litre slant-four engines.

1973
Magnum launched as the better-equipped 1.8- and 2.3-litre derivative; Firenza name becomes associated with the performance coupe.

1975
Viva E name applied to the 1256cc coupe; Chevette and Cavalier arrive alongside the long-running HC range.

1976
Sports Hatch combines Magnum estate practicality with Firenza-inspired styling and 2.3-litre power.

1979
Viva production ends as Vauxhall moves into the Astra era.