1961 Reliant Regal Mk VI van


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	The 3-wheelers.com vehicle 2.
	The 3-wheelers.com vehicle 3.


	The 3-wheelers.com vehicle 1.

		The 3-wheelers.com vehicle 4.
	The original 3-wheelers.com vehicle.

Having both Snoopy and Gwenn, the last thing I expected to do was buy another 3-wheeler though in July 2008, I logged onto the r3w forum and there was a post by Peteadee saying have a look at this Regal Mk VI on ebay. As soon as I saw the van I was hooked and over the next few days made several bids for it and won it. One week later on 5th August 2008 the car arrived on my door step, I was overjoyed.

It is a 1961 Reliant Regal Mk VI van with a 747cc side-valve engine and believed to be one of only eight vans that still exist. So I guess it is a pretty rare model and I imagine the chances of me seeing another one on the road are pretty slim.

Mechanically, Lucie (The van’s name) has been fully restored with pretty much everything being rebuilt. All she needs is the odd few jobs, a lick of paint and she is completed. Being fully road legal, this means I can also use her as I continue with the restoration.


	Video clips of Lucie in action can be seen on YouTube. Click the YouTube image to access the videos.

Partial History of Lucie & the Regal Mk-VI van.

Only 3,052 Regal Mk VI (5 cwt) vans were produced between November 1961 and October 1962. (The van continued to be made from October 1962 - May 1963 with the new 600cc OHV engine and became the Mk VI-A, 500 of these were built).

As for Lucie, the V5 (UK Registration Certificate of ownership) is not sure of the exact date of manufacture and reports a “Declared Manufactured Date” as being 1961. The vehicle however was reregistered in September 2nd 1980. This would suggest that in 1980 the original registration number was sold and an age related one assigned to it.

Whilst being manufactured in Tamworth, all Lucie’s recorded past owners have lived in the South of England (Yeovil, Taunton and Devon). I am the fourth owner since 1980.

It is claimed that the Regal Mk VI is possibly the last “new” car that could be purchased with a side-valve engine. It was also the last Reliant to feature a wooden floor and a wooden frame inside the vehicle with the body attached to it and also the last Reliant to have a mascot attached to the top of the bonnet.

If you own a Mk VI van or know of one (dead or alive) that still exist, please let me know so that I can see how many of them are actually left.


	Completing the restoration.




	August 2008.




		September 2008.




	October 2008.