1958 Bedford CA Mk1 tipper pickup truck, original reg., ex- Brighton Corporation

Mk1 Bedford CA.
Very reluctantly I've decided to sell my ‘58 Mk1 Bedford CA tipper/dropside pickup truck. Very few of these have survived. and of those that do.
only a small number are the Mk1 type with the split-windscreen. I love the look of it. and don't really want to let it go given how rare these are.
and how un-touched this one is - a proper time-warp vehicle and a genuine "barn find".

Documents & history.
It has its original registration. and comes with both V5 and the old card logbook. There is also a factory manual that I bought for it. It was first
registered. on 1st January 1958. to Brighton Corporation Transport Department. and remained registered with the corporation until 1965. The
Bedford changed hands again in 1966. and remained with this family until I bought it. Inside the cab I found a driver's logbook. that presumably
dates back to its early years in Brighton. along with a few old receipts and other items of paperwork from the 1960s.

Indicated mileage is 42. 79 which is probably correct. given how long it's been laid up in dry store.

I've included a period black and white press photo of an identical vehicle in the listing. to show how it would have looked when brand new (photo #12).

The CA was used by the previous owner on their smallholding. for collecting animal feeds and the like. until being parked up in a farm building around
35-40 years ago. where it remained until I found it. With the tyres inflated and all four brakes backed off on the adjusters. it towed out ok.

Engine.
I've not had it running. but I poured some oil down each bore and let it soak. It turns by hand at the crank but it feels like a follower or valve is sticking.
Obviously I've not driven it either. but the clutch and gears all appear to work. Parts are widely available for this era of Bedford/Vauxhall engine. should
anything be required. The starting handle is present.

Bodywork & interior.
The bodywork is. for the most part. pretty good for its age beneath the ancient paint. The front panels bolt on which will help in tidying them up. the n/s/f
wing has suffered the most. the remainder though just needs localised repairs here and there (as in the photos). Replacement wings turn up on ebay quite
often and aren't too pricey. The door bottoms are original and still sound. same for the door pillars and lower cab corners. Note that unlike the vans. the
doors on the pickup/tipper version are conventional front-hinged rather than sliding. Elsewhere. the sill areas for example will need a bit of work (repair
sections are sold by others on ebay). but the curved doglegs are solid. The inner wings and cab floor just want cleaning back and re-painting. the dash and
engine cover would look fine left in their original finish. The roof. in a few spots above the n/s door. needs a small piece letting in near the gutter (which is ok).

The dash is original and complete. with its correct script badge. and the chassis plate is present in the passenger footwell.

The builder's plate fitted by Walker's - the company that installed and built the rear tipper body on behalf of Bedford - is fitted to the interior engine cover.
Hopefully the photos summarise it accurately - original but scruffy in places. better in others. The horizontal “BEDFORD” trim/badge that goes along the
front grille is with the truck but not fitted.

All the glass is present. including the hard-to-replace curved rear corner pieces.

The tipper gear is all present but presumably will need fresh fluid and/or seal. the handle for it is still clipped in place.

The underside is very sound. The front end of the chassis has benefited from engine oil being dripped over the years. as has the centre section thanks to drips
from the hydraulic ram for the tipper. I scraped off some of the claggy stuff from the front crossmember and in places it still shows bare metal. The rear of the
chassis has surface rust but no rot-through that I can make out. The wood under the rear body also looks fine. The rear bed is metal and wants replacing with
new. The tailgate is present but not fitted.

The original Brighton Corp. signwriting can still be made out on both doors. along with the fleet number for this particular CA.

Summary.
The Bedford's being sold for restoration. but as light commercials are very thin on the ground. it's one that's definitely worth doing especially as early CAs in
particular have a very appealing look to them (like a Dinky toy!). The pickup variant is also much more scarce than the van & camper versions. Plus having a
known early history that could be researched further is a bonus.

Please bid only if you're looking for a vehicle that needs restoration before use. Assume all areas of the Bedford will at the very least need checking over. and
re-furbishing as required. including but not necessarily limited to the areas described above. before being suitable to drive on the road. I've tried to describe it
as best as possible. and also reflect its overall condition in the photos. No guarantees/warranties given or implied. sold as-is for restoration.
 
Please note:

- preferred payment is UK bank ££cash on collection. or at a push direct bank transfer prior to the collection date - no cheques. no P/pal.

- collection & payment within 7 days of auction end please.

- contact to be made by the purchaser within 24hrs of the sale ending is appreciated.

- as it isn't road legal. a trailer with winch or a recovery vehicle will be required (it rolls ok).

The auction will run until the end.

I've put a modest reserve on it. if it doesn't sell then I'll do the sensible thing and keep it!!!!

Bidders with <80 feedback. or a score <10. please send me your contact details prior to bidding. otherwise I reserve the right to remove your bid
(apologies to all genuine bidders. )

Bids are accepted on the understanding that the above description has been read in full. and the photos studied.

Thanks for looking.

On 13-Oct-16 at 14:24:40 BST. seller added the following information:

ADDED:
- in response to a few enquiries. the auction will run to the end. there is no buy-it-now.
- the reserve has been met. so high bidder at auction end wins it.
Thanks.

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