An original three-wheeled Reliant van used in the iconic British comedy series Only fools and horses is about to go up for auction for the third time in two years, and even Del Boy might find it hard to turn down the chance to snap it up at a rock-bottom price.
The instantly recognisable Regal Supervan III dates back to 1972. It was purchased by the BBC when the classic sitcom began in 1981 and is one of a fleet of six used during filming of the popular and hit show during its 22-year run on our televisions.
When it goes up for auction at a classic car auction in Warwickshire on September 28, it will be the car’s third appearance on the block since 2021.
Having sold three years ago for £36,000, the guide price for the next auction is less than half that amount.
A “comfortable” bid for a collectible piece of TV memorabilia: this 1972 Reliant Regal Supervan III, one of six used to film Only Fools and Horses, is going up for auction for the third time in two years. But the price tag is half of what it sold for in 2021, This is Money can reveal.
The Reliant Regal Supervan III is believed to have been used in the first two seasons of the hit series. The BBC bought it when the classic sitcom began in 1981.
It is unknown which specific episodes the three-wheeled truck appeared in, but it is believed to have been used during the first two seasons, which included the famous “chandelier” episode. A touch of crystalwhich originally aired in 1982.
It was previously owned by the late BBC director John Mansfield, who was the guardian of more than one of the series’ six original Regal Supervan IIIs.
He also successfully sold another of the vans through Silverstone Auctions (now Iconic Auctioneers) in 2017, believed to be the most expensive of the lot when it changed hands for £41,625 some seven years ago.
Its top speed, when used during filming, was just 55 mph and was often described by the cast as a “cheap old three-wheeler”.
But despite frequently being the butt of jokes, the van proved incredibly reliable. It is said to have coped commendably with the rigors of long filming days.
Crew members were even able to drive it long distances while filming on location.
It is not known which specific episodes it appeared in, but it is believed to have been used in the first two series, which included the famous “chandelier” episode A Touch of Glass, which first aired in 1982.
Included in the sale are plush dice, a “Taxes at Post Office” sign on the windshield and a luggage rack holding a market merchant’s suitcase.
Despite being the butt of regular jokes, the van proved incredibly reliable and survived the rigours of long filming days. Pictured (left to right) are Buster Merryfield (as Uncle Albert), David Jason (Del Boy) and Nicholas Lyndhurst (Rodney) on the show
When the show ended after the 2003 Christmas special, the van was sold to a collector.
Between 2015 and 2021, it was held by an enthusiast before being offered to the highest bidder. Sold at Silverstone auction for a comfortable £36,000.
And it wasn’t long before it was back on the auction floor, when the Reliant Regal Supervan III was listed by CCA last summer.
Although it was listed as sold for an undisclosed fee, This is Money has learned that the price was £19,350 – almost half of what the seller had paid for it two years earlier.
The auction house believes it will sell for between £15,000 and £18,000, which is a fraction of the £36,000 paid at auction in 2021 (seen here on the website of Iconic Auctioneers, which was formerly Silverstone Auctions and a sister company of CCA).
The three-wheeled van is being sold with a blow-up doll in the boot, in homage to one of the most popular episodes, ‘Danger UXD’, which originally aired in 1989, and is about Del Boy trying to sell a batch of faulty blow-up sex dolls.
The van includes Del Boy’s favourite tiger-print interior among many of the features installed by the BBC in the early 1980s.
When the programme ended after the 2003 Christmas special, the van was sold and has been owned by several different enthusiasts (above, the van is accompanied by a BBC keyring and, to the right, some of the vehicle’s control switches).
CCA says this example has been used for several charity events in recent years.
But at the end of the month, it will go up for auction again.
And auction experts estimate that it could sell for even less than it cost a year ago.
The guide price is £15,000-£18,000. If it were sold for the lower estimate, its value would have dropped by 58 per cent in just three years.
The van’s bodywork has been painted to look weathered and has the words “New York, Paris, Peckham” and “Trotters Independent Traders” emblazoned on the side.
It has covered a lot of miles in its 52-year history. The auction house says the odometer with the registration “JPL 725K” has 97,000 miles, the same as when it was sold in 2023.
However, it has recently had new tires fitted, the brakes have been overhauled and the fuel system has been renewed.
The van’s body has been painted to look weathered and has the words “New York, Paris, Peckham” and “Trotters Independent Traders” stamped on the side.
Stars of the show pose for the 1981 Christmas special, including, right, Lennard Pearce, who played Grandpa.
It comes just as it was when it was used for filming, with the roof rack, trader’s suitcase, furry dice and even an inflatable sex doll in the back as seen in Series 6, Episode 2. UXD Danger.
It still has the “Taxes at Post Office” sign on the windshield and Del Boy’s favorite tiger-print interior.
The Trotters van ranks alongside Inspector Morse’s Jaguar Mk2 and Jim Bergerac’s Triumph Roadster as one of the most instantly recognisable vehicles on British television.
A spokesperson for CCA He told us: ‘Only Fools and Horses remains in the hearts of many of us with the musical attracting record audiences to this day and due to go on tour across the country very soon.
‘Memorabilia from the original show is certainly hot news (for sellers and collectors alike) and this van is no exception and is surely a great opportunity to own a piece of British comedy history.’
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