OUR VERDICT

With prices for Ford Escorts and Cortinas going through the roof, the Viva is long overdue some recognition, especially the HB – and there are now few left. Be careful what you buy, however: a bitsa won’t justify the cost of putting it back to original, though if it’s solid and you just want to drive it, it may not be a bad purchase. But don’t buy a rusty example unless you’re a very good welder with time on your hands…

FOR

You won’t see another Viva on the road now, but there is good club support and they are highly practical classics that will really turn heads

AGAINST

Rot can be very expensive to repair and some cars have been badly bodged; missing trim items may take years to source