Lovely Jubbly! Another Iconic ‘Only Fools and Horses’ Reliant Van Is Heading to Auction

Some TV props become more than props, and the yellow three-wheeler from ‘Only Fools and Horses’ is one of them. It is one of the most recognizable vehicles in British television, and it has turned up in the sitcom’s most memorable moments. It is also the kind of item collectors will pay real money for.

The show itself ran between 1981 and 2003, following Del Boy and his younger brother Rodney, played by David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst. The Reliant was the family’s only form of transport for much of the show, and it was central to many plot lines. The three-wheeled shape helped make it a running joke, even though the vehicles were built entirely seriously.

Now, a piece of that history is going under the hammer. The details are very much Trotters. The side of the van carries the famous “Trotters Independent Trading Co, New York, Paris, Peckham” sign-writing. The 700cc van has covered about 156,000 kilometers, which is roughly 97,000 miles.

It also comes with a set of recognizable props. The lot includes an inflatable doll, a “Tax in the Post” sign for the windscreen, fluffy dice and an old suitcase on the roof rack. Similar props have been part of earlier listings, and the doll refers to the episode ‘Danger UXD’.

Details on which sale the 1972 van will appear in have not been confirmed. What we do know is that other 1972 Supervans have appeared at auction with guide prices starting at £15,000, and one van from the same family of vehicles sold in 2017 for £41,625.

The 1972 van is not the only one in the news. Iconic Auctioneers is offering a different Reliant Regal Supervan III, a 1969 model with the registration APL 911H, at its Classic Sale at the NEC Classic Motor Show on Sunday, November 15. It carries an estimate of £30,000 to £40,000.

That van has a strong claim to history. It was the only Reliant used in every one of the 13 episodes broadcast across the first 2 series in 1981 and 1982, according to the auction house. The Reliant Motor Club also confirmed it appeared in the opening episode, ‘Big Brother’.

It has had a quiet life since. The van was bought by its current owner earlier this year, after time in a private collection and some light restoration. Recent mechanical updates include a new battery, new brake cylinders and an overhaul of the fuel system.

The sale comes with memorabilia, including a novelty £6.2 million cheque payable to D Trotter and R Trotter, a nod to the show’s most famous catchphrase about becoming millionaires.

The vans were built with a purpose. Their fiberglass body was lightweight and resistant to rust, though fake rust was often added for comedic effect on screen. The cast often described the van as a crappy old three-wheeler, yet it stood up well to long filming days.

Provenance is the tricky part. Several Reliants were used in filming, including 1 that was blown up and another that jumped over a bridge and fell apart. Many people claim to own a genuine screen-used van, but very few have proof, which is why details like the Reliant Motor Club’s confirmation matter so much.

The van’s cultural reach goes beyond the show, too. A Reliant Regal appeared in the closing ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, falling apart with Batman and Robin climbing out, a plot that came from an ‘Only Fools and Horses’ episode.

If the sales go as planned, 2 different vans could soon have new owners. For the right fan, it is a chance to own a slice of British comedy history.

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