Iconic Only Fools and Horses three-wheeler goes up for auction

One of the most recognisable vehicles from one of the country’s most loved shows is going up for auction and it could be yours. Lovely jubbly.

Probably the most famous three-wheeler car in the world, the yellow van used by the wheeling and dealing Trotters used to park outside their fictional residence at Mandela House in Peckham.

The Reliant Regal car, believed to be one of the original half a dozen used in the show will go on sale on June 17.

It comes from a private collector who has owned it since 2021, it was previously owned by John Mansfield of the BBC who also owned another example which was successfully sold by Silverstone Auction in 2017 for £41,625.

The little van must rank alongside Inspector Morse’s Jaguar Mk2 and Jim Bergerac’s Triumph Roadster as one of the most readily recognised vehicles on British television.

In the TV series the Reliant Regal was owned by Trotter’s Independent Traders – Derek and Del Boy Trotter, and his younger brother Rodney.

The grubby yellow Reliant was in effect a co-star with David Jason, who played Del Boy, and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Rodney.

Serving as the Trotters’ main mode of transport, the van was used to store Trotters Independent Traders stock and transport the family to several destinations.

Its top speed was 55mph and was often described as a “crappy old 3-wheeled van” by the cast, although in fact it stood up to the rigours of a long days filming well and could make long-distance journeys to distant locations.

The van benefitted from some recommissioning works a few years ago to make sure it was roadworthy, but it has not been used since.

Classic Car Auctions who are flogging the van said the work included new tyres, the brakes overhauled and the fuel system checked through.

The package includes the roof rack complete with the market suitcase, fluffy dice, “Tax in the Post” sign in the screen and an inflatable doll in the rear paying homage to one of the most popular episodes Danger UXD, where Del Boy acquires a batch of faulty sex dolls, which have inadvertently been filled with an explosive gas.

The van is accompanied by some BBC headed paper along with a BBC key tag suggesting that this is one of the original vehicles built for the show.

Who knows, if you buy it, this time next year you could be a millionaire.

Pictured top: The Reliant Regal three-wheeler up for auction (Picture: Classic Car Auctions)