I don't intend on gonig back till mid week next week, so I'll try and remember for then. However, I've just discovered if you go through hte Ebay listing wizard to sell a car, and put in the reg number, it comes up with some details about the vehicle.
I put in the reg number I have, and it came back with:
Manufacturer: Austin
Type: Commercial
Colour: Blue
Well, so far as I'm concerned that's case closed - Blue (yep, there was a blue van up there that I believe was used as a chassis donor for this), Austin (well, there's only been one blue commercial up there as far as I know, so it must have been Austin), and most importantly, commercial! So that, my dear Watsons/ Holmes (I'm not sure who's played which role in all this
) is that
I seem to recall the bonnet has two horizontal holes, and also one central one at the top of the badge mount. But I think it's conclusive there was a blue van up there, there's been one Austin LCV up there (going by the engine blanking plate, and only one wavy grille in the boxes), and I'm as sure as I can be (given my swiss cheese brain, and what i was told when I started on this) the chassis came off a blue van that had rotten bodywork. I think with the info I have to hand, it's as safe and legal to register the pickup as the Austin van (with necessary changes to body style where needed) as possible given the history of the project.
I'm happy to keep this thread going if it migt turn up info of any use for anyone else, but I think my original question about getting an ID (although not about SVA, but that's not an issue anymore so far as I'm concerned) is finally answered. Unless someone comes along with a spanner to throw in the works that is!
I'm really struggling to believe I found the right number plate buried in the mud, *and* fitted the right engine when playing lucky dip in the pile.