Description Period wartime Matador 4x4; now with Booth's livery; runs, drives and stops; ideal show vehicle Offered here is one of the most iconic vehicles of the Second World War.

Dating from 1939, this Matador must have been one of the first to leave the AEC works as production had commenced late in 1938.

Likely to have been put into active service immediately, it could have been used for all sorts of purposes, including towing field guns and general recovery duties.

If they survived the war, many remained in military service as general purpose vehicles well into the 1960s.

This Matador is believed to have been used by Blakes of Manchester soon after it was retired from military duties, before being acquired by well-known sign writer and commercial vehicle restorer, Graham Booth, in 1979.

Graham restored a huge number of heavy commercials over the years, but this Matador was the first project that he took on and he came to regret selling it.

When the opportunity arose, he could...