A VINTAGE ice cream van that was once a familiar sight for children and families in Burntwood is back in business.
The pink Mr Popeye Ice Cream vehicle was linked to the town by Colin Pearce after he found an address of a previous owner under the paintwork during restoration work.
After a social media post to try and find out more about the van’s past, Colin is now hoping to one day bring it back to Burntwood from its new home in Surrey.
He said:
“I love that everyone remembers the van and has put me in contact with some of the original owners.
“As soon as he’s fully restored and as original as I can get, I’m going to bring him up to Burntwood.”
Colin’s restoration work has also seen him introduce familiar chimes in line with the original Popeye the Sailor Man tune which once played out when the van worked in Burntwood.
He said:
“When I got him he had no chimes, but I guessed it would be that tune so I made a replacement.”
The model is believed to be the oldest surviving Mini ice cream van operating.
As well as being restored, the vehicle is currently available to hire for weddings and other special occasions.
Colin’s research had found that the vehicle operated in Burntwood for a number of decades before being tucked away in a barn.
Colin’s subsequent restoration project on the van has been documented in a series of videos at www.youtube.com/@ColinsCars.
