Humber / Hillman / Rootes / Chrysler / Peugeot

Here we have a photograph of Rootes test team taken on Mont Venteaux 1954/55. The team consists of Bill Oliver on left, Fred Bromley in middle and Fred Brown on right.

Testing of Rapier prototype in Spain, near Lerida in July 1955. Conditions noted as being very hot. Other car listed as Humber Easidrive. No personnel listed for this photograph but believe Bill Oliver standing behind Rapier.

Hi all Yes, thank you for the name Freddie Bromley. I could not think of his name. He is in two of my earlier pics. This is so fascinating. Thank you for the pics, both as a forum member, but also thanks for kindling my own personal memories. I do hope Camperman, that you will feel part of us, for more than the photo memories. You have made a valuable contribution to our site. Again, thank you. ps. We have several members who live in Wales & we will not have any jokes about that please. Update - I now know that one of the testers in the above pictures is Mr. Tyrrell. You can see him on my linked page next to me & another Hawk that was on test with the smaller 1492cc Minx engine fitted along with the prototype Kiffin silencer system.

Philip This photograph may be the missing link!! In one of your photographs I can just make out the registration number of one of the cars. Pretty certain we have the same car here SWK248. Looks similar colours with lighter coloured roof. Bill had this car for a while. I mentioned your father's name to my mother-in-law and she remembered the name immediately, said he worked with Bill in the experimental department. She is still in touch with Don Tarbun and is hoping to meet up with him in coming weeks. I still have boxes of slides to trawll through, so goodness knows what else may come to light. Dog in foreground was "Jock Tiggy", family dog for years. Let me know what you think about the registration number. David.

Hi David One word answer. BRILL!

Hi David Now a fuller answer. The car in my pic is the same. In my pic it is in France, noted by the over-yellow headlamp covers that were mandatory in France at that time. Please tell Don about our forum. Don was a really good friend, even called to see my dad in Cornwall just after my mum had died in 1976. He had three daughters, Jill, plus twin girls. Please notice also, that my picture of slide-rules, shows my dad's slide next to mine. His still has his department ref in "Dymo Tape".

Philip Thought you would like the photo. I've shown mum-in-law the website and asked her to pass it on to Don when she sees him. Jane, my better half was great friends with Don & Joy's girls. Jane asks if you went to any of the pantomimes and Christmas parties put on by the works for the staff's children? Bill retired from Peugeot in the early 1980's, worked a little while with DeLorean on the DMC 12, but his heart was with Rootes after all his years working there. If I come across some more info I'll let you know. regards David

Hi David & hi Jane, Oh yes I did! & with the three girls. The Hippodrome, as well as the Empire & the Gaumont cinemas.

For all you Humber enthusiasts, the Post Vintage Humber Car Club is holding a meeting outside the Motor Museum to celebrate its 40th anniversary. This will be on Friday 1st August from 10 till 4, up to 30 cars are expected to attend.

Here's a cracker, photographed today at Gaydon - it's a 1954 Humber Hawk It appeared as part of The Post Vintage Humber Car Club 40th International Rally

I was a member of that club for years MR. They didn't go too much on me putting a diesel engine in my Imperial, they said I had ruined a perfectly good car.

Lovely Hawk and photos Cliff Like that colour. We were at the Battlefield Railway line the other day and there was a nice Sunbeam 90 parked at Shenton station.

I was indentured to 'Humber Ltd.' 1961-66 and worked in CID at Stoke from 65 to 70 with managers Steve Misson and Stan Richards. My dad was a tinsmith in the body experimental next door, he could work wonders with a plannishing hammer and a pair of snips. He taught me to drive in a 58 Minx in Antelope and Cream, the same as previous posts. I worked on a number of pre. production models during those years including the dreaded Avenger and the Hunter range but the real joy, as a twenty something bloke, was racing around MIRA in the H120 or Holbay Rapier, complete with twin Weber 40DCOEs. But the star was the Sunbeam Tiger, alas produced by Jensen, with Chrysler V8 power unit, Ford gearing and a Salisbury final drive. We were lapping MIRA at 120 mph only to be outdone by Norman Dewis in one of his E Types. In the later years, we worked on the commercial range when Dodge development moved from Dunstable to Coventry, including the monster 12 litre V12 Spanish Dodge Barreiros all driven on a standard driving licence before the HGV test. A note on the last 'proper' Humbers. I worked on the Humber stand at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1966. Production of the Hawk, Snipe and Imperial had just about stopped and this was the very last time that they were displayed. I was there when a delegation from Indian Railways ordered a large consignment of the last ones. We asked if they wanted them without wheels so that they could fit their own but they did not see the joke! Not sure about Stan but Steve Missen is still going strong, he called to see me at my home in Bubbenhall last year.

My understanding was that the Sunbeam Tiger had a Ford V8 engine which is why Chrysler ended production of the model when they took over Rootes?