Humber / Hillman / Rootes / Chrysler / Peugeot

My second car was a Singer Chamois (an Imp with pretensions to grandeur!!) and I can confidently say that it was by far the worst car that I have ever owned, out of about 40. The head was OK on it - about the only thing that was!! Water pump, drive shaft UJs, radiator leaks, kingpin failure, speedo cable failure, synchro on second gear failure, swarf under a bearing cap, leaking valves. And they are just the failures that I can remember!!! If ever a car company was extracting the amber liquid with one of their products, it had to be that model! Strangely, I saw it in Leamington about 10 years after I sold it (sold in 1968), and it still looked OK. EHP48C, it was. If it's still out there, and you see it, give it a VERY wide berth. And of course, it wasn't built in Coventry, but Paisley. Enough said, perhaps?

Hi Keith, we loved our Singer Chamois; it looks as though we must have had a good one. We regretfully sold it after five years it had hardly cost us a penny. As you say it was an Imp with pretensions to grandeur, I loved the 'walnut' fascia.

I reckon you must have done! Many of the failures that I had were well known on MkI Imps, as much as anything, due to its development having been badly underfunded. Perhaps you had a later one, when they had sorted some of the issues? The MkI Imp was the first product made at Linwood (Paisley), and it wasn't until the MkII came out that a lot of the reliability problems were solved. By then, its reputation was badly tarnished, its production volumes fell far short of expectations, and it never achieved anything much beyond the downfall of the Rootes empire. Altogether a toxic mix, unfortunately.

I loved our diamond white Hillman Imp (DOL115C) which had a "sprayed on" black vinyl roof! Never had a moments trouble with it - apart from the exhaust manifold splitting, clutch dragging, steering arm, loss of power - no, never a moment's trouble! I still enjoyed owning it though!

Must have been a subliminally masochistic wish to own a Scimitar!!! When I first had the Chamois, I thought it was great. Then I learned the truth, just like when I bought a Scimitar.

Does anyone have or know of online any news footage featuring the Ryton assembly line circa 1986 and the then 'new' Peugeot' company and its first car at Ryton the 309. I was on the track on engine to body when either the BBC or ITV came round and ended up being shown on the 'tele'. I've never seen it again since.

This is a pic of my 1967 Humber Imperial, I bought it in 1971 and it had been chauffeur driven at Courtaulds for the 4 years before. I ran this car for 24 years and can only be described as pure luxury. So if anybody has any photos of their old cars get them on here.

Hi NormK. I went to Measham Auctions to bid for a Humber Imperial ex-Courtaulds, but it went for too higher price. It was about then. I just wonder if, well it could be, but on the other hand, maybe. Who knows! I know the company had a couple of Imperials. What a pip!

For those who remember the large car factory on Humber Road - well, this is how it looks in 2012 !

It hasn't changed very much then?

I just find it all rather sad to see photographs of sites of once great manufacturing premises in Coventry. Whilst on a visit to Coventry last year (to see the Bees) I thought I'd have a look at the old Stoke Works of GEC where I worked between 1975 and 1988. I couldn't quite believe the sight I saw, just barren wasteland. So many companies have now suffered a similar fate - Courtaulds, The Jag, Triumph Motorcycles, Alvis, Masseys and many many more. I can only think of Carbodies that still remain!! It's a great shame that my city is no longer a manufacturing stronghold

Whenever we drive past the new housing estate on the Humber Road I think of the song 'little boxes on the hillside". The houses do look built of "ticky tacky and all look the same". It must be the most soul-less housing estate ever with only the street names to reflect the manufacturing past the area had.

Hi all & thank you Midland Red. Even the lack of the iconic office building with HUMBER written across the front of it. Someone in Coventry will have to invent a new form of travel.

I actually worked there as a trainee in the mid 80's Red and got lost going down that road for the first time in years a month or two ago! Recall watching the works rally 205's going up and down Humber Road

My wife's grandfather moved to Coventry from Nottingham in 1908 whilst working for Humber cycles to their new factory and office premises in Folly Lane (now Humber Road). He lodged in Walsgrave Road and complained that his shoes got muddy walking to and from work across the muddy path that is now Humber Road.