Humber / Hillman / Rootes / Chrysler / Peugeot

A Hillman Imp was one of life's experiences. First ride was in one owned by a Rootes service rep who had come to see how our Huskies were getting on. Told him Huskies were fine but would like a ride in the new Imp. Rear mounted engine kept the noise down, also steering very light and the third gear performance was really good. Needed a car to go to work so bought an early Chamois with no MOT but a recon engine for £50. Ran for tens of thousands of miles until the offside rear inner wheel arch rusted away but during that time it was superb - went everywhere and bits available from every scrapyard. Needed another Imp so went to see one where a friend of the owner - who worked in a Citroen garage - had given it a top end overhaul. Took the filler cap off the radiator and showed the owner oil in the water. Knew what the friend from the Citroen garage had done - or rather hadn't done - and offered an abated price. Cost 20p to fix the problem and that car did 150,000 miles with me. I do not have an exact mileage as one day the long speedo cable broke and it was not until the following weekend that I could get to a scrapyard for another one. Have still got half of the broken cable as it is ideal for clearing windscreen drains. Never once stopped by the side of the road. Like so many Rootes cars if you get it properly set up then it goes as well as anything else. I trained with Rootes in the early 50's so was well grounded in the ways of their cars. The Imp had bad luck in that the resonant frequency of the water pump equated to 50mph in top gear - sheer bad luck - as the testers of the pre-production models spent very little time at 50mph in top. The starting on an icy morning was an experience but stopped for fuel 400yds from home and that pause allowed heat soak through the aluminium engine and then it was away. Whereas a Mini was an absolute cow to work on - I wouldn't have had one as a gift - the Imp was superb and was just what I needed. Having had a MkII ST90, Chamois, Imp, then Rapiers, there was nothing like a Rootes car.

These two pictures featured in the Latest Rover P4 Guild as photos from their archive, why they have them as its has nothing to do with Rovers, who knows. The first photo is taken in Broadgate looking towards where the Owen Owen store was to be built. The second photo is fairly obvious where it was taken. I did a bit of research and these are the three Rootes Work Team cars, Sunbeam Talbot 90's, for the 1952 Monte Carlo Rally, one of which came second with Stirling Moss driving his first major rally. Car No 341 LHP823 was the car driven by the great man. I seen a picture of car No. 101, third car, on the actual rally and it had a roof rack, fully loaded in the Alps. Two cars started from Glasgow, 101 and 140 but Stirling Moss in 341 started from Munich. Question really what was the purpose of driving through Coventry with a Police escort before or after the rally?

What wonderful images and not just for the cars They show parts of the city centre as I remember it as a child, together with Corporation buses and other vehicles from that era Thanks for posting them

Whilst at the Jaguar rally yesterday, I spotted this "interloper" - a 1913 Humberette

Good day all, just noticed that 'Talking Pictures' Channel (Sky 343) has a short programme under the heading 'Glimpses' which features film of the Hillman/Humber factory in Coventry during the 1930's. It will be shown next Sunday evening (27th) at 8:45 pm.

Anybody knows what happened to the Parts Dept that moved from Humber Ave to Birmingham Small Heath in late 50s. I worked in the Parts Office in Coventry, at the time the Hollerith card system was introduced, and moved to Small Heath then moving back to work in Coventry Service Guarantee Dept. At Small Heath there was a helicopter service set up (?) for the supply of parts. It arrived at the opening of the service, but to my knowledge never appeared again.

Rootes Parts on Coventry Road, Birmingham, was a "landmark" building on the way in to Birmingham in the 1960s as I remember - don't know what happened to it though

It was on a couple of nights ago - only a short section on Humber works For those watching, a hint - turn the sound down low, it's music early on which will leave your ears ringing if you don't (there's no commentary to listen to)

Rootes Parts at Small Heath is now an Asda Supermarket. I remember in the early 60s they also built Singer Vogue Bodies and they were transported unpainted unprimed on a double-deck trailer to Ryton for painting and assembly. The loading team at Small Heath were all Cypriots

24th Dec 1906 Huge fire at the Humber Motor Works in Far Gosford Street - later Lloyd's Bank. (The side of the factory showing in the photo below is in Paynes Lane. For many decades until very recently the building has been Lloyd's Bank.)

The Monte Carlo Sunbeam Talbot 90's taking a run round Broadgate and the city centre was all part of the successful PR at the time. There was a terrific vitality to the city in those days with over 75% of the cars made going for export. Every bomb site - and there were plenty of those - was where the delivery drivers parked the cars prior to an early start for the docks. In the windscreen was the destination label which included practically every country in the world. Production was restricted by the availability of steel which was rationed. The experimental departments were working on the 'new model' and the ST 90's in the photo were the Mk II's which had just gone into production. Vast improvement on the Mk I as a result of Reuben Twyneham and his ST Chassis design team providing a new cross braced chassis, IFS, steering with pivot in cross member, 2LS brakes with finned drums, and a hypoid 3.9:1 final drive. This gave 19.8 mph per 1000 rpm and a very good combination in 3rd gear of acceleration and road speed. Three pre-production cars were built - two saloons and a coupe - and the black saloon - JWD401 - did 97mph down the Bicester straight. Went out in '401' with Maurice Farren in CID at Stoke to go up Edge Hill and with the new back axle gearing and in 3rd gear he went past the rest of the traffic as if it were standing still.

Spotted this at our local car show on Sunday - a 1924 Humber 8/18 Tourer

Hi all This article could go on this or the Courtaulds thread. I went to Measham auctions years ago to buy this motor, but the bidding went right out of my reach. I travelled in it once to London to get a main-board signature on a huge value cheque. The description is not totally accurate as Lord Kearton never ever drove it. He had a full-time & standby chauffeur, both here in Coventry & the London offices, Hanover Square & George St.

Had a splendid Christmas present of the book 'Sunbeam - Talbot and Alpine (1935-56). Sheer nostalgia from start to finish and full of detail. My ambition had been to get a 90 Mk II when I could afford one - used of course. What I had always wanted was one in black (cellulose in those days and shone like black glass) with light fawn interior. Went to look at one and as the seller was about to open the garage door just prayed that it was in light fawn and it was. Took JOU922 out, checked the 30-50 acceleration figures and all was OK. Then for the next ten years went all over Europe and in the Alps started dropping out of 2nd. When back in UK took the gearbox out to find that the long bolt that screwed into the end of the mainshaft had become loose and fallen out. Cars like this are no longer made.

Hillman Minx in production at Ryton plant