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[BazaJT]

Out on my daily walk today and passing one of the houses I saw on the drive a car I've never seen locally before-in fact I don't think I've ever seen one before anywhere. A four door saloon in a flat grey colour it had the simple script Hunter on the bootlid. The bodywork[on a simple walk past look didn't show any obvious signs of rust although the rear bumper was rusty and there were no hubcaps on the wheels.The bootlid has a fair slope to it until it lines up with the back edges of the rear wings when it curves down to the rear panel/bumper line. A quick google seems to show it to be a 1948/49[can't find any pictures clearly showing the rear]Hillman Hunter. It's certainly not an immediate post war car with the upright rear and a much earlier design than the Audax range from Rootes.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Out on my daily walk today and passing one of the houses I saw on the drive a car I've never seen locally before-in fact I don't think I've ever seen one before anywhere. A four door saloon in a flat grey colour it had the simple script Hunter on the bootlid. The bodywork[on a simple walk past look didn't show any obvious signs of rust although the rear bumper was rusty and there were no hubcaps on the wheels.The bootlid has a fair slope to it until it lines up with the back edges of the rear wings when it curves down to the rear panel/bumper line. A quick google seems to show it to be a 1948/49[can't find any pictures clearly showing the rear]Hillman Hunter. It's certainly not an immediate post war car with the upright rear and a much earlier design than the Audax range from Rootes.

I thought the Hillman Hunter from the sixties and seventites was basically a Hillman minx with a 1725cc lump.

1948/9?

[cam.in.head]

available as a 1500,1725 and the holbay version too but yes same physical car as the minx or humber sceptre variants . great looking cars but did rot badly !  always fancied one but hard to find a good one now .
cannot recall the hunter name being used before that model thou ? certainly not 40's?

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

available as a 1500,1725 and the holbay version too but yes same physical car as the minx or humber sceptre variants . great looking cars but did rot badly !  always fancied one but hard to find a good one now .
cannot recall the hunter name being used before that model thou ? certainly not 40's?

Sunbeam Rapier H120 comes to mind.

A good looking car.

[cam.in.head]

yes i forgot the rapier .  i must admit my favourite was the 1725 dl (4door saloon) that had the  icest front grille (to me) and was a step up from the minx without the possibly overcrowded front of the sceptre !   

[Nick W]

I thought the Hillman Hunter from the sixties and seventites was basically a Hillman minx with a 1725cc lump.

1948/9?

Minx was Hillman's traditional mediumish car name. They carried it over to the Arrow range as the basic trim level. It was also badged using Singer's Gazelle name.


The 1725 was available in several different power levels; from the basic single carb, through twin Zenith carbs, then stepping up to an aluminium head through to the ally head Holbay with DCOEs. You can't replace a cast-iron head with an alloy one without a load of other changes.


An Arrow Hunter is a direct competitor for the mk2 Cortina it very closely resembles, and the higher spec ones are noticeably nicer- a Humber Sceptre is better equipped, trimmed, finished and better to drive than a 1600E. Although it does rust a little more.

[countrywoman]

Yes they were nicer to drive than the Cortina.

[Rangie]

My aunt had a Sunbeam Rapier in the  late sixties, two door version it was a really pretty car light blue with a dark blue roof & a dark blue flash on the sides.

[Raeturbo]

I had a H120, rebored hepolite high compression pistons etc.. but I failed to upgrade the suspension and brakes, result was I crashed on llanwonno mountain and one of front wheels came inside the car steaming,, pushing up the pedals between my legs didn’t actually touch me but quite a reasonable write off🤣

[ronnyd]

I had a couple of Hunters. First one was a 1725 estate in flame red. Bought as a load lugger for a business i was in. Other one was a rust gold 1500 saloon. Quite liked them both.

[johnnydog]

In the mid 70's I drove a Hillman Hunter GLS with the 1725 engine with twin choke webers (if I recollect correctly) fitted with an alloy Holbay head. I took it from Preston to York along the A59 (which was a great driving road before we had to worry too much about speed cameras etc!). It was a brilliant car to drive at the time and it went like the 'proverbial'!

[ronnyd]

In the mid 70's I drove a Hillman Hunter GLS with the 1725 engine with twin choke webers (if I recollect correctly) fitted with an alloy Holbay head. I took it from Preston to York along the A59 (which was a great driving road before we had to worry too much about speed cameras etc!). It was a brilliant car to drive at the time and it went like the 'proverbial'!

My 1725 had Stromburg carbs IIRC. Lost in the mists of time. 

[johnnydog]

In the mid 70's I drove a Hillman Hunter GLS with the 1725 engine with twin choke webers (if I recollect correctly) fitted with an alloy Holbay head. I took it from Preston to York along the A59 (which was a great driving road before we had to worry too much about speed cameras etc!). It was a brilliant car to drive at the time and it went like the 'proverbial'!

My 1725 had Stromburg carbs IIRC. Lost in the mists of time. 

No, this one I drove definitely had a Holbay head which I'm almost certain had twin webers. I think the basic 1725 engine had a Stromberg carburettor, but was a 'snail' in comparison....

[johnnydog]

If you Google 'Hillman Hunter GLS specs' Ronny, there's a great picture on Flickr of a gold Hillman Hunter GLS engine bay showing the alloy Holbay head with the webers....
I'd post the pic on here, but I've never been able to fathom out how to do it......

[cam.in.head]

my dad had a 74 dl in the early eighties and always loved it . sounded good and had a great looking front end with the recessed grille . never  ended up getting one myself as i stuck mainly with vauxhall vivas and cavaliers but did get chance to drive a 73 sceptre and a later crysler version a few years back . they drive realy well . feel solid on the road and you feel you are properly operating the controls unlike most modern cars which tend to feel like you are connected with rubber !