Hillman Super Minx
Hillman Super Minx | ||
---|---|---|
saloon 5-door estate 2-door Convertible | ||
Related | Curb weight 2,239 lb (1,016 kg) (saloon) | 2,368 lb (1,074 kg) (estate) |
Chronology | ||
Successor | Rootes Arrow |
The Hillman Super Minx is a family car which was produced by Hillman from 1961 to 1967. It was a slightly larger version of the Hillman Minx, from the period when the long-running Minx nameplate was applied to the "Audax" series of designs. (The Minx underwent many changes throughout its history, and the Super Minx name was not used during production of non-Audax Minx designs.)
Announced in October 1961,
The car was powered by the Rootes 1,592 cc (97.1 cu in) unit, which had first appeared late in 1953 with a 1,390 cc (85 cu in) capacity.[7] The original Super Minx had the cast-iron cylinder head version of the engine, though on later cars the cylinder head was replaced with an aluminium one.[7]
Suspension was independent at the front using coil springs with anti-roll bar and at the rear had leaf springs and a
A car was tested by the British magazine
The first Super Minxes featured the 1,592 cc (97.1 cu in) engine as used in the Hillman Minx, providing in this application a claimed 62 bhp (46 kW; 63 PS) of power.
Mark II
A year after the car was launched a Mark II version was presented, in October 1962, with greasing points eliminated, larger front disc brakes and a revised axle ratio.[6] For buyers of the automatic transmission cars, 1962 was the year that the Smiths Easidrive option was replaced by the Borg-Warner 35 transmission.[7]
Mark III
In 1964, with the launch of the Super Minx Mark III the Super Minx was facelifted, and the wrap-around rear window gave way to a new "six-light" design with a larger side windows aft of the rear side doors. The windscreen and side windows were also made taller and the roof-line flatter.
Mark IV
Engine capacity was increased to 1,725 cc (105.3 cu in) for the Super Minx Mark IV launched at the
Related models
Like many other Rootes products including the Minx, the Super Minx was one of a
The
The cars differed in subtle ways, with the Singer being positioned slightly above the Hillman and gaining such extras as quad headlights, and the Humber topping the range, commensurate with Humber's traditional role as a producer of upmarket and luxury models. The styling of the Sceptre (as well as the Vogue) somewhat recalled previous, larger Humbers. The Sceptre marks 1 and 1A had a slightly different grille arrangement and front trim to the Vogue as well as a taller panoramic windscreen, sloping rear roofline and larger rear fins. It had been intended that the Sceptre be a sports saloon until shortly before its launch as a Humber, hence its sprightly performance compared with other Humber models.
Nearly five years after its launch, a Singer Vogue Series IV saloon tested by the Britain's
The Humber was also, at launch, fitted with a high tune version of the 1,592 cc and, from September 1965, 1,725 cc oversquare engine producing 80 hp (60 kW) and 85 hp (63 kW) respectively.[9] Early models with the 1,592 cc engine had twin single Zenith downdraught carburettors - later 1,592/1,725 cc engines used a Solex twin choke downdraught carburettor for simplicity. The twin Zenith carburettors had been hard to keep balanced. Other modifications included a water-jacketed inlet manifold, timing adjustments and stronger valve springs to eliminate valve bounce at high engine speeds. The later H120's 107 hp (80 kW) engine is a straight swap for both of these units and looks almost identical - it provides a useful boost in power to an already swift automobile. The unique Sceptre interior featured full instrumentation, including a tachometer marked up to 6,000 rpm, and a four-speed floor-mounted transmission with self-cancelling overdrive (with column-mounted control and indicator) on third and fourth gear for a total of six separate ratios in standard form. The lockout could be removed on first and second gears, and this was often done by Rootes in cars used for competitions such as rallying. In addition, the Sceptre was from the beginning provided with servo-assisted braking control and, unusually in 1963, 10-inch front disc-brakes. The Marks 1 and 1A were not available with an automatic option - although this was rectified with the Mark II cars, using a three-speed unit with automatic kick-down. This was a cheaper option than was usual at the time due to the deletion of the Laycock De Normanville overdrive fitted to the Manual cars.
There was a Singer variant of the smaller Minx as well (the Singer Gazelle) but no equivalent Humber version of the Minx, (except for the Humber 80 version of the Minx released in New Zealand, as is Humber 90 to the Super Minx) which would have been uncharacteristically small for the Humber marque; conversely there was a sporty Sunbeam version of the Minx (the Sunbeam Rapier) but no Sunbeam version of the Super Minx.
In addition to assembling the Super Minx,[3] Rootes Australia produced variants of the Singer Vogue from 1963 to 1966 as the Humber Vogue and Humber Vogue Sports.[11]
At least six Humber Sceptre development mules were built with the same engine as the Sunbeam Tiger, a 289 cui Ford V8 unit. These never entered production, but at least one of the original cars survives.[citation needed]
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Singer Vogue after the 1964 facelift which saw the wrap around rear window replaced with a more modern "six-light" arrangement
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The Singer Vogue version was also available as an estate car.
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1964 Humber Sceptre. Unlike the Hillman and Singer versions, the Sceptre retained the panoramic wrap-around rear window throughout its life
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1964 Humber 90 Saloon, a badge engineered Hillman Super Minx Mark II
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1965 Humber Vogue Series III
Replacement
The Super Minx saloon and its Singer variants were replaced by the
References
- ^ 1963 Humber 90 Mark 2 Retrieved on 12 August 2011
- ^ a b c d "Used Car Test: 1964 Hillman Super Minx Convertible". Autocar. Vol. 136 (nbr 3975). 22 June 1972. pp. 42–43.
- ^ a b Gavin Farmer, Great Ideas in Motion, A History of Chrysler in Australia 1946–1981, Ilinga Books, 2010, page 365
- ^ ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
- ^ Super Minx For Paris Motor Show. The Times, Wednesday, Oct 04, 1961; pg. 9; Issue 55203
- ^ a b c d "1962 Hillman Super Minx 1". Autocar Used Car Test 1966. Vol. 124, no. 3647). 7 January 1966. pp. 20–21.
- ^ a b c d e "Used Car Test: 1963 Singer Vogue Mk. II". Autocar. Vol. 128 (nbr 3753). 18 January 1968. pp. 76–77.
- The Motor. 14 March 1962.
- ^ a b c d "Used Car Test: 1963 Humber Sceptre". Autocar. Vol. 124 (nbr 3657). 18 March 1966. p. 585.
- ^ "Road Test Singer Vogue Series IV". Autocar. August 1966. pp. 351–356.
- ^ Australian Humber History Retrieved from web.archive.org on 23 January 2009