New Zealand Classic Car – September 2019

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I

f you have been alive and kicking for

the past 30 to 60 years, chances are

you will have owned, or at least known

someone who owned, a car made

by the Rootes Group. You probably had

a colleague at work who had a Hillman

Hunter, lusted after a Sunbeam Tiger, or

got stuck behind a Singer Vogue on SH1

from time to time. Heck, my own father’s

first car was a Humber 80.

Today, the Rootes Group’s fleet of once-

great British brands has almost a cult

following in New Zealand. Many owners

of Hillman, Humber, Singer, Talbot, and

Commer love their cars, and for good

reason. They were a huge part of the

Kiwi motoring scene over the years, and,

crucially, the Rootes Group was making

family wagons when those first indelible

motoring memories were being made.

That golden era glow has seen demand

for Rootes Group runarounds grow

steadily over time, and prices have climbed

accordingly — great news for owners, but

a slight annoyance for those thinking they

might bag a Rootes bargain.

Take the Hillman Minx, for example. It

remained in production from 1932 to 1967,

adopting a variety of guises and engines.

However, the later Audax body Minx was

the more common sight on Kiwi roads.

This was thanks to Todd Motors in Petone

producing many Rootes models. The Series

THERE’S PLENTY

OF AFFECTION FOR

THE ROOTES GROUP

FAMILY CARS. THEIR

SIMPLICITY ALSO

MAKES THEM A

CONTENDER FOR

A COST-EFFECTIVE

RESTORATION — IF YOU

CAN STILL FIND ONE

Words: Ben Selby

ROOTES GROUP ROUND-UP

1964 Humber Sceptre

1966 Hillman Husky

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