Here's something of a timewarp for you

[merv]

Looks like this old Holden has got lost from the 1968 London-Sydney marathon or something that was won by the Hillman Hunter.

Cool huh!

[xwhatsit]

Lol, wtf?! Aussies keep their old shitters -- so do Kiwis, but mostly by those who can't afford to upgrade. Aussies... just don't see the need, I think. Many, many ancient XE Falcons rolling around Brisbane, possibly only surviving due to the lack of a WOF system.

As an aside, where is that carpark? It looks very familiar, I think I've had a pie from that bakery.

[Hillbilly]

Lol, wtf?! Aussies keep their old shitters -- so do Kiwis, but mostly by those who can't afford to upgrade. Aussies... just don't see the need, I think. Many, many ancient XE Falcons rolling around Brisbane, possibly only surviving due to the lack of a WOF system.


I've got a '77 XC - a real POS too!! I think I'll get a '78 VG Valiant Regal 770 next. For $3k I can pick up one that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

[merv]

As an aside, where is that carpark? It looks very familiar, I think I've had a pie from that bakery.

Its down the NSW South Coast at Narooma where we stayed for a couple of days on our recent holiday.

[merv]

I've got a '77 XC - a real POS too!! I think I'll get a '78 VG Valiant Regal 770 next. For $3k I can pick up one that looks like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

So you wouldn't go and buy a real car like a new Toyota Aurion or something?

In NZ with all the Jap imports flooding in from '89 on we have very few old cars these days - hell I even parted with my 1970 Hillman Hunter - and that when it was sold originally was sold as the London to Sydney rally winner eh! You reckon it would be worth a lot now because of it pedigree - yeah right!

[Motu]

It used to be the other way around - we'd go over to Aussie and see perfectly good cars abandoned on the side of the road....''Not worth the cost of rego'' they'd say.Shit,the Kiwi's gobbled them up,cheaper and in better condition than the wrecks we drove over here.Jap Imports have destroyed our used car market....and the motorcycle market.

An Austin 1800 would of won the London/Sydney if the silly mechanic at Perth didn't over tighted the rear wheel bearing,it was winning at that stage.Understandable - wheel bearings on all BMC's were thrust ball bearings with a preload spacer,you just did them up tight.The rally Landcrab had taper rollers in the rear,the factory mechanic just did them up tight like he always did.I went from a Singer Vogue (Hunter with wood trim) to a Landcrab....doubled interior room,and it was the best car on gravel I've ever driven....although it didn't go sideways well,but the ride was great.

[xwhatsit]

Landcrabs are sweet. My Uncle still has one -- is about to paint it and do it up for his daughters to drive as they start getting their licences. When I was a kid, dad borrowed it while his car was out of action. I remember being terrified because when we were doing 60kph it felt like about 100kph because of the ride height and go-kart-style handling.

[MacD]

Looks like this old Holden has got lost from the 1968 London-Sydney marathon or something that was won by the Hillman Hunter.

Cool huh!

I still have the Corgi model of the Hillman Hunter rally car complete with tyres and toolbox on the roof, and removable wheels with built-in jacks! :niceone: I think the tyres have perished unfortunately. Must dig it out of storage!

Hmm, there's one for sale on eBay UK (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Corgi-Hillman-Hunter-Rally-Car_W0QQitemZ7032886869QQihZ014QQcategoryZ56317QQc mdZViewItem) for 55 pounds...

[merv]

Beautiful.

Here's my Hunter in 1974 in the snow near Arthurs Pass while a student mate does his business - great machines they were I kept mine 14 years. I had the cool bronze colour.

[Motu]

I got my Singer Vogue in a swap,for my 1976 CB750....I got it off Lee Rusty in another swap and ''HE SAID'' it had new everything inside,new chains and tyres,it was a real gem.The Singer was totaly fucked,the motor so worn it finaly refused to start and I had to fit new rings.They were both worth the same value,around $1500 - both in the same condition today the Honda would be worth over $5,000 and the Singer would be towed away by The Broken Car Company for free....otherwise you'd have to pay for removal.

[James Deuce]

The Hillman Hunter that won had a Chrysler V8. Trying buying one in the shops in 1969.

[merv]

The Hillman Hunter that won had a Chrysler V8. Trying buying one in the shops in 1969.



That bit I don't remember from the time - you got any info on that?

[Edbear]

a Landcrab....doubled interior room,and it was the best car on gravel I've ever driven....although it didn't go sideways well,but the ride was great.


Eh? Only car accident I've had was when I was forced off a narrow gravel road by a cattle truck. Power disc brakes and radial tyres turned it into a steeringless sled! My Humber 80 with 15" crossplies was a mean gravel racer! Dug into the metal and handled beaut!

The ride comfort on the open road of the 1800 and the space was in a class of its own for the time! Basically reliable if you looked after them properly, though a piece of hardboard behind the grill stopped the dizzy from drowning in the rain...:yes:

[Motu]

At the time where we were living we had to go up and over a steep windy hill,it was gravel and the most unmaintained road in the area.The Hunter was in 2nd gear with severe axle tramp,almost uncontrollable,and hill starts on our gravel drive almost impossible.The 1800 was great,the long wheelbase and hydrolastic supension just absorbed to judders and I was able to go up the hill in 3rd gear with no axle tramp at all.with all the weight over the front wheels gravel road hill starts were no problem at all,even when I had the trailer loaded up with 3 bikes and the car full of gear,it would still go up my drive with no wheelspin.

I've had 4 1800's and we had an 1800 ute once where I worked - I love to get sideways on 2 and 4 wheels,but I got very comfortable with massive understeer too.Nothing like coming into a corner and dialing in damn near full lock understeer,then nailing it and unwinding the wheel.Maybe that's why I was so comfortable pushing my front wheel in big slides on a flattracker.

The Hunter only won through attrition,the Landcrab reached Perth in the lead on it's own merits.

[Laava]

Don't understand the landcrab thing. My Mum had a Maxi. If I think of anything nice to say about it I'll post back in.:sick:

[Motu]

A Maxi is not a Landcrab - if you can think of one thing nice about a Maxi,I can think of 100 bad things about them.

[merv]

You'll notice in that pic I posted of my Hunter I made sure I fitted it with a sump guard (70's yellow colour of course ) because I took that car just about anywhere I took my trail bike except on narrow tracks and where the water was too deep, but I had run it through water that washed over up to the windscreen and leaked in through the doors. I drove it around the bike tracks at the Waimak and succeeded only in denting the petrol tank. I laugh these days at how people need 4x4's to go on easy gravel roads.

[Motu]

The Hunter was the car that taught us about alloy cyl heads,as it was the first mainstream car to have one.No one used antifreeze in those days and corrosion was a problem.The thermostat housing was high in zinc and acted as a sacrificial anode,they corroded so much that every service station and garage kept them in stock.Blown headgaskets were very common and the water passages often needed to be welded up.The head gasket was copper on one side and steel on the other,and had to be fitted the correct way around - now,was that copper on the headside....or steel....?

It always amaised me that after a complete redesign to 5 main bearings they still didn't fit a timing cover oil seal.Once they had done a few miles the oil poured out,and the timing cover had to be centralised over the pulley.No one ever did this and the timing cover would be worn oval.I'm glad they aren't around anymore - imagine the customer complaints about oil leaks and what useless bastards we are if they were.

[merv]

I ran mine with anitfreeze from the start because I had it down in ChCh in the cold and knew about the corrosion thing but it blew a head gasket in the end because I think I caused it trouble by being young and stupid and drove it to the gas station after it broke a fan belt - too used to air cooled bike engines eh! I watched the temp gauge on the way and thought I hadn't let it get too hot (always carried a spare belt after that) but it stuffed the gasket all the same. I drove that car hard and sold it with 124,000 miles on the clock - main thing with them compared to cars of today is all the other stuff would clap out even though the engine seemed strong. I replaced the clutch about 3 times, likewise the exhaust system and had to replace stuff or get it reconditioned - things like the starter motor, brake power booster, all the hydraulic cylinders and the alternator. These days over the same distance you just don't touch stuff like that on Toyotas or Hondas. I never had much trouble with oil leaks but by the time I sold it the oil use had climbed a bit.

[Motu]

I don't think anyone ever brought a Hunter in complaining about oil leaks,no one ever did in those days.I've done dozens of Hunter clutches,and being a little guy the gearbox is just on my borderline strength level.I had one chance to lift and get it in,I couldn't do it a second time....so if I had to let it down again I'd have to climb out from the car for a rest and come back to it 10 mins later.But as I was usualy a sole charge mechanic in those days it wasn't a problem.

Major problems I've seen - One guy rang and said his gearbox had blown up,I tried to find out what he meant by ''blown up'',but he just said it was all over the road.When it was towed in there was a bell housing,a tailshaft housing....and all the gears hanging in the breeze.Another engine ''exploded'' - the woman owner didn't know what happen,she was just going down a short steep hill,and it just blew up.I had to put in another engine as her's was totaled,and also discovered why it instantainiously lunched it self.The brakebooster was leaking and the vacuum chamber full of brake fluid,as she came over the hill and braked it sucked all the fluid in and hydrauliced.

I used to work for a small rental car company,and half the fleet was wornout Hunters....that's how come I ended up with my Singer.It was also the last Hunter in the fleet,so I had plenty of spares for it.

I though this thread was about Holden rally cars - have you highjacked your own thread Merv?

[merv]

I though this thread was about Holden rally cars - have you highjacked your own thread Merv?

Nah it was just a time warp thread and I related the Holden to the London - Sydney to start with and next thing we're all talking about Hunters because they and Andrew Cowan were a winner then.

More surprising to me was Cowan did it again in an Avenger and even brought an Avenger rally car to NZ afterwards - everyone remembers that eh?

[Hillbilly]

While on the subject of old pommie cars, what about this '57 Humber Hawk. It's exactly like the second car I owned. I traded it for the third car, a beige '67 2.5 litre Mk IV Zephyr. I swapped the zephyr for a '68 Austin 1800 - a land crab!

[Motu]

I always liked Hawks and Super Snipes - the Super Snipe engine of that body shape had a 3 litre 6 with hemi chambers,I did a head job on one in the '70's.I saw one yesterday,a long wheelbase Imperial I think....must of been going to the Kumeu show.The MkIV Zephyr had few redeeming features,I hated driving or working on them.But a mate of mine had one with a 283 Chev and 2 speed powerglide,with an inline overdrive - the overdrive was like a hanger bearing in the driveshaft and you engaged it with a handbrake lever between the seats.I used to love driving it,could cruise at 100mph no worries,the auto was not auto,you had to manualy select,but the overdrive had kickdown.We made a mess of some good cars in those days.

[Ixion]

The Humber 6s were lovely cars IF you could afford the petrol!

I had one of those Zephyrs, I quite liked it, nice big comfortable car. Women couldn't drive them, the steering was so heavy. They were very much a highway car. They were MUCH better than the PA PB Vauxhall. Which was a pity cos I always liked the EIP Velox.

The best of the 3 litre sixes of that era was prolly the Wolseley / Austin A110. Very underrated car I always reckoned

[Terminated]

The good ol' EH. I remember the 179 rear end badge used to get 'lifted' off the rear end and wind up on belt buckles. Not me I was too young still at school. The other buckle emblem was the Ford 'V8' emblem.

I often wondered why we don't see more 'reincarnated' 60's and 70's vehicles. Though recently the Monaro tried a come back it was short lived.

I'd like to see a Ford - GTHO off the production line with today's engineering under the bonnet, and also the Falcon coupes, and Chrysler Pursuit 770's.

I do seem to vaguely remember the 68 London/Sydney rally back home in Sydney and all the cars coming up from Melbourne to Sydney having crossed the continent.

Heads Up and Enjoy

[Laava]

I remembered something good about the ol' Maxi! It was 'Bold as Brass' yellow and used to make all the old ladies at church smile.:yes:
Never been in a landcrab but had several minis and one 1300. Minis were fun!!! Put a 186 and 3spd in a mach1 vanguard, it had hunter seats. My friends still laugh at me!

[Hillbilly]

I remember someone who put a 186 in a '63 Rambler Rebel 'cos he couldn't get any parts. Also seen a butcher take a gas axe to the fire wall of a '58 Dodge so that he could put a Ford 332 in it. What a moron! The 318 Mopar would drop straight in and bolt up, and it was a more powerful engine.
An uncle of mine had three Sipes at the same time I had my Hawk. He had a black '63 a white '65 and a silver '66. Don't know what happened to the Routes Group. They made some really nice cars like the Singer Vogue. I think after Chrysler bought them out they made the Hillman Avenger etc. The Minx was my favourate Hillman.

I've owned a '65 Morris 1100 and a '76 Triumph 2500 TC. I hated them both!

[Edbear]

The Humber 6s were lovely cars IF you could afford the petrol!

I had one of those Zephyrs, I quite liked it, nice big comfortable car. Women couldn't drive them, the steering was so heavy. They were very much a highway car. They were MUCH better than the PA PB Vauxhall. Which was a pity cos I always liked the EIP Velox.

The best of the 3 litre sixes of that era was prolly the Wolseley / Austin A110. Very underrated car I always reckoned



I agree two out of three, anyway! One of the best open road cars I ever owned was the 6/80 Wolseley, better than the HT Premier 308 I had at the same time! Though the Prem was easier around town with power steering, auto and power disc brakes. The PC Cresta was a brilliant tourer, powerful and comfy! I allus wanted a 6/110, though!

[Hitcher]

Looks like this old Holden has got lost from the 1968 London-Sydney marathon or something that was won by the Hillman Hunter.

I was traumatised as a yoof and my "belief" in so-called marque motorsport marketing shattered when I discovered that Andrew Cowan's "winning" Hunter was powered by a Chrysler V8, and not the 1750cc inline-four that powered every other Hunter on the planet. And this bullshit is still promulgated upon the gormless gumbo supporters of motorsport, with events like Australian touring car racing. Ford versus Holden my arse.

[SPman]

But a mate of mine had one with a 283 Chev
a Maori Mustang!

Only car I ever totalled was a 1969 Hunter Royal - in the middle of Kings Cross in 1969! Bloody thing was always doing head gaskets! POS!