Club Arnage

over the weekend i was browsing ebay as i often do looking at old motors and the like when i stumbled across a MK3 Humber Sceptre which i thought "thats nice, lets throw a bid in" and i won. HA HA, no time to think just do it and there I am, buying another car.

For those who do not know my 1st car was a Humber Sceptre MK2, which i had to sell last year after owning the beast for many many years due to space and being married. I have pined ever since.

I have no more space than i did, am still married so nothing has changed so god knows what i was playing at but i can tell you now i cannot wait to pick up teh old girl  ;D ;D

Le Mans in a humber in '07, i think the orange stripes will look spanking on my metallic gold coachwork.

Was there alcohol involved by any chance? ;D ;D

For a Humber Sceptre, its sounds like a double dose of Tropicoma    ;D

congrats on your purchase!

I just googled the Humber Sceptre. ::)

Man,Dave you are in deep doo doo! :o

(http://www.dcs.napier.ac.uk/~dave/rootes/Gallery/sceptrep2.jpg)

the mrs took it quite well............hmmmmm,

its better than than me buying the 993 911, well £25K better until i mod it that is, heres the pix i have so far, bear in mind i've never seen the thing:

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/ac_1.jpg)

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/97_1.jpg)

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/27_1.jpg)

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/3b_1.jpg)

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/44_1.jpg)

might start a new thread along the lines of, "the modern humber replacement.........."

i will keep all posted as to what goes on with this, the MOT is this week, hopefully pick up next week or so, then i get a new V8 built, preferably Mopar, then suspension, brakes etc and i have the wheels sorted, oh yes i want gold plated wires, hispanic stylee, mo fo!  ;D

Watch out LM 07 the bad ass humber is coming

thank you i am happy

Sad  I know, but it look like a reasonable car.

Quiet colour as well.

Just need the furry dice.

Le Mans 2007 – definitely!

(its thats ebay bug) ;D

Obvously somebodies pride and joy - preffer the Pink version though  ;D

soon to be my pride and joy, you wait till next year and there will be a crowd around the gold humber, there will be a buzz in bleu everyone will be wondering who the hell bought this beauty, stuck orange stripes to it and drove the 400 miles in such comfort and style............ 8)

 :-* :-* :-*

Now that I know you have a wife and it still doesn't stop you behaving like a mentalist on the internet....................there is no hope!? :'(

That being said - if you have managed to get back a car you love for LM2007 I might be able to get the Mexico for LM2007 - keep checking Ebay is the moral to this story!

Lisa
 :-* :-*

I had a 1972 version......what a fantastic motor until coming off the M20 at Maidstone on evening  taking err indoors home ......the big ends went.....so off the the great hunting ground in the sky for "Harry"

MInd you it had covered 180,000 on one engine....can't complain,I bought it as a stand in until the Stag was roadworthy.

A good 'un Dave, those Rootes motors were classics even when they were making them...

And as for comfort I can vouch for that too. I spent a fortnight in Scotland driving my old Colonel's hunter staff car all over, blooming wonderful motor.

I hope to look the old beast up at LeMans next time.

bill

Cool motor vqdave. I never knew there was a Scepter version. My dad had the "cheaper" Hillman Minx, still can feal the red vinal seats burning the back of my legs in the summer. Wasnt there a fast version to "Hunter"?

yeah, the hunter GT. It even rallied with success i think.

(http://marathon68.homestead.com/files/bkandrewcowancar75_1.JPG)

Dave, don't listen to the knockers (ooh-er missus!) or the naysayers. You have proven to be a very wise man. A very wise man indeed. Anyone who purchases a product of the Rootes Group/Chrysler UK, especially one driven by 1725cc of sheer firepower, can only be a man of distinction, class and great taste; in short a coinesseur of fine motors. If the wife bridles at this beauty then it's probably time to start asking yourself some very serious questions. I mean, what's not to like?

I'm pleased to tell you that the Commer shares many components and if you need bits, (though it looks very sound in the photos), I can probably help you out. Does it have an overdrive gearbox? If you V8 it, would you sell said box? Personally I'd be on the look out for a handbuilt Holbay 120bhp engine on eBay to drop in it, and they do come up quite often.

Enjoy.

A fellow distinguished gentleman. Yes the 1725 4 bearing engine is indeed a fine motor, it powered me in my formative years, and the Rootes Group were indeed a fine manufacturer of well engineered machines. Indeed it is overdrived, on 3rd and 4th, giving me a 6 speed box, engineered ahead of its time. The Holbay route is an option, and indeed a tempting one i looked at for the original Humber, plans are not set in stone, but i think i really do hanker for some big guns under the bonnet, in the style of Mopar!! Style Chrysler so a tenuous link there.

If i do the V8 with new box and running gear etc i will indeed be looking at selling the original mechanicals. Does your commer currently have overdrive?

I have been offered "NEW pair of stromberg 150 cd carbs " by the seller, any good in your opinion?

Strombies are good carbs but I'm lead to believe they're bastards to fix if they go wrong. So if they're new or in very good nick I would take them too for the right money. However, if you're serious about doing the V8 thing then there seems little point buying them.

I have to say this vehicle seems in top nick, maybe a bit too good to start hacking about with the cutting torch! You'll probably need a stronger back axle too (Rover P5 coupe or similar) and a handling pack. Steve brown is the man to ask about this sort of thing. Be fun to burble around in though, more like a more practical Sunbeam Tiger. What a pose! And I'd certainly snap your mittens off for an overdrive 'box.

This is a spiffing website by the way:

http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/hill-hunter.html

might well run the car stock for summer so i can enjoy it, then mod it over winter ready for spring running in and a le mans maiden voyage, or so teh plan goes in my head.

I just seem to have killed my afternoon with that website, absolutely fantastic, i had forgotten how much i love matra's, the bagheera/murena, what cars and the rancho, i so wanted my folks to have one when i was a nipper.

BTW Andy, what petrol do you run teh Commer on? Standard unleaded with Redex? Is it OK on this?

Agreed - it would be a shame to carve-up what looks like a well-cared for old banger. With the help of an adventurous and able mechanic friend, I transplanted an Essex V6 into a '72 Chrysler Avenger and that was a real fanny-around. I think you'll really struggle to shoehorn even a 340 Mopar into your Sceptre without cutting out the inner wings, bulkhead and tranny tunnel.  I'm sure it could be done - but I'd venture 1. The recipient car is too nice to bastardise 2. The result may be highly disappointing (i.e. barely driveable). If you are going to take the fire-axe to it and do not want to totally redesign the rear suspension, use a norrowed 9" Ford live axle, as they hang almost exactly the same as the Rootes one (fabricate a new De-Dion tube though) We used the Rootes axle on the Avenger and simply cut/mated and balanced the Ford propshaft. That said the V6 pushed about 160bhp - not 280+ from a Dodge V8
   

I have to admit that the Hillman Hunter was the worse car I ever drove.  Heavy, gutless, and it just didn't want to know about corners.

However, it nearly won the London to Sydney Marathon 40 years ago, and was leading when it hit a road car coming the other way on the wrong side. 

I think we have a period replica on show at Castle Combe this saturday (Rally Supercar day)  It has 3 Humber Snipe seats, but I'm still not sure if it does corners.

all points taken on cutting up etc and i fully appreciate this as i do have an inbuilt an odd love of humbers and do not like the thought of cutting a good one up. My old one was a case in point where i wouldn't even cut holes in the parcel shelf for speakers so mounted them under the seats.

I will run the old girl stock this year, and take professional advice on upgrades as i no longer have the mech know how or if i'm honest the inclination to do this stuff myself anymore. I will weigh up pros and cons as well as costs against worth (to me not market as i know i will lose money if i sell after doing this) and come to a decision. Be it Mopar, Holbay, Strombergs, Chevy or whatever.....I look forward to coming journey and fun i shall be having and making it into Bleu or whatever campsie we end up with in June next year, i think driving the Humber will make arrival time quite definately Pimms o'clock..

If your passion is Chrysler/Rootes/Humber etc - how accessible is that British 57 Chevy Bel Air, the Humber Snipe/Super Snipe?
There is plenty of room for a 383/440 ci mopar in one of those bad boys - and you still get the burred walnut, leather cappings and yards of chrome.
I may be on crack, but I'd have thought you could pick one up on eB*y for a long 'un. Make a cracking project, that...

i know where you're coming from the Super Snipe is an ambassador(SP) of a car, but my love is of the Sceptre, also the size makes the sceptre more realistic for my driveway/garage.

I read sometime ago in the Humber Owners Club mag (i think) that back in the day Humber did a prototype Sceptre with Mopar v8 power, all fitted in OK apparently, the engine bay is pretty big, there was loads of room in my old one, here is teh new one :

(http://www.vingtquatre.net/ea_1.jpg)

looks to be space for a bigger engine in there me thinks.

Hmmm, happen there is, but not for a mopar small (wide) block - and I'm assuming you know how frickin' big a Torqueflite transmission is. If you've done a transplant or two, you'll also be thinking, radiator, oil cooler, trans-cooler, steering routing, header clearance, lower mounts, sump-clearance, shocks/springs upgrade, re-inforce McPherson turrets, air box, ac compressor........AAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

You forgot the firelighters to set the twatting thing on fire...

>Martini...

Dave ignore any and all peetakers. And Stroms are mostly OK as long as you keep the diaphragms in very good nick.

Oooer Missis!

As you know, a heavy - ish car but happy enough at go-time


 ;)

It depends. Personally, if it's loaded up heavy for a long and hot journey like going to Le Mans when I need maximum preformance, I use 98 RON (say Optimax) and shove in a good slug of Redex Lead Replacement additive. However, for day to day trundling around empty I just use normal unleaded and no additive.

The current school of thought in the Classic Camper Club is that you can use normal unleaded 95RON permanently until the valves burn out, then replace the head with one with hardened valve seats. However, some people have now done over 20,000 miles on unleaded and the old head is still going strong. I would add the Commer has a cast iron head, not the higher performance alloy head of your car and i suppose it's possible this increases the durability.

At the end of the day, bearing in mind your likely mileage, it probably really doesn't matter, but if I were you I'd use Optimax with or without the redex additive.

Dave, I'd go along with Matt and Andy and agree that, if it looks as straight and rust free as the photos suggest, keep it semi stock.

You can easily mod the 1725 engine with the Holbay head and carbs etc for a bit more power.
Any other more modern 4 cylinder alternatives may prove too tall - overhead cam gear etc - although a nice carbed or injected Zetec would make it sing.

I agree any Mopar V8 is a lot of heavy iron, even the 'little' 318 is a big chunk of ballast, then you've got a 727 Torqueflite and the added power and torque requiring a rear end change.

If you really want a mild, light V8 swap, you can't go far wrong with an aluminium 3.5 Rover V8 from a P6 or SD1.  There are not many SD1s about nowadays as most have sacrificed their V8 and 5 speed box to the kit car fraternity.
Any bigger than the 3.5 (up to 5 litre) Rover and the stock 5 speed is not really strong enough and you would need a Tremec / Borg Warner T5 as fitted to older TVRs and Cosworth Sierras etc.

Bare in mind your engine bay / firewall / bonnet line is designed for an overhead valve / side cammed in line 4 engine - any changes will require a fair degree of tin bashing.

Interesting comment.  As the valve seats are only supposed to burn out when you give it some welly, the Le Mans mixture sounds good.

Strangely I havent heard of any valve seat damage since 4 star was dropped, (scaremongering perhaps) but I used Millers additive for a few years, until an engine swap.  I now have an aluminium head which all have steel inserts, which should cope, although the Jaguar engine was the same and there was some concern here, but the Yanks hadn't reported any proplems using unleaded.

And don't forget a decent 4 cylinder engine for the Humber.  The words Duratec and Hyabusa come to mind, but please do something with the suspension.

Quick update - The Humber has been MOT'd and taxed. I have insured the beast, and am getting the train down to Plymouth this Wednesday to pick her up.

She has been tuned and is apparently running beautifully. I cannot wait. I just hope it makes it back to the 'ham from Plymouth, if not the insurance has recovery with it so i will be bought home on a flatbed.

Congrats! (http://forum.drinkingforholland.com/images/smiles/clapclap.gif) ;D

will the missus be happy too? ::)

Look forward to seeing you cruising the "Ham" in your pride and joy  8).   

She will make it back Dave, no worries! My advice in this hot weather is to get her up to temperature THEN check the coolant level. That way you should get rid of any naughty airlocks in the system. Obviously be careful not to scald yourself when removing the lid.

Look forward to a full report on your triumphant arrival in Wokingham.

Update - - - The Humber is in the 'Ham!!

Got the train to Plymouth yesterday morning and picked up the old girl, what a peach, i felt like a king behind the wheel of a Humber again.

Was getting a bit nervous on teh train and before i got there and saw it, but as soon as the garage door opened and the cover came off, i was in love. She fired up and was a bit lumpy from cold balancing the choke something i have not done for years, but when warm she purrs.

Was a bit nervous in Plymouth as i stopped for fuel, bunged in some unleaded + additive and straight onto teh big dual carraigeway motorway out of town going East and was soon in the flow and then i had to pull out to overtake, lordy i thought. I was dead nervous i would hate it when driving, too many years of a modern car, but it was lovely, a real experience, a car you learn, brilliant. Happily sat at 60 - 70 on the big roads, saw 80 at one point and soon backed down, first drive and 4 hours to go and all that.

Cruised along no probs, even through teh exeter rush hour in the heat of yesterday, fan kicked in, no overheating etc and when clear she just pulled.

Stopped before basingstoke for more fuel (fuel guage not working so being cautious) and noticed some coolant under the car so pulled to the side opened teh bonnet and just a bit coming through the expansion pipe nothing too bad. So let her cool off for 20 or so minutes and off we went again. Was a bit of hesitation to begin with, but dipped the clutch and coasted a couple of times and it cleared and was back to cruising speed again with the sun coming down. Pulled onto the driveway just before 9 so all in it took me 4 and a half hours in a 31 year old car bought on a whim from ebay and i hadn't even seen here before yesterday lunchtime.

What an experience, i am over the moon. Well happy and well worth doing and thanks to all for advice and chat on this. Photos of teh trip are here if you wanna butchers http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/davecollins1974/album?.dir=fc89re2&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//uk.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

 8)

Very Very nice Dave. Look forward to seeing it in 07.

Dave, she is a feckin' lovely lovely motor mate, you lucky SOB, though I trust the rear end ride is as incompetent and uncomfortaable as ever! Anyway, how did I know you were gonna have trouble with the old water works??

Love the pics of the run home too. I drove down the A303 this afternoon and I wondered if this was the route you'd taken yesterday. Coincidentally I too stopped at the same Esso services as where you overheated, it's the last one before the M3.

Enjoy!!

PS Was she originally registered in Scotland? Do you know her history?

I just saw her in the flesh - a gold coloured car waiting to pull out out of Dave's road, so I let it out and sure enough - there she was!

A stonker...

Cheers Smokie,

Clocked it was you after i had pulled out, many thanks for letting us out, was in the mood for an early friday evening cruise in the sun shine, and a lovely time was had.

I'm starting to worry.  As I drive into work in the morning down the Bath Road, I keep seeing a Hillman.  The other day, i was a bit early and I saw a Humber Spectre. 

I've called in an exorcist as they must be ghosts

I saw a Hunter yesterday too, it was following the London-Brighton old crocks run. Green it was.