|
|
|
|
|
Hello! After selling my '86 Volvo and deciding I wanted something older, I got my hands on this. Had a hankering for a Hillman ever since I went to look at a Minx which was for sale on here a while ago but sadly wasn't to be. It's a '73 Hunter that had a small front end knock (panel damage) - so was replaced with a Minx front end! Best of both worlds as the Minx front end looks awesome as far as I'm concerned. Tax free and super cheap insurance! Hooray!     Not going to win any beauty contests but it's certainly got character! Lovely slotmags too for that retro look. Drives a peach. 4 speed, 1500CC, standard. Came with some spare engine mounts, front bumper, a few suspension bits and various little things. Drove it back from Berkhamstead to Kent - 90 miles - straight to the MOT which it passed!  My daily is an old Diesel 306 so this is a log for progress on the Hillman, maybe a bit of this and that.. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Okay, as I said above it did pass the MOT but not before curse word a load of water all over the testers nice clean floor....quite comical that mine passed as there was a 2013 Nissan Note next to mine which didn't! Also had a good look over it with a friend, and the damage so far is: - Shot & cheap water pump - badly leaking under pressure
- Wrong coolant
- Front disks warped, pads dead (knew this already)
- Fairly slick with oil underneath but that's from various years of leaks and the old cork gasket
- Some very sketchy unfused wiring in the engine bay - damaged unfused lives running over bodywork..!!!
- Bent front track rod (knew this)
- Bottom of the front passenger door is rotten as a pear
Spent a day with my friend giving it an oil change, cleaning up gaskets, replacing the water pump, putting in the right coolant and replacing the disks & pads (big thanks to Autolink MX5 spares, he also breaks Hillmans - who supplied some bits and even a Haynes manual) - also did the engine mounts with the spares one that came with it...the current ones were about to relieve themselves of duty in a rather spectacular fashion by the look of them..
Also did the valve clearances, some of them had no clearance whatsoever. Much tappier now but much happier!
Some longer fuel pipe ordered as the current one has been cut and is stretched over some sharp corners....also need a new air filter as I forgot to order one! Doh! |
| |
|
|
dazcapri
North East
Enter your message here...
Posts: 1,061
|
|
|
|
Have a look at nomad off here he was selling hunter parts |
| |
Mk3 Capri LS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I quite like the look of this tbh......looks cool as a retro racer, many plans for it?
|
| |
always looking for something out of the normal......very fitting with my personailty  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Have a look at nomad off here he was selling hunter parts Thanks very much! I quite like the look of this tbh......looks cool as a retro racer, many plans for it Not sure how I feel about the numbers on the side to be honest, it's styled after than London > Syndney Hillman but I'd love it in a pale yellow like this one I saw online:  Plans are to get it up and running well (which it nearly is now, needs a gearbox oil top up and a gasket changing but it runs safely and (touch wood!) reliably) - just have fun with it and learn about working on cars more in depth. Plan to do all the work myself/with friends. Maybe paint it a silly colour or put some stencils of bands on it. No idea. Bought a part off of eBay that was local to me, arranged to meet the guy as I got the impression he was a Rootes man himself. he certainly was! Was greeted with this gem:  Lovely chap named Andrew. Had some tea and biscuits and a good chat, root through a load of old bits that I took my pick of...and he also reminded me to not crash after seeing a picture of one of his old Rootes motors after someone hit him! Won't share it here as it's not mine to share. I left with: - Dual speed wiper motor
- Some rare Euro headlight covers! Yellow! Love these
- Various interior bits and spares
- other bits I can't remember..
For a very reasaonble price. I'll be back to see him often no doubt. As a bonus - he also has some doors in storage somewhere which I've earmarked when he digs them out to replace my rotted one! Hoorah! I noticed it was a bit loud when I pulled up too...seems the back box no longer likes being attached to the exhaust. Need some new clamps as it keeps bouncing out of the mid-section pipe! Got a sticker from my Girlfriend for Valentines day encouraging my obsession with Rick and Morty, now applied also:   It's also sagging to one side a fair bit. Need to take a look at that...currentley moving out of home, into my own flat so things are hectic. Trying to get a garage for it too, if anyone knows anything in Kent/Medway please let me know. Makes me cry seeing it out in this terrible weather. |
| |
|
|
v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,832
Member is Online
|
|
|
|
|
I have a soft spot Arrow Cars, I lived in Berkhamsted for over 20 years, but don't remember ever seeing that. My dad used to own a Sunbeam Vogue, A badge egineering special, which I used to drive on a regular basis in the late 70s, and strangely the only other Sunbeam Vogue I ever saw was in Berkhamsted,
Well Done,I'm Going to enjoy this, Bookmarked....
|
| |
Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style.
Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good to see another one of these on the forum - I think folk are starting to realise the potential Looks interesting, bookmarked! PM replied to (cheers dazcapri ) 
You might want to have a look at my build thread for useful contacts etc  |
| |
|
|
Seth
South East
MorrisOxford TriumphMirald HillmanMinx BorgwardIsabellaCombi
Posts: 15,543
|
|
|
|
Ditto, always good to see another Rootes_mobile. A good car to learn 'doing old cars' with really as they're pretty simple things. |
| |
Follow your dreams or you might as well be a vegetable. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sagging one one side? check for a snapped leaf on the rear springs (ask me how I know  ) I should have a set of cut front springs that were on mine where I got it, or Ford (Capri/Sierra?) fronts are bolt-on swap. Some Escort (Mk3 van?) rears fit with a little bit of work and firm up the ride Also worth checking all suspension bushes (my new TCAs only lasted 3 years - now polybushed ) "Interesting" electrics ... have fun  Tip : check the main battery feed to the starter, it runs live behind the engine block and I have been warned it can/will rub thru' and can cause a fire if it's not secured properly |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
bookmarked, i like this.
my rockers started tapping after i did the clearances the first time. i cant remember who but someone said that the tips could be warn to teh shape of the valve stem (or pad), and therefore setting with feeler gauges would end up with slightly larger gap than required. (because the flat blade is averaging out the wear) fair point, i havent done them again yet but intend to use a DTI instead of feeler gauge, so then the clearances are set correctly irrespective
|
| |
Last Edit: Mar 2, 2017 22:29:54 GMT by darrenh
|
|
|
|
Davenger
Club Retro Rides Member
It's only metal
Posts: 7,272
Club RR Member Number: 140
|
|
|
|
|
Love it.
Nice to see another Rootes Group car on here.
A seriously under rated marque
|
| |
|
|
andy-v
Part of things
i like cookies :D
Posts: 358 
|
|
|
|
first ever car i learnt to drive/fix, then bought was a hillman hunter |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 12, 2017 21:53:56 GMT
|
Sagging one one side? check for a snapped leaf on the rear springs (ask me how I know ) I should have a set of cut front springs that were on mine where I got it, or Ford (Capri/Sierra?) fronts are bolt-on swap. Some Escort (Mk3 van?) rears fit with a little bit of work and firm up the ride Also worth checking all suspension bushes (my new TCAs only lasted 3 years - now polybushed ) "Interesting" electrics ... have fun Tip : check the main battery feed to the starter, it runs live behind the engine block and I have been warned it can/will rub thru' and can cause a fire if it's not secured properly Doesn't seem to be any issues with the leaf springs, I suspect a shock is shot but will need to take a closer look! I was tempted to cut the springs at the front but didn't know if it would make it hugely bouncy or crashy. Was told I could also flip the leaf springs at the back but don't know how true that is. Lowering blocks is also an option, springs is always going to be better though. Thanks for the tip! bookmarked, i like this. my rockers started tapping after i did the clearances the first time. i cant remember who but someone said that the tips could be warn to teh shape of the valve stem (or pad), and therefore setting with feeler gauges would end up with slightly larger gap than required. (because the flat blade is averaging out the wear) fair point, i havent done them again yet but intend to use a DTI instead of feeler gauge, so then the clearances are set correctly irrespective Thank you! Very interesting, I'll have to give it another go when I can. Cheers. Love it. Nice to see another Rootes Group car on here. A seriously under rated marque Thank you first ever car i learnt to drive/fix, then bought was a hillman hunter Awesome! Decided to take a look at what that awful clanging sound was....turns out the back box doesn't like being attached anymore. Jacked it up on the diff to get the axle stands under it as the sills were....questionable. Head is firmly in the sand there at the moment.  It's misshapen/weirdly not fitting into the center section any more despite my attempts - so is currently in the boot. Even fully clamped on just falls off over the slightest bump. Going to replace it with a straight pipe in place of the back box which a friend will fab for me, sounds rather meaty at the moment! Drove it around for 2 days, to his first car meet with some friends then to pick up the other half from the pub in the evening...absolutely love it. Such a laugh to drive and gets people wondering - had lots of chats with people who were interested in it for various reasons. Fun car. Very fast 0-25/30 or so too, I assume due to the short ratios on the gearbox. Not bad on fuel either. Sadly in an awkward turn of events I lost where it was stored at the back of my current residence. It's now parked up (heart breakingly - after driving it for 2 days I didn't want to park it up and leave it!!) at my nans tucked next to their shed.  Happily I move out into my own place in about 6 weeks so it'll have a space close to me then. Still waiting to hear about a council garage.. Got it booked to goto the Detling Motor show with a few other local Hillmans on April 1st, so I'll take it out then (hopefully with some form of better exhaust) - I'm sure it'll be the grottiest one there! Hooray! In unrelated news I gave the daily a wash (it also needs a water pump and a service very soon...). |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 12, 2017 22:27:26 GMT
|
|
This is my grandads favourite car, he talked about it so much he's made me put it on my bucket list. Best of luck to you, glad ones gone to a committed owner.
|
| |
Mk2 Golf 16V resto
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 12, 2017 23:20:59 GMT
|
|
Nice car!
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2017 16:08:08 GMT
|
This is my grandads favourite car, he talked about it so much he's made me put it on my bucket list. Best of luck to you, glad ones gone to a committed owner. Did he used to own one? Thank you - I'll need it. When I move out I'll have a lot more time and space to work on it myself and start learning more. Thank you! Nice little Polo you have (had?). Been doing some thinking - would like a little rev conunter just for some more info as they didn't have one from the factory. Saw that hillmanjames added one back when he was running the stock engine: I also installed a rev gauge seeing as it never had one from the factory.  Going to see if I can PM him and get his advice on how to do it as I've no idea! Maybe even summon him to this thread with any luck. Also got my eyes on a center console on eBay as I currentley don't have one....not sure if it's because mine was bog standard base spec or if it just got lost over the years. Fancy some front wing mounted mirrors too, and an LED strip of some sort to flash people. Many ideas. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2017 16:19:33 GMT
|
|
Those Rev counters are a doddle to fit. 4 wires usually. One to coil, one to live, one to earth and the last to a feed for illumination. Used to take less than an hour back in the day.
|
| |
96 E320 W210 Wafter - on 18" split Mono's - Sold :-(
10 Kia Ceed Sportwagon - Our new daily
03 Import Forester STi - Sold
98 W140 CL500 AMG - Brutal weekend bruiser! Sold :-(
99 E240 S210 Barge - Now sold
02 Accord 2.0SE - wife's old daily - gone in PX
88 P100 2.9efi Custom - Sold
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2017 16:24:53 GMT
|
|
Used to have a Breadvan, but it was stolen haha!
Can't shake the feeling that I may have crashed into your car back in the late 90s...
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2017 16:44:10 GMT
|
Those Rev counters are a doddle to fit. 4 wires usually. One to coil, one to live, one to earth and the last to a feed for illumination. Used to take less than an hour back in the day. Ooooh, thanks for the tips - much apppreciated. Now on the hunt for a cheap one! Used to have a Breadvan, but it was stolen haha! Can't shake the feeling that I may have crashed into your car back in the late 90s... Sorry to hear that -  Oh, really? Please do tell me more...I know the impact that caused the front to be replaced with the Minx front end was on the front right quarter I believe... |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 13, 2017 16:51:03 GMT
|
|
I t-boned the one I hit, mainly damaged the rear driver's side door, I just remember it being an L reg and having the Kernow sticker in the back window.
Only passed my driver's test 2 hours earlier....
|
| |
|
|
|
|
) I should have a set of cut front springs that were on mine where I got it, or Ford (Capri/Sierra?) fronts are bolt-on swap. Some Escort (Mk3 van?) rears fit with a little bit of work and firm up the ride 
Tip : check the main battery feed to the starter, it runs live behind the engine block and I have been warned it can/will rub thru' and can cause a fire if it's not secured properly 
