Jalopy conundrum

[J1MMY]

Simple question....got the opportunity of either one and I would like both. But that's not going to happen.

Mk III Rover p5 3.0 or series III Humber Super Snipe?

Agenda would be simple; retain patina, drivetrain and hit with the lowering stick.

Explanations of choice would be welcome as I know precious little about either, particularly the Humber.

[dodgerover]

Go for the Humber, there's still a lot of rovers about but precious few Humbers left.

[omega]

humber because its a bit different.

[composimmonite]

Rover gets my vote. Just prefer them all round. Nothing wrong with Humber though - just not my taste.

[jiminwatford]

Seeing as the Rover isn't a v8 i would say the Humber as it's a bit different

[Mercdan68]

Humber, just for the sixties underworld top man appeal!

[mikeymk]

The Humber would suit the 'tired' look far better. That's how i remember them.

The Rover would wanna be looking dapper..

[PandaSelecta]

What sort of price and condition of them, and how easy are the spares to get, as that might help you decide.

[Deleted]

Humber all the way. Allways wanted a nice rover myself, But the chance of owning something as rare as a humber is a great opertunity. Rovers are allways available, So if the humber doesnt work out later on, Then that could be sold to buy a rover Whereas doing it the other way round might prove difficult.

[baggabones]

Another vote for the humber, a rover needs to shiny and chromey ....humber would look awesome wearing it's patina and odd battle scar IMHO

[Rich G]

Humber - if I remember correctly I believe Humber built a few of those with a Mopar V8 dropped in just as a trial....

[Brian Damaged]

Aug 3, 2014 13:05:41 GMT Rich G said:

Humber - if I remember correctly I believe Humber built a few of those with a Mopar V8 dropped in just as a trial....

That they did, in 1966. Allpar list them as having 318ci motors installed. At least one still exists (pictued below), one of the classic car magazines road-tested it a few years back, but I seem to remember reading that they were too fast with the 318 in so were re-engined with the smaller 273ci mill. Lord Rootes had one, as did the president of Chrysler UK Operations.

[Rob M]

Aug 3, 2014 17:58:34 GMT Brian Damaged said:

Aug 3, 2014 13:05:41 GMT Rich G said:

Humber - if I remember correctly I believe Humber built a few of those with a Mopar V8 dropped in just as a trial....

That they did, in 1966. Allpar list them as having 318ci motors installed. At least one still exists (pictued below), one of the classic car magazines road-tested it a few years back, but I seem to remember reading that they were too fast with the 318 in so were re-engined with the smaller 273ci mill. Lord Rootes had one, as did the president of Chrysler UK Operations.

I'm fairly sure there was a pretty in depth article in SM or Hot Car ( could even have been Custom Car) that I read about way way back in the late 70s/early 80s.
IIRC, there were more than a few made, starting out with the most potent one which topped out at some 125MPH around ( Millbank?) with a 0-60 time way quicker than anything else comparable at the time.
Basically, according to my recollections of the article each Humber was deemed too fast until they eventually built the final one with a V8 which was no quicker than the standard 6 pot. I think the final nail in the coffin was the creation of British Leyland which killed the car off and any hope of a wolf in sheeps clothing. I will be happy to be corrected and educated on that point.
Honestly, IMHO, this is a no brainer, the Humber is just a brilliant choice, the Rover is, to be honest, as bit ten a penny, even though this is an earlier 3ltr which is a lovely car but lacks the Humber presence.
For what its worth.....

[Brian Damaged]

Aug 3, 2014 18:22:01 GMT Rob M said:

Aug 3, 2014 17:58:34 GMT Brian Damaged said:

That they did, in 1966. Allpar list them as having 318ci motors installed. At least one still exists (pictued below), one of the classic car magazines road-tested it a few years back, but I seem to remember reading that they were too fast with the 318 in so were re-engined with the smaller 273ci mill. Lord Rootes had one, as did the president of Chrysler UK Operations.

I'm fairly sure there was a pretty in depth article in SM or Hot Car ( could even have been Custom Car) that I read about way way back in the late 70s/early 80s.
IIRC, there were more than a few made, starting out with the most potent one which topped out at some 125MPH around ( Millbank?) with a 0-60 time way quicker than anything else comparable at the time.
Basically, according to my recollections of the article each Humber was deemed too fast until they eventually built the final one with a V8 which was no quicker than the standard 6 pot. I think the final nail in the coffin was the creation of British Leyland which killed the car off and any hope of a wolf in sheeps clothing. I will be happy to be corrected and educated on that point.
Honestly, IMHO, this is a no brainer, the Humber is just a brilliant choice, the Rover is, to be honest, as bit ten a penny, even though this is an earlier 3ltr which is a lovely car but lacks the Humber presence.
For what its worth.....

It was MIRA at Nuneaton, at the time the Snipe was built the Vauxhall Proving Ground at Millbrook was just fields (I think that opened in 1969).

Had the Hawk/Imperial range been not so long in the tooth at the time, Chrysler might have developed it further, rather than canning it....I think you're thinking of the Sunbeam Tiger which had been developed and put into production before the US giant got involved with Rootes Group in mid-1964, the fact that the Tiger (which had only gone on sale some two months prior to then) had been fitted with a Ford V8 always stuck in Chrysler's proverbial craw. Their own small-block engine as fitted to the Imperial wouldn't fit in the Tiger's engine bay.

I'd go for an Imperial as well, for what it's worth. It's just a better-looking car IMHO.

[Rob M]

Aug 3, 2014 18:56:28 GMT Brian Damaged said:

Aug 3, 2014 18:22:01 GMT Rob M said:

I'm fairly sure there was a pretty in depth article in SM or Hot Car ( could even have been Custom Car) that I read about way way back in the late 70s/early 80s.
IIRC, there were more than a few made, starting out with the most potent one which topped out at some 125MPH around ( Millbank?) with a 0-60 time way quicker than anything else comparable at the time.
Basically, according to my recollections of the article each Humber was deemed too fast until they eventually built the final one with a V8 which was no quicker than the standard 6 pot. I think the final nail in the coffin was the creation of British Leyland which killed the car off and any hope of a wolf in sheeps clothing. I will be happy to be corrected and educated on that point.
Honestly, IMHO, this is a no brainer, the Humber is just a brilliant choice, the Rover is, to be honest, as bit ten a penny, even though this is an earlier 3ltr which is a lovely car but lacks the Humber presence.
For what its worth.....

It was MIRA at Nuneaton, at the time the Snipe was built the Vauxhall Proving Ground at Millbrook was just fields (I think that opened in 1969).

Had the Hawk/Imperial range been not so long in the tooth at the time, Chrysler might have developed it further, rather than canning it....I think you're thinking of the Sunbeam Tiger which had been developed and put into production before the US giant got involved with Rootes Group in mid-1964, the fact that the Tiger (which had only gone on sale some two months prior to then) had been fitted with a Ford V8 always stuck in Chrysler's proverbial craw. Their own small-block engine as fitted to the Imperial wouldn't fit in the Tiger's engine bay.

I'd go for an Imperial as well, for what it's worth. It's just a better-looking car IMHO.

This is why we should still have a "like" button.
Many thanks for that Mr D, I learnt something!

[fred]

Humber - Like most say above
It would carry The 'Patina' look very well, lowered with maybe a modded exhaust
Would look very 60's Gangster indeed
HUMBER!!!

[jonw]

There isn't an option for "both and explain to the missus that you NEED two cars"

Failing that I'd have to say Humber!!!!

[SmokeEm]

Humber dropped on banded steelies

[optimusprime]

Ideally both. But failing that it's got to be the Humber.

[grifterkid]

Humber, Humber, Humber... HUMBER!!!

They look awesome and are ruddy rare so nabbing one of those and giving it some 'life' would be amazing...