What a beautiful interior! Wood and chrome, not chintzy plastic! And a over 200 cubic inch 6 cylinder, column gear shift, and a chrome horn ring too! And no damn intrusive center console! Everything I love in a car, and nothing I hate!
That was one of the last hand finished cars to roll off the production line at Rootes Group before the intervention by Chrysler! I was an apprentice at the time and was on that line for a time! The last ones all went to the Shah of Persia as I recall!
What a lovely old car. Perfect for a run out into the countryside on a Sunday afternoon, stopping off at a nice village tea-room for a cream tea. Marvellous stuff.
great film clip of a lovely car. Here in Australia the Federal government had a fleet of chauffeured Commonwealth cars. For parliamentarians in Canberra all painted white. However for other purposes & in the other capital cities they were all painted black. War veterans could call up and be driven to medical appointments or other needs for free. All registered with special white plates starting with a red Z and other letters & numerals in black ZSF-000 to ZSF-999. Most were Humber Snipes, or Humber Imperials, the rest being Pontiac Parisiennes or Ford Galaxies and most drivers were WW2 ex-servicemen. One car however was ZSF-200 the Prime ministers black S3 Bentley sedan. Kept in pristine order these black ex government service fleet vehicles were later auctioned and lived on for many years to come in private ownership. Still to be seen at car shows in the 2020's. I'm now 66yrs old, my mum bought a new MK10 Jag in november 1961, she replaced it with a new one in 1971 a 420G she kept that for several decades until a drunk hit it and wrecked it in the late 1990's. One of my school mates dads had a LWB Humber Imperial for himself & wife a Super Snipe estate car or as Australians call them station wagons. My mate Bill Stokes kept his mum's second one a 1967 Humber Snipe estate dark grey with porcelain white roof & maroon leather interior. It was a Hand-me-down in the mid 70's as Bill's first car, he has kept it all these years. My first car I bought myself in march '75 was 4.2 litre Jag mk10 in cream with maroon leather, I still own & drive that as well. There was a lot of quality that went into the top end British cars in the 1960's & with no road salt, dry weather, well maintained examples just last forever here in Australia. After near 50 years of MK10 Jaguar ownership I am never bored with it , acres of polished wood and sumptuous leather with that leather aroma. Over the years I've enjoyed my mates Humber estate too with its leather & wood interior as they take you back to what seemed like more pleasant times in the world we live in.
Here in the States, I've seen 4 Humbers over the past 50 years. One was an 'Imperial', sadly languishing in a Virginia Beach wrecking-yard. Wish I could've saved the whole car. I did save one of the 'Imperial' badges!
I remember at the 67(?) motor show at the Rolls Royce stand a young woman saying to her suave, somewhat older companion, "it hasn't even got leather seats". He replied "no darling, that's West-of-England cloth, it doesn't make one's suit shiny". She then said, "I prefer leather", to which he replied "yes darling but you don't buy my suits".
One of the reasons I love this channel is the fact that it humbles the canadian me that think he knows the british car industry What an amazingly well kept somptuous machine
I think that car is stunning. Absolutely reeks of luxury. It was built nearly 30 years before I was born and I can only imagine what it must have been like to have one at the time.
Back in the 60s, a guy on our street had an Imperial. Considering it was a row of terrace houses with outside bogs, it seemed an odd indulgence. Nice motor though.
Yeah we had an old guy at the end corner House of our street that had one sadly succumb to rust because it was difficult or wouldn't fit in his garage he obviously thought the world of his rust bucket.
Very interesting I remember as a child a Chap around the corner owned ine in Leicester living similarly. Kept in on the street. Didn't drive it much it seemed to me. Looked wonderful inside. I remember that you didn't see that many and thus was a bit different. External styling ahead of its time but inside luxury seemed to go back to another
Gorgeous. I'm very jealous of the drive and even more so of the owner. The, apparently, very fastidious owner. Rootes cars have been underrated for so long, especially given how well made they were. And this one looks like it was made six months ago. Rootes were actually quite proud of having vehicles with "doors that close nicely". And they certainly do have a "click click" railway carriage-like quality about them. What a lovely car. Thanks for the video.
Many of the better built British cars had the same quality of build. I know of a 60 year old Jaguar where the doors still "click" shut without any squeaks or rattles!
@@michaelhalsall5684 My wife has a Hyundai i30. When you close its doors they sound like a cheap Chinese fridge and the tailgate bounces back visibly when you close it. However, it never fails to go and you're far less likely to die in it in a crash than the sort of cars that I learned to drive in, so I suppose that's progress of a sort. I'd happily take my chances in this Imperial, though. Lovely car.
Elegant is the word. I use to work for the Rootes Group in Norwich as a parts salesman. A couple of weeks before I left (to emigrate to Australia) I was given a list of parts to prepare for issue for a Humber Hawk which had been in an accident. I think I almost had a whole car in pieces by the time I got through the list! The manager then informed me that they had written the vehicle off and the parts could be put back in stock. I just avoided the issue until I walked out the door just before Christmas in 1969.
I have very fond memories of my 1965 Imperial DKR 999C which I sold on about 17 years ago. Superb quality & comfort and an ultra smooth engine. One feature is a "Sport" mode for the transmission. When in drive, push the selector away from you (towards the dash) and this will hold gears 1 and 2 up to maximum revs before changing (and allowed kickdown into 1st & 2nd up to about 27mph and 55mph respectively); it makes for a complete transformation in terms of performance and will romp from 0-60 and beyond much more quickly (but at a huge fuel consumption penalty!).
Fuel consumption was never a problem with people or companies that could afford executive salloons petrol was about 2/6d (12.5p) per gallon (Imp.) then and half was fuel duty. I moaned like hell when by the late 60's it had doubled and filling my bike cost 10/- (2 gal.). The car cost around £5 (10 gal.) unless one had a Jet forecourt nearby.
My uncle (who was very well) off bought one and I remember him showing it to my Dad. For my Dad it was a years wages. It was absolutely beautiful so luxurious. Maroon with cream interior and he could adjust the ride. I think the body was by Parke Ward. After my uncle passed they found the car in his garage...The roof had failed and dripping water had almost completely destroyed the body work. It went for scrap...Absolutely heart breaking.
This brought back fond memories of the Rover 90 that I had in the mid 1960s.😊 Of course the right side is the correct and logical placing for the indicator switch on a right-hand drive car.
Showroom condition. A leap of faith by the owner to allow 'furious driving ' to give it a workout. I'm thinking he was giving plenty of advice from the back seat.👍😉
What a really appealing car! Some luxury touches that were decades ahead of competitors and so ahead that they actually look normal to us now - such as the door marker lights. Great video Matt!
I loved the 'blanking plate' covering the hole in the front bumper for a starting handle. I owned the single head light Humber before this particular model.Seeing this brought back memories of a flat battery one morning.I was a lot younger back then and not concerned with using some muscle to hand crank the Humber engine.That was a very quick lesson showing me I needed a few more pounds of body weight to turn the crank handle.After three attempts I quit, luckily I lived on a street with a slight gradient and roll started the car.After that I always made sure all electrics were turned off when getting out of the car for the day. Other wise plenty of good memories...
I owned a series 2 HSS in 1969. When the battery got a bit low in winter, dad used to get inside with the key and I would assist with the handle, worked every time.
I had a hillman minx when I was in the navy in the 70's ... dud battery - but starter handle !! After a couple of goes with that handle ..... I always parked at the top of a hill!!
We had two twin headlamp Snipes ( one was ex Chief Constable of Leeds car) then a blue Imperial. Gorgeous car but rotted stem to stern and scrapped over 25 years ago as were the others after a fortune spent on welding and re sprays. I can’t believe this example still exists in such original condition. Clearly somewhere without salted roads and very low mileage. A very lucky owner and a joy to bring back so many great memories.
I really like your light hearted tests. I was born in Sheffield during the war and became a car enthusiast in 1951 when a Ford V8 pilot pulled away smartly from our traffic light. We moved from U.K. to Canada in 1956 and I got serious and started a summary critique sheet of the New models even though I couldn't drive yet ending it with the '66 models in 1965. I started working on car mechanical items in 1957 pursued an engineering degree with plans to work for an Auto manufacturer. Unfortunately they were all located in in terrible locations and ended up working in the Oil and Chemical fields. For a hobby I started a mobile repair service in 1969. In the 80's I got into doing body work. I never was hugely successful at any of them and stayed at the Hobby level to the present. My parents liked the Humber cars and my favorite was the Super Snipe. Hope you keep up the good work.
What a beautiful example of these quality old cars. I worked for a Rootes garage and never saw many of these around, but one lady customer had an identical one which she kept for many years.
This brought back child hood memories. My dad had several super snipes. The last one new in 1964 in a two tone brown. Living in North Wales we had lots of day trips. Remember using the picnic tables on the seat backs many times.
Pure quality .I can remember nearly buying a big Humber a few years ago at an auction. If I'd pay an extra £50 it was mine . Sadly never did. Tho I do have fond memories.
I'm the first to comment... from Oz! These were equally popular here in Australia like all Humbers. My father worked in a senior role in a major oil company here and whilst he drove a Ford Fairmont, his boss drove a Humber Imperial. His boss and family became great friends outside work with our family so I saw his Humber a lot. Gee I loved going for a ride in that car as a kid and my abiding memory was that glorious dashboard and that slab of wood, so different from the Australian cars back then with their strong influences from the US! I think back then, whilst I didn't know it as a kid, it was that car which seeped into my DNA for a love of Brit classic cars which I hold to this day.
How many were sold here in Australia? One of mates father had a Super Snipe but I have never heard of an Imperial being mentioned - the only Imperial i knew were the odd one or two Chryslers that were about. My dad had an anniversary model ford Customline so my mate and I both enjoyed each other families car!
Beautiful rare car. We have a reasonable number of Super Snipes surviving in Australia but I don’t think I have ever seen an Imperial in the flesh. That Bank Manager in the back was keeping an eye on you. 😀 Like the West of England cloth upholstery. Loaded with lots of nice features.
@@railtrolley My father always admired the Super Snipe. A school mate of mine in the early '70's, his father had a Chrysler by Chrysler Hardtop with the 360 motor (I think he was the finance director for Siddons), now that was some car for suburban Melbourne!
I used to have a singer vogue, which was also a Roots car very similar to the super snipe. Walnut finish with dark red leather upholstery . I broke down on a steep downward road once and I used starting handle ,with the car in reverse gear to wind the car backwards up onto the grass verge off the road ! A beautiful and very strong car ,built like a tank ! Fond memories.
Magnificent car, Matt, and a very interesting review of a car and brand seldom seen. The last time I saw a big Humber is was a Super Snipe on I Drive A Classic. Just incredible. That West of England cloth was optional as a head lining in Rolls-Royce for many years, and it is gorgeous. All in all a stunning car.
Thanks for doing another Rootes car. Rootes do not get the credit the deserve for making quality cars with solid engineering. Your video helps to that end. One interesting connection: even though the body detailing was patterned on the 1955-56 Chevrolet, the quad headlights and grille of these later Snipes and Imperials were patterned on the 1958 Studebaker. And Studebaker is where Raymond Loewy did his most famous design work.
Quite magnificent, I had the John Barry theme tune from the 60's TV series The Human Jungle starring Herbert Lom playing in my noggin while you were wafting along. Though I think he could only manage a Super Snipe. Wonderful work by the owner (yes we saw you), the car is in superb condition. That was a real treat thanks to you both.
ACTUALLY i think Dr. Corder may have had an earlier series Hawk, The imperial may have been the first UK with a vinyl roof option, something that would not start appearing in earnest both here ( & the states ) during 1967
loved herbert lom , though he was a czech he loved britain and was well pleased he lived here and didn`t go to america ,he had the most sophisticated sounding voice
I was one of three drivers in Rootes experiments department that did the road and MIRA test track development of both the Humber Supersnipe and the Humber Hawk, plus the chance to drive some exciting cars that never got to the showrooms.
What a wonderful car. I actually saw a big Humber (can't say for sure what model) last Sunday at a car show. It had the partition fitted behind the front seats which caught my eye. This car must have felt incredibly plush n its day. Even stuff like the door interior furnishings we now take for granted would have been unheard of probably for a decade or more after this car was built. I bet those skinny tyres make for a much quieter ride than in the modern equivalent.
My dad bought a 1966 model around 1970 in maroon. I was in it when he clipped the back of another car on a roundabout whilst the radio was playing Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep by Middle of the Road 🤣
My first car was a Humber Super Snipe, mine had the sloping roof line. It was dark blue and was left hand drive. I passed my driving test in it in Portsmouth. Must have weighted 2 tons, 3 speed column gear change with overdrive in 2nd and top gear. Like all Rootes cars (except the one in the video) it suffered from RUST. Wow brings back memories.
@@MarkAtkin That is what I thought, that a Minx was about £800 and an Imp around £400+. An E Type Jag was about £2,000. All cars had a special car tax which was something like a swingeing 25%, included in those prices. I used to sometimes get an American magazine, which might have been Mechanics Illustrated, and one issue carried an add for the Cortina. After converting the price into pounds, I was astonished to see that it was about £100 cheaper than here, and that's after shipping them all the way from Dagenham. It was rip off Britain back then.
I had a 1965 Humber Super Snipe when a university student in the late 70’s. Little known fact is that you could put a 44 gallon drum in the boot …. and close it. I named him Harold.
Great to see your test drive of this car. My father had a 1964 model, with the more rounded roof line and shorter back windows. It was grey with a red carpet and leather interior. I was only in 3rd class at school at the time, going on 50 years ago. I absolutely loved it, I'd tell everyone about, our poor man's limousine 😊 It's interesting how you say it was inspired by American cars, being in Australia I couldn't think of it as anything but a full on British car, still can't 😜 We used to go away on holidays in it every year, most times towing a popup camper van. There'd be 5 or 6 of us, Mum & Dad & us kids, and the camper and it handled it with ease. Back in about 1979, my Mother took my brother, sister and I on holidays interstate and driving across the Hay Plains, which is flat with an extremely long straight road, not unlike the Nullarbor Plains, we were cruising along at about 90 miles an hour. The ride was smooth and relatively quiet. I fell asleep in the back seat. Those seats were incredibly comfortable. We had a bench seat upfront in ours, and out of all the older cars I've been in and driven with bench seats, the Humber's seat was THE most comfortable. It even had a cigarette lighter in the back of it between the tables, very flash 😉 We eventually sold it because it was getting too heavy for my Mother to drive, no power steering, and the seals were starting to go in the engine. Parts availability was near non-existent, and my Father worked in the car parts industry. My dream is to own one myself, and put a bigger engine in it. But with other vehicles being my projects at the moment, I might be lucky. It's just a beautiful car that left an indelible mark on me 😊
Serviced these when I worked for Rootes in Dusseldorf about 1966 - our Managing Director drove one, which had a habit of burning holes in the pistons when required to undertake lengthy trips on the autobahn, something the little VW Beetles did with ease...😉
I've always been curious about the car but these are so rare you never see them up close, this may be the most detailed video on a Humber I have ever seen. And I've always wondered why they didn't sell more? The quality seems to be on par with Rover, at least? They deserved a better fate...
...exactly! the dual headlamps and 'brows' looks much like the front of the 'Checker' Marathon...I cannot imagine CRANKING that big straight six...I wonder if the owner has a crank for it?
Wow, this is a beauty! Never seen one before but it looks in fine fettle! The owner looks proud as punch on the back, too! I doff my cap to you, sir 👍🏻
What a blast from the past. My Dad used have a Humber Hawk back in the mid 60's so a double delight to have this Imperial rolling down the Findon Valley & round Long Furlong too! It was like being taken back to being four or five again sitting on the big front seat. We'd had cars like the Austin Somerset & Cambridge before, so I distinctly remember thinking at the time that a concealed filler pipe behind the signal light was pretty cool...I was only five! However, on the Hawk I think the light fitting hinged out of the way...so American! Very nostalgic & enjoyable video. Thanks.
That makes two of us. Worked at the Rootes Design Centre in Whitley back in the late 1960's (today, Jaguar's there, of course). Having also worked at Solihull and had the P5 finish line outside my office window, I'd be sorely tempted by a P5B Coupe...
11- 12 seconds 0 - 60 seems very fast. My history teacher had one of these and we used to laugh at him endlessly. Looking at this beauty, it seems as though he had the last laugh...
Back in the 1960's I worked for a company where the boss had one of these. The company car I drove was a Morris Minor and one night I had a shattered windscreen. I called the company and the only car available was the boss's Imperial which he sent out to me with strict instructions to drive it carefully. The guy that brought it insisted I drive and I have never driven with such trepidation in my life. The following day my Moggie was recovered and I was actually glad to be back in it, carefree in the little motor!
Brings back pleasant memories..... My Dad splashed out and bought a much cheaper 2nd-hand Humber Hawk in the early 60s. Body shape was very similar and many of the internal features were just the same. My seat (as a boy) was always in the middle of the bench seat. We loved it's comfort although I suspect Dad's bank manager wasn't so impressed and after a few years, he changed it for a Morris Marina.... which I didn't like, but by then I had left home..... Thanks for the video... really enjoyed it!
Great car. I had the Super Snipe with the same body. 3 litre straight six engine and managed the ton one day. The small dash indicator lights can be rolled down to dim them. Connolly hide seats and bench front meant you could seat six people. A very rare car nowadays.
Brought back memories, my parents had one in the late 60s. I was particularly fond of the walnut tables in the back and the little pull out reading lights.
In stunning condition. Deserves to be worth £35,000 in 2020. Will only increase in value. Beautiful interior,. Superb dashboard, a credit to its owners. Museum quality.
Great-looking car, which I confess I didn't really know much about (other than having heard its name) before now. TBH this looks at least as well finished and fitted as any Rolls-Royce of the day that I've seen, if not better. Very classy vehicle.
Just when you think that this Friday Segment cannot possibly better last week, he blows your mind with something like a Humber Imperial. My Dad's Mechanic was restoring a 1965 Super Snipe in 1986 and I remember the gorgeous metallic green, green leather that smelled wonderful and the hidden petrol cap. The Imperial puts you in mind of America in the early 1960s with the Cadillac Fleetwood and the Lincoln Continental, but there was a third way and it was the amazing Chrysler Imperial.
My wife (then 18) and a few friends bought a Super Snipe for £50 with most of its last MoT still in place. It was 9 months from banger racing... which is where most Humbers ended up. She spoke very fondly of the abundance of ashtrays and cigarette lighters. These are big, lovely beasts.
I had a Hawk and two Super Snipes back in the '60's, beautiful cars. My wife worked at a Roots garage in Sevenoaks so we didn't pay much for them. I saw a couple of them at a classic car show a few years ago and I think they would be worthy of production now.
I was lucky enough to drive a late example when I did some driving jobs for a friend a few years ago. One lovely feature was the mellifluous and rather superior, commanding even , sound of the horn - did you try it?
Fabulouis very well informed appreciation of these iconic cars not sure if my father's staff car in the army was a super snipe or imperial but it was the most incredibly smooth and comfortable ride Thank you for a grand little video .
In the 1980s, I nearly bought such a car, with "west of England" cloth seats. In fact, I bought another with leather seats. It was a mistake. West of England cloth is absolutely beautiful stuff. Even more exquisite for car upholstery than the leather.
What a Beautiful Motor car! I grew up in the late 60's and 70's and 'Rootes Group' still made some great cars ! My late Dad was a 'Vauxhall man' but always respected other brands ! I love this dx
Not many people know Humber made a few experimental models with V8 engines. Rootes was partly owned by Chrysler, and they fitted Dodge 4.5 liter 273 cu in V8s to 4 or 5 cars as an experiment, along with matching Torqueflite automatic gearbox. Apparently they worked very well and startled a few passing Jaguars with their performance.
My father had a friend who had a Humber Imperial in black ..... "A gentleman's car." He was clerk to the justices in Manchester and wore a bowler hat and a Crombie coat for work. Interestingly, he used to have the car serviced by the Rootes Group factory service department in Coventry. I was just a lad but later I had a Super Snipe for a while. The steering was of the "10 points to starboard Mr Christian" type. The gearchange was four up a tree .... ugh. It was glacial for 3 litres. I loved the Audax range but the Hawk/Snipe range was just a roly-poly rust bucket.
Such a gorgeous looking car. I wonder if a company brought these back out as a limited run but with a more modern engine they would fly off the shelves?
British styling was using American styling from a decade earlier. This looks like something from 1956. I am familiar with the Humber Super Snipe, which this is almost a duplicate.
It's a mint imperial ! 😀 In terms of trim and equipment this Imperial was way ahead of its time and the opulence is very impressive. It does make me wonder why they never sold an up-trimmed Hawk which never quite managed to overcome it's slightly dowdy image in standard trim. It would have been a lot more affordable to run than the six cylinder and this would have widened its appeal. You wouldn't have needed to include all the bells and whistles on the Imperial as they were costly, but if Ford could turn the humble Cortina into the 1600E....see where I'm going here. I have to say that whilst I've never been Humbers biggest fan, that one is just lovely and a credit to its owner. Thanks for allowing us to see it, it was a real treat.👍
I learnt to drive in my parent's Humber Hawk. It was a very beautiful car and I feel looked better than the Imperial which looks like the Australian Humber Snipe.
How did he keep that car looking so good! Thanks a great video. My school friends dad owned a big Humber, and, he always said that he had to "throw it" around corners. Great video, as always. Peace be unto you.
I never knew about the hidden petrol cap behind the offside reflector. I've seen the petrol cap hidden behind the numberplate which pivoted down on a spring - my dad's E-reg Ford Corsair had one of those. Shame you can't have a lockable version nowadays with fuel thieves, and vandals putting sugar, urine or sand in the tank. My Dad had the sand trick when he stopped for a pee at a service station on the M1 on his way home. He got a mile or so down the road after setting off again and the engine started spluttering. He bought a lockable cap after that, even though very few people had them in the early 70s.
Dad had a series of Super Snipes company cars in the 1960s. I seem to recall that they had twin carburettors which were forever going out of balance and caused the engine to run very rich. Heavy car but the offset was "Ship-of-State" ride and the luxurious interior. In fact, as kids, when we were taken out for a ride, we used to get bored and continually demand that dad put his foot down as the sensation of travelling at 30 mph on suburban roads was like you weren't moving at all.
Lovely! Interesting fact about the metallic paint. Despite being very 1960s in it's styling, it is very contemporary in other aspects. The upholstery and interior are very reminiscent of a top spec mid 1970s car like a Ford Cortina 2000E or a Granada Ghia. I think there were a few 4 litre V8 Imperials made that never made it to market. I assume Chrysler put the kibosh on that. My parents owned the smaller Humber - a Sceptre - in the late 1960s or early 70s (series 2?). My mum said it was the best car they owned. I'd love a series 3.
Great review as always Matt, really great looking car, very pleasing to the eye and ahead of its time with its technology that you find on cars of today.
My father had three Humbers in succession until as a 13 year old I convinced him to get a Rover 3.5 litre P5B saloon. So, a "round" Hawk Mark VIA of the late 50s (XUB 665), then a Hawk Series1A or perhaps it was a Series II, and lastly a Super Snipe Series IV (709 CNW). I remember egging my father on to get to 100 on the dial with the Super Snipe.
My father had a 66 Super Snipe when I was very young. In Durban South Africa. I was three in fact. Black with red leather. I remember the sunday afternoon picnic's out in the countryside. I distinctly remember those fold down wooden tables in the back where I'd put my tea mug. and the huge centre armrest. I think that dash is one of the nicest slabs of wood in any car ever. Nicer than a Rolls.
What a beautiful interior! Wood and chrome, not chintzy plastic! And a over 200 cubic inch 6 cylinder, column gear shift, and a chrome horn ring too! And no damn intrusive center console! Everything I love in a car, and nothing I hate!
That's so beautifully kept. What a treat. Thanks to the owner, and furious of course.
What a beautiful beautiful car, I want one right now, drive it up here to Ayrshire in Scotland. 👍👍👍
That was one of the last hand finished cars to roll off the production line at Rootes Group before the intervention by Chrysler! I was an apprentice at the time and was on that line for a time! The last ones all went to the Shah of Persia as I recall!
You actually working on them yourself? That's amazing! Do you have any thoughts regarding the normal snipes as compared to the imperials?
What a lovely old car. Perfect for a run out into the countryside on a Sunday afternoon, stopping off at a nice village tea-room for a cream tea. Marvellous stuff.
That might be the most beautiful dashboard ever made. I love the square vents' contrast with the round guages. I can't imagine getting out of it.
But, Rover 75...?
great film clip of a lovely car. Here in Australia the Federal government had a fleet of chauffeured Commonwealth cars. For parliamentarians in Canberra all painted white. However for other purposes & in the other capital cities they were all painted black. War veterans could call up and be driven to medical appointments or other needs for free. All registered with special white plates starting with a red Z and other letters & numerals in black ZSF-000 to ZSF-999. Most were Humber Snipes, or Humber Imperials, the rest being Pontiac Parisiennes or Ford Galaxies and most drivers were WW2 ex-servicemen. One car however was ZSF-200 the Prime ministers black S3 Bentley sedan. Kept in pristine order these black ex government service fleet vehicles were later auctioned and lived on for many years to come in private ownership. Still to be seen at car shows in the 2020's. I'm now 66yrs old, my mum bought a new MK10 Jag in november 1961, she replaced it with a new one in 1971 a 420G she kept that for several decades until a drunk hit it and wrecked it in the late 1990's. One of my school mates dads had a LWB Humber Imperial for himself & wife a Super Snipe estate car or as Australians call them station wagons. My mate Bill Stokes kept his mum's second one a 1967 Humber Snipe estate dark grey with porcelain white roof & maroon leather interior. It was a Hand-me-down in the mid 70's as Bill's first car, he has kept it all these years. My first car I bought myself in march '75 was 4.2 litre Jag mk10 in cream with maroon leather, I still own & drive that as well. There was a lot of quality that went into the top end British cars in the 1960's & with no road salt, dry weather, well maintained examples just last forever here in Australia. After near 50 years of MK10 Jaguar ownership I am never bored with it , acres of polished wood and sumptuous leather with that leather aroma. Over the years I've enjoyed my mates Humber estate too with its leather & wood interior as they take you back to what seemed like more pleasant times in the world we live in.
Here in the States, I've seen 4 Humbers over the past 50 years. One was an 'Imperial', sadly languishing in a Virginia Beach wrecking-yard. Wish I could've saved the whole car. I did save one of the 'Imperial' badges!
I remember at the 67(?) motor show at the Rolls Royce stand a young woman saying to her suave, somewhat older companion, "it hasn't even got leather seats". He replied "no darling, that's West-of-England cloth, it doesn't make one's suit shiny". She then said, "I prefer leather", to which he replied "yes darling but you don't buy my suits".
One of the reasons I love this channel is the fact that it humbles the canadian me that think he knows the british car industry
What an amazingly well kept somptuous machine
I think that car is stunning. Absolutely reeks of luxury. It was built nearly 30 years before I was born and I can only imagine what it must have been like to have one at the time.
Back in the 60s, a guy on our street had an Imperial. Considering it was a row of terrace houses with outside bogs, it seemed an odd indulgence. Nice motor though.
He was so rich that the Imperial was just an extension to his outside bog.
Front and rear toilets, oh yeah!
I bet he was a bookie
Was he called Mike Baldwin 😃
Yeah we had an old guy at the end corner House of our street that had one sadly succumb to rust because it was difficult or wouldn't fit in his garage he obviously thought the world of his rust bucket.
Very interesting I remember as a child a Chap around the corner owned ine in Leicester living similarly. Kept in on the street. Didn't drive it much it seemed to me. Looked wonderful inside. I remember that you didn't see that many and thus was a bit different. External styling ahead of its time but inside luxury seemed to go back to another
Credit to its owner, that cars gorgeous.
7:56
@@ads214 He's sitting in the back seat during the drive too.
I agree. Almost concourse, and somebody's highly valuable asset.
Pristine
How much credit do you pay? In dollars? What a strange expression. Credit. But nobody will ever pay. Better dump that kind of credit?
Amazing to see a car kept in such immaculate original condition since the 60's!!
Gorgeous. I'm very jealous of the drive and even more so of the owner. The, apparently, very fastidious owner. Rootes cars have been underrated for so long, especially given how well made they were. And this one looks like it was made six months ago. Rootes were actually quite proud of having vehicles with "doors that close nicely". And they certainly do have a "click click" railway carriage-like quality about them. What a lovely car. Thanks for the video.
Many of the better built British cars had the same quality of build. I know of a 60 year old Jaguar where the doors still "click" shut without any squeaks or rattles!
@@michaelhalsall5684 My wife has a Hyundai i30. When you close its doors they sound like a cheap Chinese fridge and the tailgate bounces back visibly when you close it. However, it never fails to go and you're far less likely to die in it in a crash than the sort of cars that I learned to drive in, so I suppose that's progress of a sort. I'd happily take my chances in this Imperial, though. Lovely car.
nice car
Elegant is the word. I use to work for the Rootes Group in Norwich as a parts salesman. A couple of weeks before I left (to emigrate to Australia) I was given a list of parts to prepare for issue for a Humber Hawk which had been in an accident. I think I almost had a whole car in pieces by the time I got through the list! The manager then informed me that they had written the vehicle off and the parts could be put back in stock. I just avoided the issue until I walked out the door just before Christmas in 1969.
I have very fond memories of my 1965 Imperial DKR 999C which I sold on about 17 years ago. Superb quality & comfort and an ultra smooth engine. One feature is a "Sport" mode for the transmission. When in drive, push the selector away from you (towards the dash) and this will hold gears 1 and 2 up to maximum revs before changing (and allowed kickdown into 1st & 2nd up to about 27mph and 55mph respectively); it makes for a complete transformation in terms of performance and will romp from 0-60 and beyond much more quickly (but at a huge fuel consumption penalty!).
Fuel consumption was never a problem with people or companies that could afford executive salloons petrol was about 2/6d (12.5p) per gallon (Imp.) then and half was fuel duty. I moaned like hell when by the late 60's it had doubled and filling my bike cost 10/- (2 gal.). The car cost around £5 (10 gal.) unless one had a Jet forecourt nearby.
@@a1c3c3u I sold it to a French guy and it went across the water. Glad it is back in the UK!
My uncle (who was very well) off bought one and I remember him showing it to my Dad. For my Dad it was a years wages. It was absolutely beautiful so luxurious. Maroon with cream interior and he could adjust the ride. I think the body was by Parke Ward. After my uncle passed they found the car in his garage...The roof had failed and dripping water had almost completely destroyed the body work. It went for scrap...Absolutely heart breaking.
Deserves to be in a museum to preserve it. Outstanding car.
NO! These old cars need to be driven regularly. A museum is the worst place for them.
This brought back fond memories of the Rover 90 that I had in the mid 1960s.😊 Of course the right side is the correct and logical placing for the indicator switch on a right-hand drive car.
Showroom condition. A leap of faith by the owner to allow 'furious driving ' to give it a workout. I'm thinking he was giving plenty of advice from the back seat.👍😉
What a really appealing car! Some luxury touches that were decades ahead of competitors and so ahead that they actually look normal to us now - such as the door marker lights. Great video Matt!
I loved the 'blanking plate' covering the hole in the front bumper for a starting handle. I owned the single head light Humber before this particular model.Seeing this brought back memories of a flat battery one morning.I was a lot younger back then and not concerned with using some muscle to hand crank the Humber engine.That was a very quick lesson showing me I needed a few more pounds of body weight to turn the crank handle.After three attempts I quit, luckily I lived on a street with a slight gradient and roll started the car.After that I always made sure all electrics were turned off when getting out of the car for the day. Other wise plenty of good memories...
I owned a series 2 HSS in 1969. When the battery got a bit low in winter, dad used to get inside with the key and I would assist with the handle, worked every time.
I had a hillman minx when I was in the navy in the 70's ... dud battery - but starter handle !! After a couple of goes with that handle ..... I always parked at the top of a hill!!
What a beautiful car, the closest I got was a 1966 Singer Vogue and I'd have another one tomorrow. Good old Rootes, they kew how to build cars.
We had two twin headlamp Snipes ( one was ex Chief Constable of Leeds car) then a blue Imperial. Gorgeous car but rotted stem to stern and scrapped over 25 years ago as were the others after a fortune spent on welding and re sprays. I can’t believe this example still exists in such original condition. Clearly somewhere without salted roads and very low mileage. A very lucky owner and a joy to bring back so many great memories.
I really like your light hearted tests. I was born in Sheffield during the war and became a car enthusiast in 1951 when a Ford V8 pilot pulled away smartly from our traffic light. We moved from U.K. to Canada in 1956 and I got serious and started a summary critique sheet of the New models even though I couldn't drive yet ending it with the '66 models in 1965. I started working on car mechanical items in 1957 pursued an engineering degree with plans to work for an Auto manufacturer. Unfortunately they were all located in in terrible locations and ended up working in the Oil and Chemical fields. For a hobby I started a mobile repair service in 1969. In the 80's I got into doing body work. I never was hugely successful at any of them and stayed at the Hobby level to the present. My parents liked the Humber cars and my favorite was the Super Snipe. Hope you keep up the good work.
What a beautiful example of these quality old cars. I worked for a Rootes garage and never saw many of these around, but one lady customer had an identical one which she kept for many years.
My mom and dads wedding car on World Cup final day 1966!
That model is fantastic credit to the owner
Now that is what i call a real car. I wish the Humber Imperial would come back.
This brought back child hood memories. My dad had several super snipes. The last one new in 1964 in a two tone brown. Living in North Wales we had lots of day trips. Remember using the picnic tables on the seat backs many times.
My first car was a 1957 Hillman Minx and later I had a 1957 Humber Super Snipe. The Humber was built like a tank....beautiful automobile...cheers 🍷🍷🇨🇦
Pure quality .I can remember nearly buying a big Humber a few years ago at an auction. If I'd pay an extra £50 it was mine . Sadly never did. Tho I do have fond memories.
I'm the first to comment... from Oz! These were equally popular here in Australia like all Humbers. My father worked in a senior role in a major oil company here and whilst he drove a Ford Fairmont, his boss drove a Humber Imperial. His boss and family became great friends outside work with our family so I saw his Humber a lot. Gee I loved going for a ride in that car as a kid and my abiding memory was that glorious dashboard and that slab of wood, so different from the Australian cars back then with their strong influences from the US! I think back then, whilst I didn't know it as a kid, it was that car which seeped into my DNA for a love of Brit classic cars which I hold to this day.
How many were sold here in Australia? One of mates father had a Super Snipe but I have never heard of an Imperial being mentioned - the only Imperial i knew were the odd one or two Chryslers that were about. My dad had an anniversary model ford Customline so my mate and I both enjoyed each other families car!
We had a Super Snipe with twin headlights back in the early 70's. Big car with a huge boot.
A family friend had one, in midnight blue. This thing could haul two big horses in a huge old Rice Hunter trailer no problem.
Beautiful rare car. We have a reasonable number of Super Snipes surviving in Australia but I don’t think I have ever seen an Imperial in the flesh. That Bank Manager in the back was keeping an eye on you. 😀 Like the West of England cloth upholstery. Loaded with lots of nice features.
One of my school teachers in the 1970's had a Super Snipe. Traded it on a Chrysler by Chrysler. Keeping it (somewhat) in the family.
@@railtrolley My father always admired the Super Snipe. A school mate of mine in the early '70's, his father had a Chrysler by Chrysler Hardtop with the 360 motor (I think he was the finance director for Siddons), now that was some car for suburban Melbourne!
A magnificent car, quality at its finest in 1966, some what underrated today.
I used to have a singer vogue, which was also a Roots car very similar to the super snipe.
Walnut finish with dark red leather upholstery . I broke down on a steep downward road once and I used starting handle ,with the car in reverse gear to wind the car backwards up onto the grass verge off the road ! A beautiful and very strong car ,built like a tank ! Fond memories.
Magnificent car, Matt, and a very interesting review of a car and brand seldom seen. The last time I saw a big Humber is was a Super Snipe on I Drive A Classic. Just incredible. That West of England cloth was optional as a head lining in Rolls-Royce for many years, and it is gorgeous. All in all a stunning car.
Thanks for doing another Rootes car. Rootes do not get the credit the deserve for making quality cars with solid engineering. Your video helps to that end.
One interesting connection: even though the body detailing was patterned on the 1955-56 Chevrolet, the quad headlights and grille of these later Snipes and Imperials were patterned on the 1958 Studebaker. And Studebaker is where Raymond Loewy did his most famous design work.
Proper posh! And this cloth interior is so much nicer than leather. Beautiful car, great review Matt.
Quite magnificent, I had the John Barry theme tune from the 60's TV series The Human Jungle starring Herbert Lom playing in my noggin while you were wafting along. Though I think he could only manage a Super Snipe. Wonderful work by the owner (yes we saw you), the car is in superb condition. That was a real treat thanks to you both.
ACTUALLY i think Dr. Corder may have had an earlier series Hawk, The imperial may have been the first UK with a vinyl roof option, something that would not start appearing in earnest both here ( & the states ) during 1967
loved herbert lom , though he was a czech he loved britain and was well pleased he lived here and didn`t go to america ,he had the most sophisticated sounding voice
My dad had a Humber Super Snipe back then, beautiful car. Loads of real wood.
I was one of three drivers in Rootes experiments department that did the road and MIRA test track development of both the Humber Supersnipe and the Humber Hawk, plus the chance to drive some exciting cars that never got to the showrooms.
What a wonderful car.
I actually saw a big Humber (can't say for sure what model) last Sunday at a car show. It had the partition fitted behind the front seats which caught my eye.
This car must have felt incredibly plush n its day. Even stuff like the door interior furnishings we now take for granted would have been unheard of probably for a decade or more after this car was built. I bet those skinny tyres make for a much quieter ride than in the modern equivalent.
My dad had a 1965 I was seven years old at the time, but I do recall all the gadgets and the controllable ride.
Beautiful car. I'd be happy to drive that every day of the week.
My dad bought a 1966 model around 1970 in maroon. I was in it when he clipped the back of another car on a roundabout whilst the radio was playing Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep by Middle of the Road 🤣
My first car was a Humber Super Snipe, mine had the sloping roof line. It was dark blue and was left hand drive. I passed my driving test in it in Portsmouth. Must have weighted 2 tons, 3 speed column gear change with overdrive in 2nd and top gear. Like all Rootes cars (except the one in the video) it suffered from RUST. Wow brings back memories.
Just to put it in perspective, I believe you could have bought 2 Hillman Minxes and an Imp for the cost of that Imperial in 1965.
That sounds about right. A 1965 Ford Cortina was about £800. The Minx would have been a similar price to that.
@@MarkAtkin That is what I thought, that a Minx was about £800 and an Imp around £400+. An E Type Jag was about £2,000. All cars had a special car tax which was something like a swingeing 25%, included in those prices. I used to sometimes get an American magazine, which might have been Mechanics Illustrated, and one issue carried an add for the Cortina. After converting the price into pounds, I was astonished to see that it was about £100 cheaper than here, and that's after shipping them all the way from Dagenham. It was rip off Britain back then.
@@MarkAtkin you could buy a new Mini for around 500
I had a 1965 Humber Super Snipe when a university student in the late 70’s. Little known fact is that you could put a 44 gallon drum in the boot …. and close it. I named him Harold.
Great to see your test drive of this car. My father had a 1964 model, with the more rounded roof line and shorter back windows. It was grey with a red carpet and leather interior. I was only in 3rd class at school at the time, going on 50 years ago. I absolutely loved it, I'd tell everyone about, our poor man's limousine 😊
It's interesting how you say it was inspired by American cars, being in Australia I couldn't think of it as anything but a full on British car, still can't 😜
We used to go away on holidays in it every year, most times towing a popup camper van. There'd be 5 or 6 of us, Mum & Dad & us kids, and the camper and it handled it with ease.
Back in about 1979, my Mother took my brother, sister and I on holidays interstate and driving across the Hay Plains, which is flat with an extremely long straight road, not unlike the Nullarbor Plains, we were cruising along at about 90 miles an hour. The ride was smooth and relatively quiet. I fell asleep in the back seat.
Those seats were incredibly comfortable. We had a bench seat upfront in ours, and out of all the older cars I've been in and driven with bench seats, the Humber's seat was THE most comfortable. It even had a cigarette lighter in the back of it between the tables, very flash 😉
We eventually sold it because it was getting too heavy for my Mother to drive, no power steering, and the seals were starting to go in the engine. Parts availability was near non-existent, and my Father worked in the car parts industry.
My dream is to own one myself, and put a bigger engine in it. But with other vehicles being my projects at the moment, I might be lucky.
It's just a beautiful car that left an indelible mark on me 😊
Serviced these when I worked for Rootes in Dusseldorf about 1966 - our Managing Director drove one, which had a habit of burning holes in the pistons when required to undertake lengthy trips on the autobahn, something the little VW Beetles did with ease...😉
Superb cars - Humber Imperial- Super Snipe- Snipe- Hawk always admired those 60s British saloons
I've always been curious about the car but these are so rare you never see them up close, this may be the most detailed video on a Humber I have ever seen.
And I've always wondered why they didn't sell more? The quality seems to be on par with Rover, at least? They deserved a better fate...
The Rootes Group name put a lot of stuck up execs. off. Not HMG though, they had a lot as Ministerial cars and Forces Staff cars.
Few people could afford them.
The body styling pretty strongly reminds me of the Checker Marathon. It even has the bigger rear doors.
I assume Checker Marathon are "New York" taxis, which are built to last and are not built to follow passing fashions!
@@michaelhalsall5684 Yes, you are correct. They were a real taxi.
...exactly! the dual headlamps and 'brows' looks much like the front of the 'Checker' Marathon...I cannot imagine CRANKING that big straight six...I wonder if the owner has a crank for it?
Wow, this is a beauty! Never seen one before but it looks in fine fettle! The owner looks proud as punch on the back, too! I doff my cap to you, sir 👍🏻
What a blast from the past. My Dad used have a Humber Hawk back in the mid 60's so a double delight to have this Imperial rolling down the Findon Valley & round Long Furlong too! It was like being taken back to being four or five again sitting on the big front seat. We'd had cars like the Austin Somerset & Cambridge before, so I distinctly remember thinking at the time that a concealed filler pipe behind the signal light was pretty cool...I was only five! However, on the Hawk I think the light fitting hinged out of the way...so American! Very nostalgic & enjoyable video. Thanks.
What a wonderful car. Nice to see one in such a great shape.
What a gorgeous car. I'd definitely choose this over a Rover or Vanden Plas, especially since I grew up in Coventry..
That makes two of us. Worked at the Rootes Design Centre in Whitley back in the late 1960's (today, Jaguar's there, of course). Having also worked at Solihull and had the P5 finish line outside my office window, I'd be sorely tempted by a P5B Coupe...
I'm always baffled by how national car producers were back then. A Humber would have been a total exotic in Germany and France ...
There is a guy in Germany who has shown one on UA-cam -
ua-cam.com/video/mu7EJhE2jZ0/v-deo.html
11- 12 seconds 0 - 60 seems very fast. My history teacher had one of these and we used to laugh at him endlessly. Looking at this beauty, it seems as though he had the last laugh...
Back in the 1960's I worked for a company where the boss had one of these. The company car I drove was a Morris Minor and one night I had a shattered windscreen. I called the company and the only car available was the boss's Imperial which he sent out to me with strict instructions to drive it carefully. The guy that brought it insisted I drive and I have never driven with such trepidation in my life. The following day my Moggie was recovered and I was actually glad to be back in it, carefree in the little motor!
Nice to see a slice of our motoring history like that, it's way better than the usual rust piles in farmers fields lol
Brings back pleasant memories..... My Dad splashed out and bought a much cheaper 2nd-hand Humber Hawk in the early 60s. Body shape was very similar and many of the internal features were just the same. My seat (as a boy) was always in the middle of the bench seat. We loved it's comfort although I suspect Dad's bank manager wasn't so impressed and after a few years, he changed it for a Morris Marina.... which I didn't like, but by then I had left home..... Thanks for the video... really enjoyed it!
Great car. I had the Super Snipe with the same body. 3 litre straight six engine and managed the ton one day. The small dash indicator lights can be rolled down to dim them. Connolly hide seats and bench front meant you could seat six people. A very rare car nowadays.
Brought back memories, my parents had one in the late 60s. I was particularly fond of the walnut tables in the back and the little pull out reading lights.
What a glorious, grand old lady the Imperial is! Love it! Thanks for yet another marvellous video mate!!
Now that is what I call a dashboard! What a beautiful lump of wood in a beautiful car. Thank you for showing it to us.
In stunning condition. Deserves to be worth £35,000 in 2020. Will only increase in value. Beautiful interior,. Superb dashboard, a credit to its owners. Museum quality.
What a lovely example!
Great-looking car, which I confess I didn't really know much about (other than having heard its name) before now. TBH this looks at least as well finished and fitted as any Rolls-Royce of the day that I've seen, if not better. Very classy vehicle.
Just when you think that this Friday Segment cannot possibly better last week, he blows your mind with something like a Humber Imperial.
My Dad's Mechanic was restoring a 1965 Super Snipe in 1986 and I remember the gorgeous metallic green, green leather that smelled wonderful and the hidden petrol cap.
The Imperial puts you in mind of America in the early 1960s with the Cadillac Fleetwood and the Lincoln Continental, but there was a third way and it was the amazing Chrysler Imperial.
Great to see a friend’s father had one and saw him use the crank handle in the rain at lights!
My wife (then 18) and a few friends bought a Super Snipe for £50 with most of its last MoT still in place. It was 9 months from banger racing... which is where most Humbers ended up.
She spoke very fondly of the abundance of ashtrays and cigarette lighters.
These are big, lovely beasts.
I had a Hawk and two Super Snipes back in the '60's, beautiful cars. My wife worked at a Roots garage in Sevenoaks so we didn't pay much for them. I saw a couple of them at a classic car show a few years ago and I think they would be worthy of production now.
I think safety and environmental issued would prevent them being built now.
I was lucky enough to drive a late example when I did some driving jobs for a friend a few years ago. One lovely feature was the mellifluous and rather superior, commanding even , sound of the horn - did you try it?
Fabulouis very well informed appreciation of these iconic cars not sure if my father's staff car in the army was a super snipe or imperial but it was the most incredibly smooth and comfortable ride Thank you for a grand little video .
stunning car - I thought it was just a super snipe. you find the best cars!
Lovely car being driven in the Worthing area. Worthing to the Long Furlong I think. Loved those Humbers.
Thanks for reviewing this one!
In the 1980s, I nearly bought such a car, with "west of England" cloth seats. In fact, I bought another with leather seats.
It was a mistake.
West of England cloth is absolutely beautiful stuff. Even more exquisite for car upholstery than the leather.
The little Bump was from 1954 Buick Roadmaster because of the location within the door architecture.
What a Beautiful Motor car! I grew up in the late 60's and 70's and 'Rootes Group' still made some great cars ! My late Dad was a 'Vauxhall man' but always respected other brands ! I love this dx
Not many people know Humber made a few experimental models with V8 engines. Rootes was partly owned by Chrysler, and they fitted Dodge 4.5 liter 273 cu in V8s to 4 or 5 cars as an experiment, along with matching Torqueflite automatic gearbox. Apparently they worked very well and startled a few passing Jaguars with their performance.
Just how a car should be. Fabulous. And that filler-cap!
Until now, never really appreciated how nice Humbers were. Thanks, nice video.
Amazing condition! I love the estate version. Great vid, thanks to you and its owner.
My father had a friend who had a Humber Imperial in black ..... "A gentleman's car." He was clerk to the justices in Manchester and wore a bowler hat and a Crombie coat for work. Interestingly, he used to have the car serviced by the Rootes Group factory service department in Coventry. I was just a lad but later I had a Super Snipe for a while. The steering was of the "10 points to starboard Mr Christian" type. The gearchange was four up a tree .... ugh. It was glacial for 3 litres. I loved the Audax range but the Hawk/Snipe range was just a roly-poly rust bucket.
Such a gorgeous looking car. I wonder if a company brought these back out as a limited run but with a more modern engine they would fly off the shelves?
I agree...
These rode better than many contemporary cars, including my favorite, the Rover P5
British styling was using American styling from a decade earlier. This looks like something from 1956. I am familiar with the Humber Super Snipe, which this is almost a duplicate.
It's a mint imperial ! 😀
In terms of trim and equipment this Imperial was way ahead of its time and the opulence is very impressive. It does make me wonder why they never sold an up-trimmed Hawk which never quite managed to overcome it's slightly dowdy image in standard trim. It would have been a lot more affordable to run than the six cylinder and this would have widened its appeal. You wouldn't have needed to include all the bells and whistles on the Imperial as they were costly, but if Ford could turn the humble Cortina into the 1600E....see where I'm going here.
I have to say that whilst I've never been Humbers biggest fan, that one is just lovely and a credit to its owner. Thanks for allowing us to see it, it was a real treat.👍
I learnt to drive in my parent's Humber Hawk. It was a very beautiful car and I feel looked better than the Imperial which looks like the Australian Humber Snipe.
How did he keep that car looking so good! Thanks a great video. My school friends dad owned a big Humber, and, he always said that he had to "throw it" around corners. Great video, as always. Peace be unto you.
Probably a very expensive total restoration. Magnificent car. Unlike todays plastic lumps.
Our local funeral director had these cars in the 1970,s they looked dead proud when driving them greetings from Scotland 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
I never knew about the hidden petrol cap behind the offside reflector. I've seen the petrol cap hidden behind the numberplate which pivoted down on a spring - my dad's E-reg Ford Corsair had one of those. Shame you can't have a lockable version nowadays with fuel thieves, and vandals putting sugar, urine or sand in the tank. My Dad had the sand trick when he stopped for a pee at a service station on the M1 on his way home. He got a mile or so down the road after setting off again and the engine started spluttering. He bought a lockable cap after that, even though very few people had them in the early 70s.
Dad had a series of Super Snipes company cars in the 1960s. I seem to recall that they had twin carburettors which were forever going out of balance and caused the engine to run very rich.
Heavy car but the offset was "Ship-of-State" ride and the luxurious interior. In fact, as kids, when we were taken out for a ride, we used to get bored and continually demand that dad put his foot down as the sensation of travelling at 30 mph on suburban roads was like you weren't moving at all.
Lovely! Interesting fact about the metallic paint.
Despite being very 1960s in it's styling, it is very contemporary in other aspects. The upholstery and interior are very reminiscent of a top spec mid 1970s car like a Ford Cortina 2000E or a Granada Ghia.
I think there were a few 4 litre V8 Imperials made that never made it to market. I assume Chrysler put the kibosh on that.
My parents owned the smaller Humber - a Sceptre - in the late 1960s or early 70s (series 2?). My mum said it was the best car they owned. I'd love a series 3.
Great review as always Matt, really great looking car, very pleasing to the eye and ahead of its time with its technology that you find on cars of today.
My father had three Humbers in succession until as a 13 year old I convinced him to get a Rover 3.5 litre P5B saloon. So, a "round" Hawk Mark VIA of the late 50s (XUB 665), then a Hawk Series1A or perhaps it was a Series II, and lastly a Super Snipe Series IV (709 CNW). I remember egging my father on to get to 100 on the dial with the Super Snipe.
That design 10 years old in 1966. It looks very much like a 58 Studebaker from the front.
My father had a 66 Super Snipe when I was very young. In Durban South Africa. I was three in fact. Black with red leather. I remember the sunday afternoon picnic's out in the countryside. I distinctly remember those fold down wooden tables in the back where I'd put my tea mug. and the huge centre armrest. I think that dash is one of the nicest slabs of wood in any car ever. Nicer than a Rolls.