Think how advanced and modern this car of (almost) 50 years ago is. Compare it to an engine of 50 years earlier: ua-cam.com/video/P2_0EhPWO50/v-deo.html
Absolutely wonderful. My Uncle had a 1975 P reg Hillman Avenger coupe in red with the twin round headlamp with a 1300 engine. An absolutely super car and TBH if i think of all the cars he and my dad owned (Riley Elf, Ford Consul, Ford Cortina (mk3), Talbot Sunbeam, Talbot Samba (seeing a lot of Roots group cars), Mini Metro x2, Ford Escort mk4, Ford Fiesta and Renault Megane) this is by far and away the best car they owned between the 2 of them between 76-late 90's. Sub 900kg is light so no surprise it keeps up with modern traffic. Some modern cars are frustrating - i used to have a Merc c Class Coupe now have a new shape Audi A4. The Merc had that infuriating foot operated hand brake. The Audi has an electric parking brake and you just don't trust it. The main thing that infuriates me is modern electric windows, with one touch operation it's really difficult to get them to go down say 1 inch of a warm day to let some air in but not buffet your ears. 2 Days ago wife and i out for a drive took me 4 GOES with the A4 electric windows to get in the right position!!. Oh how i miss wind up windows!!
Top marks for driving that handsome old classic mate, rather than hiding it away in a garage only to be brought out for shows. Puts a smile on people's faces, keeps the roads interesting!
@@markgilbertson1564 A different time my old mate, there were "Friday afternoon" cars then but my brother had one and it was a gem. Genuinely the best car he had up till that point. Good looking and reliable, started every time. You can't condemn a model cos of one bad experience. Trust me, there will be horror stories about modern German and Japanese cars, doesn't mean they are all rubbish. You will get the odd dog though, it happens.
Thanks mate. Lump in me throat, had an Avenger 1.3 GT (1971 K reg Plate) it was my 1st car after passing me test in 1984 . What a car went all over Britain in it bullet proof!!!
That took me back in time. My older brother owned an Avenger, a car I really liked. Don't you just love the simplicity of the car, light weight not needing power steering or brakes, what a gem. Thanks for making the video.
My first car was one of these, crashed it three times when I was home asleep. Went like the clappers. Brings back some great memories when cars were simple. Radiator leaked, hand full of cow dung, in rad stopped the leak with an egg.
My Dad had a 1500cc version of one of these in green and I learnt to drive in a later 1978 1300cc model, rusty brown with a black vinyl roof. Dad was a Hillman fan through and through, we had nothing but throughout my childhood, Minx's, Hunters and two Avengers that I can think of. Thanks for the memories with your video
Love these cars - I owned two of them. My first one had a split dashboard like yours but I found one in a scrapyard - car was stacked on top of two others, but in those days you were allowed to climb up and remove the parts yourself. Took the dashboard out of the scrapper, showed it to the guy in the hut who let me have it for very little money. I loved my Avenger and it gave me many happy memories.
I'm from Argentina and I drive what here was sold as the Volkswagen 1500. It was originally developed by Chrysler, and eventually Volkswagen bought the Chrysler company here in the country and started producing the Dodge 1500 under the Volkswagen brand with a few aesthetic changes. Very fun and reliable car, I daily drive it everywhere and it works just as well as the actual modern cars!
@@diegomax A estas alturas este tipo de autos con el tiempo despierta más amor en la gente entusiasta de clásicos...Ví uno de estos Hillman en perfecto estado en Liniers hasta hace algunos años y, como dije,cada vez despiertan más cariño .
@@juanpabloarena2724 jaja a mi me gustan los fierros, yo al chabon este igual lo sigo porque estamos en rubros similares, lo del auto fue pura casualidad ;)
I have a soft spot for these because I did all my driving lessons in an Avenger in 1974. I'd not driven any other car until that time, so everything I drove later was judged against it. For those days it was pretty good; I could've learned in a lot worse.
Oh wow! However I did have to remove the entire dash once when the heater sprang a leak. It was a big job, made bigger by having installed a modern stereo system. But modern dash installations are hugely complex. I once also ran into a chap who built Avenger gearboxes.
My Grandfather (RIP) had a gold Avenger 1.3 and my Brother and I loved that car the best out of all of his cars although the last one was an Escort (last ones made) which served him well until someone wrote it off and went in the side of it and partial front with a big 4x4 .. but back to the Avenger I used to love the whine of the gearbox and each sound in each different gear it never seemed to struggle he has a "K" reg so I guess around 70/71 but he had that right up until the late 80's /early 90's + it was traded in as far as I know in working order ..Thanks for this brill video I might have to watch more of yours to inspire my own car reviews (Classic cars only) later on next year
Ah, serious nostalgia here! My dad had an M-reg Avenger DL, also in white. I have vivid memories of the strip speedo, and of course the black vinyl seats that used to burn my legs during the hot summers :)
This is great - thankyou. My dad was a Service Manager in a large Rootes/Chrysler dealership and the Avenger was a top seller - the Super and GL variants particularly. My first car was a 1976 R registered GLS 1600 in Copper beach bronze and was very plush and a great performer with a "massive" 80 BHP. The Hillman Avenger deserves more attention and is surprisingly competent even by today's standards.
80bhp in a 850kg (or so) car is going to be a hoot to drive. Yes they do deserve more recognition. A miserable low end Escort of the same age as my Avenger would be worth probably 3-5 times as much. But I think the Avenger is appreciated as a better car than the Marina, at least.
@@Poleson The Tiger was a rally special to rival the RS2000 Mk1. The 1500 and 1600 GT had similar levels of performance to a Mexico but without the boy racer or show room appeal. That said the GT and GLS were swift in 1500 and 1600 form.
If they had fitted the 1750 engine out of the H120 Rapier it would have been a serious contender in rallies and racing but Chrysler were not interested as they wanted to sell off the company! A major mistake on their part as it would have boosted sales and the companies standing !
Technically my first car too. Bought for £25 as an MOT failure (I guess around ‘82,’83) off my friend’s older girlfriend - complete whim. Didn’t even run and got my dad to tow me home with it, my father and uncle looked it over and said why the hell did you buy that. Sold it a week later to a guy who had one and needed parts. Got £35 for it. So not only my first car but the only one I’ve ever made money on.😂
My parents had a silver V plate avenger when i was born. My dad still has a wing mirror from it in his tool box and hopefully the front number plate in the shed. Thanks for posting 👍
I remember the Avenger from the early 70's as we had gone down to Devon in the family Mini with suitcases on the roof and it had broken down coming back. The car we got to continue our journey was an Avenger and my Dad was pleased all the baggage fitted comfortably in the boot.
Really great to see this vlog, my first car after passing my test in 81 was a Hillman Avenger 1500 GL Auto, it was immaculate when i bought it with low milage for the year. It was M reg (74) with 52,000 miles, and i bought it in 82. I loved it, so easy to work on, better than the Ford X flow engine any time. Yes, the boot was really voluminous, and took loads of luggage, and the cloth seats were very comfortable. I improved the looks dramatically by fitting a set of Ford Rostyle wheels, 5" Js with 165x13 tyres, standard fitment being 155x13s, it improved the looks and handling. As usual, being my first car, i wrecked it over 4 years, and now deeply regret it, i wish i still had it. Many thanks for the vlog, it brings back so many happy memories of a great car, and yes, if i found another in immaculate condition for sale, i would buy it immediately.
That was one of my mates first cars, lol, I remember him putting Webber carbs on it n big wheels, always remember getting stopped by the Police in it on the way to Ryhl. he didn't seem to like the English and gave the car a thorough going over before sending us on our way.. 😂
My mom had a blue one of these in the 80’s. I remember waiting at the bus stop to go to primary school, counting the number of Mk1 escorts and Advenger’s that’d wiz by, seemed to be roundabouts about the same number of each. Strange how one remembers such things.
My father had one in a light green colour in the 1970s and brilliant family car with plenty of space. Thanks for sharing inside of it and just brought all memories back.
Great Car it was my first after passing my test a blue car and a black vinyl roof only had the car about a year and just before the MOT the gearbox went must have been 82 Happy days indeed loved that car
My dad had this very same car...and colour He turned up to pick me up from school in it in 1975 and I felt so proud.....I really did. Thanks for taking me back
I have "fond" memories of having to drive a very clapped-out Avenger in the early 80s, when I borrowed a colleague's one to go see a customer. He'd parked in a layby on the wrong side of a busy high street, so I had to set off quickly between gaps in both streams of traffic, with no prior experience of the engine's power and the clutch's bite point. I erred on the side of caution and gave it a bit too much power and let the clutch up a bit smartly - the bite point was so high that I'd already taken my foot off the pedal at the top of the travel before it actually engaged. But I didn't stall it ;-) Nasty crunchy gearbox and a clutch that neither fully enaged (there was a bit of slip) nor fully disengaged (even with the pedal down, the gear lever would not always move and there was a bit of crunch). My grandpa had a couple of Avengers in the 1970s (after upsizing from a Hillman Imp) and they were two-door so they had those really stupid seat belts that weren't fixed to the B pillar at shoulder height but instead were about 100 yards long and fixed to the floor near the rear seat: guaranteed to slip off your shoulder and to trip my unwary grandmother every single time she got out of the back seat of car - grandpa and grandma insisted that I was "the man" (I was about 10) so I should sit in the front passenger seat and grandma should sit in the back. I remember those barrel-shaped knobs for turning on the wipers and lights, and the huge padded boss in the centre of the steering wheel which my dad's Hillman Hunters also had. Looking at the engine compartment - like a lot of older cars, there's so much space around the engine. Almost as much as on my mum's old Morris Minor where there was almost enough room for a couple of small children to sit either side of the engine ;-) Those boomerang rear lights were very cool. And they had proper separate lights for brake, tail, indicator and reversing lights, with brake lights and indicators separated by dimmer tail lights so indicators are visible while car is braking. And two reversing lights - in my opinion, *all* cars should have two reversing lights and two fog lights, not one of each on nearside and offside respectively as happens with a lot of modern cars.
Back in 1976, my girlfriend's dad had one of these, same colour but can't remember the year (I think it was a 'J' plate). Her brother had a 1969 1600 Capri. Around that time bought a 1973 Hillman Hunter Super, nice, nippy car but I blew the engine up on the M4 going to Windsor Safari Park (I should have stuck with Fords). I got the big ends replaced but it was never the same. Don't drive now- poorly controlled diabetes- my last car was an Audi A4, company car, but I still maintain my favourite car was my trusty 1971 Escort van, purchased just after I passed my test January 6th 1975. So there.
I believe that one of the things they fixed between the Hunter engine and Avenger was big end stability. I may be wrong but I think some Hunters had a three bearing engine but the Avenger is five bearing.
Great stuff!! My dad bought a new Hillman Avenger in 1972 which cost the princely sum of £998 including carpets. The colour was "War dance red" which as far as I can remember is just like the model shown @ 15:55 min in your video. In 1974 we emigrated to Africa and the Avenger was shipped out there too. At the time it was pretty much unique as it wasn't sold locally there. Great runner, never had any major problems with it. My dream - to own a similar Avenger to the one I fondly remember growing up in in childhood days long passed...
Great video, had a couple of these one was the estate, lovely to drive never any problem apart from the starter motor failing which was easy to replace, My dad bought a 1968 Minx/Hunter estate in 68 and 7 of us went to Russia in it !969, remember watching man l and on the moon whilst we were in the Carpathian mountains in Romania
My sister had a 1600 estate which I drove once, it was impressively quick. I replaced my starter motor recently, even as a non-mechanic that was easy enough, and I was able to pick a new part from stock locally for a 48 year old car!
Indicators on the ‘correct’ side for a rhd car… love you commented on this. It makes so much more sense ergonomically when changing gear and indicating, using wipers radio etc, much more balanced… Thanks for a great review!
A lovely car! My grandad had a 1974 1.6 estate -I learned to drive and past my test in it. It was totally reliable! Eventually traded in for a mk1 Fiesta Ghia which literally rusted before your eyes!
I had an estate version, gear change was nice as it was direct into the gearbox, fairly quick back in the day, rubber mats covered the holes in the floor.
I hated when they fitted those horrible Chrysler rear ends in 1978 Those boomerang rear lights were so distinctive.The earlier sporty Avengers always reminded me of starsky and hutches wheels
My first car. I was 20 years old. Company car. Avenger 1250 DL reg. JDT 640K. 53 miles on the clock when I took delivery. One year later... 34,000 miles, and going strong. Handling was fantastic. Kept me alive. Better than my mate's new Mk1 Escort in every way. Never forgotten. Tip: put sheepskin covers on those hot (or cold) plastic seats. I also had a 'slip- over' head rest in mine...and I had (slightly wider) 165 tyres fitted.
My six year old boy commented yesterday on just how hot the seats get. I considered wider tyres but was told not to by the local tyre fitters, rules have changed around such things.
My wife and I drove on honeymoon in 1973 in a K plate version of this, so almost a new car. It was a lovely car for its time but the plastic seats got very hot in the sun. I would always have a big towel to cover the seat to make it more comfortable. Eventually the front wings rusted out though.
At last, a decent review of the Avenger. I had two 1600 models in the mid 80s and thought they were great to drive if a bit unreliable. It winds me up when people say they are like Marinas because they were so much better.
My first car was a 1972 K reg 1500. Always a bit fussy on choke. I fitted the later inlet manifold from a 1600 which did not have the equal length runners. Even with the fueling set lean, i could dispense with the choke much sooner. Geek detail as to why - The fuel that had not vapourised tended to make the end cylinders rich and the middle two lean. 45mpg after the change. It was replaced with a brand new 1.1 Pop+ Fiesta that did 38 most of the time, but really did do the advertised 58mpg at 56mph.
Identical car to my grandfathers 1971 Polar white DL which he bought new and was kept in the family until 2005. One of my happiest childhood memories was going with my father to pick up his brand new Apricot 2 door Sunseeker resplendent with its white Vinyl roof and rostyle wheels back in 1974. Avengers are much much better cars than any Escort in standard form and are still severely underrated to this very day by the masses.What a lovely sight to see a standard spec Avenger kept in such good condition and in regular use.
I am totally transfixed by this. It's so surreal filmed in 4k. Watching it on my ridiculously oversized 75" 4k HDR all singing and dancing Dolby Atmos TV when in '73 there were 3 channels 27" black and white CRT(if you could afford it). Splendid effort my friend I say from 'The Good Old Days' 👏
Fabulous video. Thank you. I had one back in the early 1970's. Went from Lands End to John O'Groats all round the coast of England and Scotland. Was totally reliable and never let me down. It's interesting to know how rare they are now.
I had a 1975 model with black vynal roof, magenta in colour. The car had obviously been painted at the factory on a rusty body as the car developed rusty scabs all over the panels after four years. Just another reason the UK car manufactures went to the wall.
Brings back great memories of my childhood,our family had a blue Avenger the same year as this ,and as we all got bigger so did the car,my dad then moved onto a maroon Avenger estate “N Reg “which took us everywhere , yearly holidays in the Isle of Man crossing the Irish Sea on the Manx steam packet ferry .
My second car was an Avenger estate. It was a great party car as with the seats down you could comfortably sleep in the back and I even transported a motorcycle for a mate in it. The gear selecter went in it in the end and I had to drive it from Plymouth to StAustal in what I think may've been third or fourth, late at night, in the rain and with only a learner licence.
@@martinmcdonald4207 I didn't pass my car test until I moved to Australia. I'd been driving since I was able to reach the peddles and had too many bad habits. Funny, I passed my motorcycle test first time and had only been riding for about 8 months mostly on a moped. Many of my freinds passed their car tests and rote there parents cars off but I drove for ten years without a licence and didn't even get a parking fine. I used to have to park their cars for them some times because they couldn't reverse.
I learnt to drive circa 1976 in my Mother's special edition Hillman Avenger Sunshine model. A pretty pale yellow with black vinyl roof and dark green plastic upholstery. It was an automatic, so I learnt speed control and road placement. I even tackled Hemel Hempstead's Magic Roundabout in it. Later I had proper driving lessons in a geared Morris 1300. Passed both my car and motorcycle test first time within the same seven day period.
WoW. This is the car I learned to hoon in. It is the most naturally gifted car for drifting EVER, in my opinion. And so quirky. The plastic bag for windscreen washing fluid, the cable clutch - no hydraulic mechanism - the styling, the NAME. To me it was the best, most forward thinking model Hillman / Rootes ever produced. Thanks for keeping the dream alive. You should teach your sons how to drive in this car.
Oh yes, the hot-water-bottle style washer bottle was used on a number of Hillmans. Mine has a later one installed which has an electric pump, I plan on connecting that up one day. The clutch system is simple and reliable, but does have to be adjusted slightly as the clutch wears. Rootes did great names, Avenger, Tiger, Hunter etc. but Peugeot never mastered that art!
Lovely car ... the engine has a beautiful note to it ... very smooth. My dad had a Hillman Hunter .... gold with lots of chrome trim .... I think it was my favourite car that he ever owned.
I really enjoyed your video, thanks for posting. My Dad had a couple of Avengers (having previously owned a Hillman Imp, which he loved as well!) and I remember he always said how lively the Avenger was, and it was lovely to drive. Sadly I was too young to drive it myself though. So your video brought back great memories, thanks!
My Grandfather bought a 1972 Avenger, his only ever brand new car. I inherited it in the late Eighties when he died (or maybe no one else wanted it!), and now it’s sitting in my garage, restored in its original Sand Pebble Beige. The thing I love the most is the red vinyl interior with the same smell that I remember from the early Seventies.
1972 Hillman Avenger with 21st century smart phone :) LOL !!! This takes me back to when I were a wee lad. A neighbour about 5-6 doors away had one in the mid to late 70s when I were about 8-10 years old. A family car that weighed less than a ton(ne)!
My dad had an identical one. I had to check the number plate to see if was the same one. He was a design engineer and he rated it way above the Cortinas etc.
I loved your video thanks for filming it . My father had a Tiger , 3/4 vinyl roof … hotted up engine . He worked for Chrysler and was friends with Des O Dell who I believe lived nearby in Kenilworth. Ps the steering wheel boss was memorable!
Parents had a left hand drive American version called a Chrysler Cricket, Red with different seats and twin carbs, automatic, from the start it was really quick off the mark, loved driving it, nostalgia, thanks for bringing back the memories .
In the 70s my Dad bought a lovely red one, which when driven across to Ireland was chosen as the main wedding car for a family of farmer's. it took pride of place over the Mercedes and Range Rovers on the farmer's driveways.
My 18 yr old son has a mk1 MR2 and that is a joy to drive and this looks the same with a lot of grunt from low revs it will just accelerate, modern cars have great luxurious interiors but driving wise they are dull, great vid 👏👏
I remember a relation of mine buying one of these in the early seventies it was about 6 months old,if my memory serves me well I think something happened with the steering column pulling away from the firewall where it entered the cars interior,he found that it was a common fault and the manufactures had a steel made to strengthen this and fitted I think at no cost to the car owners.
Takes me back to my childhood! Mum and dad had a P reg (LHT873P) Avenger Estate in red. Still remember every summer being burned on those vinyl seats haha! The car was mechanically sound but rust was the issue. My elder brother took it to the scrap yard but mum didn’t know. He came home with the rear number plate, the steering wheel and a god almighty slap for crushing her pride and joy…..!!
I really wish I'd been smart enough to keep photos of all my cars. My 1972 (L plate) light blue Avenger 1200 was my first nice car at the age of 19, after a series of older cars, and it holds a special place in my memory, My wife and I drove all over the country in ours and it never let us down. An excellent car that was a pleasure to own. I sold it to buy an XJ6. A couple of years after we emigrated to Ontario, Canada I saw the only Avenger that I've seen here. It was a two door version and badged as a "Plymouth Cricket". Thank you for doing this video!
Served my apprenticeship on Chrysler52 years ago. Good steady cars, thought the hunter was a good car, and easy to work on. The hillman imp was a bastard to work on, liked the Avenger, especially with the Holberg engine in.
My dad's 1969 Avenger 1500 was my first car. It had rust problems including the rear axle parting ways from the car when I did a handbrake turn one day and the rusty lower suspension arm mounts ripped off. I welded it in so many places so many times I finally decided to swap all the parts into a used 1983 Talbot Sunbeam shell because the cars share the same floor pan. I even made the doors fit by modifying the window frames, and used the Avenger dash. I think I had to shorten the prop shaft too. I later put a 1600 cc Avenger engine in with twin carbs and used it for several years. Very fun to drive.
Wow - I did almost the same thing. 1500 GL, metallic brown, cost £75 and I taught myself to drive in it when I was 16. I hid it in a parking area nearby but eventually my dad found out and was incredibly angry.
In the 80s, we used an old one as the garage run-around - 5 gal plastic container in the boot as fuel tank as the original was rotted. Unusual occurance with it - went to pick up a road drill compressor with it. The compressor didn't have a conventiona ball hitch so I took a trailer with me - so the compressor went in the trailer - so had the trailer weight to tow as well as compressor weight ! It managed the hills ok !
Great video. Nice review. I got an identical car like this, colour included in 1985.....to give me a few months driving. I kept it for about 12 years, doing some modifications along the way. I made a wooden dashboard for it, installing a 5' & a 6x9" on either side of the dash. Installed a tach. I replaced the 1500cc engine with a 1600cc in 1987, then a 2000cc Mitsubishi Sirius, 5-speed box and differential in 1991. I modified the Mitsubishi inlet manifold to accommodate two Stromberg CV carburettors as the 1600S Avenger carried. Used a 3-core Nissan copper radiator, and electric fan with thermoswitch installed in the thermostat cover. I bought it in 1985 with a Mitsubishi brake servo and master cylinder already installed. I replaced the poor headlights with Stanley sealed beams. Installed a third brake light at the rear parcel shelf. Even with the standard 1500cc engine it was pretty zippy. Before rust consumed it, I gave it away. Sorry I never had one from new. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
I had the chromey version, the Hillman Hunter with bling😉 Humber Scepter. Where has all the style gone? They all look the bloody same now. I've gone back to old school and my avatar is mine. A 23 yr old Jag. I'll never buy a new motor ever again.
Thank you for this, it brought back some great memories of my 71 Plymouth cricket. When looking at your engine there appears to be a round cylinder with a hose coming out attached to the wing apron. My car didn't have one of those I'm curious to know what it is. The Cricket came with high- back bucket seats and Servo assisted brakes, may have been for us safety regulations. Mine had dealer installed air con which did make the car a bit sluggish, but here in Miami it was welcome. Happy New Year to you and your family!
I think you are looking at the crank case fume recirculation and flame trap. Unburnt fumes were fed back through the air filter for low emissions. This was often disconnected once the engine got too worn as exhaust fumes would go through to the air filter. The engine on this one only has about 15k miles.
My dad had 2 avengers the first was H plate 1500cc with the round dials ( YNY 963H ) and the later 1600 cc on a P reg which he had for 20 + yrs both were great cars ( KBO 182P )…. Find it crazy i remember the reg’s when i long since forgotten many of my own vehicles
Built in linwood, Scotland, about 20 minutes from me. Where the factory used to be is now a retail park, but on the way out there's an old railway bridge, and it still says on it 'Talbot linwood plant, home of the avenger and sunbeam'
I used to have an Avenger Estate. Best car I've ever had. Cost me £375 and I sold it a year later for £350. It wasn't fast. A friend observed that it didn't have a speedometer, it had a calendar.
Our family used to own one of these. Man the nostalgia. They were also pretty quick and nimble as well, holding their own against much more modern Kia Pride(Ford Festiva). Thanks for the video, it brought back a lot of memories
Thanks for this. I learned to drive in my Dad's 1972 Avenger, a 1500 Super just like the video. The colour was spice, a metallic brown, which we called bronze. It was the first car my Dad bought new, for £910. I liked the horn position, a finger stretch away, if holding the wheel at 10 past to quarter past. However at just 9 years old the nearside main chassis rail was departing from the rest of the monocoque, which led to interesting handling under braking.
I had two Avengers in the 1980s a 1500 and a 1974 1600, the latter was a fantastic car really reliable and very nimble. Unfortunately it was involved in an incident, lovely to see you using yours, many years of happy motoring!
Think how advanced and modern this car of (almost) 50 years ago is. Compare it to an engine of 50 years earlier: ua-cam.com/video/P2_0EhPWO50/v-deo.html
Absolutely wonderful. My Uncle had a 1975 P reg Hillman Avenger coupe in red with the twin round headlamp with a 1300 engine. An absolutely super car and TBH if i think of all the cars he and my dad owned (Riley Elf, Ford Consul, Ford Cortina (mk3), Talbot Sunbeam, Talbot Samba (seeing a lot of Roots group cars), Mini Metro x2, Ford Escort mk4, Ford Fiesta and Renault Megane) this is by far and away the best car they owned between the 2 of them between 76-late 90's. Sub 900kg is light so no surprise it keeps up with modern traffic. Some modern cars are frustrating - i used to have a Merc c Class Coupe now have a new shape Audi A4. The Merc had that infuriating foot operated hand brake. The Audi has an electric parking brake and you just don't trust it. The main thing that infuriates me is modern electric windows, with one touch operation it's really difficult to get them to go down say 1 inch of a warm day to let some air in but not buffet your ears. 2 Days ago wife and i out for a drive took me 4 GOES with the A4 electric windows to get in the right position!!. Oh how i miss wind up windows!!
@@terencej72 Of that collection, I would hope that the Talbot Sunbeam was a pretty fun car too.
Yes. Quite !
Top marks for driving that handsome old classic mate, rather than hiding it away in a garage only to be brought out for shows. Puts a smile on people's faces, keeps the roads interesting!
Old Classic. Is it April 1st? My father's 1977 model was so bad the dealer gave him a new car (not another Avenger) after 9 months.
@@markgilbertson1564 A different time my old mate, there were "Friday afternoon" cars then but my brother had one and it was a gem. Genuinely the best car he had up till that point. Good looking and reliable, started every time.
You can't condemn a model cos of one bad experience. Trust me, there will be horror stories about modern German and Japanese cars, doesn't mean they are all rubbish. You will get the odd dog though, it happens.
My Dad had one of these in the mid 70's. The shame still hasn't left me
Thanks mate. Lump in me throat, had an Avenger 1.3 GT (1971 K reg Plate) it was my 1st car after passing me test in 1984 . What a car went all over Britain in it bullet proof!!!
Think you'll find in 1971 the GT was 1.5 not 1.3.
“ my “.
I had a Chrysler avenger, loved it 1300 cc, in white.
That took me back in time. My older brother owned an Avenger, a car I really liked. Don't you just love the simplicity of the car, light weight not needing power steering or brakes, what a gem. Thanks for making the video.
My first car was one of these, crashed it three times when I was home asleep. Went like the clappers. Brings back some great memories when cars were simple. Radiator leaked, hand full of cow dung, in rad stopped the leak with an egg.
I’m pretty sure it had a brake servo.
My Dad had a 1500cc version of one of these in green and I learnt to drive in a later 1978 1300cc model, rusty brown with a black vinyl roof. Dad was a Hillman fan through and through, we had nothing but throughout my childhood, Minx's, Hunters and two Avengers that I can think of. Thanks for the memories with your video
Love these cars - I owned two of them. My first one had a split dashboard like yours but I found one in a scrapyard - car was stacked on top of two others, but in those days you were allowed to climb up and remove the parts yourself. Took the dashboard out of the scrapper, showed it to the guy in the hut who let me have it for very little money. I loved my Avenger and it gave me many happy memories.
Yes I remember when you could take the parts out yourself. I got many parts in that way to keep my cars going back in the day
I'm from Argentina and I drive what here was sold as the Volkswagen 1500. It was originally developed by Chrysler, and eventually Volkswagen bought the Chrysler company here in the country and started producing the Dodge 1500 under the Volkswagen brand with a few aesthetic changes. Very fun and reliable car, I daily drive it everywhere and it works just as well as the actual modern cars!
Franco...Por fín un "Milqui" en buenas manos! Saludos desde CABA
@@juanpabloarena2724 ah bueh, cuantos argentinos somos aca jajaj
@@diegomax A estas alturas este tipo de autos con el tiempo despierta más amor en la gente entusiasta de clásicos...Ví uno de estos Hillman en perfecto estado en Liniers hasta hace algunos años y, como dije,cada vez despiertan más cariño .
@@juanpabloarena2724 jaja a mi me gustan los fierros, yo al chabon este igual lo sigo porque estamos en rubros similares, lo del auto fue pura casualidad ;)
I have a soft spot for these because I did all my driving lessons in an Avenger in 1974. I'd not driven any other car until that time, so everything I drove later was judged against it. For those days it was pretty good; I could've learned in a lot worse.
I might have fitted the dashboard in that car !!! I worked at Ryton for years before I emigrated in late 1973.
Oh wow! However I did have to remove the entire dash once when the heater sprang a leak. It was a big job, made bigger by having installed a modern stereo system. But modern dash installations are hugely complex.
I once also ran into a chap who built Avenger gearboxes.
@@video99couk I worked on them and all those self tappers around the edge of the dash drove me mad.
My Grandfather (RIP) had a gold Avenger 1.3 and my Brother and I loved that car the best out of all of his cars although the last one was an Escort (last ones made) which served him well until someone wrote it off and went in the side of it and partial front with a big 4x4 .. but back to the Avenger I used to love the whine of the gearbox and each sound in each different gear it never seemed to struggle he has a "K" reg so I guess around 70/71 but he had that right up until the late 80's /early 90's + it was traded in as far as I know in working order ..Thanks for this brill video I might have to watch more of yours to inspire my own car reviews (Classic cars only) later on next year
I'm planning on doing my 1994 Toyota Celica during the summer too.
Ah, serious nostalgia here! My dad had an M-reg Avenger DL, also in white. I have vivid memories of the strip speedo, and of course the black vinyl seats that used to burn my legs during the hot summers :)
This is great - thankyou. My dad was a Service Manager in a large Rootes/Chrysler dealership and the Avenger was a top seller - the Super and GL variants particularly. My first car was a 1976 R registered GLS 1600 in Copper beach bronze and was very plush and a great performer with a "massive" 80 BHP. The Hillman Avenger deserves more attention and is surprisingly competent even by today's standards.
80bhp in a 850kg (or so) car is going to be a hoot to drive. Yes they do deserve more recognition. A miserable low end Escort of the same age as my Avenger would be worth probably 3-5 times as much. But I think the Avenger is appreciated as a better car than the Marina, at least.
How about the Avenger Tiger! Wasn't that their answer to the Escort Mexico, etc... I
@@Poleson The Tiger was a rally special to rival the RS2000 Mk1. The 1500 and 1600 GT had similar levels of performance to a Mexico but without the boy racer or show room appeal. That said the GT and GLS were swift in 1500 and 1600 form.
A very underrated car.
If they had fitted the 1750 engine out of the H120 Rapier it would have been a serious contender in rallies and racing but Chrysler were not interested as they wanted to sell off the company! A major mistake on their part as it would have boosted sales and the companies standing !
Had a 1500 auto on an 'L' plate. IMHO one of the most underrated cars ever.
I had 3 Avengers back in the day. They were great cars, better than the rival Marinas and Vivas. 🙂
I had one ( 1975 ) preferred it to marina.
My dad had all of those when I was a kid.
You sad person.
@@jahno7154, troll off.
@@raychambers3646 Yes it was a far better car than the Marina and even the Viva too.
This was my first car. Hill man Avenger with a 1600 tiger engine. Good times.
Technically my first car too. Bought for £25 as an MOT failure (I guess around ‘82,’83) off my friend’s older girlfriend - complete whim. Didn’t even run and got my dad to tow me home with it, my father and uncle looked it over and said why the hell did you buy that. Sold it a week later to a guy who had one and needed parts. Got £35 for it. So not only my first car but the only one I’ve ever made money on.😂
It was my first car too definitely good times
My parents had a silver V plate avenger when i was born. My dad still has a wing mirror from it in his tool box and hopefully the front number plate in the shed. Thanks for posting 👍
Hillman Avenger 1300 GL was my first car back in 1978. I loved it, cleaned it every week.
I remember the Avenger from the early 70's as we had gone down to Devon in the family Mini with suitcases on the roof and it had broken down coming back. The car we got to continue our journey was an Avenger and my Dad was pleased all the baggage fitted comfortably in the boot.
It's a very big boot for a fairly small car.
Really great to see this vlog, my first car after passing my test in 81 was a Hillman Avenger 1500 GL Auto, it was immaculate when i bought it with low milage for the year. It was M reg (74) with 52,000 miles, and i bought it in 82. I loved it, so easy to work on, better than the Ford X flow engine any time. Yes, the boot was really voluminous, and took loads of luggage, and the cloth seats were very comfortable. I improved the looks dramatically by fitting a set of Ford Rostyle wheels, 5" Js with 165x13 tyres, standard fitment being 155x13s, it improved the looks and handling. As usual, being my first car, i wrecked it over 4 years, and now deeply regret it, i wish i still had it.
Many thanks for the vlog, it brings back so many happy memories of a great car, and yes, if i found another in immaculate condition for sale, i would buy it immediately.
That was one of my mates first cars, lol, I remember him putting Webber carbs on it n big wheels, always remember getting stopped by the Police in it on the way to Ryhl. he didn't seem to like the English and gave the car a thorough going over before sending us on our way.. 😂
My mom had a blue one of these in the 80’s. I remember waiting at the bus stop to go to primary school, counting the number of Mk1 escorts and Advenger’s that’d wiz by, seemed to be roundabouts about the same number of each.
Strange how one remembers such things.
I had one in the early seventies and drove down to Athens and back from NE England with 2 friends, happy days!
My father had one in a light green colour in the 1970s and brilliant family car with plenty of space. Thanks for sharing inside of it and just brought all memories back.
Great Car it was my first after passing my test a blue car and a black vinyl roof only had the car about a year and just before the MOT the gearbox went must have been 82 Happy days indeed loved that car
Remember as a child in the 1970s when these all over the place. How I miss those times vehicle-wise.
loved the video... as a kid this was out family car for something like 12 years and it brought back so many memories
Cracking looking classic with great potential for a better engine, uprated brakes etc. For most of us who can’t afford an inflated ford.
My dad had this very same car...and colour
He turned up to pick me up from school in it in 1975 and I felt so proud.....I really did.
Thanks for taking me back
I have "fond" memories of having to drive a very clapped-out Avenger in the early 80s, when I borrowed a colleague's one to go see a customer. He'd parked in a layby on the wrong side of a busy high street, so I had to set off quickly between gaps in both streams of traffic, with no prior experience of the engine's power and the clutch's bite point. I erred on the side of caution and gave it a bit too much power and let the clutch up a bit smartly - the bite point was so high that I'd already taken my foot off the pedal at the top of the travel before it actually engaged. But I didn't stall it ;-) Nasty crunchy gearbox and a clutch that neither fully enaged (there was a bit of slip) nor fully disengaged (even with the pedal down, the gear lever would not always move and there was a bit of crunch).
My grandpa had a couple of Avengers in the 1970s (after upsizing from a Hillman Imp) and they were two-door so they had those really stupid seat belts that weren't fixed to the B pillar at shoulder height but instead were about 100 yards long and fixed to the floor near the rear seat: guaranteed to slip off your shoulder and to trip my unwary grandmother every single time she got out of the back seat of car - grandpa and grandma insisted that I was "the man" (I was about 10) so I should sit in the front passenger seat and grandma should sit in the back.
I remember those barrel-shaped knobs for turning on the wipers and lights, and the huge padded boss in the centre of the steering wheel which my dad's Hillman Hunters also had.
Looking at the engine compartment - like a lot of older cars, there's so much space around the engine. Almost as much as on my mum's old Morris Minor where there was almost enough room for a couple of small children to sit either side of the engine ;-)
Those boomerang rear lights were very cool. And they had proper separate lights for brake, tail, indicator and reversing lights, with brake lights and indicators separated by dimmer tail lights so indicators are visible while car is braking. And two reversing lights - in my opinion, *all* cars should have two reversing lights and two fog lights, not one of each on nearside and offside respectively as happens with a lot of modern cars.
Back in 1976, my girlfriend's dad had one of these, same colour but can't remember the year (I think it was a 'J' plate). Her brother had a 1969 1600 Capri. Around that time bought a 1973 Hillman Hunter Super, nice, nippy car but I blew the engine up on the M4 going to Windsor Safari Park (I should have stuck with Fords). I got the big ends replaced but it was never the same. Don't drive now- poorly controlled diabetes- my last car was an Audi A4, company car, but I still maintain my favourite car was my trusty 1971 Escort van, purchased just after I passed my test January 6th 1975. So there.
I believe that one of the things they fixed between the Hunter engine and Avenger was big end stability. I may be wrong but I think some Hunters had a three bearing engine but the Avenger is five bearing.
Oh the memories.. Learnt to drive and passed my test first time in a 72 Avenger .. Thanks for the video.
My god love the vid, I had a 72 1500DL yellow with a black vinyl roof, loved every bit of time I drove it miss it a lot.😢👍
Was that real italian vinyl.....
Great stuff!! My dad bought a new Hillman Avenger in 1972 which cost the princely sum of £998 including carpets. The colour was "War dance red" which as far as I can remember is just like the model shown @ 15:55 min in your video. In 1974 we emigrated to Africa and the Avenger was shipped out there too. At the time it was pretty much unique as it wasn't sold locally there. Great runner, never had any major problems with it. My dream - to own a similar Avenger to the one I fondly remember growing up in in childhood days long passed...
Great video, had a couple of these one was the estate, lovely to drive never any problem apart from the starter motor failing which was easy to replace, My dad bought a 1968 Minx/Hunter estate in 68 and 7 of us went to Russia in it !969, remember watching man l
and on the moon whilst we were in the Carpathian mountains in Romania
My sister had a 1600 estate which I drove once, it was impressively quick. I replaced my starter motor recently, even as a non-mechanic that was easy enough, and I was able to pick a new part from stock locally for a 48 year old car!
I hired on of these back in 1972. It was by some distance the best car I'd driven at the time. Hugely underrated.
I had a 1300cc 2 door mid- 70s, nice cherry red.
Indicators on the ‘correct’ side for a rhd car… love you commented on this. It makes so much more sense ergonomically when changing gear and indicating, using wipers radio etc, much more balanced… Thanks for a great review!
Triangle of Doom.. nod to Hubnut😉
One of my Uncles had a Hillman Avenger & a yellow Chrysler Avenger. He also had a Ford Escort mk1&Vauxhall Viva.
A lovely car! My grandad had a 1974 1.6 estate -I learned to drive and past my test in it. It was totally reliable! Eventually traded in for a mk1 Fiesta Ghia which literally rusted before your eyes!
I had an estate version, gear change was nice as it was direct into the gearbox, fairly quick back in the day, rubber mats covered the holes in the floor.
I hated when they fitted those horrible Chrysler rear ends in 1978 Those boomerang rear lights were so distinctive.The earlier sporty Avengers always reminded me of starsky and hutches wheels
That was a nasty cheap mod.
Yes!!! Chrysler really made a pig's ear of the Avenger
My first car. I was 20 years old. Company car. Avenger 1250 DL reg. JDT 640K. 53 miles on the clock when I took delivery. One year later... 34,000 miles, and going strong. Handling was fantastic. Kept me alive. Better than my mate's new Mk1 Escort in every way. Never forgotten. Tip: put sheepskin covers on those hot (or cold) plastic seats. I also had a 'slip- over' head rest in mine...and I had (slightly wider) 165 tyres fitted.
My six year old boy commented yesterday on just how hot the seats get. I considered wider tyres but was told not to by the local tyre fitters, rules have changed around such things.
My wife and I drove on honeymoon in 1973 in a K plate version of this, so almost a new car. It was a lovely car for its time but the plastic seats got very hot in the sun. I would always have a big towel to cover the seat to make it more comfortable. Eventually the front wings rusted out though.
At last, a decent review of the Avenger. I had two 1600 models in the mid 80s and thought they were great to drive if a bit unreliable. It winds me up when people say they are like Marinas because they were so much better.
I worked at Ryton Coventry on the avenger tracks,40+ per hour.soul destroying repetition.!!!
But thank you for what you did, making a great (but under appreciated) car.
I had one in 1978 and it was a very comfortable, trouble free car.
My Dad had a 1973 1250cc Avenger and it was a delight to drive, all controls smooth and light to use, no servo and drums all around.
My first car was a 1972 K reg 1500. Always a bit fussy on choke. I fitted the later inlet manifold from a 1600 which did not have the equal length runners. Even with the fueling set lean, i could dispense with the choke much sooner. Geek detail as to why - The fuel that had not vapourised tended to make the end cylinders rich and the middle two lean. 45mpg after the change. It was replaced with a brand new 1.1 Pop+ Fiesta that did 38 most of the time, but really did do the advertised 58mpg at 56mph.
My first one had a bit of a carb fault too, there was a flat spot in the acceleration. My present one though is really good.
Identical car to my grandfathers 1971 Polar white DL which he bought new and was kept in the family until 2005. One of my happiest childhood memories was going with my father to pick up his brand new Apricot 2 door Sunseeker resplendent with its white Vinyl roof and rostyle wheels back in 1974. Avengers are much much better cars than any Escort in standard form and are still severely underrated to this very day by the masses.What a lovely sight to see a standard spec Avenger kept in such good condition and in regular use.
My first ever car in 1980. Can believe you are still running around in this!!
Thanks for adding this clip! First car I bought at 17. It was on a K Plate and I bought it in 1984. Brings back good memories!
My first one was also K plate. Cost me £250 in 1986 and sold it for £200 in 1993.
My first car was a second hand avenger back in the 70s. Loved it!
I am totally transfixed by this. It's so surreal filmed in 4k. Watching it on my ridiculously oversized 75" 4k HDR all singing and dancing Dolby Atmos TV when in '73 there were 3 channels 27" black and white CRT(if you could afford it).
Splendid effort my friend I say from 'The Good Old Days' 👏
A 27" CRT would be a monster in those days. Most monochrome CRTs topped out around 18". Colour went up to 26" in those days but most were 20" or 22".
I remember the radio commercial “ And as for performance, Avenger driving is believing “ :-)
Fabulous video. Thank you. I had one back in the early 1970's. Went from Lands End to John O'Groats all round the coast of England and Scotland. Was totally reliable and never let me down. It's interesting to know how rare they are now.
I had a 1975 model with black vynal roof, magenta in colour. The car had obviously been painted at the factory on a rusty body as the car developed rusty scabs all over the panels after four years. Just another reason the UK car manufactures went to the wall.
Brings back great memories of my childhood,our family had a blue Avenger the same year as this ,and as we all got bigger so did the car,my dad then moved onto a maroon Avenger estate “N Reg “which took us everywhere , yearly holidays in the Isle of Man crossing the Irish Sea on the Manx steam packet ferry .
My second car was an Avenger estate. It was a great party car as with the seats down you could comfortably sleep in the back and I even transported a motorcycle for a mate in it. The gear selecter went in it in the end and I had to drive it from Plymouth to StAustal in what I think may've been third or fourth, late at night, in the rain and with only a learner licence.
You really thought that journey through!. The mad things we do when we are young without a negetive thought in our little heads. Happy days!
@@martinmcdonald4207 I didn't pass my car test until I moved to Australia. I'd been driving since I was able to reach the peddles and had too many bad habits. Funny, I passed my motorcycle test first time and had only been riding for about 8 months mostly on a moped. Many of my freinds passed their car tests and rote there parents cars off but I drove for ten years without a licence and didn't even get a parking fine. I used to have to park their cars for them some times because they couldn't reverse.
I learnt to drive circa 1976 in my Mother's special edition Hillman Avenger Sunshine model. A pretty pale yellow with black vinyl roof and dark green plastic upholstery. It was an automatic, so I learnt speed control and road placement. I even tackled Hemel Hempstead's Magic Roundabout in it. Later I had proper driving lessons in a geared Morris 1300. Passed both my car and motorcycle test first time within the same seven day period.
WoW. This is the car I learned to hoon in. It is the most naturally gifted car for drifting EVER, in my opinion. And so quirky. The plastic bag for windscreen washing fluid, the cable clutch - no hydraulic mechanism - the styling, the NAME. To me it was the best, most forward thinking model Hillman / Rootes ever produced. Thanks for keeping the dream alive. You should teach your sons how to drive in this car.
Oh yes, the hot-water-bottle style washer bottle was used on a number of Hillmans. Mine has a later one installed which has an electric pump, I plan on connecting that up one day. The clutch system is simple and reliable, but does have to be adjusted slightly as the clutch wears. Rootes did great names, Avenger, Tiger, Hunter etc. but Peugeot never mastered that art!
Lovely car ... the engine has a beautiful note to it ... very smooth. My dad had a Hillman Hunter .... gold with lots of chrome trim .... I think it was my favourite car that he ever owned.
Our family has had 3 of these, a 1250 deluxe, a 1500 Super and a MK2 1600 GL
I really enjoyed your video, thanks for posting. My Dad had a couple of Avengers (having previously owned a Hillman Imp, which he loved as well!) and I remember he always said how lively the Avenger was, and it was lovely to drive. Sadly I was too young to drive it myself though. So your video brought back great memories, thanks!
My Grandfather bought a 1972 Avenger, his only ever brand new car. I inherited it in the late Eighties when he died (or maybe no one else wanted it!), and now it’s sitting in my garage, restored in its original Sand Pebble Beige. The thing I love the most is the red vinyl interior with the same smell that I remember from the early Seventies.
Would that be Safari Beige? My first Avenger was that colour. I still have a can of spray paint.
1972 Hillman Avenger with 21st century smart phone :) LOL !!!
This takes me back to when I were a wee lad. A neighbour about 5-6 doors away had one in the mid to late 70s when I were about 8-10 years old. A family car that weighed less than a ton(ne)!
My dad had an identical one. I had to check the number plate to see if was the same one. He was a design engineer and he rated it way above the Cortinas etc.
Had two Avengers and two Sunbeams..Loved them..
I loved your video thanks for filming it . My father had a Tiger , 3/4 vinyl roof … hotted up engine . He worked for Chrysler and was friends with Des O Dell who I believe lived nearby in Kenilworth.
Ps the steering wheel boss was memorable!
it would be nice to see more classic cars like this back on the road today who knows maybe in the future.
I had a 1500 GL on an `M` plate, loved that car!
Parents had a left hand drive American version called a Chrysler Cricket, Red with different seats and twin carbs, automatic, from the start it was really quick off the mark, loved driving it, nostalgia, thanks for bringing back the memories .
In the 70s my Dad bought a lovely red one, which when driven across to Ireland was chosen as the main wedding car for a family of farmer's. it took pride of place over the Mercedes and Range Rovers on the farmer's driveways.
My 18 yr old son has a mk1 MR2 and that is a joy to drive and this looks the same with a lot of grunt from low revs it will just accelerate, modern cars have great luxurious interiors but driving wise they are dull, great vid 👏👏
I remember a relation of mine buying one of these in the early seventies it was about 6 months old,if my memory serves me well I think something happened with the steering column pulling away from the firewall where it entered the cars interior,he found that it was a common fault and the manufactures had a steel made to strengthen this and fitted I think at no cost to the car owners.
Takes me back to my childhood! Mum and dad had a P reg (LHT873P) Avenger Estate in red. Still remember every summer being burned on those vinyl seats haha! The car was mechanically sound but rust was the issue. My elder brother took it to the scrap yard but mum didn’t know. He came home with the rear number plate, the steering wheel and a god almighty slap for crushing her pride and joy…..!!
I really enjoyed the video, my 1st car was a Talbot Sunbeam 1.3LS I loved it.
I really wish I'd been smart enough to keep photos of all my cars. My 1972 (L plate) light blue Avenger 1200 was my first nice car at the age of 19, after a series of older cars, and it holds a special place in my memory, My wife and I drove all over the country in ours and it never let us down. An excellent car that was a pleasure to own. I sold it to buy an XJ6.
A couple of years after we emigrated to Ontario, Canada I saw the only Avenger that I've seen here. It was a two door version and badged as a "Plymouth Cricket".
Thank you for doing this video!
So many memories, my dad had a 1600GLS, electric blue, alloys, vinyl top, tan cloth interior, twin carb on an N plate! 😀
Very nice, just a little thirsty on fuel if you boot it too much.
@@video99couk My dad used to boot his Avenger really hard when he first got it although he eased off eventually! 🤣
Omg, I had a pea green coloured one as my first car, @17 in 1982, held together with chicken wire and snot.
So nostalgic to see one again
Served my apprenticeship on Chrysler52 years ago. Good steady cars, thought the hunter was a good car, and easy to work on. The hillman imp was a bastard to work on, liked the Avenger, especially with the Holberg engine in.
I had an Avenger and used to lust after it's bigger Chrysler brother.
My dad's 1969 Avenger 1500 was my first car. It had rust problems including the rear axle parting ways from the car when I did a handbrake turn one day and the rusty lower suspension arm mounts ripped off. I welded it in so many places so many times I finally decided to swap all the parts into a used 1983 Talbot Sunbeam shell because the cars share the same floor pan. I even made the doors fit by modifying the window frames, and used the Avenger dash. I think I had to shorten the prop shaft too. I later put a 1600 cc Avenger engine in with twin carbs and used it for several years. Very fun to drive.
My first car ever was an Avenger 1500, bought at 16 years old for £50 and drove it home - My Mum was waiting for me furiously 😁
Wow - I did almost the same thing. 1500 GL, metallic brown, cost £75 and I taught myself to drive in it when I was 16. I hid it in a parking area nearby but eventually my dad found out and was incredibly angry.
Traveled from Wales to Netherlands and back in 1500cc roof rack too. It was 10 years old at time. Like a dream all the way. Distinctive blue key!
Chrysler logo on the blue key, I have one.
In the 80s, we used an old one as the garage run-around - 5 gal plastic container in the boot as fuel tank as the original was rotted.
Unusual occurance with it - went to pick up a road drill compressor with it. The compressor didn't have a conventiona ball hitch so I took a trailer with me - so the compressor went in the trailer - so had the trailer weight to tow as well as compressor weight ! It managed the hills ok !
Great video. Nice review.
I got an identical car like this, colour included in 1985.....to give me a few months driving. I kept it for about 12 years, doing some modifications along the way.
I made a wooden dashboard for it, installing a 5' & a 6x9" on either side of the dash. Installed a tach.
I replaced the 1500cc engine with a 1600cc in 1987, then a 2000cc Mitsubishi Sirius, 5-speed box and differential in 1991. I modified the Mitsubishi inlet manifold to accommodate two Stromberg CV carburettors as the 1600S Avenger carried.
Used a 3-core Nissan copper radiator, and electric fan with thermoswitch installed in the thermostat cover.
I bought it in 1985 with a Mitsubishi brake servo and master cylinder already installed.
I replaced the poor headlights with Stanley sealed beams. Installed a third brake light at the rear parcel shelf.
Even with the standard 1500cc engine it was pretty zippy.
Before rust consumed it, I gave it away.
Sorry I never had one from new.
Trinidad & Tobago.
West Indies.
The only one of those modifications mine has is the 3rd brake light.
Very nice, we had an L reg Hunter for years when I was young, expected your handbrake to be on the right. Happy times in a Hillman 👍
I had the chromey version, the Hillman Hunter with bling😉 Humber Scepter. Where has all the style gone? They all look the bloody same now. I've gone back to old school and my avatar is mine. A 23 yr old Jag. I'll never buy a new motor ever again.
@@TomAlter1000 Grandma nazi, 👍😉😁
Thank you for this, it brought back some great memories of my 71 Plymouth cricket. When looking at your engine there appears to be a round cylinder with a hose coming out attached to the wing apron. My car didn't have one of those I'm curious to know what it is. The Cricket came with high- back bucket seats and Servo assisted brakes, may have been for us safety regulations. Mine had dealer installed air con which did make the car a bit sluggish, but here in Miami it was welcome.
Happy New Year to you and your family!
I think you are looking at the crank case fume recirculation and flame trap. Unburnt fumes were fed back through the air filter for low emissions. This was often disconnected once the engine got too worn as exhaust fumes would go through to the air filter. The engine on this one only has about 15k miles.
If I remember correctly on this side of the pond there was a PCV valve mounted in the valve cover and a hose that went to the air cleaner.
My uncle had on of the first autmatic versions that ended up being recalled for some reason. I still love the look of the Avenger.
Went to school in a blue one in early 80’s. This brought back some great memories. 👍
DJW 903J Hillman Avenger was my first motor bought from my Dad, which I ran from 79 to 85 and used to start my first business
My dad had 2 avengers the first was H plate 1500cc with the round dials ( YNY 963H ) and the later 1600 cc on a P reg which he had for 20 + yrs both were great cars ( KBO 182P )…. Find it crazy i remember the reg’s when i long since forgotten many of my own vehicles
Built in linwood, Scotland, about 20 minutes from me. Where the factory used to be is now a retail park, but on the way out there's an old railway bridge, and it still says on it 'Talbot linwood plant, home of the avenger and sunbeam'
I would love to have a photo of that.
@@video99couk if you Google 'talbot Bridge linwood' you'll see it😁
we had a 1972 gt avenger when i was around 13 i thought it was the dogs had a different dash and twin carbs lol
I used to have an Avenger Estate. Best car I've ever had. Cost me £375 and I sold it a year later for £350. It wasn't fast. A friend observed that it didn't have a speedometer, it had a calendar.
Our family used to own one of these. Man the nostalgia. They were also pretty quick and nimble as well, holding their own against much more modern Kia Pride(Ford Festiva). Thanks for the video, it brought back a lot of memories
Thanks for this. I learned to drive in my Dad's 1972 Avenger, a 1500 Super just like the video. The colour was spice, a metallic brown, which we called bronze. It was the first car my Dad bought new, for £910. I liked the horn position, a finger stretch away, if holding the wheel at 10 past to quarter past. However at just 9 years old the nearside main chassis rail was departing from the rest of the monocoque, which led to interesting handling under braking.
I had two Avengers in the 1980s a 1500 and a 1974 1600, the latter was a fantastic car really reliable and very nimble. Unfortunately it was involved in an incident, lovely to see you using yours, many years of happy motoring!
My friend had an Avenger estate in the 1980s and I remember how light and lively it felt.
Passed my driving test in one back in '78. It was, incidentally the driving school car too!