Highlights
- Low owners from new
- Rare cars these days
- Runs and drives
The Appeal
Have you ever wished to get behind the wheel of a proper pre-war classic car, well this could finally be your chance. With its characterful exterior design to its gentleman’s club like interior, this Hillman 14 should be the perfect addition to your collection.
Some minor recommissioning work may need to be carried out before this becomes a museum quality automobile but today it runs and drives okay. This car will unlock the next interesting chapter in your life.
The History and Paperwork
- The story of this Hillman starts in April of 1938 when it rolls off of the production line
- For the next few decades, the car serves its owners well
- Looking at the photo album that will come with the car it would appear that the car needed a bit of a restoration
- There is a date of 1995 on the photo album which might help to date when the restoration was undertaken
- As you can see some of these photos have been put into the listing and show what the car looked like before it was finished in its lovely two-tone paint job
- By the time it came into the current ownership in 2009 it had only 3 previous keepers, which is marvellous for a car of this age
- Since it has been with the current custodian it has been stored in a barn quietly
- It was recently resurrected and bought back to life
- Within the history folder, you will find a modern V5 and a few Hillman manuals
- The next exciting chapter of this Hillman starts with you, with some light recommissioning this car will look amazing and take you on some wonderful adventures
The Interior
- Wonderfully vintage
- Believed to be the original seat covers
- Some light work needed
When you step inside this Hillman you are transported back to a time gone by, a time filled with Bakelite, the Dig for Victory campaign, and blackouts. You feel as if you should drive around wearing a full suit and porkpie hat. Throughout the years this interior has seen some use, but it is still a great place to sit today.
Unlike today’s modern seats which are more computers than they are seats, the seats fitted to this Hillman 14 are beautifully simple. The driver’s seat does show more signs of wear with a split in the seam but this could probably be fixed by a competent upholsterer as the leather is in rather good condition and it would be a shame to throw away part of the car's history.
The front passenger seat doesn’t show as much wear, but it could probably do with a nice clean and some leather balm to make it nice and supple again. The rear two seats are in good condition with some minor cracking to the leather, much like the front two, but they are still nice and comfortable to sit in.
The front passenger seat doesn’t show as much wear, but it could probably do with a nice clean and some leather balm to make it nice and supple again. The rear two seats are in good condition with some minor cracking to the leather, much like the front two, but they are still nice and comfortable to sit in.
Looking at the carpet it would appear that it has probably been replaced during the 1995 restoration, and because it hasn’t been used too much since then it is still in very good condition. The bright red helps lift the interior and make it feel much brighter.
A wonderful part of pre-war cars are the dials and dashboard section, this Hillman is no different. Set within the copper coloured dashboard are two main dials with beautiful faces that show you all the important information you could ever need. At some point, a modern temperature gauge has been fitted, but the accuracy of this is questionable.
As you can imagine there are a few areas that could do with a bit of TLC. One of the more obvious places is around the wood on the door cards, it would appear that water has got in and left some marks on the material. So you may wish to get this panelling renewed and some new window seals put in.
Speaking of windows, the passenger side window doesn’t retract, over the years the mechanism has become disconnected from the glass, and as such, it means the window cannot go up or down.
Speaking of windows, the passenger side window doesn’t retract, over the years the mechanism has become disconnected from the glass, and as such, it means the window cannot go up or down.
This is a lovely interior to sit back and relax in as the miles pass by on your vintage road trips across the country.
The Exterior
- Resprayed during its ’95 restoration
- Sunroof repairs carried out
- Villainous looks
This Hillman 14 is instantly recognisable as a proper classic, pre-war car. Its extended bonnet with the pronounced wheel arches and running boards is a tell tail feature of cars from this era. It is a shame that they don’t look like this anymore.
As the car was re-sprayed in around 1995 and subsequently stored in a barn since 2009 the paintwork is presented in good condition. There are a few spots around the body that are probably not up to Concours condition, but you shouldn’t have a problem displaying this at a local show.
If you have ever owned a classic, or modern classic, British car you know that sometimes the sunroof seals are not always up to the job. It would appear that at some point in its past the sunroof has been welded shut to create a proper watertight seal. A new headliner was then put inside, and it would appear that it keeps out any unwanted water.
There is a small area of damage on the bottom most rear hatch, this covers the spare wheel well, unfortunately, this was not secured in place when the car was bought out of storage, and as such it fell off in transit.
It’s not all gloomy news from the exterior though, as the majority if not all of the shiny elements adorning the exterior are still in place and shine well in the sunlight. When you couple the chrome elements with the wonderful looking headlights up front you have the perfect recipe for a characterful classic. With a bit of exterior TLC, it will sit pride of place in your collection.
The Mechanics
- Runs and drives
- Looks as if a new exhaust has been fitted
- Hours of fun await you
Back in 1938, the car had only been around for a short period, within these few years a lot of advancements had been made, and by the time we get to 1938, the car is one of the most cutting-edge technologies on the planet.
This Hillman left the factory with an inline four 1.7l engine producing an ample amount of power for the time. The power would then be transmitted to the rear wheels through a manual gearbox.
Today, nearly 100 years on, the car still runs. It was recently bought back to life after its long slumber in the barn. Although it does start it can be a bit of a debacle as the choke cable has unfortunately snapped at some point in the past and if you’re starting the car on your own it can be a bit of work out. However, once this cable is replaced it should be a lot easier to start.
Once started this Hillman does idle okay, but some fettling under the bonnet with the carbs and timing should result in a great runner. It ran a lot better when it had been allowed to get warm. The gearbox is a bit crunchy when it's cold, but it might get better when it's warm.
The time that you spend getting this car into the proper window will help you to form an inseparable bond, this will mean you are treated to some wonderful trips out during your ownership.
Summary
This is a wonderful example of how cars used to be, it may require a bit of work to get it into the perfect running window but once there it should be a loveable addition to your garage that you can take out on long road trips during the summer.
When you get into this Hillman you will question how you’ve gone this far without one in your life.
