Shahin, formerly of Iran, now of the US, has a tribute site for Hillman Hunters. I’ll let that sink in. Yes Hillman Hunters. Apparently it was the car of Iran for many years. He picked up on my flickr pics of the bullet riddled Hunter I took in Bridgetown. If you have a picture of a Hillman Hunter, he wants it. He even had one shipped from the UK to the US! Truly. The man needs to get himself a Leyland Marina!
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3 posts today. And they say I’m not making tomorrow better.
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You’re on fire, unlike that rainmaker Bento.
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The Hillman marque was for a time (1967-76) the outpost in Ol’ Blighty for Chrysler, when they acquired the Rootes Group, which in turn was sold to Peugeot. The Yanks were also spared having much of the general marque of British Leyland visiting their shores…guess they had enough homegrown lemons to suck on, albeit double the size. So maybe Shahin needs to track down other Rootes Group oddities like the Humber
This chap really needs to add some more fine nameplates from that company, including classics like the Sunbeam Alpine and Humber Super Snipe, as well as some automotive jokes like the Hillman Imp and Minx. Hell, he could go for broke and acquire all manner of British Leyland-associated cars and start up a British automotive museum over there…not like there’s a lack of anglophiles nor automotive geeks in the USA, so it could be a worthwhile venture, especially for eccentrics.
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Yes, the sturdy HH is known as ‘Peykan’ in Farsi and is the Islamic Republic’s People’s Limousine.
During the 10 year trade embargo these sturdy little lunchboxes on wheels became the automobile of choice for the discerning Iranian due to the ready availability of parts and ease of hot wiring on a cold winter’s day.
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Don’t think I’ve ever driven one. I seem to recall olive (puke) green was the most favoured colour.
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Rallied one with a remarkable lack of distinction, mostly not the car’s fault, though the front suspension was only marginally less fragile than the HQ of the time, and the ‘C’ pillar welding only a little better than the Falcon.
Little buggers could be made to go well, even though the after-market tune-up stuff was rather limited.
Me mate’s Datsun 1600 was quicker, though, and handled lots better.
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Hello Bag O’ Turnips,
My kid brother’s first car, a Hillman Imp was a complete write off. Head on into a London cab. Those boys from the fire brigade had to cut him out. And he’s a fireman. Or he was. No joke. Really happened.
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Dear Bag O’Turnips,
It all began with good intentions for Chrysler, they wanted to rescue once the 3rd largest car manufacturer in UK, and they wanted to nibble on the growing European car market, and of course they also didn’t’ want fall too behind of their neighbors 2 neighbors in Detroit, Right?… Maybe. But it is common knowledge by now, that if Chrysler coming after your company, you better just declare Bankruptcy! The Germans weren’t paying attention when they went after Chrysler itself did they?!… As far as me going after more of Rootes empire’s leftovers, afraid NOT thank you very much! The Hunter and it’s 7 different badges (Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer, Humber, Chrysler, Dodge & Paykan) are having me nicely occupied! Opening a British automotive museum here is a neat idea, except that the salty pond between US and them is a bit of a problem, for getting those already rusty nails over here!
Also Dear Madrigal,
Allow me to correct your spelling here; it is Paykan, which literally means Arrow in Farsi. And also it wasn’t only for 10 years, Paykan started in 1967 as CKD kits, and went on until 2005! It had one facelift in the late 70s, and from roughly that time they also started using the Hillman Avenger 1.6L in them, in the final years they fuel injected them to help with the Tehran’s notorious air pollution, but it didn’t really work. Finally the Islamic Government had to pay IranKhodro to stop making them, they were just becoming too embarrassing really, even for the Islamic Republic believe it or not! BUT, they are still making the Paykan Pick-Up in western Iran, at the volume of 30,000 a year! Beetle’s record, here comes the Hunter! So basically something like 4 generations of Iranians have lived with this car, and it helped kick start the industry there, currently Iran is the largest car manufacturer in middle East I know it might be a nightmarish thought for you guys, visualizing big cities with streets full of Hunters running around in them, but maybe the smog levels helped to subdue the horror!
And finally you Mr. Lazy Aussie!
How dare you smudge the delicate Persian sensibility here?! Ha?! I will take the Paykan with all its faults over the dreadful Marina! You better start embracing the mighty Hunter, and remember that we the Persians once conquered the world, and we can do it again! YES WE CAN! These times though we dust off those IranKhodro tools, and then force every Nation to drive Paykans! Don’t Tread on me Now! ;)
For detailed information about the above information visit my Blog: http://www.paykanHunter.com
Cheers Guys,
Shahin
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It could be worse than a morris Marina, Shahin…TLA could’ve suggested a Morris Allegro, better known as the “All-agro”, for they were even more dreadful than the rightly maligned Marina.
Thankfully, these ghastly cars weren’t built by British Leyland Australia. But thanks anyway for your feedback. I can see why you’d have been passionate about them, though.
B’OT
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Me own mumzo drove a white Hillman Hunter station wagon for years.
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we had a beige station wagon in the early 70s, in which i was driven to and from mary’s mount on school days.
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Awesome post! That is all
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That must of hurt and is that bridgetown it looks nothing like it.
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My sister bought a hunter back in the early nineties, and it was also white . It had a bingled front corner, and having agreed to fix it I was not happy when I opened the bonnet and saw that the front gaurds are spot welded to the car, instead of bolted. (this is all too common on British cars) It took a week to repair it. It was automatic and very gutless, but its slush-o-matic still managed to spin the wheels with a little squeal when it hit second gear, and this always drew laughs from passengers. It was pretty reliable, and I developed a grudging fondness for it after a while, and I hope someone still loves it- unless this is the very same car.
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It always got a pat on the dash when it squealed like that…
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I am English i wouldnt be happy with that either EV.
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