Topic: Solved: Wendax 962 - Hillman Sunbird

[Wendax]

Yes, it seems as if at the start it was intended to market it as the Hillman Minx Sunbird 1600, but eventually it turned out to become just the Hillman Sunbird. Well found, ropat53. Another point for you.

[Hiawatha]

Well done, indeed..

[nicanary]

Did you spot the spelling mistake in the advert ? SUMBEAM.

[Carnut]

Did you spot the spelling mistake in the advert ? SUMBEAM.

I was just typing whilst I got a notification of your reply!
What I was going to ask was - Does any one know what it says about Sunbeam (or Sumbeam - sic!)?

[Wendax]

Did you spot the spelling mistake in the advert ? SUMBEAM.

I was just typing whilst I got a notification of your reply!
What I was going to ask was - Does any one know what it says about Sunbeam (or Sumbeam - sic!)?

Without knowing too much Danish, I'll have a try:

Already in 1922, K. Lee Guinness drove his Sunbeam to victory...
There is Sunbeam in Hillman Sunbird
A car with a famous background
The new Hillman Sunbird has been developed with the experience achieved by Sumbeam's  participation in international races.

[nicanary]

Did you spot the spelling mistake in the advert ? SUMBEAM.

I was just typing whilst I got a notification of your reply!
What I was going to ask was - Does any one know what it says about Sunbeam (or Sumbeam - sic!)?

Without knowing too much Danish, I'll have a try:

Already in 1922, K. Lee Guinness drove his Sunbeam to victory...
There is Sunbeam in Hillman Sunbird
A car with a famous background
The new Hillman Sunbird has been developed with the experience achieved by Sumbeam's  participation in international races.

The writer had obviously not driven one. My dad had a succession of 50s/60s Hillmans as company cars and they were like a lot of family cars of the time - what I believe is known as "grey porridge". Not much input from success in motor sport, I'm afraid.

[Bill Murray]

Well done indeed, Ropat:

As it happens, I had just returned from the earlier mentioned shopping trip and had just finished Norway (obviously no result) and was well started on Danmark when my email notice went off.

It was a little confusing as I had found Hillman Minx Sunbird but continued on as I thought the title should not include Minx in the name.  I just had not gotten to that last step.

In any case, a most interesting and challenging puzzle and I like that there were so many participants from so many countries involved.

BTW, two questions now that the puzzle is solved. 
Was the photo location the Danish equivalent of Svenskbilprovning or perhaps the Danish importer premises.  And...........does anyone know how many Sunbirds were actually sold.  Danmark is a pretty small automobile market, particularly so in that era so I suspect not many.

[ropat53]

Well I found another Dansk brochure, of a series V and it's also called Minx.

[Wendax]

Was the photo location the Danish equivalent of Svenskbilprovning or perhaps the Danish importer premises. 

Yes, the Sunbird was photographed at a Danish automobile inspection station in Thisted.

[Bill Murray]

Yes, Ropat, that is what I found plus one or two more.

Thanks, Wendax, it is nice to know that I had a lot of the puzzle details almost right even if I couldn't finally solve it.

Bill

[Wendax]

Well I found another Dansk brochure, of a series V and it's also called Minx.

The reason for this is probably simple. Hillman didn't design new brochures for the Sunbird which could have been used only in Denmark. So the Danish Hillman importer, British Motors A/S had to use the general Minx brochures where usually only the black printing plate had to be adapted to the market's language. Unfortunately the colour artwork included the Minx name. The black and white newspaper ad was made in Denmark and didn't show the Minx name. I have a copy of Populaer Mekanik, the Danish edition of Popular Mechanics, where the Hillman Sunbird is being introduced. It is described as being the result of the cooperation of Rootes and British Motors A/S. It was available as the Hillman Sunbird Family, sunbird Elegant and Sunbird Sport, the latter one with an Alexander tune up kit.

I'll attach the English brochure versions:

[Wendax]

... and I just had a look at some photos I made of a Hillman Sunbird back in 1987. Where the Minx has the chrome-plated Minx lettering at the doors and the boot lid, it reads Sunbird.

[Carnut]

I'm sure that picture that Wendax has posted captioned "Hillman Minx 1600 Sedan" shows a picture of the Mk V car, which was only available with a 1725 cc engine?!

Or maybe my memory is not what it used to be..

[nicanary]

I agree with you, Carnut, unless there was a "base" model which still retained the 1600cc motor. I recall Rootes doing that to a previous model, using the old 1500 engine for the base, and the new 1600 for the de Luxe range.

BTW the link with Kenelm Lee Guinness has me curious. Why did they pick that for advertising in Denmark? He set a LSR at Brooklands in May 1922, and then the car was bought by Malcolm Campbell who took it to Fanoe in Denmark and set a new record in June 1923. So Sunbeam have a Danish connection, but it wasn't KLG who drove the car there. (Some bright SPARK thought it would be good to PLUG the occasion !  )

[Hiawatha]

Oh My God!

[Tom_I]

I'm sure that picture that Wendax has posted captioned "Hillman Minx 1600 Sedan" shows a picture of the Mk V car, which was only available with a 1725 cc engine?!

Or maybe my memory is not what it used to be..

The Series V and Series VI Minxes look almost identical, but the Series V had the 1592 cc engine, and the Series VI had the 1725 cc unit.

Externally the main difference is that Series V cars have overriders on the bumpers, while Series VI ones don't.

[Wendax]

A Hillman Sunbird I photograhed back in 1987: