Hillman Avenger GLS Restoration
Discussion
What a wonderful restoration.
The Avenger GLS was my first car, OGJ719M, in dark green (Brunswick?). I was so pleased to be mobile, loving what to me was performance and I still think the four-dial dash was one of the best looking.
It was good to see an Avenger 1500 at the Festival of the Unexceptional last year, but it was nowhere as good as this.
Thank you, sir, for saving this for the nation.
The Avenger GLS was my first car, OGJ719M, in dark green (Brunswick?). I was so pleased to be mobile, loving what to me was performance and I still think the four-dial dash was one of the best looking.
It was good to see an Avenger 1500 at the Festival of the Unexceptional last year, but it was nowhere as good as this.
Thank you, sir, for saving this for the nation.
Absolutely brilliant thread! There used to be a chap here in Scunny who owned numerous Avengers at any one time. Used to be so cool to see on my way to school. There was one or two that were being worked on at any random period and sold in likely Wheeler Dealers style. Plus a few that were dailys inc an estate. It wasn't uncommon to see one of them towing a trailer, likely going to the tip 
Sadly, they're all gone now and there's a white one just rotting away on the drive
Michael
Sadly, they're all gone now and there's a white one just rotting away on the drive
Michael
My mum had an Avenger (KCG 984N why we remember these numbers i dont know 
) as her first car in the early 80's they had some great colours back in the day hers was a dark deep burgundy with the vinyl roof
Great to see them still on the road
Was at a classic show recently and started chatting to a guy in his 70's while we looked at a Tiger and he said that back in the day the Avenger was his favourite car to banger race and he would buy them for about £30 !
) as her first car in the early 80's they had some great colours back in the day hers was a dark deep burgundy with the vinyl roofGreat to see them still on the road
Was at a classic show recently and started chatting to a guy in his 70's while we looked at a Tiger and he said that back in the day the Avenger was his favourite car to banger race and he would buy them for about £30 !
Just spotted this story.
1970, my Dad has an S4 Hillman Minx (1966 model) and I turned 17. Arranged Driving Lessons with BSM in Newcastle, car was a Hillman Minx but the later Arrow (?) series. Part way through my 20 lessons they changed it for the newly issued Avenger, in white IIRC. What a lovely little car to drive, light, manageable, plenty of glass. Passed first time (yay).
Move forward about 10 years I bought one, cheap run around, in a dire shade of brown. Had a Sunbeam 1 litre after that.
For some reason they didn't catch on as well as the Ford equivalent and still don't command the s/h prices of an Escort. Probably say the same for the Viva HB/HC/Magnum/Firenza too even though intrinsically a better car than the Ford in standard form.
1970, my Dad has an S4 Hillman Minx (1966 model) and I turned 17. Arranged Driving Lessons with BSM in Newcastle, car was a Hillman Minx but the later Arrow (?) series. Part way through my 20 lessons they changed it for the newly issued Avenger, in white IIRC. What a lovely little car to drive, light, manageable, plenty of glass. Passed first time (yay).
Move forward about 10 years I bought one, cheap run around, in a dire shade of brown. Had a Sunbeam 1 litre after that.
For some reason they didn't catch on as well as the Ford equivalent and still don't command the s/h prices of an Escort. Probably say the same for the Viva HB/HC/Magnum/Firenza too even though intrinsically a better car than the Ford in standard form.
Looking good!
It sounds like quite a few people have memories of the Avenger though I don't recall them being very numerous at the time!
My parents had a metallic green 1.5 GL (VNC448L) that pre-dated me learning to drive so main memory involves third degree burns from the black vinyl seats (Oh for the GLS!) and that speedometer:
The Avenger was followed by a green Talbot Sunbeam 1.0 GLS (with velour seats!) that I learned to drive/crash in.
It sounds like quite a few people have memories of the Avenger though I don't recall them being very numerous at the time!
My parents had a metallic green 1.5 GL (VNC448L) that pre-dated me learning to drive so main memory involves third degree burns from the black vinyl seats (Oh for the GLS!) and that speedometer:
The Avenger was followed by a green Talbot Sunbeam 1.0 GLS (with velour seats!) that I learned to drive/crash in.
Om said:
Looking good!
It sounds like quite a few people have memories of the Avenger though I don't recall them being very numerous at the time!
My parents had a metallic green 1.5 GL (VNC448L) that pre-dated me learning to drive so main memory involves third degree burns from the black vinyl seats (Oh for the GLS!) and that speedometer:
The Avenger was followed by a green Talbot Sunbeam 1.0 GLS (with velour seats!) that I learned to drive/crash in.
am I going mad? Fuel gauge: Full - 10gallons, Empty - 4.5litres?It sounds like quite a few people have memories of the Avenger though I don't recall them being very numerous at the time!
My parents had a metallic green 1.5 GL (VNC448L) that pre-dated me learning to drive so main memory involves third degree burns from the black vinyl seats (Oh for the GLS!) and that speedometer:
The Avenger was followed by a green Talbot Sunbeam 1.0 GLS (with velour seats!) that I learned to drive/crash in.
DodgyGeezer said:
Mr Tidy said:
I've always wondered why the Rootes & Vauxhall models aren't nearly as appreciated as Fords of that era?
amusingly enough I was thinking much the same - I thought that maybe Ford put more effort into the motorsports advertising?Well going by my recollections of my uncle's 1964 MK1 Cortina Estate followed by a 1965 Hillman Super Minx Estate he had as company cars, and the 1964 Minx (Series IV I think) that my Dad bought in 1967. Mind you they all rusted for fun!
Lovely car, those original Avengers with the L shape back lights looked the best. I had the updated version with the horizontal rears. It was was my second car after the first, a 1.6 Cortina MK 4 had an untimely demise due to me hitting a tree. After the Avenger and perhaps because of the reputation the Tigers had, I bought a Sunbeam Ti . The Ti was essentially the same running as Avenger Tiger. Twin Weber 40's so basically individual throttle bodies, tubular 4 branch manifold and big valve head. For a 19 year old it was quite a car!
When I was 18 my second car was a green 1600 Avenger.
The front wings were rusty so I got two more from a breakers yard, back in those days you had to take them off the donor car yourself, however they were bolt on so a fairly easy job.
Then one of my dads mates resprayed it. He worked at the local Vauxhall dealer and said he would mix a bit of extra paint when he sprayed a car in the morning and would spray mine over lunch. The downside was I had to have whatever colour the morning car was.
Lucky for me it was Vauxhall silver.
Back then I joined the IAM to get a discount on my insurance too.
Pic of car with g/f of the time 😊
The front wings were rusty so I got two more from a breakers yard, back in those days you had to take them off the donor car yourself, however they were bolt on so a fairly easy job.
Then one of my dads mates resprayed it. He worked at the local Vauxhall dealer and said he would mix a bit of extra paint when he sprayed a car in the morning and would spray mine over lunch. The downside was I had to have whatever colour the morning car was.
Lucky for me it was Vauxhall silver.
Back then I joined the IAM to get a discount on my insurance too.
Pic of car with g/f of the time 😊
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