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Hillman Minx 1952

The car was found in 1981 in a junkyard. There was no documentation of previous owners, meaning that here in Denmark I had to pay a new registration tax. ($600).

The interior was in good shape and still had the good smell of English Vynide, a major reason I bought the shambles.

The car was about 30 years old. It was totally restored during 1982-83. Internally it was repainted with an airless paint gun with good result. The underside was totally stripped of old paint and repainted before reassemble.

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As mentioned, the upholstery was in good shape, which is important when you buy a restoration candidate. It is almost impossible to obtain the right materials for restoration.

The thermometer did not work. The capillary tube was refilled with alcohol and worked. The hand brake handle was laying on the floor next to the front seat, which I believe is a common shortcoming for this model of Hillman. The entire left side of the car was in a very bad condition. I had to manufacture an almost entire box frame. Parts for brakes and steering were easily obtainable from a local parts dealer.

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The car was finally painted in the original dove gray color. A friend remarked that it was now much more shiny than ever before. This is true. Cars in the fifties were not very shiny.

To day, many restorers let their cars paint with several layers to make them more shiny than ever!!

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Last Update: Dec 2011