OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC |
Story and pictures by John |
OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INC |
It all started when I requested availability of a "sceptre" badge (via the internet discussion
list) to put on my '71 Royal 660.
I had a few replies from other Aussie Hillman enthusiasts.
Ern Broughton of the HCCSA sent me an e-mail letting me know there was a badge on a '69 Hunter
Royal in Adelaide, but if I wanted it, I had to also take the whole car with it! It sounded like
a reasonable deal to me, so off I went to have a look at it.
Russell Gill came with me, and after a jump start and a few adjustments to
the timing, oil top up etc., I decided that it was a good "goer".
I registered it for 3 months on the return 100km trip home. I came back the next morning and
applied the registration label, started it up and headed for Kapunda (home, 100km north).
It went very, very well, except for a slightly worn universal joint. I was really impressed
with my new "free" car, to the extent that I told my wife that I would drive it to work.
Off I headed, and at about 14 kms from home, I saw in the rear vision mirror a "bit" of smoke.
Then all hell broke loose, a vibration appeared, and gradually got worse – as did the amount of
smoke!!! The motor was still purring like a kitten when I pulled over to the side of the road,
but it would not move at all. Onto the mobile phone, and my wife towed me home.
Looking underneath showed me that the ol' hillman auto transmission was in not too good a
condition!! The rear extention housing had completely cracked from the rest of the gearbox!
I pulled the auto-trans out the next morning (it took 1 hour 10 minutes). I have since put a 4
speed manual gearbox in it.