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Irrational desires: The Humber Sceptre


barrett

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I just had to Google that Squire and I must admit, it does cut a dash but it's no Austin Freeway, which I think is my favourite Aussie BMC effort. 

 

In all honesty, I'm more of a Leyland Australia fanboy but I am warming to the earlier post war era more than before. Ignoring my 1970 Land Rover (just like I do, because it doesn't work), my interesting cars span 1979-1990, so I'm just as susceptible to 'sticking to what I know' as much as anyone else.

 

barret, I would pay good internet imaginary money (your choice of denomination) to see you sporting a Rootes group baseball cap - I'm imagining a mid to dark green cap, with gold lettering and motifs. Surely, you could stretch to a shapeless fleece in the same colours as well, though?

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Thanks, I needed a chuckle.

 

Today's ten minute tinker conclusion: it needs a carb rebuild asap. Despite cleaning all the jets that I could find it still won't idle and won't really sit below 3000rpm. Not unexpected for a car that's sat for 20 years but I was hoping I could bluff that one out. It's some hideous terrifying Solex twin choke job so I'll try and farm that out to the same garage who are going to do the brakes and exhaust - hopefully this week so I might even have it 'on the road' this time next week!! (He said, optimistically)

 

 Hi, Solex carbs from that era had a reputation for warping the bottom flange of the carb. Something to check for.

 

 Colin

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Ye, but it must be remembered the Sceptre only became a Humber at the last minute, it was always planned to be a Sunbeam and was marketed as a sports saloon. Presumably Rootes had been given a fright by the Rover and Triumph 2000s and as the big Hawk and Snipe were traditionally Rover P4/ 5 competitors it was thought a dashing, smallish luxury car that would fit in between the Corsair GT , VX4/90 , sporty* Farinas and these new 2.0 'executive' cars needed their best badge.

Myself I think they missed a trick. I was a kid in the 60's and Humbers were stuffy cars. Sales were quite low. It really is a successor to the Sunbeam Talbot 90 and marketed as a Sunbeam would IMHO have sold better. Sunbeam were still cool and the Tiger was ice cool when I was a kid. I once had a drive of a Rapier with a Rover V8 in it - too nose heavy but maybe worth another try with the Tiger's Mustang V8 in a Sceptre? Now that would be fun (maybe).

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Anyone got a spare 'M' from a Humber boot badge so I can alter the one on this to read 'BUMMER'? I was just going to turn 'HUMBER' into 'BUM HER' bit that's a bit uncouth

 

I've got an M from a Triumph somewhere. Would look even better with one letter of a slightly different font.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Carb dismantled, fully cleaned, reassembled and all appears to be working fine but now, instead of not idling at all it races up to about 3500rpm and sits there, even with the air screw dialled right out. Obvious cause is a massive air leak somewhere but spraying easy start all over the place doesn't see it race at all. Any bright ideas from the hive mind? ('Put a Weber on it' doesn't count as a bright idea btw)

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Good to know you're making your dream come true.

 

The Humber/Minor shot reminded me of this scene from 10 years ago:

post-79-0-95910200-1533274831_thumb.jpg

 

Which led me to my Rootes folder.....

 

post-79-0-88646700-1533274887_thumb.jpg

 

post-79-0-62684400-1533274899_thumb.jpg

 

From an old copy of Street Machine.

 

post-79-0-72708300-1533274990_thumb.jpg

 

post-79-0-63756800-1533275003_thumb.jpg

 

post-79-0-08038100-1533275018_thumb.jpg

 

post-79-0-70459300-1533275058_thumb.jpg

 

And some stuff at shows (including the banger). You got the flags and deckchairs yet?

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Carb dismantled, fully cleaned, reassembled and all appears to be working fine but now, instead of not idling at all it races up to about 3500rpm and sits there, even with the air screw dialled right out. Obvious cause is a massive air leak somewhere but spraying easy start all over the place doesn't see it race at all. Any bright ideas from the hive mind? ('Put a Weber on it' doesn't count as a bright idea btw)

 

I've had this with a carburettor after a rebuild. Usually I am forced to strip and rebuild the bloody thing again. Despite not finding any obvious cause(s) the damned things work on the second or third rebuild. It's frustrating and consumes gaskets.

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There is an old fellow in Hull called Allan Marshall who has amassed a huge collection of Humbers which you can visit. Shamefully I still haven't been but some of the flashier cars are on the roads from time to time for weddings.  Here is a link of sorts.

 

 https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186317-d8139693-Reviews-Humber_Car_Museum-Kingston_upon_Hull_East_Riding_of_Yorkshire_England.html

 

Sorry, I messed that up, but a quick Google will locate it.

 

Sadly, he recently announced that he is packing it all in and wants to sell the collection. He may be a source of parts and practical info.

 

I was in a garage waiting area yesterday (long story) where the reading matter included a 2013 PC comparison on the Sceptre, Corsair, Rover 2000 and Triumph 2000.  One of the pictures in your post was from that feature.  They concluded that the Rover 2000 was the best as it was so advanced for its years, the Corsair the most innovative due to styling and they reckoned that the Sceptre was old before its time due to adopting 50's American cues and thought that was why sales dried up in the sixties.   

 

Yours is lovely BTW !

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