1971 Hillman Avenger 1500 GL Automatic BJN 302K, Westcliff-on-Sea

[64A60]

Spotted online:

 

Quote

I am appealing to the classic car community, and fellow enthusiasts with an interest in preserving British motoring heritage. 

Regrettably this vehicle was stolen on Easter Sunday. An eye witness account states two men equipped with a recovery vehicle, removed the parked vehicle from a public road. 

If you are offered this car or parts for sale, then please report this information to either myself or Essex Police. 

Thomas 01702 309412

Thank you 

 

[Amishtat]

Poor bastard, nice local car too. Hope there's some good news 

[Dick Longbridge]

Bastards.

Italian mafia required,  methinks...

[EssDeeWon]

This has really peed me off.  I have seen that car many times locally, last saw it over Christmas time parked near Chalkwell Park, I will have my eyes peeled but I fear the worst.

Why steal it?  Mk1 escort or something like that I kind of get, but a shabby Hillman picked up? Mindless cnuts, utter cnuts!!!

[strangeangel]

Absolute fuckers. Hope it's found unharmed and bad stuff happens to the scum that stole it.

[Angrydicky]

I too am very annoyed about this, have been passing and admiring it for years and there's some photos of it in my spotted thread somewhere. Was definitely one of the best and most original cars left in Southend.

[JeeExEll]

Get Gene Hunt on the case.

Hope it turns up undamaged, it's been around for a long time.

[SiC]

Bet it'll end up around a track.

[sierraman]

Ooooh don’t say that!!!! ?

Does seem a funny thing to nick, I mean old Avengers aren’t especially sought after in the same vein as Mk2 Escrots. Hopefully it’ll turn up somewhere with minimal damage. 

[SiC]

Why a recovery vehicle though. If it was joy riding it would have been driven off and already now be burning. 

[captain_70s]

More likely going to be a nice shell for a Tiger's VIN plate I'd have thought.

[JeeExEll]

^^ Or maybe build / reshell a Tiger rally car, especially as it's an auto shell with wide trans tunnel.

70s RWD historic rally cars are in big demand . . . .

[Braddon81]

24 minutes ago, JeeExEll said:

^^ Or maybe build / reshell a Tiger rally car, especially as it's an auto shell with wide trans tunnel.

70s RWD historic rally cars are in big demand . . . .

Absolutely. Avengers are once more gaining a popular following in the historic rallying game. A tidy Avenger shell is more sort after than you'd might think.  Awful that this lovely old thing has been stolen and most probably to order. ??

[catsinthewelder]

Utter bastards, best of luck getting it back.

 

I'll try and get this accross to the ex-copper who runs our local rally meet.

[EssDeeWon]

*NOW FOUND*

This car was recovered by Southend Police yesterday, all complete less headlights, grill and bumper.  The hubcaps are also missing but by and large its all complete.  It appears it was stashed away in a residential garage in Southend but the tenant was evicted (so a local resident informs me) and the house was boarded up and gutted and the Avenger was in the garage, since pushed out onto the drive and yesterday discovered by local police as stolen. 

Fantastic news!  I am hoping the missing parts are in the car, either way good news its recovered and largely unharmed. 

[junkyarddog]

Bloody hell!!

I didn't think this would ever been seen again.

Hopefully it will go back to its original owner?

[tooSavvy]

Nick.. Bodge up (at you own expense).. Respray orange.. VIN swap.. ??

Totally bizarre goings on...

Luck find/spot by local bobbies....

[EssDeeWon]

Here is a photo taken by the police yesterday

 

[barefoot]

I remember these as being curiously smooth to drive.

 

[Skut]

Grille headlights and bumper? What kind of weirdo thieves think there's a big market for an Avenger grille and bumper? The headlights will just be generic lucas items. 

[sierraman]

I wouldn’t have thought there would be any market for Avenger bits. How bizarre that it’s been partially restored as well. I can only imagine it was nicked then sold on to someone genuine. Anyway it’s great it’s been found and hopefully will get put back on the road. 

[MarvinsMom]

at least the owner got it back, more or less in one piece!

when marvin the metro got pinched from outside our house a few years ago, i was devastated.

that turned up a few hours later outside a known tea leaves house in middlesbrough. the car was in one piece, save the steering lock been ragged out, the steering wheel been out of shape and a quarter light smashed,

i got that back, and it went into the garage for several months while i decided what to do with it, as i couldn't bear to even look at it....

it was repaired and is still with me, cos i love dear old marvin!

these thieving scum will target old cars as they are very easy to steal, which is why i now use, religiously, one of them big disc lock things on all the small cars.

[vulgalour]

A relief to see it recovered, but a strange state for it to be found in.  I do hope the original owner can still enjoy it and put right the damage done.

[Gazebo]

I did love an Avenger back in the day. Seemed very solid and powerful compared to Cortinas of the same era.

[lexi]

I had a 1600 model in the 80s. It went really well.

[danthecapriman]

Glad it’s been found. Sadly that doesn’t happen nearly often enough in this sort of situation. Hopefully the damage and missing bits can be put right.

[chaseracer]

39 minutes ago, lexi said:

I had a 1600 model in the 80s. It went really well.

Me too.  Handled well.  Managed to avoid killing myself, which I suspect might not have been the case in the equivalent Escort.

[anonymous user]

My brother had a 1500GT in the late 1970s, It was an L reg, four door, white with a black vinyl roof. At the time he really wanted a Capri, but the Avenger was much cheaper and in better condition than the Capris available locally. It replaced his Mk1 Escort. He did eventually get a Capri Mk3. 

[busmansholiday]

I learned to drive on Hunters and Avengers in the early 70's and still love them.

There is (was I presume now) an Avenger that ran perfectly but the distributor was 180 degrees out. 

It's a long story........................

[junkyarddog]

There is still a scattering of Avengers laying about on my cousins farm.

Most rotten now,but there are two decent ones in a shed.

My dad rebuilt a hunter engine and got the timing 180° Out too,a mechanic sussed this and swapped the plug leads about,apparently ran for many years like this