Friday, April 14, 2006

A tribute to the Hillman Avenger

Spurred on by the Surly Girl's correct identification of the Commer van as the one that looked like a guinea pig (possibly the favourite line so far on my blog) I have decided that it is time to write a long overdue tribute to the Hillman Avenger. Surely one of the most dull cars ever to grace our roads. I had three of them one after the other and the top price I paid was £200. The best ones were the mettalic paint ones - I had a shit brown one and then an electric blue one - I heard later that they were really pissed off that the metallic paint was 'too good'. My third Avenger, a white estate, rusted out in no time.

Mechanically they were brilliant. If you got the 1300 one it was very economical but the best thing was that they were totally DIY friendly. Inside they were disgusting - all cheap grubby plastic and absolutely no pretence or effort in the direction of luxury. And on the road, well no-one looked at you twice - you know how people check to see your number plate to see where you sit on the social scale, well with the Avenger you might as well have written on your face, 'I am a absolute tosser of total insignificance'.

A few years ago I spotted a nicely preserved Avenger with an 'Avenger Owners Club' sticker in the back window. I've googled it but to no avail. However I did find out that they are famous for their 'hockey stick' design back light assembly.

I also once owned an Austin Allegro....

7 comments:

  1. I feel the same about the Ford Escort. Won't catch me bragging that I owned THREE of the things, though...

    ReplyDelete
  2. did your allegro have a square steering wheel?

    good god. is there no limit to my knowledge of the minutiae of seventies car styling?? i wasn't even born until 1973.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bugger. Tom, I thought you had cracked it by concocting the most bollocknumbingly boring post ever, but there is no underestimating those commenters is there?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Vicus, if commentators are what you want then football and sex are the subjects to go for. Right now I'm treading in the shallows with this little sojourn into the world of my cheap old bangers.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Can't wait for the Mayflower story.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My very first car was a Hillman Minx. It was also the very first car I had stolen. Like Mark, I've also owned a Ford Escort. Two of them. One MkI that was bronze and a MkII that was red. But unlike Mark, I'm no snob. Stand up and be proud of the time you've spent in an escort, I say!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I've led a very sheltered life and never been in an escort.

    ReplyDelete