The New Minx – brochure, 1938

The New Minx – brochure, 1938

WORLD’S MOST POPULAR LIGHT CAR LEAPS RIGHT AHEAD
– 20 DOMINANT NEW FEATURES
– PLUS — All the many features which have made the “MINX” so famous
– NEW CAPACIOUS LUGGAGE ACCOMMODATION ON SALOON DE LUXE
– BIG CAR ROOMINESS
– BIG CAR COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE
– BIG CAR RELIABILITY
– SAFETY The Safest Place on the Highway is in a HILLMAN SALOON
– BIG CAR PERFORMANCE
– Saloon De Luxe; Safety Saloon; Four-seater Drophead Coupe
– Dimensions; Specifications; Equipment; Colour Schemes

24 pages; PDF; 12.3mb

Sunbeam Alpine Press Release

Sunbeam Alpine Press Release 22-7-1959 - small
Specification of the new Sunbeam Alpine  22-7-1959 - small
Sunbeam Alpine Press Release
– Not for release before 13:00 hours July 22nd, 1959

“ROOTES GROUP ANNOUNCE A NEW SPORTS CAR – THE BRILLIANT 1.5 LITRE SUNBEAM ALPINE
An entirely new, fast, well equipped sports car in the lower price range is announced by the Rootes Group.
Powered by a highly efficient 1.5 litre o.h.v. engine, the Sunbeam Alpine offers not only rapid acceleration up to 100 miles per hours, but admirable road holding and an exceptional degree of comfort.
It revives a name already engraved on the world’s major rally trophies, and has been developed to meet a growing demand for this type of car throughout the world.”

Press Release: 5 pages; 1mb; PDF
Specification: 3 pages; 0.6mb; PDF

Rootes Service Paint Manual – 1965

Rootes Service Paint Manual - 1965
“This Paint Manual has been compiled to aid and instruct Rootes Dealers in the operation of a paint repair shop using Rootes Half Hour Enamel process. The information and advice contained herein is intended to supplement the knowledge and skill of the refinisher, and provide guidance on the methods and practices to be adopted. Refinishing practices and materials vary widely, and by the provision of this Manual it is hoped to rationalise these variances to a large degree.”
60 pages; 7.2mb

ICI Belco Refinish paints 1957 to 1966 – Rootes Group extracts

ICI Belco Refinish paints 1956 to 1966 - Rootes Group extracts - small
ICI Refinish Paints – Motor Manufacturers’ Colours from 1957 – Rootes Group pages only

This covers other makes too, but I’ve only scanned the Rootes Group pages.

Paint colours (text list, not paint chips) for Commer, Hillman, Humber, Singer and Sunbeam, by year. 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966.
Unfortunately it doesn’t list which combinations of colours were used for cars that had 2-tone paint, and neither does it list which paint colours went with the various upholstery colours. Brochures for each individual car are needed for that information.

Note that different colours may have been used in overseas markets.

Rootes Group Workshop Incentive Bonus Scheme 1966

Rootes Group Workshop Incentive Bonus Scheme 1966 - small

Rootes Group Workshop Incentive Bonus Scheme 1966
“Enclosed is a copy of our new publication which has been sent to all Main and Area Dealers in the Home Market, and to all Concessionaires and Distributors Export. This was written to meet the many requests for a scheme to increase the output from a given size of workshop without increasing customer charges and reducing profitability”
Folder is 29.5 x 23cm
45 pages; 5.9mb; PDF

Hutchinson’s Motor Magazine Vol 2 No 1 January 1948 extracts

Hutchinson's Motor Magazine Vol 2 No 1 January 1948 extracts cover
Hutchinson’s Motor Magazine Vol 2 No 1 January 1948 – extracts
(with acknowledgement to Hutchinson Periodical Co, Ltd)

  • Articles and photos about British car exports
  • 1948 Hillman Minx description
  • Photo of Patricia Roc and Rosamund John with a Minx.
    The actresses appeared together in ‘When the Bough Breaks’ so perhaps in association with that film.
    183mm x 115mm
    18 pages; 6.7mb; PDF

Modern Travel magazine 1934-06

Modern Travel 1934-06 small
I’ve previously been aware that Rootes’ own magazine was ‘Modern Motoring and Travel’.
But here’s a Sunbeam and Talbot magazine from 1934 (before the Rootes take-over) called just ‘Modern Travel’.
And I’ve found a 1932 Rootes magazine called ‘Modern Motoring’.
I’m now speculating that Rootes brought together the magazines as well as the cars, and that the ‘Modern Motoring and Travel’ name was a combination of the names of these two earlier magazines.
Here’s the first few pages. I intend to scan the rest soon.
9 pages; 4.3mb; PDF

Modern Motoring 1932-02

Modern Motoring 193202 small

I’ve previously been aware that Rootes’ own magazine was ‘Modern Motoring and Travel’.
But this earlier magazine from 1932 is called just ‘Modern Motoring’.
And I’ve found another magazine called ‘Modern Travel – The Sunbeam and Talbot Magazine’ – Vol 1 , No. 12 , June 1934. (before Rootes bought them).
I’m now speculating that the ‘Modern Motoring and Travel’ name was a combination of the names of these two earlier magazines.
Here’s the first few pages. I intend to scan the rest soon.
11 pages; 4.7mb; PDF