Hillman 16

The Hillman 16 was a series of 16 horsepower (RAC rating) medium priced 5-seater executive cars made by Hillman during the 1930s by installing a smaller engine in their 20-horsepower Hillman 20 range.

Hillman Wizard 65 Hillman 16
Hillman Sixteen in ARP Warden livery first registered January 1935
Overview
Manufacturer	Hillman Motor Car Co Ltd
Production	1934-1937
Body and chassis
Body style	chassis only family saloon de luxe saloon sports saloon foursome drophead coupé Wingham cabriolet 5-seater tourer[1]
Powertrain
Engine	2,110 cc (128.8 cu in) 2,576 cc (157.2 cu in)[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	108.5 in (2,760 mm)[2] 111 in (2,800 mm)[3]
Chronology
Predecessor	Hillman 14
Successor	Hillman 14 Humber 16

Layout
Configuration	Straight 6-cylinder
Displacement	1,496 cc (91.3 cu in)
Cylinder bore	61.25 mm (2.41 in)
Piston stroke	84.63 mm (3.33 in)
Output
Power output	24 bhp (18 kW; 24 PS) @2,400 rpm Tax horsepower 13.96

They were replaced by Hillman's 14 which changed its name between 1939 and 1945 to Humber Hawk.

Hillman Wizard 65

Hillman 16

From 1934 Hillman made a pair of larger 6 cylinder side-valve saloon cars with two sizes of otherwise identical engines in identical bodies for the same price: this 16 horsepower car and a 20-horsepower version[4] Hillman advertised the cars as having "Cushioned Power" mounts which helped stop vibration through the engine and gearbox and described their cars as being “built with a margin throughout”. These two models drew on some of the features and engine designs of the luxury Humber cars, including the Humber 12, 16/50, Snipe and Pullman, that were also being built under Rootes brothers control. This was an attempt by Hillman Ltd to enter the low end of the executive car market[5]

Engines, seating and brakes

The Hillman 16 had a 2110 cc 15.90 hp side valve straight-six engine whilst the matching 20/70 had larger 2810 cc 20.9 hp engines.[6] The "16hp" and “20/70” saloons were five seaters with bucket seats at the front and a folding armrest dividing a bench seat at the rear. All these vehicles had Bendix "Duo Servo" brakes, which used rod and cable linkages and operated on all four wheels via both the foot pedal and the handbrake lever.

New body, bigger 16 horsepower engine

A new streamlined body was announced in October 1935[1] and the engine was enlarged 22 per cent by lengthening its stroke by 14 mm. Although the cubic capacity was raised from 2110 cc to 2576 cc[2] this did not affect the car's tax rating because the RAC formula takes no account of an engine's stroke.

Production

About (citation required) Hillman 16s were built whereas around 4100 Hillman 20/70s and Hawks were built during the same period.[7]

Survivors

Only a few examples of each model still exist in the UK today. Some of these vehicles were exported throughout the world, including Argentina, Australia, Greece and New Zealand where a number of "20/70"'s also still survive.

Notes

1. Hillman. The Times, Tuesday, Oct 15, 1935; pg. 5; Issue 47195
2. Cars Of 1936. New six-cylinder Hillmans The Times, Friday, Oct 04, 1935; pg. 7; Issue 47186
3. Sydney Morning Herald (2 March 1934) – 20/70 wheelbase
4. Vanderveen (1973) - British Cars of the Early Thirties 1930-34 - Pages 66 & 67 & Late Thirties 1935-1939 – Page 12
5. Vanderveen (1973) - entry for 1935 Hillmans - Page 11
6. Instruction Book for Hillman Sixteen and Twenty-70 (1935)
7. Hillman 16hp & Twenty-70 Spare Parts Catalogue (1934/35)

References

• Culshaw; Horrobin (1974). Complete Catalogue of British Cars. London: Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-16689-2.
• Sedgwick, M. (1989). A-Z of Cars of the 1930s. Devon, UK: Bay View Books. ISBN 1-870979-38-9.
• Vanderveen, Bart H. (1973). British Cars of the Early Thirties 1930-1934: Olyslager Auto Library. London: Frederick Warne & Co Ltd. pp. 66 and 67. ISBN 0 7232 1711 4.
• Vanderveen, Bart H. (1973). British Cars of the Late Thirties 1935-1939: Olyslager Auto Library. London: Frederick Warne & Co Ltd. p. 12. ISBN 0 7232 1712 2.
• "Classic Car Catalogue - The World's Largest Collection of Images and the History of Cars 1930 to 1969 - Rootes/Hillman 1934-35". Classic Car Catalogue. Retrieved 5 Sep 2014.
• "Motors and Motoring by Accelerator - Hillman 20-70: Fast, Comfortable Family Car". The Argus. Melbourne, Victoria): (Trove Digitised Archive of the National Library of Australia. 5 Feb 1935. Retrieved 5 Sep 2014.
• "Motoring – New British Model : Hillman "Twenty-70"". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales): (Trove Digitised Archive of the National Library of Australia. 2 March 1934. Retrieved 5 Sep 2014.
• Instruction Book for Hillman Sixteen and "Twenty-70". Coventry: Hillman Motor Car Co Ltd. 1934.
• Hillman 16 H.P. & Twenty-70: Spare Parts Catalogue 1934 Models. Coventry: Hillman Motor Car Company Ltd. 1934.

External links

• Hillman Sixteen/Hawk/80 website
• Hillman Wizard website