Guest writer: Nina Sumner
A Moving Experience with my Classic Hillman
Moving house is a logistical challenge at the best of times. But when you add half a ton of classic car that hasn’t turned a wheel in years, the boxes of books and kitchenware become the easy bit! Last year, a house move meant waking my long-term project from its long rest, where it lay surrounded by old furniture in a narrow garage at the foot of a steep slope.
From cheap runaround to rare classic
Back in the late 90s, teenage me bought my 1973 Avenger GLS as a cheap runabout that was a bit different to the Fiestas, Minis and Novas my friends were driving. By the turn of the millennium, the wings and arches were tatty and low oil pressure suggested an engine rebuild was needed. It wasn’t my first car, but it was the first one I could actually drive on the road after passing my test, so it held a special place in my heart and I decided to keep it and do the job properly when time and money permitted.
20 years later, a dozen other classics have come and gone, but I’ve never quite got around to the Avenger. A throwaway banger when I bought it, my Avenger is now among less than a dozen surviving Hillman Avenger GLSs according to the howmanyleft website.
Will it start?
Having heard that moving house is behind only divorce and bereavement in the list of most stressful life experiences, I tried to take a zen approach to the whole enterprise. But still, moving the Avenger after all these years had me worried. The location of the car meant I could not just winch it out onto a trailer or low loader. As well as being a steep slope down to the garage, the driveway gave onto a narrow residential street. No problem when I drove it in there all those years ago. Might it possibly come out the same way?
My brother and I spent two hours just clearing the junk to get access to it, but with the tyres pumped up, the bonnet raised and the spark plugs removed, the engine turned and had compression. Good start. A donor battery was fitted and we even had a spark! With 20 year old petrol in the tank, I was not optimistic, but after checking the oil and pouring in some coolant, I gave it a try.
Imagine my astonishment when the car burst into life on the third turn! As I listened to that old familiar 1500 OHV engine in glee, I switched on the period radio and fell about laughing to hear 90s classic “Unbelievable” by EMF playing. What could be more appropriate? By then, both I and the car had almost disappeared from view in the cloud of exhaust fumes, so it was time to switch off and head for fresh air.
Will it move?
When the clouds cleared and I jumped back in, I was brought down to earth with a bump. The clutch was stuck fast, so engaging a gear was out of the question. My brother remembered an old trick used by our late father – purists look away now!
We jacked up the rear wheels, and with the engine warmed up, started the car in top gear with the clutch down. The rear wheels were doing 40mph according to the speedometer, but after half a dozen sharp presses on the brake pedal, a metallic clang heralded a free clutch. It also suggested that the brakes would be good enough to get it to the top of the driveway and onto a trailer, too.
Smells like teen spirit
Driving my Avenger again brought teenage memories flooding back. It was so tempting to drive off up the road, but when my brother pointed out the trail of coolant I’d left just driving it out of the garage and up the driveway, common sense regained control.
The coolant appears to be coming from the water pump, but of course the whole engine still needs that rebuild, and as well as the bodywork, the brakes and suspension will need a thorough going-over. As for the interior – well, it’s a little worn and jaded after all these years, but who am I to talk? It holds such memories, I think when the rest is done, I’ll give it a good valet and leave it at that.
This is definitely a story to be continued – and I’ll try not to leave it 20 years till the next update!
Nina Sumner is our guest writer.
Nina blends her teaching expertise and journalistic savvy to craft stories that resonate deeply and educate effectively. With a career that spans the dynamics of classrooms and the buzz of newsrooms, she brings authenticity and a rich understanding to her writing. Guiding young writers and engaging readers, Nina’s approach is hands-on and heart-led. Her work embodies the convergence of knowledge and narrative, proving that with the right mix of curiosity and compassion, words can truly make a world of difference.
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