Super Snipe.

[Silk]

I saw this over at the panelbeaters next door today, a 1955 Humber Super Snipe. It was all dark green, they put the lighter colour on, you can see the masking tape still on. These were a big English car, with the same engine as the Commer Superpoise truck, a 6 cyl 4.1 ohv engine. There were smaller versions called a Hawk with a 4 cyl engine, they were more common. A lot of them were cut down into a ute - cut behind the drivers door, and a sheet of ply put up behind with a window maybe....the bonnet longer than the tray. I haven't seen one for years.

 

[JC1]

Nice looking car. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Shannow]

we had a '49 or '50 when I was a kid...

 

[Kira]

AAA+. As straightforward designs go there aren't many sexier than that one. Pure sedan (salon).

 

[Trav]

I like the color, any idea if the early RR style 2 tone was an original color scheme?

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Trav
I like the color, any idea if the early RR style 2 tone was an original color scheme?


there was one of them a half dozen houses down when I was 5 or 6...it was a sort of silver top over a pinky/purple or maybe more purple/pink...had the same fake exhaust.

 

[Kira]

By "fake exhaust" do you mean the decorative chrome "holes"?

 

[Shannow]

yep...

 

[Trav]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: Trav
I like the color, any idea if the early RR style 2 tone was an original color scheme?


there was one of them a half dozen houses down when I was 5 or 6...it was a sort of silver top over a pinky/purple or maybe more purple/pink...had the same fake exhaust.



The way that lower color goes over the rear wings makes it look a lot sleeker than it is, pretty cool illusion.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
we had a '49 or '50 when I was a kid...


The early model had a sidevalve engine. Met a farmer down Taranaki who put the 6 cyl Perkins out of a Fergy into an early Super Snipe. We went for a drive in it...pretty slow and no top speed with the lower revving diesel. The last Super Snipes had a 3 litre hemi head engine, long and short pushrods like the Chrysler V8's...or staying in GB, like the Daimler V8's. I had the head off one of those a long time ago. All Super Snipes are impressive.

 

[Shannow]

Yep,
Dad's was the alloy head side valve.

I remember sitting on the fender while the local mechanic butcher drove a cold chisel between it and the block to get the head off...then had to be skimmed heavily, and wouldn't run on super...Dad sold it after that. Well that and my uncle noticing that the front door wasn't closed while at speed, and went to reclose. I remember sitting in th back and the door flying backwards past me.

 

[DriveHard]

interesting...never seen one. Thanks!