1960s Humber Sceptre registration 999 YLG
Another Rootes product to feature on the site, and also sporting a distinctive registration. Whereas the Vogue has a '1' number (pic), the Humber shown below has a '999' number, ideal for a car belonging to the boys in blue perhaps. I've had a close look at the tax disc in the Humber's window, but can't quite make out the year number (the month was April). What happened to 999 YLG - is it still around, or did it end its days three cars high in a breaker's yard?
The Sceptre, just like the Vogue, was based on the Super Minx's underpinnings, wrapped in a sleeker bodyshell. The Sceptre came in a couple of years after the '61 debut of the other cars, and stood out thanks to its Humber grille, and larger front screen. The roofline was more rakish too, echoing the Humber's sportier nature (surprising for a marque more usually associated with stately and dignified progress). Unlike other models, the Sceptre had twin Zenith carbs (replaced by a single Solex early in '64) and a high compression cylinder head, but still fitted to the same basic 1592cc four pot engine at the launch. A sporty steering wheel also featured, as did a shorter reach gearlever. The Laycock overdrive was standard on the Humber, with an automatic Borg Warner 'box available if mixing your own cogs was too much bother.
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