Humber Sceptre Mk3.
A small collection of photos featuring Humber Sceptre registration number YMG 333H turned up a while ago, the best of which are shown below. The car dates to 1970, and spent its early years in the South East of England. The first image is a head-on shot of the Humber, with its pipe-smoking owner stood alongside his metallic green motor-car. The 1725cc car had only been on the road a short time at the time of this photo, as the print dates to August 1970. A correct-for-period square AA badge has been fitted, as have two wing mirrors and a radio. A later Sceptre owned by the same couple is now shown further down this page.
|
| (Please click the thumbnail to view full-size image.) |
|
|
|
The owner plus a lady are shown with the glistening Humber in photograph number two. The location and date of this photo isn't given - interestingly, a flat grey coloured Bedford CA van can just be made out in the background. The Sceptre was one of several badge-engineered versions of Rootes' Arrow-line design, and the most luxurious of the lot.
|
|
|
|
Next, the first of two photos to feature the Sceptre outside the owners' leafy suburban home. I'm sure if this 1930s' building still exists, there'll be more than one car parked outside it.
|
|
|
|
Time has moved forward for this next photograph of the Humber, a raised plant bed has been built next to the pavement. The garage door and the house's woodwork both appear to have been re-painted to match the car. The Sceptre's vinyl roof, and distinctive dustbin-lid wheel trims, are clearly shown.
|
|
|
|
Last in this set, a passenger side view of the Humber, which by now had received a second aftermarket badge to its grille.
|
|
|
|
The Mk3 Sceptre went on sale in September 1967, the last ever Humber model to be produced. For the first couple of years, the Sceptre was produced at Ryton, but in 1969 was transferred to Linwood. Production of the well-specified Humber continued until 1976, by which time a mild update had been performed on the three-box saloon. It wouldn't be until 1974 that a handy estate version of the Sceptre would join the line-up, also the year that the subtle facelift was introduced to both versions, with larger chrome bumpers and Rostyle wheels being the key visual differences between the early and later Mk3s. An example of the facelift Mk3 Sceptre is now shown below.
|
A facelift Mk3 Sceptre.
Evidently the couple shown in the photos above were pleased with their Mk3 Humber Sceptre, as its replacement was another almost identical car, albeit now an example of the facelifted version. This car was registered GLR 539N. Compared to the car above, the later car's revised chrome trim, and the Rostyle wheels, are clearly visible. The first in this next batch of photos is almost a carbon copy of the previous photograph, the location matches, and the same two ladies are stood once again with the Humber.
|
|
|
|
Same location, same day, and the same car, but now with the gent stood alongside the car. In the background, a sizeable Japanese car (Datsun 300C?) is parked.
|
|
|
|
Rounding out this set of photographs, the new Sceptre is seen on the owners' driveway, posed in much the same position as the earlier car shown in one of the shots above.
|
|
|
|
Although the Hunter/Minx design wasn't the most alluring car in history to ever wear the proud Humber badge, it compared favourably with similarly-sized cars of the day, such as Cortinas and Victors to name just two. Under the bonnet was fitted the Rootes' 1725cc four-cylinder engine, with the added bonus of an overdrive gearbox, standard equipment on all Mk3 Sceptres. During its production run, only 43,951 examples were built, and most have long since been scrapped, rot being the killer of most cars from that era. As a result, there aren't too many surviving cars in good order. Restoring a poor example could lead to years of frustration, as finding parts - especially those unique to a specific model and year - can be particularly difficult, hence only the best examples have any realistic chance of a pleasant retirement in the hands of today's enthusiasts.
|
A Sceptre in the Lake District.
My thanks to Bill for emailing over a photo of his father's bright red Sceptre, registration KGH 289K - a London issue brought in during the August of 1971. The car was parked alongside Wastwater, a lake situated in the Wasdale Valley. Bill adds:
|
|
"My father took it by Wastwater in the Lake District - looks like he was trying to copy the sort of picture from a brochure. It was a nice car to drive, I learnt in it, and the only problem was the handbrake on the right hand side so my dad couldn't 'assist' when I was about to make a mistake!"
|
|
|
|
Period images of the previous generation Sceptres can be found on this page.
|
|
Return to Page 15 in the gallery of vintage cars and vehicles.
|
