OCTOBER 1953
LONDON MOTOR SHOW, EARLS COURT, LONDON Historians tend to forget how important this particular event was, not least for a certain air-cooled new import
‘Hillman offered us: “A car for every purpose.” Providing it was sidevalveengined, of course.’ PUSHROD ENGINES A YEAR OFF
People were getting happier in 1953. The coronation showed the world that no-one can put on pageantry like the British. We were looking forward to a new, colourful Elizabethan age – after years of gruelling austerity and the emotional and physical ravages of war. Even more importantly, sweet rationing had just ended.
Let’s jostle through the crowds of trilby-hatted trenchcoat-wearing Woodbine addicts and excited, skinny-limbed schoolboys wearing National Health Service spectacles. Glance at the large billboards outside Earls Court proclaiming ‘See the quality and you’ll say Austin’ and finally we’re at the 1953 Motor Show as one of the 612,953 attendees that year.
There were many new stars to see. The Austin A30, which would eventually become the A35 and be replaced by the Mini, made its debut. Ford’s two important debutantes were also definitely in the small car class. Most important was the Ford 100E, with its up to the minute styling and choice of Anglia and more upmarket Prefect models. Also introduced was the ‘new’ Popular, which technologically could have been mistaken for something made in 1937. However, priced all in at £390 – making it the world’s cheapest car – it could be forgiven.
In major contrast, Ford had flown the X-100 Concept car over from America, featuring such otherworldly advances as a telephone (ridiculous idea!) an electric shaver and heated seats at a time when many of Britain’s finest had no heaters at all.
The best-selling Morris Minor saloon was joined for the first time by its Traveller estate brother. Standard-Triumph threw its highly competent Eight model into the fray, to have it described by Pathé News as ‘for the man with the not so hefty bank balance.’ In contrast, BMC was showing off the Austin-Healey 100 which, when driven by Donald Healey, broke more than 100 Class D records at Bonneville Salt Flats the same year, averaging 104mph for 30 hours.
The Riley RM Pathfinder ( later nicknamed ‘Ditchfinder’ due to its not-so pin-sharp handling) also debuted. So, to our photo – taken at 9:35am, according to the clock beneath the Avon tyres sign – featuring Hillman stars of the show.
Rootes had separate stands for its various marques, Humber’s being next door. Singer, which exhibited its disastrous glassfibre-bodied SMX, was still independent at the time.
So, Hillman offered us: ‘A car for every purpose.’ Providing it was sidevalve-engined, of course – the pushrod MkVIII models not arriving until the following year.
The two-tone Phase VII Californian coupé, as seen on the plinth, was new, however. Moving clockwise, there’s another Californian and then an estate variant – can’t recall having seen one of those in the metal.
Then there’s a ‘Minx convertible coupé’ at £510, and, nearest to us, a Hillman Minx saloon (dig those whitewall tyres) at £470.
Who could resist? We love the padded reception desk, which looks like half a flying saucer fully equipped with two black ‘Bakelite’ telephones, presumably for customers to ring HP companies and break news of a new purchase to their spouses.
Chevrolet was also exhibiting cars from the GM subsidiary’s Canadian operation as there were special price concessions for cars from the British Commonwealth. Renault was enjoying some success in Britain with its rear-engined 4CV model, while Rover was showing off its P4.
Independent Bradford-based manufacturer Jowett was sadly on its last legs, with production of the excellent Javelin saloon having ceased in 1953, leaving only the Jupiter two-seater sports car.
Vauxhall stand exhibits are frustratingly not visible, but the manufacturer would have been concentrating on its E-series Wyvern saloon and its six-cylinder Velox; the posher Cresta didn’t appear until 1954.
German manufacturers were back at the show for the first time since the war; Volkswagen with the Beetle, imports of which into Britain had just started. A mere 945 were sold that year, but 3260 found homes in 1954.
People soon stopped laughing…