Oldest Classic Banger 1932 Hillman Minx.

Simon Fixter bought a 1932 Hillman Minx for part that had been in a banger race. After he discovered he could get it to run, decided to rebuild it, and race it himself. He can now proudly boast he has raced the oldest car to enter a banger race.
To his credit, he only spent a little over 3 weeks rebuilding it to a high standard. The pictures at the end tell their own story.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Car
• cars
• classic
• classiccars
• racing
• banger
• bangerracing
• oval
• ovals
• stockcar
• stockcars

[MrHoopler]

How much is the purse for the winning vehicle in a banger race usually? I did a frame off restoration of a 1950 Chevy P/U and it cost me $12K...The question I'm getting to is would there have been a greater value in restoring and returning the Hillman to the street?

Here in the US, there are occasional "destruction derbys" where each entrant is out to wreck other vehicles, but keep his own going...but your video seems to be truly a race.

[MalcOfLincoln]

@MrHoopler Sadly, unlike in the US the prize money is very small. The problem is it costs around £40,000 to restore a good example, but sell for a fraction of that. This car required a new chassis, had no engine or gearbox and no interior. But it was bought very cheaply, and all the parts have been sold around the world, to keep better examples on the road, and returned him reasonable profit. UK banger racing is very different. A friends site youtdecilmalman's channel for vids.

[MrHoopler]

@MalcOfLincoln Actually, the return on selling a fully restored classic auto does not work out well here either unless it is highly desireable. My 50 Chev only sold for only 6K..you are quite right about that.

Are you familiar with Hemming' Auto News? I just looked and found a 1935 fully retored Hillman Minx for sale and the seller is asking $16,950. Perhaps some of the parts you mentioned being sold are in the restored one.

[MalcOfLincoln]

@MrHoopler No not seen that paper. Seems the same all over then. Unless you do the job yourself, to keep the car not really worth it. A friend has a 1932 Lanchester that is crying out for a proper restro. Proper solid car, all wood good etc. If circumstances permitted I'd love to just take it to bits, clean it and restore mechanics, then run as it is. If you email me malcsworld@ntlworld.com I can show you pics etc as it won't allow me to on here. My Dad had a 1936 Minx which we ran until 1968.

[MalcOfLincoln]

@jayjoshuajonny Yes Dave's was the earliest, however I think? I've read it was actually a restro of some sort....irrelevant of course, as we get to enjoy seeing them. I've just seen a 1930s car go cheaply on ebay, so might? be a new record this summer.

[jayjoshuajonny]

@MalcOfLincoln

oh yeah, i see. this is the 'oldest' according to manufacture and race dates, yet dave was maybe the 'earliest' in manufacture.

[MalcOfLincoln]

@jayrockett23 This was discussed at the time, but it wasn't 79 years old from manufacture - The facts from Simon.The car is a 1932 Hillman Minx,it is not the earliest car raced-that was Dave Nicholls 1928 Dodge-it was 76 yrs old at the time it was raced in 2004,James Ellis raced this car in 2009 and it jointly held the record with James Dillons Austin at 77 yrs old then, I bought it off James to break for spares but got it running and driving again so ended up rebuilding it.

[jayrockett23]

Dave Nichols '754' raced a 1928 Dodge .

[spoddog1]

great way to go out rather than rust away. i a bit more worried about wolsely 6.80 and the mgbgt myself.

[MrFixit581]

great video Malc-would just like to point out that i only ever race old cars that are beyond economically doing anything else with,i work on classics for a living,the whole front of this one was made entirely out of scrap parts from other cars,has put a few more pre war minx`s back on the road since racing it by donating steering box,springs,shock absorbers etc-i dont throw anything away!