MEET THE OWNER – BUDD BIRKITT AND HIS HILLMAN MINX
16th March, 2020
The very handsome Audax Series Hillman Minx owned by Budd Birkett is a prime example of a “Ronnie Stevens” motor-car.
For those readers not devoted to 1950s and 1960s British comedy films, Mr. Stevens would often enter a scene wearing a snappy sports jacket and uttering the words ‘Hello, old man!’.
And it was almost a certainty that such a chap would drive a Hillman Minx; jaunty but never brash.
The Rootes Group “Audax” range of medium-sized cars began in 1955 with the Sunbeam Rapier, followed by the Minx 1956 and the Singer Gazelle at that end of that year.
‘The Hillman Minx should do much to uphold the prestige of the British motor industry’ thought Autocar in July 1956 – words that really should be uttered in a Movietone Newsreel voice.
The line-up was treated to various facelifts, and Budd’s car dates from 1960 and sports a four-speed floor gear-change which the sales copy referred to as ‘sports-type’.
He gained the Hillman ‘in December 2019 after swapping with my Morris 1000. My mum also owns a Series IIIb which is currently undergoing major bodywork and a full interior retrim which should be completed by the end of this year’.
The Audax was supplemented by the Super Minx in 1961 and treated to a rather attractive “semi-razor edge” new body two years later.
By 1967 the Minx badge was applied to the entry-level Hillman “Arrow”, and 1970 marked the end to the famous name, after a 39-year career. Back in 1959, The Motor claimed that the latest Minx offered a combination of ‘semi-sporting motoring with very sophisticated effortless driving’.
One detail familiar to virtually all Audax owners is the fresh air vent in the driver’s footwell – ‘it does make a difference on the motorway as opposed to having the windows open and suffering the noise’.
As for road manners:
the brakes are perfectly adequate as long as they are well maintained. The large drums give plenty of stopping power commensurate with the era of the car. They are however obviously very different to a modern disc-brake set-up.
The handling of the Minx is reasonable but far more “Boaty” than a Morris Minor 1000. That being said I’ve driven Mercedes Benz and Jaguars of the same time period which are similar.
The 1500 lump is sweet and a competent motorway cruiser when held at a reasonable 60mph. Fuel consumption is good on long runs but not so great around town.
Devotees of Rootes publicity material will also be aware of how brochure illustrations made the Hillman look the size of a Cadillac. Still, its air of suburban glamour is exceptionally appealing.
Budd notes how when he is out and about ‘people always smile; the Audax series Minx draws a lot of attention because of its Americanesque styling.
I live in Essex and regularly use my car on the M25 whereby many people slow down and wave or give me the thumbs up!’.
And looking at the Birkett Minx one really does think of Ronnie Stevens in I’m All Right Jack…
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