Hillman 14

Hillman 14 hp
6-light coachbuilt saloon registered November 1926
Overview
Manufacturer	Hillman Motor Car Co Ltd
Production	1925–30 11,000 approx produced
Body and chassis
Class	Mid-size / Large family car (D)
Body style	4-door saloon (6 or 4-light, coachbuilt or fabric) all-weather drop head coupé tourer chassis for bespoke bodywork van
Powertrain
Engine	1954 cc Straight-4
Dimensions
Wheelbase	112 in (2,800 mm) 114 in (2,900 mm) from 1928 Track 52 in (1,300 mm) 56 in (1,400 mm) from 1928
Length	162 in (4,100 mm)
Width	64 in (1,600 mm)
Chronology
Predecessor	Hillman 11
Successor	Hillman Wizard 65

Hillman Fourteen
registered January 1939
Overview
Manufacturer	Hillman Motor Car Co Ltd
Model years	1938-1940
Body and chassis
Body style	6-light 4-door saloon
Layout	front engine rear wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	1943 cc straight four
Transmission	single plate dry clutch, 4-spd gearbox, no synchromesh on 1st or reverse, open propellor shaft with needle roller bearings, half-floating spiral bevel rear axle
Dimensions
Wheelbase	114 in (2,895.6 mm) Track Front 56 in (1,422.4 mm) Track Rear 55.5 in (1,409.7 mm)
Length	172 in (4,368.8 mm)
Width	70 in (1,778.0 mm)
Kerb weight	3,024 lb (1,372 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Hillman Sixteen
Successor	Humber Hawk

Track

The Hillman Fourteen is a medium-sized 4-cylinder car announced by Hillman's managing director Spencer Wilks, a son-in-law of William Hillman, at the end of September 1925. This new Fourteen substantially increased Hillman's market share and remained on sale into 1931. During this time it was the main product of the company.

Late 1920s fashion when engines and other mechanicals were firmly fixed to the chassis decreed that a medium-sized car like the Fourteen should be given a six-cylinder engine to reduce vibration. So the 2-litre Fourteen's place was taken by the 2.1-litre six-cylinder Hillman Wizard 65 in April 1931.This Wizard 65 was itself dropped in 1933. The 2.8-litre Wizard 75 continued re-named 20/70 alongside a 2.6-litre Sixteen and a 3.2-litre Hawk, all of six cylinders. For four years Hillman had no offering in the 2-litre slot.

The six-cylinder cars were not as successful as had been expected and in October 1937 a new 2-litre 4-cylinder Hillman Fourteen with a handsome new body filled their previous place in the Hillman range. Hillman now offered just their Minx and this new Fourteen.

In 1946 production resumed but the former Hillman Fourteens were now given a protruding boot lid and no running boards and badged Humber Hawk.

In the early 1920s Hillman had concentrated on smaller cars with the 10 and 11 hp models but with their 14 horsepower car they entered the larger sized class taking on the Austin 12 hp and Humber 14/40. The new Hillman was priced at £345 for the saloon, undercutting the Austin which sold for £455, it was advertised as "the car that costs less than it should".

The engineering was largely conventional with a 72 x 120 mm long stroke, monobloc, side-valve 1954 cc, four-cylinder 35 bhp engine built in-unit with a four-speed gearbox and spiral bevel geared rear axle.

Four wheel, cable operated, drum brakes were fitted from the start but unusually a vacuum servo was an option. The handbrake had its own set of shoes on the rear brakes. The steel section chassis had semi-elliptic leaf springs all round.

In a test by The Autocar magazine, the top speed was around 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) and fuel consumption 23-24 mpg.

A range of bodies were offered including saloons and tourers. The cars were well fitted out and spacious with a right-hand gear change by the driver's door, a feature regarded as up-market at the time. Safety glass was fitted in the windows of the 1928 Safety Saloon. Wire spoked or artillery wheels could be specified. A V-windscreened landaulette was advertised in 1927.