The Humber Super Snipe survived 30 years and five generations, being overhauled from ‘Monty’s Old Faithful’ to large family and semi-executive saloon, but never really captured the public's imagination like some of its contemporaries.
Monty’s, the camouflaged open-top that carried Field Marshal Montgomery around Sicily during WW2, is a world away from the pristine example that trundled into the Transformers Assembly back in June.
You’ll see just how great it looks on Sunday, too, with its appearance on the ‘Winter Wagons’ lawn alongside ‘Smokey’, James Mitchell of Pendine’s rugged later wagon.
The Humber Super Snipe lineage was reset in 1958, when the MkIV was replaced by the Series I. Both were based on Humber Hawks, but with the four-cylinder swapped out for a straight six by Armstrong Siddeley and a top speed of around 100mph.
‘If the lower gears are used appropriately the Humber Super Snipe becomes a fast as well as a luxurious and comfortable car,’ reckoned Motor Sport’s Bill Boddy.
‘Used appropriately’ appeared to mean ‘thrash it’.
Whatever, in estate form the the split tailgate made it a useful load lugger, too. And today it’s a rare machine.
But you’ll find two on Winter Wagons. Visit the lawn by Building 123 at the Scramble.