Humber Sceptre MkIII

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When did you last see one of these? For those who never did, it’s a 1972 Humber Sceptre Series III, with 1,725cc engine, Holbay cylinder head, twin carburettors and close-ratio gearbox with overdrive. Humber’s answer to the Ford Cortina.

There is not much known about this car’s early life, but our vendor took pity on it when he found it after a 15-year lay-up (the car’s, not his). Seeing the potential in Humber’s upmarket express, in 2015 he handed the car to PJ Davies of Presteigne who fitted a new clutch, new brake cylinders, and resprayed the car, giving a little touch of metallic sparkle.

The wheels were shot-blasted and powder-coated and the car also had new carpets fitted at the same time. The petrol tank was then found to be unfit for service, so a new one was fitted along with a new petrol gauge sender unit. Once up and running it was soon found that the radiator needed attention and was duly re-cored.

The sharp-styled Sceptre was a badge-engineered version of the Hillman Hunter – a car that was highly successful in long-distance rallying in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. This Sceptre is an appealing alternative to the Ford Cortina in classic competition. The potential in the 1,725c.c engine is well-known, with Holbay and Bill Blydenstein showing what can be done with them.

The Sceptre will also appeal to the classic car enthusiast who likes a little performance, wants a well-made four-door saloon, fancies something a little different, but doesn’t want to go too exotic. RWP 372L is a very tidy car that has benefitted from a thorough overhaul and has a low indicated mileage (51,692) that could well be correct.