--- Jack Johnson <johnaire@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Mike,
> Can you explain the Rootes for me. I've seen
> parts boxes with this name on but have not been able
> to identify the parts with the numbers on the box.
>
> Rootes piece (Rootes used the pentastar from
> about '66 on).
Okay. Doing this for the whole list in case anyone
else needs this explanation as well.
The Rootes Group was a major British manufacturer,
making Hillman, Sunbeam, Singer and Humber cars,
Commer and Karrier trucks, and I believe they made
busses and tractors as well but I could be wrong. The
short version of their story is that they were
weakened greatly by a strike in '61-'62 and sold a
large part of the company to Chrysler in 1964, selling
more of the company to Chrysler over the next few
years until Chrysler took over completely around '70
or so, at which time Rootes was renamed Chrysler UK.
The original Plymouth Cricket (I describe it that way
because Canadians got a badge-engineered Dodge Colt
that also used that name) was a rebranded Hillman
Avenger. (Brazil got this same car as a Dodge.)
Chrysler killed off the Singer name in 1970, and
rebranded the Commer/Karrier trucks as Dodges about
the same time. They dropped the Humber and Sunbeam
brands in '76 and Hillman in '77, marketing the
remaining cars as Chryslers. A year or so later,
Chrysler sold all European car operations to Peugeot,
which continued building these cars under the "Talbot"
name until sometime in the mid-'80s. (In a strange
coincidence, Simca had owned the rights to the Talbot
name in France while Rootes had owned rights to the
Talbot name in the UK.) The truck plants were sold to
Renault, which continued building trucks under the
Dodge name but may not be doing so now. (One reason
the Viper is sold in Europe under the Chrysler brand
name is that Renault now owns rights to the Dodge
brand name in some markets...)
I wish I knew Rootes part numbers better; I just had
to sell a very nice '59 Humber Super Snipe when the
steering gear self-destructed (my British friends
couldn't help me, as the RHD cars use a different
steering box). Not a complete tragedy, as this sale
made the 300-K purchase possible, but a disappointment
just the same. (Especially when you might've been
looking right at just what I needed, Jack...) :^)
Mandatory FWDLK content: If you ever get a chance to
check out pictures of the first generation Humber
Sceptre or Singer Vogue, the headlight treatment may
remind you (it did me, at least) of '57-'58 Chryslers
and DeSotos... ...also, some of the Sunbeams had fins,
but were more closely related to the Studebaker Hawk
stylistically than any of our cars (Raymond Loewy's
firm did styling for Rootes as well as Studebaker).
I have pictures of Rootes and Chrysler UK dealership
signs I can send to anyone who is interested. They
look very much like Chrysler dealership signs here but
the names are of course different.
=====
Mike Sealey, San Francisco CA
'57 Plymouth Sport Suburban
'64 Chrysler 300-K 2dr Hardtop
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