1955 Hillman Californian

Hillman Californian (Coupe), 1953-1956

The Hillman Californian was in production from 1953 until 1956. Styled in house, it is a two door, four seat coupe.

Developed to give Rootes another entry into the lucrative American market, the Californian was based on the Minx. £723 at launch, it was offered in two tone colour combinations quite alien to the British buyer of the 1950s. Effectively, it was a Minx drophead coupe with a hard roof fitted in the manner of the similar conversion Austin effected to its A90 Atlantic. A 1265cc sidevalve four cylinder was used in all models except the final series, which gained an OHV engine of 1390cc. Unusually, the B pillar wound out of sight with the rear window, resulting in a totally pillarless look that Rootes would return to with the launch of the Sunbeam Rapier. The rear window was a three window wrap around unit, similar to the Rover P4, while the rest of the shell was the same as the Minx drophead. The first Californian was based upon the Minx MkVI, subsequent iterations being based on the MkVII and MkVIII. Californian production ended with the rest of the Minx range in 1956; it was replaced in spirit by the Sunbeam Rapier.

A Californian will drive better than the equivalent Austin A40 Sports, a typical competitor - they feel more taut. Yes, as a 1950s saloon based car you'll experience understeer if you push on, but the sidevalve engine of MkVI and MkVII cars won't be comfortable much over 50mph anyway. Later ohv cars should cruise comfortably at 60-65. Radial tyres do help with the grip, but it's no sports car. And it's a shame, because in America's rejection of British personal coupes they missed out on a car with a very pleasant column gearchange, and steering which if not the most direct at least managed to inspire a degree of confidence. The brakes aren't bad by the standards of the day, but it's important to remember with all unservoed systems to plan ahead well in advance.

Paint was thin and the metal not much better on these when new - expect there to be corrosion, and expect original panelsto be hard to source. Unless you buy a basket case you'll often be better off repairing what you have. Mechanical spares can be found via the Hillman Owners Club, though trim can be very hard to source. Make sure your project has good trim or budget for a professional retrimmer to replicate what the car had when it was new.

The most desirable Californian is the MkVIII based car, with its overhead valve engine, smaller wheels and suspension revisions making it a far more pleasant car to live with and to drive. Values however are fairly level regardless of which model you find. Buy solely on condition - the best cars will always attract the highest prices owing to the difficulty of sourcing restoration items. The rarity of the Californian also helps to strengthen the market by dint of the fact that there are few options for those seeking to buy a car.

The Sunbeam Talbot Alpine makes an interesting alternative, as does the Austin A40 Sports. Both were personal cars derived from contemporary family transport. Later Hillman Minx and Super Minx convertibles allow you to enjoy similar sensations and remain within the Rootes family. If you wanted a more sporting family car, the Sunbeam Rapier, MG Magnette or Riley One Point Five offered more performance in cars of a similar size. And if the idea of a British car built to appeal to American tastes is your thing, try an Austin Metropolitan or larger Austin A90 Atlantic.