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Humber Hawk and Super Snipe (1957 to 1967)
By Jon Cosson · Last checked
The Humber Hawk and Super Snipe (1957 to 1967) were Rootes' big monocoque saloons and estates, four or six cylinders, with the Imperial at the top. They were under-protected from rust, and a Hawk can be dressed as a Snipe. Earlier post-war Hawks and Snipes are not covered.
At a glance
- Years
- 1957 to 1967 (Hawk Series I May 1957, IA 1959, II 1960, III 1962, IV and IVA 1964 to 1967; Super Snipe Series I October 1958, II October 1959, III October 1960, IV 1962, V October 1964, VA to 1967; Imperial late 1964 to 1967)
- Body styles
- four-door saloon; estate; Super Snipe touring limousine with glass division (Series I); Imperial saloon
- Engines
- 2267cc overhead-valve four (Hawk); 2651cc overhead-valve six (Super Snipe Series I); 2965cc overhead-valve six (Super Snipe Series II to VA and Imperial)
- Built in
- bodies pressed in London (at British Light Steel Pressings, Acton), then trimmed and assembled at Ryton-on-Dunsmore near Coventry, England; estate bodies completed by Carbodies in Coventry (sources differ on whether Singer in Birmingham handled the earliest estates)
Why people buy one
- Large, well-built and well-equipped British saloons with wood and leather inside (later Hawks switched to PVC seats).
- The Super Snipe six was designed for Rootes by Armstrong Siddeley and is smooth and quiet; Classic & Sports Car calls the Hawk's manual steering nicely weighted.
- Front disc brakes arrived on the Super Snipe Series II (1959) and, with servo assistance, on the Hawk Series II (1960).
- The estates were among Britain's first mass-produced luxury estate cars, with a split tailgate.
- Production was modest (41,191 Hawks and 30,031 Super Snipes across all series), so they stand out at any show.
- The Post Vintage Humber Car Club runs a spares advisory service and supplies workshop manuals.
What to weigh up
- Classic & Sports Car describes the body as over-engineered but under-rust-proofed, so rot in the structure is the main thing to check.
- Hawk and Super Snipe share the same body, so badges, grilles and trim can be swapped; check the engine and the chassis number match what is claimed.
- The Imperial was a specially trimmed Super Snipe (automatic, power steering, vinyl roof, reclining seats, Selectaride rear dampers), so a Super Snipe can be dressed up as one.
- They are heavy and old-fashioned to drive, rolling and understeering when pushed, and the chassis has about 20 grease points needing attention every 1,000 miles.
- Trim, glass and many body parts are scarce, although the Post Vintage Humber Car Club remanufactures some repair panels such as inner sills and wheel arches.
- This profile does not cover the earlier separate-chassis post-war Hawks and Snipes, the Humber Sceptre, or Australian and New Zealand assembled cars.
Where they rust
- Inner and outer sills: the Post Vintage Humber Car Club remanufactures inner sill kits for these cars, which shows how often they need replacing.
- The front outriggers under the body, which the club also remakes.
- Front and rear wheel arches; the club makes wheel arch repair panels.
- Floor pans, checked from inside under the carpets and from below with a torch.
Mechanical weak spots
- The Hawk four and the Super Snipe six are long-lived when serviced; listen for bottom-end knocking and look for blue smoke and oil leaks.
- Gearboxes were column-change manuals (four-speed Hawk, three-speed Super Snipe), often with Laycock overdrive, or Borg-Warner automatics.
- If the car is run, check that overdrive engages and that automatic fluid is clean and red.
- The chassis has about 20 grease points; where greasing has been neglected, expect worn, dry joints in the steering and front suspension.
- Hydrosteer power steering (optional on the Super Snipe, standard on the Series V and Imperial) should be checked for leaks and a whining pump.
- Front discs and rear drums with servo; brakes seize and fail after long storage, so expect a full brake overhaul on a car that has been laid up.
- Electrics are simple Lucas parts, but check the extra items on Imperials, such as the separate rear heater and adjustable dampers.
At a Mathewsons viewing
- Read the chassis number and check it against the V5C. The Post Vintage Humber Car Club's tables put Hawks in a 5 series (A57, B50, B51, B52, B54, then B0546 on the IVA) and Super Snipes and Imperials in an 8 series (A89, B80, B81, B82, B84, then B0846 on the Super Snipe VA, B843 and B8844 on the Imperial), which helps confirm what the car really is.
- Open the bonnet and count the spark plugs: four on a Hawk, six on a Super Snipe or Imperial, and note the twin carburettors expected on a Series V.
- Look at the front: Super Snipes from Series III (1960) onwards have four headlamps, so check that the lamps, grille and badges agree with the engine and the chassis number.
- Lift the carpets and boot mat, then use a torch along the sills, floors, front outriggers and wheel arches, and press the sills for soft spots.
- On an Imperial, look for the automatic selector, power steering, vinyl roof and damper control, and do not assume the car will be started at the viewing.
Parts, specialists and clubs
Engine, brake and service parts are available through the club and Rootes specialists, and the Post Vintage Humber Car Club remanufactures some parts for members, including inner sill kits, wheel arch panels and outriggers, but glass, chrome and interior trim are scarce and often have to come from used stock. The club also runs a spares advisory service and gives members access to workshop manuals. The Rootes Archive Centre Trust (Wroxton, near Banbury) issues heritage certificates; it lists Humber records only to 1962 but also general Rootes and Chrysler records for Ryton and Linwood from 1950 to 1976, so ask what it holds for your car.
Seen on Bangers & Cash
No appearances found in our car finder.
Sources
- Humber's Super Snipe and Hawk: smooth operators (Classic & Sports Car), 27 August 2025
- Cohort Classic: 1959 Humber Super Snipe Series I (Curbside Classic), 26 November 2022
- 60 years of the Series Humber Hawk (Lancaster Insurance), 28 December 2017
- Chassis numbering (Post Vintage Humber Car Club), accessed 14 October 2026
- Heritage certificates (Rootes Archive Centre Trust), accessed 14 October 2026
- Post Vintage Humber Car Club (Car & Classic club directory), accessed 14 October 2026
- Humber Hawk (Wikipedia), accessed 14 October 2026
- A brief history of the Humber Imperial (Classics World), accessed 14 October 2026
An independent guide from Thornton-le-Dale. Not connected with Mathewsons or the programme.