Avenger Milestones and Trivia...what have you learned?

[oldschool]

We all know know what great cars Avengers are...list any quirky facts you've learned about the Avenger here...and post your source if possible to settle any arguments....lol

For example, we all think of them as a 1970's car, but they actually went on sale in December 1969...making them a 1960's car and the last one designed by The Rootes Group!!

Source: http://www.colin99.co.uk/avenger.html

[avenga]

Wikipedia tells another story about the release date.

"Introduced in February 1970..."

Also of note.

"the Avenger was significant as it was the first and last car to be developed by Rootes after the Chrysler takeover in 1967."

it [the Hillman Avenger] was the first British production car to be fitted with a plastic radiator grille

In January 1966, work began on full-size clay models. Sophisticated modelling techniques were employed to enable the Styling Department to present some highly finished clay mock-ups, and on the 16th November 1966, final approval was given to a model that looked remarkably like the car launched in 1970. One important advance was the use of computers to design the body shell; the Avenger was one of the first cars ever to be designed in this way.

[oldschool]

We all know how accurate Wikipedia is...still insisting the Tiger had Dellorto carbs....LOL

I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere, just wondering if the Avenger was one of the first British cars to have integrated reversing lights, which were not hooked up in some models!?
From memory earlier cars had pod mounted ones.

[avenga]

http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/car-development/dev-avenger.html

has the Avenger release date as February 1970 also.

as does www.allpar.com/model/avengertiger.html

and also http://www.media.chrysler.com/newsrelease.do?id=7193&mid=171

[blekkja]

My reverse lights certainly don't work. I'm sure they did at one stage, but I noticed recently that they aren't even hooked up anymore. I think this is how my sparkie fixed an issue a while back! haha.

[oldschool]

All Avengers had reverse light wiring built into the loom, but some models didn't have the reverse switch on the gearbox or bulbs in the light clusters. Once you put those in, you can run a twin wire from the reverse switch to the loom connections under the brake master cylinder and you'll get reversing lights! The same reverse switch is used in the Minx and Hunter, making sourcing a bit easier.

[JoKer]

Quote YT : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocO30iiNWPo&feature=youtu.be

the Avenger had properly engineered crumple zones, being the first car to be engineered using computer simukations in the UK, a result of the new parent company in the US. The result was a body shell that was a good deal lighter yet had better crash protection than the Pressed Steel Fisher engineered Arrow (Hunter etc).

and

It was sold in the US as the Plymouth Cricket pre this restyle. The styling was done by Roy Axe under the guidance of Chryslers US design studio, which also steered the US styling and Mitsubishi styling of the time, hence the family look. It was by 76, tired, the car was launched in 69, and had been planned to be reskinned in 74,

aKiwiJoKeR

Chrysler had some input & the rear body line was a mini mopar input from them (allegedly) part of the Pentastar Family mini muscle car

Graham Ariss

Styling was done by Roy Axe under the guidance of Chryslers central styling studio in the US.

Neat Info I thought on the 'Designers" Name! not sure if the over all Avenger Style as his or 'just' the Chrysler stage