owned by Kurt Hoppe

Kurt bought the Humber in 1995.  He was in England for the 100 year Wolseley rally with his Wolseley 1500 and caravan, and spotted the 9/20 Humber it was on display and Kurt’s wife loved the car instantly, but having several other projects underway Kurt decided to think about it for a while. Back in Switzerland a week later Kurt sent a fax to the dealer “Sir we would like to buy the car”

It was about three weeks later that Kurt hooked a trailer on to his everyday car and set off  back to England, a one way trip was 980 kilometer and an English Channel crossing..

Once home the restoration began. The body was in very good condition,  but the mechanicals were in very bad condition.  Kurt restored the engine, gearbox, steering box, front and rear axles. The wiring, hood and the petrol tank were renewed.  Some parts were located in New Zealand after Kurt came across an advert.  Kurt says he had some good luck with screws, nuts and bolts  as they were all metric. The Humber register in England also proved useful for some parts.

The brass lamps had many dents in them and  Kurt found a trumpet maker who was able to make them like new.  There are always countless little problems that pop up when restoring a car But two years later it was finished.

Kurt says he is very happy with the car but being a Wolseley fan and having unsuccessfully  looked for a Wolseley of similar vintage for a long time, It’s a nice compromise.