HILLMAN

Hawk

A new streamlined body was announced in October 1935 with a new name for the 20, Hawk. Chassis design was by William Haynes assisted by Alec Issigonis. The modern all-steel semi-monocoque style body was designed by Thrupp & Maberly, London coachbuilders also owned by Rootes Group. The new body houses the spare wheel in the tail. Its new lines "are planned to flow smoothly from the radiator". . . "to the trunk at the rear with the streamlined well-valanced wings merging harmoniously into the whole". As before the sloping single-piece windscreen may be opened to give better vision in fog. The new model's Superpower engine is enlarged 13 per cent achieved by lengthening its stroke by 14 mm. Although the cubic capacity rose from 2810 cc to 3181 cc this did not affect the car's tax rating because the RAC formula takes no account of an engine's stroke. The only other changes from the engine of the Twenty 70 were the introduction of replaceable hardened steel valve seats and improved steel-backed main bearings for the crankshaft. The instrument panel now has a rheostat switch to vary the lighting at will.