This 1935 Hillman Minx doctor's coupé won the trophy for "Best pre-war Hillman" at the 2012 Hillman National Rally. The owner of this car, Gerald, originally purchased it at the age of 19 in 1961 from his cousins in Balaklava. It was his first car.
In 1964 he sold it to another cousin who used it for spotlight shooting and broke the rear axle. From 1966 it was stored in a dustproof shed, until Gerald purchased it again in January 2004. In March 2009, Gerald started restoration work and Finch Restorations assisted with the work on the motor, new upholstery and a full repaint in the original colour.
The car was originally purchased new in 1935 by two sisters named Lally at Balaklava. The body was built by Damyon Brothers in St. Kilda, Victoria
The name "doctor's coupe is thought to have originated from the horse drawn doctor's buggy originating in the late 1800s. These carriages were marketed as physician's coupes as doctors would make house calls, often in an emergency, in all types of weather, day or night. A carriage that would protect them from the elements was therefore a 'tool of trade'.
