Dj_efk

Nope a damask / similar red 2 door.
 
I saw it quite by chance several years later parked in a car park in Worthing - it was a fantastic coincidence as that was the o U.K. day I have ever been to Worthing, I sold the car while still living in London.
It then popped up on eBay a few years ago looking a bit worse for wear - clearly hadn’t been garaged etc. and had deteriorated plus had some one or two interior trim bits fitted - I was a little saddened by this as I know it would still look as good as it did then now if I had kept it.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

I once bought a series one 1300SDL Allegro complete with quartic steering wheel back in 2008ish for a laugh, believing the Clarkson drivel about BL. It cost me a grand on eBay, it had 45k miles from new and was immaculate.
Well the joke was on me: After giving the thing a birthday service and upgrading the ignition to electronic using a kit of parts from a Mini specialist, it was 100% reliable, drove really well and would cruise easily at 65-70mph no bother. It also turned heads everywhere it went and I couldn’t get it to do less than 40mpg no matter how I drove it. At the time I lived in west London and it would make even more sense in London now, being tax and Khan exempt.
I turned from a BL basher into a believer- so when a low mileage series 1 1800HL Princess came up on eBay a year later down in south Devon I bought that too - and once again was astounded at how good a car that actually was compared with the rep, once I’d given it the same birthday + electronic ignition upgrade treatment.
Bear in mind I was in my twenties and my expectations of a car were somewhat lower back then, but nonetheless I still correct obviously biased bollox about BL if I ever hear it now using my actual experience of their products.

Yeah it’s part of the appeal actually - all the advantages the marque comes with such as good build quality and an upmarket, plush interior (on examples with decent spec anyway), but coupled with a pure focus on efficiency of space and fuel above all else, rather than on aesthetics and “look at me” image.
I love mine for just how out of step with the modern Audi image it is.

They don’t want to know about the market that uses it for a living, various authorities and the army offered their opinion as to what would have made a good one but JLR basically told them to fuck off.
 
They want Ian, a 42 year old IT consultant from Sussex  to buy one and possibly tackle a wet field in it. Ian has no life whatsoever, he reads What Car and buys ‘the best’ of everything, be it potatoes or drills. He has a full cabinet of De-Walt and Festool but has to call in a man to put him a vanity cabinet up. He has beer in the fridge but he’ll only have one at Christmas because his wife says so, like she’d give a shit though as she is shagging the gardener. Ian has a cock but it’s only for pissing through, in summary he is completely emasculated. The Defender let’s him take a bit of that back though, if they got in a wet field he’d be able, with the assistance of the Defender, to show what a bloke he is. Even though nobody knows him  in the local pub. 

Depressing, basic, non-descript.

Some styling, a bit of sportiness, more colours than varicose vein blue and appliance white.

Even more styling, bright colours, trim options, excitement for the everyman.

Oh.

Old Lamborghini Tractor

New Lamborghini Tractor

Hi, just to let you all know, that Howard of Collector Car Parts is still alive and trading from home, the telephone numbers still work to check if he has the part you require for a British car.
If you have ever dealt with Howard, you will know his knowledge of old British cars is like Google.  Unfortunately he has not entered the computer age.
I was drinking with him last night and having a laugh.

That’s the exact pose I seem to adopt when my back gives me shit after an hour or more bending under a bonnet. I could post a similar picture upon request.

So just got back from our little weekend away at the FoD
 
I picked up Audrey from Chichester on Friday afternoon mainly to test that the condenser that @calebaaront and I replaced had fixed the backfiring issue which it did thankfully.

we set off from Portsmouth at 7.30 am  on Saturday With Caleb in his Suzuki Baleno acting as rear gunner, But not before I could steal ‘borrow’ a coil off his Trabi ‘just in case’ 
we had our first pit stop at Sutton Scotney services on the A34 for breakfast and petrol,

 
both us and the cars fuelled we continued our journey north
both cars were running brilliantly and continued to drive brilliantly all the way there
 

nothing bad to report except me realising I had forgotten my charger cable for my portable phone charger after we’d covered over 100 miles.
 
it was really nice to see all the cars together and even nicer to see how Chris had been getting on with my old Peugeot 404, I even managed to have a quick drive around the field for old time sake

 

 
speaking of drives round a field, Caleb let me have a go in the Baleno, which was also quite fun

I noted it had very long gearing but over all a good an car
I’m not a big camper as a rule and much prefer hotels but figured I’d give sleeping in the Austin a go as anything is better than a tent imo, here’s the ‘bed’ I made up on the rear bench, 
pretty comfy as things go but the inability to lay fully stretched out was mildly annoying, 
still, Audrey had some pretty cool company 

 
The trip back was even more uneventful than the journey there handed it without any drama, I’m really proud of the Austin it was just over 260 miles covered and a tank and a quarter of fuel which isn’t too impressive by modern standards but for a 59 Austin that had been sat quite a while I think it was good going! 

 
 
 

Identical* to the one, I was a passenger in that ended upside down in a ditch full of water, after it went out of control and hit a pedestrian (who subsequently died). 
I'm sure with the right tyres, and a dry road, they might have safe handling as long as you don't go too fast.  
 
*apart from that it was a 1275 Auto. 

Nice one for picking yerself up and getting your life back on track. It’s a big step mentally.  Hope your back has been self-patted for that.

“You can’t park there mate”

Day 1
A quick visit from my friend in the "chuggy buggy" that belongs to his now partner.  Still running like a champ however a knocking from the steering rack area was apparent.  Some wiggling and shaking later and i clock that the bolt holding the rack to the subframe was loose.  A quick nip up and all is well. The low hanging rear exhaust was also messed around with and now sits slighty higher, a new more shallow exhaust may need to be made. 
With that done he left and i lobbed the Black Astra on the lift.
Many moons ago id picked up some cheapo rear shocks and a supplier at work had at the time a load of springs on clearance so a rear pair were purchased at 1 pound plus vat each!
Crusty!

Shocking 

In and done.  

See you tomorrow!
 

Deal done, keys exchanged. Have known this car for a while, owner has always been keen on the 164 since I got it and he has another though in poor condition (that he might break, paging @wuvvum)
Took a drive down not really expecting much, thinking that if anything I’d get to see one in the flesh at least. But I was pleasantly surprised. It’s in nice, useable nick, drives well (well for a 70 year old car)  and comes with a book full of spares. It’s not an Austin 7 but it’s the oldest car I’ve ever had, so it’ll be an experience, and it might open the doors to the prospect of something older again in the future

Potentially big update coming tomorrow. A bit rash, but we’ll see how it pans out..