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forddeliveryboy

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Two door Austin 1300 I would guess. In the wacky world of BMC and BLMC they made the four door, two door estate and two door saloon - all required significant different body pressings (and cost) but no hatchback.  I think the two doors were pretty rare - I don't recall seeing many at the time.  But that was the era of long waiting lists for cars so people took what was available. 

If you want to see a hatchback - look no further than this lash-up by Crayford. One mis-step with those old-fashioned ratchet supports and that rear glass would have flexed and shattered surely. But great idea with a little more work...I think at least one survives.

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On 13 October 2019 at 7:15 PM, lesapandre said:

Or the Creech Mystique - from zat zare Zomerzet...none thought to survive. Used the MGBGT tailgate. Very neat. BLMC why oh why did you not attempt this...

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Because they didn't need to. They could sell every ADO16 they managed to produce, which is why it was Britain's best selling car for most of its life. For the last 3 or 4 years of production they had a purpose built hatchback selling in the next market segment up against what was to become the new British bestseller- the Cortina, perhaps people didn't want hatchbacks...

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You are absolutely right. Wishful thinking on my part. When I win the lottery I will build an ADO hatchback and a V8 Austin 3.litre.

What BLMC missed was the rise of the small hatchback until it was too late especially to export in the late 60's. Simca 1100 appeared in 1967 and sold 2-million...Renault had the 4 since 1961.

It was the cultural change, the rise of DIY, garden centres and more leisure time which drove this to a degree. 

We bought an 1100 in 1972 new - but after that it was all Citroen hatchbacks out of sheer practicality for the stuff my family liked. The days of the BMC family were over...they did not make a small hatch.

 

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