1982 miniMetro L

[RobT]

I’ve only owned this six years, so I figured it’s about time I did a thread on it.  One old giffer owner from new, and when he popped it his son kept the Metro in a heated garage for 10 years from 1998 to 2008 when I bought it for the heady sum of £90.  I cleaned it up, stripped out the interior and did a full Waxoyl job (those were the days when I could be arsed to do such things) changed the oil etc and sorted the brakes.  I bodged the bottom of the OS front wing with loads of P40 wob and a covering of black smoothrite, and six years later it’s still fine.

 

Since then all I’ve had to do for essential maintenance is replace the radiator, rear exhaust, original Goodyear Eagle tyres and that’s it.  Admittedly I hardly use the thing but not bad going for a 32 year old BL crock.  I reckon if I were to sell it I might get a grand or more as these have gone up in value, but that’s not the point really is it, I’m just glad it still exists.  I also re-sprayed the wheels a couple of years ago as they looked shit and let the car down a bit.

 

 

Champagne beige paint code = WIN

 

 

 

It had seat covers on when I bought it so the spicy paprika trim is in good nick

 

 

 

[I_am_Diesel]

That's ACE!!!!

[bub2006]

A bit of metro love here. Really should get off my fat arse and go and view the Vanden plas.

[trigger]

It's about time you made this post! That's a lovely little thing, Beige and red was what BL in the 80's was all about. Gorgeous. 

[RobT]

It's about time you made this post! That's a lovely little thing, Beige and red was what BL in the 80's was all about. Gorgeous. 

 

I know.  It's only taken me 5 months after we talked about it at Shitefest...Depending where it is next year I'll probably bring this along.

[hairnet]

hnnng had a reg 1.3 and it was ace

 

long time ago tho - 20 years i think

[Timewaster]

I agree, that is lovely.

 

But it can't help thinking of being 15 in 1988.

Our newly qualified physics teacher Mr Buck who was in his mid 20s, probably pretty skint and who drove a Champagne beige City X.

My how we ripped the piss out of him for that!

[phil_lihp]

Very like.  I can still remember exactly how these sound, that high-pitched whine which made it sound like it was running in reverse, despite not having seen one on the road in a long time - they used to be everywhere.  

[oman5]

Very smart, love it. My dad had one the same colour,spec etc back in the day. I remember being very underwhelmed at the performance offered by the 1.0 though.

 

I seem to remember that early ones had better build quality?

[Spiny Norman]

Lovely looking wee car, in classic 80s BL colours.

[dieselassist]

sweet looking car RobT - I have an original handbook n folder thing, somewhere in the house for mk1 Austin metro - saved it from getting dumped during a house clearance... I might try to dig it out from all the clutter n take some pics.

[Skizzer]

Oh wow, that's magnificent.  I especially like the early ones with the two-hole head rests and the 'miniMETRO' badging. 

 

Looks like it's in fantastic condition, too.  I think you may be understimating the value - good ones of these are on the up, surely?

[Split_Pin]

The best Mk1 colour/interior combo. I always liked the unusual headrests in these too.

[Jim Bell]

All that needs is the A Series supercharger kit. Then perfect.

[vulgalour]

Paprika was the finest interior ever created by BL.  Champagne Beige not so much... but put the two together and it's win all the way, especially on an early Metro.

[RedSparrow]

Oh my God I love it!

[Lord Sterling]

Great car this one Rob! I've had the pleasure of seeing this one in the metal. I'm happy to say that whilst I've not driven this particular one, I have driven an early Metro (A-reg City) which I loved.

[Noel Tidybeard]

my mate had a W reg minimetro L like that one but his had the factory steel sunroof

[RichL]

I like that. Metro's are ace.  I reckon these are about to become really collectable.

 

A family friend had three from new, a red City X G*** FVO, my first ever trip in Metro was in this. I was 7. That got replaced by a Rover Metro 1.1 Quest in white think that was on a J plate and then a Nightfire Red one L826 NRC iirc. Could have been a 'Kensington' or 'Knightsbridge' or something like that

 

All of them seemed to be well screwed together and nippy little things.

[Noel Tidybeard]

i do believe it was JOL396W- un-taxed now

 

which was jolly strange as there was a renner 5 850 in our family that was JOL294W!

[alf892]

£90!!!

 

Looks like you got your money's worth then!

[RobT]

I thought this might meet with AS approval!

 

Build quality wise I think these were a bit better than later cars, if you discount some of the crispy sounding brittle plastics. Arches certainly are better than what you got on K-series Metros.

 

Skizzer, on a good day I probably could realise more than my grand estimate so who'd have thought it. Low rent BL chod - a sound investment!

[Cavcraft]

Love those early Metros, fab things. SAVIOUR OF BL.

[phil_lihp]

The whole gamut of BL chod seems to have suddenly become semi-valuable overnight, it wasn't so long ago that you couldn't give away tidy Allergros, Marinas, Metros etc.  I suspect it's a generation thing, most of them have now gone, the ones left are mostly in good condition and people are now getting to the nostalgic "my dad had one of those" period.

 

The key question, then: is it a worthy replacement for the aging Mini range?  

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Lovely car.

[Grundig]

That looks fab, I miss seeing these on the roads 

[Timewaster]

"A British car to beat the world!"

[Parky]

WIN!

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

[RobT]

The whole gamut of BL chod seems to have suddenly become semi-valuable overnight, it wasn't so long ago that you couldn't give away tidy Allergros, Marinas, Metros etc.  I suspect it's a generation thing, most of them have now gone, the ones left are mostly in good condition and people are now getting to the nostalgic "my dad had one of those" period.

 

The key question, then: is it a worthy replacement for the aging Mini range?

 

I'd say so Phil. You get the Mini handling and classic A-series gearbox whine, but with Hydragas comfort and more space. I did one of those group test things for Classic Monthly a few years back, and we loaded the old Metty with four people and loads of shopping bags to see how much it could swallow up. I was half expecting a Hydragas can or two to pop and OK it was even slower than normal, but we did it! I'll dig out the mag and scan it when I get a chance. It was up against a Visa and Fiat 127 and I remember the Visa as being mega comfy, still want one of those.

 

Progress is pedestrian but then life these days could do with slowing down a notch IMO, so I actually find it quite relaxing to drive. I do rag it sometimes just to enjoy the handling aspect, and once wound up it can sit happily at 65-70 for ages.