It's a Maxi adventure - Maxi in the media

[quicksilver]

Okay, so I've been here for about five years and not actually owned any proper shite in that time. I can't compete with things like Matra Ranchos but I hope I can make amends with this new purchase, a joint project for myself and my dad. The purchase and collection was done all wrong though:

1. Bought what we intended to and not something completely different

2. Went to look at it before buying

3. Bought a roadworthy car with an MoT

4. Bought from a seller only 60 miles away, drove there and drove it home

5. No collection thread as nothing interesting happened

6. No pez station stop as it had plenty of fuel

 

There was Woollardage though:

 

It all happened very quickly - the car was advertised Saturday morning, my dad rang the seller at lunchtime and we went over that afternoon, had a good look and gave him a deposit, then went back to collect it today. So what have we got? It's a 1978 Austin Maxi 1750 with 36,000 miles and two previous owners. The seller is a typical Maxi owner, an eccentric 85-year-old giffer who said he's had Maxis since this one was new and has owned about a dozen of them over the years. He doesn't even have a modern car and still has another Maxi (an early cable-change car), two Ledbury Maestros bought new(!), an older Maestro, a Citroen Traction Avant and at least one motorbike.

 

First sight on a stormy Saturday afternoon

 

Incredibly it is all original and has never been welded. It seems to have been rustproofed from new and there is no visible rust whatsoever, although the back doors are just starting to go on the inside. The paintwork is a bit scruffy and has worn through to the primer in places but it's very sound and all the white specks you can see in the nooks and crannies are dried-on polish. It was filthy though and after a wash and leather it looks much better but could still do with a T-cut and polish. The seats are very good as they had some hideous furry covers that had faded to a pinkish colour but were originally bright orange!

 

It drives really well and didn't miss a beat on the 60-mile journey home so there's nothing interesting to report from the collection. The seller said the gearbox is one of the best he's ever encountered and I think he's right. There's so much torque you can put it in fifth at 25mph and it'll pull all the way to 70. It's not concours by any stretch but is structurally and mechanically sound and very honest, and there are lots of little improvements that can be made but nothing that will require taking it off the road so I think we've bagged ourselves a little gem.

 

Anyway, enough waffle. Have more pics.

 

Looks nice inside

 

 

Modern shit evicted from the garage to make way for a proper car

 

Maxis are for winners

 

Floor of much soundness. Note the horrible seat cover.

 

Grille is from a Maxi 2 and makes it look like an over-inflated Mini Clubman. My numberplate OCD is satisfied.

 

Looks much better for a clean. It's the law that all Maxis must have towbars.

 

A nice chap at Hagerty Insurance has already suggested entering it for the Festival of the Unexceptional next year, and its show debut is also intended to be in Whittlebury at the Country Fair this Saturday.

[dollywobbler]

Fab. I do like Maxis. Especially later ones.

[danthecapriman]

Very nice, looks a really good solid car. Interior looks lovely too. Well bought.

[Skizzer]

That looks an absolute peach! Well bought sirs.

 

If you got the proper upright badge for the middle of the grille you could pass it off as an HL and make the neighbours even more jealous.

[steveo3002]

looks like a good un

[Felly Magic]

Has the later grille, but otherwise, PHWOAR!

[barefoot]

I took my driving test in my old man's tundra green 1750HL, the one with twin carbs and the wrestler box. I passed first time and still have a bit of a soft spot for a nice Maxi.

[anonymous user]

It does look a nice one, well bought

[mercrocker]

Nicely done, and how good does it look in its new surroundings?   Would have been a good few in a close like that back in the day...I still don't know why people knocked these as they were the perfect family car to a lot of folk.   

[jonathan_dyane]

Lovely looking car! Top bombing.

[MarvinsMom]

congratulation sir's that looks like a very fine family car, very fine indeed!

 

seriously though, the picture above with the mighty maxi sat next to the modern hyundia? the maxi, which is a big car, it don't look that big when sat next to the modern, or is it me talking tosh?

 

anyway i hope that you both have plenty of fun and miles of happy motoring with this fine looking machine in the future.

[Uncle Jimmy]

I like the mild look of resignation on your old man's face. We will all wear it soon.

[RoadworkUK]

You are Basil and Sybil Fawlty.

 

 

£5 please.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Shite bought, mission began, lifetime of chod bothering henceforth

[chaseracer]

I like the mild look of resignation on your old man's face. We will all wear it soon.

 

 

"Woollard?  What?  Why...?"

[Cavcraft]

OOF! Loving it.

[HillmanImp]

That is smashing. 

 

I used to sometimes get ferried about Littlehampton when I was about 15, in a hand painted 'flower power' one of these by some lad whose name I forget.  Think that is the only time I have ever been in one.

 

Not sure why anyone needs to know that but there you go, you do now and because of that you have probably forgotten something really important.

 

 

[beko1987]

Beautiful!

[Pillock]

You say it's not concours condition but I'd rather see a loved, polished, used example than something that's clearly been resprayed and left in a garage between shows. That's a really good looking motor.

[beko1987]

And knowing you and your old man, itll stay a much loved example!

[hairnet]

lmao at modern shit

 

its hyundai - its 10 years behind

 

ps old looks like - 'ffs do i have to'

 

ive def spent too much time with tweed and flat caps people on here that i twigged it has an AR later grille on it and i know not much about bl/ARG stuff

[Alexg]

That looks MEGA!!!

[chodweaver]

That's properly made my day! Well bloody done to both of you, that's a top buy.

 

Sent from my GT-S5830i using Tapatalk 2

[forddeliveryboy]

"He doesn't even have a modern car" - sounds like the right sort of fellow, then. Especially when you mention he has a big Citroën with torsion bars.

 

Well bought, I hope to hear some tales of camping and other BL escapades in this beauty. As the adverts confidently stated,

"Your life is full of surprising variety. Your car should be the same."

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

What a lovely looking thing. I have liked the Maxi since I was a child. It was the rear lights that first attracted me to them and I still like the lights now.

[Junkman]

This is just bloody PHWOAR.

[trigger]

What a gorgeous little hunny, i bet that will do you and your dad proud!

[Noel Tidybeard]

for maximum shite points you need to adjust the reversing light switch so it informs the following traffic you "are going into 5th"

[brownnova]

Excellent!! Top buyage.

[406V6]

Well bought. Looks superb apart from the front grille which is out of place on an S reg.