Barn Find Maxi and Posh* Citroen - Maxi now on the road

[theorganist]

Having lost a lot of my old car mojo and even looking at modernish runarounds. My desires were rekindled when I saw an add on the Maxi owners club site for a hitherto unknown Maxi sitting in a shed near Chepstow.

 

It was owned by a gentleman who was a bit of a recluse living in a little cottage in a beautiful but quite isolated spot near Chepstow, he sadly died last year. The Maxi was last used in 1995 when one day he drove it into the shed and never drove it again.

 

I had it picked up today via Shiply, the driver turns out to be an old friend of mine and a former mechanic now recovery driver. His impressions as are mine is that it appears to be solid and not bad condition. There seems to still be some fluid in the suspension. Obviously we don't know about the engine yet, it has only done 67,000 miles. It is now in my friendly local garage who will be getting it going and doing most of the work on it. I don't have the time or facilities really to do much.

 

More updates soon no doubt.

[cobblers]

That's fantastic!

[Squire_Dawson]

Good to see you back on here Mr. Organist. That's a good find, well bagged. I keep thinking there can't be many derelict garaged cars left, after all we're not a vast country, but things keep turning up. Hope it's a straightforward recommission.

[johngarty]

Bookmarked!

[theorganist]

Good to see you back on here Mr. Organist. That's a good find, well bagged. I keep thinking there can't be many derelict garaged cars left, after all we're not a vast country, but things keep turning up. Hope it's a straightforward recommission.

Thank you it is good to be back. I often wonder how all these cars are still hidden away, this one even features in google street view. However it is down a dead end lane in the middle of nowhere. As long as there aren't any major problems with the engine or gearbox then it should be (hopefully) fairly straight forward.

[trigger]

Erotic. She looks in good condition, I bet it won't take a awful amount of work to get back on the road again and a good clean up will probably transform it.

 

Good luck with it!

[spartacus]

Result, I initially thought the thread was just a story, reading further I realised you're now the proud owner, that makes things a whole lot more interesting!

[Datsuncog]

Phoar, first Trigger's Marina Estate and now this beauty... I think we're all in for quite a treat this summer with updates on some cracking BL barnfinds.

Looks amazing - great save, and let's hope the recommissioning is relatively straightforward!

This place, hey?

[lisbon_road]

Heroic.  V impressed.  Please keep us informed.

[Mrs6C]

Fantastic & well saved! A bonus Vitesse 1600 convertible as well!

[Split_Pin]

Incredible find, there cant be too many gems left like this, hidden away.

[Christine]

In 1976 , my dad had a £250 bonus , and my older sister got a pony she desperately wanted .. In 1977 my dad got a £250 bonus , and I didn't get a Suzuki ap50 I desperately wanted ..because Mum said they were dangerous Wisely, he bought an ex company 3 year old Maxi 1750 ,cheap, in Harvest Gold  , " in case he got made redundant and needed his own car " . It was put in the garage ,and the doors shut ...And it  never moved again , until it went for scrap, along with the 1952 Triumph Renown , when he got made redundant  25 years later , and spent some time clearing out ..

 

I've got the glove box handbook if you want it

[Louise2cv]

Ooo goody. I have been looking forward to this!

[flat4alfa]

I've got manuals for these including the factory one. In need?

 

Also, if the engine proves to be goosed, I have a great XUD engine here that would be great in this. Missing link, etc

[omegod]

I've got manuals for these including the factory one. In need?

 

Also, if the engine proves to be goosed, I have a great XUD engine here that would be great in this. Missing link, etc

 

Is that a known/easy swap ? I was just thinking how great these would be with a decent modernish engine, we had a pair of maxi's when I was a nipper, deep purple and the other a really bright green 

[dougiefourspeed]

Now that’s a proper old thing. 347/10 for barn findage!

 

I think a Maxi is the only ‘70s BL car I have never been in or driven so I’ll be following this with interest.

[John F]

Good to see you back, Peter!

 

I'm sure the old bus will respond well to a wash & tidy up, it seems fairly straight & solid and there's even barely any wear on the pedal rubbers

[lesapandre]

House sounds interesting- is that being sold do you know. I want to become a recluse too.

[mercrocker]

Good work Mr Organ player.   Autoshite is certainly keeping the barn finds out of the auction catalogues lately.  First Trigger's Marina, now this.....I'm off to find a Sandglow Princess.

[pshome]

great purchase, is it a Diesel?

[Cavcraft]

That's class! Doesn't look too bad from the pictures, and great seeing it coming out of hibernation for so long, always think it's quite an exciting time. Welcome back by the way, Peter, great to see you posting again.

[Skut]

Proving that all BMC and BL saloons look million times better in a bright colour with no fecking vinyl crap on the exterior. Looks better covered in dust than a polished mustard one.

[Skizzer]

Brilliant stuff! Looks pretty solid in the pics, really looking forward to seeing it up and about.

 

And welcome back

[oldcars]

Some belters on here the last few months. Winning.

[theorganist]

House sounds interesting- is that being sold do you know. I want to become a recluse too.

It has been sold. I think the sale of the house has triggered the selling of the Maxi. It is a small and lovely, I would say 18th century cottage overlooking a valley down a lane, there is a pretty Methodist Chapel further up and a couple of farms and cottages around but it is very much isolated. I would just decorate it and move in however the deceased family suspect it will be vastly extended and probably stripping it of its character.

[theorganist]

Thanks all for your encouragement and kind words and offers of books.

 

I won't be doing much of the work to get it on the road to be honest, although I enjoy messing with cars, if it involves more than unbolting something and refitting I tend to chicken out. Plus I seem to have so little time at the moment. Although when it is running I will be more hands on. I certainly wouldn't attempt work on brakes (been there and nearly killed myself) or anything like welding. So I won't be able to take much of the credit for getting it on the road, however I want to be there when they get it running for the first time as that is the most exciting part.

 

It is good to be back on the forums I will find some time this weekend to check out some of the topics I have missed.

 

I have seen Triggers Marina on Facebook at it does indeed look like a cracker so looking forward to seeing that develope.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

This will be lovely when it is cleaned up. What a find! It really is the perfect accompaniment for Trigger's Marina.

[wuvvum]

The quality of BL chod joining the AS fold recently is reminding me of the Good Old Days^TM.

[N Dentressangle]

It has been sold. I think the sale of the house has triggered the selling of the Maxi. It is a small and lovely, I would say 18th century cottage overlooking a valley down a lane, there is a pretty Methodist Chapel further up and a couple of farms and cottages around but it is very much isolated. I would just decorate it and move in however the deceased family suspect it will be vastly extended and probably stripping it of its character.

 

Well, that's what usually happens - good save on the car first though!

 

I never thought I'd miss seeing awful cars like Maxis. Now I struggle to tell cars apart, and half of them are white Audis anyway, the utilitarian styling^*  and actual colour are really nice. There's an almost complete lack of 'aggression' to the look of BL products of the time, no hint of speed or performance of any kind. Which is probably completely appropriate.

[timolloyd]

Well done one getting it shifted responsibly, too. I’d have turned up on foot with a can of fresh petrol and footpump, and been on the M4 a few hours later