Austin Maxi

[keef]

WUD512H

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/quicksilver_coaches/28785667484/

[keef]

XMO412H (ex Prince Michael of Kent World Cup Rally car at BMIHT Gaydon)

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20140208121554/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org/gallery/gallery091.htm

[keef]

BVA111J (1750)

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20140208121912/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org/gallery/gallery062.htm

[Six-cylinder]

Go on then have a few Maxi pictures just to prove I am a balanced individual not totally obsessed with Citroen Visas!

[keef]

JMG236K (1750)

 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204186750604375&set=a.10204186714603475.1073741956.1095028026&type=1&permPage=1

[ianmax69]

XON249T was mine its still around just in a garage in Lincolnshire.. It was originally built as a LHD Swedish spec car but as it was a cancelled British Diplomatic order.. so it was converted at the factory to RHD but retained the LHD wipers and was sold to a BL employee 

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

KWP321K (1750 retrofitted with twin-carb engine)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140208122019/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org:80/gallery/gallery010.htm 

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

XGV768K (1750)

https://web.archive.org/web/20100114204728/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org:80/gallery/gallery046.htm 

[ETCHY]

A family next door to us when I was about 11 had an early 1500 Maxi with the early silvery plastic dashboard. Not seen one like that in years (to be fair not seen any for a while except at shows).

I still marvel at the amount of space in these & also how far ahead of pretty much everyone else Leyland were with the versatility of the thing.

Can I ask what are the automatics like on these are they similar to the mini in sharing engine oil for the autobox? Also are the auto's durable? 

Cheers

[keef]

The early 1500 (cable changers) are very rare now.

I actually have an auto, but unfortunately a previous owner converted it to manual.

I did have the offer of an auto box to convert it back, but it was scrapped before I could rescue it.

Autos seem even rarer than manuals, although I understand they do run quite well. 

I'm currently on the look out for a scrap VDP 1500 or 1750 Allegro with an auto box I can use, if anyone knows of one.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

1 hour ago, keef said:

.... I'm currently on the look out for a scrap VDP 1500 or 1750 Allegro with an auto box I can use, if anyone knows of one.

Maybe 6Cyl could help  ...?

[keef]

2 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Maybe 6Cyl could help  ...?

Not sure how the VDP is connected with Citroen Visa, but  ..........

 

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

YVC468K (1500)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140208112313/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org/gallery/gallery003.htm 

[ETCHY]

Dunno if this is ok so if not Mods please delete, but here is a thriller type film from the 1970's (it's actually quite a good film) main thing is the Maxi has a starring role & features a lot !

 

 

[quicksilver]

Surprisingly I didn't have the only Maxi in Brackley this morning. ULK789M turned up as well.

[Retr0naut]

Unfortunately could't make Brackley today but the Maxi did take a trip out with us on a visit Vintage Guru in Northampton ?

 

[quicksilver]

Some more from this year:

MCE7G - I finally got to see Puff in the flesh

MCE 7G - 1969 Austin Maxi rally car by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

ULK789M

ULK 789M - 1972 Austin Maxi 1750 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

ULK 789M - 1972 Austin Maxi 1750 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

XUD908M (twin-carb HL)

XUD 908M - 1973 Austin Maxi 1750 HL by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

WYR667N

WYR 667N - 1974 Austin Maxi 1750 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

HRU398V (automatic)

HRU 398V - 1980 Austin-Morris Maxi 1750 Automatic by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

YCG479V

YCG 479V - 1980 Austin-Morris Maxi 1750 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

GBX549W, owned by our very own @Retr0naut

GBX 549W - 1981 Austin-Morris Maxi 1750 by Adam Floyd, on Flickr

[ETCHY]

That white HL in particular, is a beauty.

Time has been quite kind to the Maxi shape IMO, not being particularly trendy or "styled" when  it was new,  it hasn't dated badly, it looks good in a purposeful sort of way.

 

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

HRY170L (1750)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140208111849/http://www.austinmaxiclub.org/gallery/gallery057.htm 

[64A60]

FAN 151V currently for sale, located in Uxbridge. £1550 ono

https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/austin/maxi/323588

[LightBulbFun]

23 minutes ago, 64A60 said:

FAN 151V currently for sale, located in Uxbridge. £1550 ono

https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/austin/maxi/323588

and XYG615S for £500. im trying to work out why its so cheap!

https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/austin/maxi/114471

 

 

[keef]

3 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

and XYG615S for £500. im trying to work out why its so cheap!

https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/austin/maxi/114471

 

 

It's an old (at least three years) out of date advert.

Now part of Martin C's fleet, I believe.

[groovylee]

my old man had a maxi when i was a kid - the only things i can remember about it are that the number plate had GBH in it, and it started off as what my mum called diarrhoea brown, but then got hastily hand painted two tone hammer effect hammerite in silver and gunmetal grey...

unlikely, but if i ever came across it again i'd buy it and put it in his garage when he wasnt looking lol

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

LNL533P (1750)

 

 

[Vince70]

My Dad. Had an Auto Maxi 1750  around 1983/84 , I still remember going to pick it up from Kelsey Park Beckenham  which he bought out the News Shopper local rag. He also liked the land crab predecessors and it was sold to buy a mint 3000 mile ambassador VP  as BL chod was his thing.

Its amazing that so many are still on the road as I remember although it was only about 9 years old and looked fresh on top it still needed new sills but then saying that most cars were the same back then and Italian and Jap stuff was the worse for the rust bug.

His Maxi was quite a rare colour as it was a grey/lilac colour with a burgundy cloth interior on an N plate and we had quite a few long trips down to Cornwall in it as it was so practical as it was the only car  I knew of where the rear seats folded completely flat.

 

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

TBM22R (1500)

 

[ETCHY]

2 hours ago, Vince70 said:

My Dad. Had an Auto Maxi 1750  around 1983/84 , I still remember going to pick it up from Kelsey Park Beckenham  which he bought out the News Shopper local rag. He also liked the land crab predecessors and it was sold to buy a mint 3000 mile ambassador VP  as BL chod was his thing.

Its amazing that so many are still on the road as I remember although it was only about 9 years old and looked fresh on top it still needed new sills but then saying that most cars were the same back then and Italian and Jap stuff was the worse for the rust bug.

His Maxi was quite a rare colour as it was a grey/lilac colour with a burgundy cloth interior on an N plate and we had quite a few long trips down to Cornwall in it as it was so practical as it was the only car  I knew of where the rear seats folded completely flat.

 

I've always thought of the Maxi as the first people carrier or multi purpose type vehicle. You can seat 5 people in it, or fold the back seats & get a garden bench or god knows what in it, or indeed flip the seats backwards & you can sleep in it. All that in what still looks like a car & not a van.

Pretty advanced for 1969 !

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

TTO514R (1750)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/route2pass/8734680645

 

[lesapandre]

23 hours ago, ETCHY said:

I've always thought of the Maxi as the first people carrier or multi purpose type vehicle. You can seat 5 people in it, or fold the back seats & get a garden bench or god knows what in it, or indeed flip the seats backwards & you can sleep in it. All that in what still looks like a car & not a van.

Pretty advanced for 1969 !

Yea - it was the right car at the right time - just let down for the wrong reasons - mostly image and quality control.

With the rise of the DIY generation, 'garden centres' and the first out of town 'sheds' and supermarkets, the growth of the Motorways, as well as aspirational growing families moving 'up' it should have been a winner. Instead the R16, Golf, Citroen GS, Volvo and numerous competitors took that middle-class-middle-market away from BL.

Why no Maxi GT like the 1300GT, or Vanden Plas badge or even MG to make it a bit less 'Terry and June' in image? If the Hillman Hunter - with a stripe and some Rostyles - could make the Minx cool - anything was possible

Unloved by Leyland I feel. Pity - they look good in the metal - saw one recently in the local supermarket car park - really its natural habitat.

And in the land of motoring make believe - what if Leyland had poured all the development time and money of the Marina into getting the Maxi really right to complete head on with Cortina and Golf? Sigh...

[keef]

On 25 March 2019 at 10:53 PM, quicksilver said:

UUX64S (1750)