Austin Maxi

[JeeExEll]

BL Special Tuning.

Fibreglass bonnet, doors, and tailgate available.

Works rally Maxis converted to fixed rear screen. Centre exhaust too. Check out the heavy-duty front window air deflector.

[ETCHY]

Looks good on the mini-lite type wheels.

They should always have put something sportier wheel wise on the HL even if it was just a sportier wheel trim like the 1300GT had. Some wheels like the Marina TC had might have looked good.

 

[keef]

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

DBU279V (HLS)

 

[keef]

1 hour ago, JeeExEll said:

Centre exhaust too. 

The standard exhaust on the Maxi is the lowest part of the car?  I am always catching mine on speed humps! 

 

[ETCHY]

Was a rear wiper ever factory fit? 

[keef]

1 minute ago, ETCHY said:

Was a rear wiper ever factory fit? 

No, but quite a few had them fitted as after market add ons. Here's Mork after he was picked up. :-

 

 

[JeeExEll]

1 hour ago, keef said:

The standard exhaust on the Maxi is the lowest part of the car?  I am always catching mine on speed humps! 

 

Sump shield kit almost at the top of the Special Tuning goodies list too. For a reason.

[lesapandre]

3 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

BL Special Tuning.

Fibreglass bonnet, doors, and tailgate available.

Works rally Maxis converted to fixed rear screen. Centre exhaust too. Check out the heavy-duty front window air deflector.

What a fascinating bit of information. Another massive lost opportunity for BLMC not to market a performance Maxi model.

Anyone come across any of this?

[ETCHY]

2 hours ago, keef said:

 

That's a great colour.

I must admit I'm rather liking Maxi's in fact I've just sent off to join the owner club. I don't own one & probably never will, but me being odd when I rather like a car I sometimes join the relevant club for a bit as you obtain info' about the car & the club benefits from your dosh (so you help a bit towards keeping  them on the road etc ).

[keef]

2 hours ago, JeeExEll said:

Sump shield kit almost at the top of the Special Tuning goodies list too. For a reason.

I've actually got a mean sump shield on Kory.

[lesapandre]

1 hour ago, ETCHY said:

That's a great colour.

I must admit I'm rather liking Maxi's in fact I've just sent off to join the owner club. I don't own one & probably never will, but me being odd when I rather like a car I sometimes join the relevant club for a bit as you obtain info' about the car & the club benefits from your dosh (so you help a bit towards keeping  them on the road etc ).

They do seem an amazing thing - in an odd way and styling-wise more modern than the Allegro or Marina which were designed later. Aged well - kind of timeless like a Landrover Defender...

[keef]

1 hour ago, ETCHY said:

That's a great colour.

 

[Jerzy Woking]

This is the Maxi that is (was?) being giffer driven around Braintree. Still MOT'd and taxed.

[keef]

1 hour ago, Jerzy Woking said:

This is the Maxi that is (was?) being giffer driven around Braintree. Still MOT'd and taxed.

Same colur and similar reg to Peter the Organist's latest find.

[keef]

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

FWJ929V (1750)

 

[Cavcraft]

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Maxi-HL-1750-barn-find-1-owner-from-new-classic-car/333471576081?hash=item4da4747011:g:IqUAAOSwclFeFb4H

 

(Seller is mates with one or two AS members, nice lad)

[keef]

Picture looks more like a smart car on my screen! LOL

[keef]

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

KHK286V (HLS)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/niveksoldgold/8425639995/in/pool-2487527@N23/ 

 

[ETCHY]

20 hours ago, lesapandre said:

They do seem an amazing thing - in an odd way and styling-wise more modern than the Allegro or Marina which were designed later. Aged well - kind of timeless like a Landrover Defender...

I think you've hit on something there. The thing is I doubt the Maxi ever looked really trendy or uber modern therefore it hasn't dated to the same degree. Think of say a Mk3 Cortina  or FD Victor & they really look of their era because  they were styled like a car for  the late 60's/70's. The Maxi just looks how it looks & isn't copying anything or following any styling trends such as a coke bottle shape etc, it's just functional.

Those very looks that probably did it no favours back in the day are now one of its best features ?

[JeeExEll]

[JeeExEll]

Can't believe we've got this far and Dollywobbler's excellent vid hasn't been posted.

 

[JeeExEll]

BMC Maxi roadtesting vid from 1969.  About 12 mins long. Ignore distorted music right at the start as it lasts only 30 seconds, adjust brightness to suit, etc..

Not brilliant film quality, but it's a great period vid which has survived 50 years. 

[lesapandre]

Mr DW makes an interesting comment about the position of the rad. Space out front...but the original car had a shorter overhang - so maybe they just left it where it started out.

[bunglebus]

1 hour ago, JeeExEll said:

 

 

 

 

Isn't that a landcrab rather than a Maxi?

[lesapandre]

29 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

 

Isn't that a landcrab rather than a Maxi?

That's probably what the BMC board said too! I like it tho. Yes it's an Austin 1500 - I think 'Maxi' came from Leyland's marketeers? That is 1965 I think - car was slated for an optimistic '66 launch at that point? 

It's a shame - what was acceptable in '66, in terms of rewriting the rule book, looked a bit plain jane by 1969/70 - once the more baroque Cortina Mk3 became a-la-mode. Same with the 3-Litre.

[bigstraight6]

Very interesting thread here, I never really wanted to own an example in my youth when they were plentiful fodder, but now I feel an affection for this very British car....

[lesapandre]

Yes probably the most significant British car that never was.

Note fast-food sponsorship and tiny model.

[keef]

7 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

Note fast-food sponsorship 

LOL!

[keef]

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

MTL615V (1750)

 

[keef]

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

OYD910V (1750 Auto)