project Maestro, please.

[vulgalour]

Fackin oops.

 

 

My goal was not to buy any more cars but with the Lanchester out of action while we work through it and make it safe to use, and the Princess out of action and needing the engine to be removed (a job I am procrastinating about, and when I'm motivated am thwarted by schedule and weather conflicts) it was getting more obvious that I needed some personal transport.  Something basic and reliable that I know my way around, that's going to be cheap to buy and run.  This is an ideal candidate, on paper.

Whether I really can just use it as An Car or will end up getting all finicky about making it nice remains to be seen.  I just want some hasslefree pootling for a few months and normally Maestros are just that.

[Wgl2019]

My first car was a British Racing Green Montego with white MGish alloys.

Fab cars, can't remember the last time I saw either a Maestro or Montego out in the wild....

[tooSavvy]

V for [a] Victory....  

Get ya detailing cloth out

[LightBulbFun]

6 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

Fackin oops.

 

 

My goal was not to buy any more cars but with the Lanchester out of action while we work through it and make it safe to use, and the Princess out of action and needing the engine to be removed (a job I am procrastinating about, and when I'm motivated am thwarted by schedule and weather conflicts) it was getting more obvious that I needed some personal transport.  Something basic and reliable that I know my way around, that's going to be cheap to buy and run.  This is an ideal candidate, on paper.

Whether I really can just use it as An Car or will end up getting all finicky about making it nice remains to be seen.  I just want some hasslefree pootling for a few months and normally Maestros are just that.

See this is what happens when you make your end of year tat account before December/the end of the year!

 

on a more serious note, I look forward to your posts on it  

I dont think there are many Maestro's on the forum? so will make for an interesting read  

and A series powered FTW I still really want to drive something A or B series powered,

(if we did not have bloody ULEZ id have shown the for sale listing to my mum and see if I could convince her to buy it for getting to work and back  )

[ProgRocker]

Seeing the pics of that Maestro kinda makes me want a curry. 

[Asimo]

Lovely.  I hope it does you well. 

[Spottedlaurel]

A friend had a 1.3 back in the '90s, it was pretty economical.

[spartacus]

Great news that it's still 'in the fold', it'll be well looked after for sure!

Looking forward to hearing more about it.

[motorpunk]

The Spice Hut looks familiar, is it Nottingham-ish? 
I now fancy a Bhuna 

oh. Nice car.

[vulgalour]

I don't know where Spice Hut is, I suspect not Nottingham since the car is coming from Buckingham.

[Fumbler]

Ah! This is who it went to. Interested on how its An Car abilities hold up through the winter.

[egg]

2 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Whether I really can just use it as An Car or will end up getting all finicky about making it nice remains to be seen

We know you will. And that will be a great read

[wuvvum]

I'm interested as to how a 180K-mile A-series is going to hold up as a daily runner.  Mind you, apart from increased oil consumption A-serieses seem to just keep on going.

[ETCHY]

A Maestro with steel bumpers & plastic oh so '80's Austin wheel trims.

Winner !

[vulgalour]

I'm not bombing up and down the country so we should be fine.  Worst case I'll just steal the engine out of a Mini.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

13 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

I don't know where Spice Hut is, I suspect not Nottingham since the car is coming from Buckingham.

The Maestro would have felt at home in that car park when it was new.  Spice Hut was a Happy Eater then. And yes as you suspect a lot nearer Buckingham than Nottingham.

[ETCHY]

It's proper 1980's/90's car park fodder, I really like that, wouldn't change a thing, even the ripply front number plate adds to its charm.

I hope it has one of those wanky rubber "anti-static" strips hanging off the back bumper/ valance.

[Six-cylinder]

11 minutes ago, NorfolkNWeigh said:

The Maestro would have felt at home in that car park when it was new.  Spice Hut was a Happy Eater then. And yes as you suspect a lot nearer Buckingham than Nottingham.

And even closer to Milton Keynes on the A422 behind the now Esso garage/ carwash.

[RoadworkUK]

I love Maestros for the fact that they're octagonal when viewed from above. 

I'm almost certain that's why they chose to make an MG version.

Almost* certain.

[HMC]

Spice hut is the eqivalent of @Six-cylinder ‘s white room basically.

[Bren]

The interior is far nicer than a contemporary escort or astra.

I actually like the BL cars of this era.

[Ben_O]

5 hours ago, vulgalour said:

I don't know where Spice Hut is, I suspect not Nottingham since the car is coming from Buckingham.

Ah, I had assumed that building was the place that used to be a little chef at the top of detling hill with you being maidstone way.

After a closer look, clearly not!

Mind you, been years since I was that way.

Well done on the maestro.

[greengartside]

Top darts there Vulg, that looks bloody lovely. I’ve never driven a Maestro but it’s definitely on my bucket list to do.

[PhilA]

6 hours ago, wuvvum said:

I'm interested as to how a 180K-mile A-series is going to hold up as a daily runner.  Mind you, apart from increased oil consumption A-serieses seem to just keep on going.

Just fine. They get a bit knocky on the bottom end when cold, smoke like a tramp steamer and have crummy hot oil pressure but so long as it's got coolant and oil it'll soldier on to 250-300k before needing major remedial work. The later 80's ones had significant improvements in metallurgy compared to the 60's and 70's ones.

Phil

[brownnova]

An excellent purchase!  Was huuugely tempted by this, but couldn’t find any way to justify it! Glad it’s gone to someone who will look after it, and appreciate it! 

[Parky]

X-rated version too.  And don’t worry about the mileage, I am off to see a Primera with 420000 kms on the clock this week

[drum]

A+ engine so should be good for a few miles.

I've still got mine in a shed somewhere.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Excellent!  I was thinking about this car a lot yesterday.

In 2000, we went on a family holiday to Orkney - I was 12.  Stromness Car Hire specifically promised a 'brand new Renault' to my Dad.  We get off the ferry and... nope.  Of course, at this point you're over a barrel.

1.3 Maestro in red, E-reg - just like this one.

It really was an utter pile.  Dad reversed it into a concrete pillar ('oh well, that's at least knocked some rust off') and we had a song about how shit it was.  I thought it was brilliant and for the three weeks we were there, it took us everywhere we needed to go, reliably and economically.  Seeing this one has brought that holiday back and I'm really glad that somebody has taken this on.  It's  brilliant.

[robinmasters]

9 hours ago, Ben_O said:

Ah, I had assumed that building was the place that used to be a little chef at the top of detling hill with you being maidstone way.

After a closer look, clearly not!

Mind you, been years since I was that way.

Well done on the maestro.

Give it time, it might end up there one day. 

[Christine]

My Fiesta !