Tommy's A-series Misery - Austin 7 first test drive!

[Dick Cheeseburger]

@Tommyboy12 Did you buy it directly from the original owner? If not, is there any paperwork with their contact details on it? Would be worth asking them a few questions directly, including 'tell me the full story of the Montego from day one', assuming they're still with us. 

[3VOM]

1.3 Montego estate? Does it come with a whip?

[GeordieInExile]

This might even surpass the legendary bASe Sierra in its utter abject shiteness and poverty spec horribleness. Well bought.

[sharley17194]

ive never been so disappointed driving home in an immaculate fully mot'd AX before, knowing even though id bought the most shite worthy car possible, id been outshitted....on the same day with what i can only described as a dream car.!

Stunning Montego and very well bought. I will be for eternally jealous!

Think you win Autoshite for 2021.

[cms206]

Fuck me that is astounding, absolutely world class

[lesapandre]

These are quite a lightweight car. So the 1.3 is not so bad. 

Here is the spec off the web:

In comparison ADO16 the Austin 1300 was about 830kg.

[Tommyboy12]

15 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Holy.Fucking.Shit.  What a find!

Ok I think you win the internet today 😂😂😂

[DoctorRetro]

Winning. Nothing more to say.

[St.Jude]

Ripe for a K-Series engine conversion!

Does the logbook have it down as a 1.6 then?

13 minutes ago, 3VOM said:

1.3 Montego estate? Does it come with a whip?

It comes with an inhaler for the driver to help them push it up hills!

[Tommyboy12]

22 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said:

@Tommyboy12 Did you buy it directly from the original owner? If not, is there any paperwork with their contact details on it? Would be worth asking them a few questions directly, including 'tell me the full story of the Montego from day one', assuming they're still with us. 

So I won't post personal details but the passenger footwell has turned into a treasure trove!

It was indeed a 1.6L at some point in its life! As seen on an old mot certificate shows. By 1996 it had done 124,000 miles! It also hasnt strayed far from home in its life.

The previous owner was a doctor with a pilots license born in 1940 so I imagine he will be an old chap if he is still around. I've found traveling doctor cards and some other practitioner cards. His age probably explains the drop off in mileage.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

40 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

I think the interior is out of a later Rover Montego Countryman although im not sure. I dont know my Montegos very well.

The attached brochure shot vs. the rear door cards makes me think that from the door cap at the top which is missing from the front door car.

The rear bench is very plush though. Missing its head rests but 🤷‍♂️

 

Yes the rear trims and possibly the complete doors judging by the red pinstripe in the rubber side mouldings are off a later Rover Montego as are the seats judging by the shape of the front ones. But even the first Limited Edition Countryman didn’t get leather, it got a unique Tweed and Velour material, also the Headrests were the  Austin facelift but pre Rover design- more oval shaped with piping rather than the later rounder softer ones. When the Countryman reappeared as a regular trim level they had  cheapened regular velour- I had two of these as company cars and leather definitely wasn’t an option.

[Dobloseven]

Why don't they make sensible boxy estates like that anymore? What a thing! Look forward to seeing what gets done to it. Well saved. 

[ProgRocker]

I haven`t read all of the posts in this thread so I`m sorry if I missed it... 

The 1.3 A series has got to be a replacement engine at some point. Isn`t it? Unless there was a cock up at Cowley and no-one noticed! 

I had my nose buried in the new car data section of What Car? magazine in the late 1980s and the only 1.3 litre engine option was only for the saloon at the bottom of the range. Up to the facelift in 1988 when the 1.3 was dropped. Also, we'ren't all A series Austin Rovers 4 speed only? 

Bloody brilliant acquisition though. 😀

[BorniteIdentity]

What a miserable piece of rancid old rat shit that really is.  

I may have missed the odd thread along the way, but I think this MUST be contender for the most Autoshite of Autoshite purchases in a long, long time.  The headlining and engine downgrade just make it for me.  Please never straighten that Montego badge either.

There's a very nice C reg low spec one that does the show circuit - they look even worse (if that's possible) without the roof bars.  Something to consider.

Well bought.  Good to see a lack of deliberation and consideration replaced by rash and unhinged decision making.

[Tommyboy12]

1 minute ago, ProgRocker said:

I haven`t read all of the posts in this thread so I`m sorry if I missed it... 

The 1.3 A series has got to be a replacement engine at some point. Isn`t it? Unless there was a cock up at Cowley and no-one noticed! 

I had my nose buried in the new car data section of What Car? magazine in the late 1980s and the only 1.3 litre engine option was only for the saloon at the bottom of the range. Up to the facelift in 1988 when the 1.3 was dropped. Also, we'ren't all A series Austin Rovers 4 speed only? 

Bloody brilliant acquisition though. 😀

It was up for debate but it seems based on the paperwork that it did start life as a 1.6L. I imagine the 1.6L died a death given the vehicle mileage and was swapped for a 1.3L at some point. The fact it was registered correctly and has a boot badge to match says to me that it was done professionally and I get the benefit of a lower tax bracket!

Given the rarity of the engines and the fact that the A series is still a very common unit I am not going to complain. Itll be slow but that just adds to the character!

[St.Jude]

2 minutes ago, Tommyboy12 said:

It was up for debate but it seems based on the paperwork that it did start life as a 1.6L. I imagine the 1.6L died a death given the vehicle mileage and was swapped for a 1.3L at some point. The fact it was registered correctly and has a boot badge to match says to me that it was done professionally and I get the benefit of a lower tax bracket!

Given the rarity of the engines and the fact that the A series is still a very common unit I am not going to complain. Itll be slow but that just adds to the character!

Has the log book been updated to reflect the smaller engine?

[Tommyboy12]

7 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

Has the log book been updated to reflect the smaller engine?

Yep. Correct engine number and everything.

[GeordieInExile]

43 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

What a miserable piece of rancid old rat shit that really is.  

I may have missed the odd thread along the way, but I think this MUST be contender for the most Autoshite of Autoshite purchases in a long, long time.  The headlining and engine downgrade just make it for me.  Please never straighten that Montego badge either.

There's a very nice C reg low spec one that does the show circuit - they look even worse (if that's possible) without the roof bars.  Something to consider.

Well bought.  Good to see a lack of deliberation and consideration replaced by rash and unhinged decision making.

It's enough to make you wish the bASe Sierra had enjoyed* a similar engine downgrade. At least it has the dangly mirrors, eh.

[Tommyboy12]

Did I mention the econometer? I feel like that awards extra points for being the tightest driver around. Smallest engine? Check. Absolutely no additional weight with optional extras. Check. Econometer? Check.

Poverty spec at its absolute finest.

[Austin-Rover]

The seats and rear door cards someone has paid to have re-trimmed. They're not genuine AR items. The shape of the seat foam suggests they started life in a later facelift car. They might have been bought in like that to replace the tired originals, and I suppose they could have been sourced from anywhere over the years, even another Montego that someone had invested heavily in with a custom interior. Your front door cards are as they should be for an L model of that vintage. The econometer should sit under the clock and is designed to clip in to that space in lieu of an an ash tray. The panel where the econometer is currently sat should house the cigar lighter.

[Tommyboy12]

Might explain why the hole below the digital clock just leads to the void behind the dash

[somewhatfoolish]

That's a rare old mix of interior bits; the headlining is both disgusting and a fantastic colour.

[dollywobbler]

Whatever the story, this is great to see! 1.3 is fine unladen, but would be a struggle with a full family on board...

[bezzabsa]

1.3 wasn't too slow, had an ital with it fitted and that was quite nippy..I know speed is subjective but I reckon that will cope admirably as a family run about/ sunday driver...whats on the roof??? looks like its been FLOCKED... :O

[phil_lihp]

This is absolutely brilliant - I have a long-held mild desire for a Montego estate and was admiring this from afar when it was on eBay; I was half-tempted to have a bid.  It sounds like it's ended up with exactly the right owner too, please keep us posted on progress, it'll be great to see it brought back to life.

[Noel Tidybeard]

good to see Sharleys face again!

[Tommyboy12]

30 minutes ago, bezzabsa said:

1.3 wasn't too slow, had an ital with it fitted and that was quite nippy..I know speed is subjective but I reckon that will cope admirably as a family run about/ sunday driver...whats on the roof??? looks like its been FLOCKED... 😮

Best guess. Its had the cloth peeled off. Most of the foam backing scraped off. Then its been painted a horrendous blue colour.

[captain_70s]

What a swap.

Nearly as good as that Dolly Sprint on Facebook that'd had it's 2.0 16 valve exchanged for a 40bhp BMC 1.5 diesel.

[brownnova]

That’s absolutely fantastic!!

This is true Autoshite gold standard stuff right here! 

[BL Bloke]

Great to see this on here. Doom blue and poverty spec, well bought!