Weird Car’s weird cars! ‘VDP IMPROVEMENTS'

[Weird Car]

2 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

No chance it'll grow on you?

I'm not sure, we'll have to see, it just seems to lack much charm or character which is very odd for a classic 

[wesacosa]

well thats a surprise, I was convinced it was the MGF but I suppose this is more obvious 

Shame you not enamored with it so far, hope it grows on you 

[Weird Car]

3 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

well thats a surprise, I was convinced it was the MGF but I suppose this is more obvious 

Shame you not enamored with it so far, hope it grows on you 

It's the old adage 'don't believe everything you read on the Internet' 😆

 

And thanks, we shall see  

[bramz7]

Well thanks for bringing it closer because I've always fancied something Allegro shaped. 

 

[High Jetter]

37 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Well thanks for bringing it closer because I've always fancied something Allegro shaped. 

 

My parts manager at Caffyns had a red one as a company car. He rang the neck of it on the A259 from Ebo to Seaford. Similar to my area manager at Longlife with his 1.3 Marina. They can shift, if stirred.

[af1]

I fancy an allegro. 

[barefoot]

Just curious to know what you don't like? We had a 1300L and it was ok in little letters. A 1500 auto in Ghia spec should be a little better. But maybe Allegro really was just a bit crap and 40 odd years have done it no favours?

[Weird Car]

21 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Just curious to know what you don't like?

Rides bouncy 

 heavy steering  

Uncomfortable and unsupportive seats 

Overall build quality really isn't great in comparison to other 70s cars I've owned but overall its a lack of character sort of thing, I'm comparing it quite heavily to my old Lada 2101 which had so much more to character, though to really give the VP1500 a fair chance i've stuck the MX5 in the garage for a little while and i'm going to be using the VP as a daily so I'll keep the thread updated on whenever I start to like it as time goes on, I mean at the end of the day underneath its a cheap economy car built during the worst time for the British motor industry so I have to forgive and try to look past some of its short comings 

 

[bangernomics]

Pretty cool thing, needs a paisley paintjob for me. Add me to the list if its early sept when you move it on as I can come in on the ferry rather than the plane.

[motorpunk]

On 05/08/2025 at 17:33, Weird Car said:

Collecteded an Allegro well technically VP 1500, it was pretty obvious with my dribbling on @HMC' s thread when he bought it that I'd eventually own it, speaking of, thanks @HMC for letting me have first refusal and letting me have it for just £450, honestly a steal

I'll start of with the collection, it made it back to Portsmouth from Tavistock which is good, not entirely without fault though I might add, we got to the M275 into portsmouth when the belt snapped and we very nearly overheated, that being said its been very hot today and the temp gauge had stayed just below middle for the entire drive up to that point so that's got to be worthy of a congratulations if anything 

Okay now the big bit, impressions...

I don't like it

 

I know I know, boo hiss and all that, but it's true, I feel like I've let the side down as being a big BL and BMC nut  I really thought I would like it, I've always wanted one but I just honestly don't like the way it drives, so it definitely won't be a long term keeper unfortunately, i feel like because i wanted one for so long i built up a false assumption it would be better than it is but I guess we never know until we try aye? So after some fettling and minor improvement it'll be back up for sale i reckon

That looks awful. But if I make enough (any!) royalties from my book on Red Robbo then I’m probably going to try and buy it, or something similarly shite. 

[Matty]

Just now, motorpunk said:

That looks awful. But if I make enough (any!) royalties from my book on Red Robbo then I’m probably going to try and buy it, or something similarly shite. 

Please calculate how many copies I would need to buy for that to become reality. In my head any situation where a man pulls open the up and over on a sunny Saturday and thinks "Elise or Allegro today?" is one i want to make happen.

[UltraWomble]

Is it a Badermatic?
Colour me interested when you get rid.

Try inflating the front tyres to 38psi to improve the steering.

[trigger]

If it's bouncy then the displacers are probably shot, it will never right nice until they've been replaced.

[bangernomics]

Was there ever a rubber cone or springs option instead of hydromatic for allegros?

[SiC]

No I think they only were hydragas. All the nitrogen probably has escaped. Ideally they would be regassed otherwise it'll damage them iirc. 

[Weird Car]

1 hour ago, SiC said:

No I think they only were hydrogas. All the nitrogen probably has escaped. Ideally they would be regassed otherwise it'll damage them iirc. 

I have a suspicion this might be the case,  what's the procedure for the nitrogen? I'm guessing it's a specialist job and not a do it yourself job like the fluid? 

Speaking of fluid I've added one of those cheapo fluid pumps to my ebay basket awaiting payday as I assume I'll probably need it some day 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Weird Car said:

I have a suspicion this might be the case,  what's the procedure for the nitrogen? I'm guessing it's a specialist job and not a do it yourself job like the fluid? 

Speaking of fluid I've added one of those cheapo fluid pumps to my ebay basket awaiting payday as I assume I'll probably need it some day 

Usually the go-to place is these guys:

https://hahsltd.co.uk/

(Which you've probably come across before)

I don't know if a DIY recharge can realistically be done. @vulgalour is a resident hydragas expert who does a lot of DIY work where they can and may know. Likewise @sharley17194 too. 

[captain_70s]

To be fair, heavy steering and bouncy ride were complaints from the press when the car was released. I don't think the Allegro was ever known for having favourable handling dynamics.

Surprised about uncomfortable seats, but they could have burst straps/diaphragms. Not familiar with their internal construction.

[SiC]

Shoving some foam blocks under the diaphragm can firm a sagging bottom and stiffen things up. 

[Bear]

Back in the early 2000s I had £500 to spend on a 'nostalgic classic car'. So my gf and I went to Edinburgh and tried two cars:

A Chevette hatchback (I'd only had saloons)

An Allegro 1300 (I'd had a 1500 but it broke the week before I got my provisional licence)

The Chevette felt absolutely shagged, basically like everyone said Chevettes were when I was driving a particularly good, well-sorted A-reg one so I didn't believe them. Gutless, coarse, and awful.

The Allegro, we already had a Metro ARX and Mini 1100 Special around this time, so the A-series was hardly unfamiliar. Maybe the tyres were higher pressure, it didn't feel heavy to drive - in fact, it rode well, stopped well, felt solid. It felt like driving a modern car, but a bit slow. Very, very boring.

We didn't buy either in the end. But I've never forgotten how completely not-very-special the Allegro felt against a backdrop of new 306, R6 Metro Rio, those sort of modernish things, and how utterly ancient the similarly-aged, similarly-beige Chevette felt.

[Matty]

Just now, SiC said:

Shoving some foam blocks under the diaphragm can firm a sagging bottom and stiffen things up. 

Basically the same approach Si is suggesting. These are the Midget 1500 seats i put in mine. The foams are knackered as were the diaphrams. New diaprhams from memory were abou5 £25 the pair delivered. The corrugated plastic sheet ive shoved inder was a bit of a bodge but its really shores both seats up until i get round to springing for new base foams.

[SiC]

@Andyrew shoved an old numberplate under one of the old VP seats. Worked quite well as the plastic still have a certain amount of springiness.

[Matty]

Just now, Bear said:

Back in the early 2000s I had £500 to spend on a 'nostalgic classic car'. So my gf and I went to Edinburgh and tried two cars:

A Chevette hatchback (I'd only had saloons)

An Allegro 1300 (I'd had a 1500 but it broke the week before I got my provisional licence)

The Chevette felt absolutely shagged, basically like everyone said Chevettes were when I was driving a particularly good, well-sorted A-reg one so I didn't believe them. Gutless, coarse, and awful.

The Allegro, we already had a Metro ARX and Mini 1100 Special around this time, so the A-series was hardly unfamiliar. Maybe the tyres were higher pressure, it didn't feel heavy to drive - in fact, it rode well, stopped well, felt solid. It felt like driving a modern car, but a bit slow. Very, very boring.

We didn't buy either in the end. But I've never forgotten how completely not-very-special the Allegro felt against a backdrop of new 306, R6 Metro Rio, those sort of modernish things, and how utterly ancient the similarly-aged, similarly-beige Chevette felt.

Possibly sacrilege on these pages but properly old porridge is soggy and slow. My A40 was near stock when I got it. I think they are pretty little things and it drove with all the charm you'd expect from something of its era. Slow, handles like a galleon and no brakes. Now it has modified suspension front and rear, discs on the front and a 1310cc a series its quick, corners flat and stops quick. It's now massive fun. But obviously money has gone into that. A standard Allegro is never going to set anybodies hair alight. It has to be taken for what it is.

[bangernomics]

A slight thread mashup but hmm

[SiC]

25 minutes ago, Matty said:

Possibly sacrilege on these pages but properly old porridge is soggy and slow. My A40 was near stock when I got it. I think they are pretty little things and it drove with all the charm you'd expect from something of its era. Slow, handles like a galleon and no brakes. Now it has modified suspension front and rear, discs on the front and a 1310cc a series its quick, corners flat and stops quick. It's now massive fun. But obviously money has gone into that. A standard Allegro is never going to set anybodies hair alight. It has to be taken for what it is.

This is why I love 1100/1300. Out of the box they handle pretty damn well and good fun to drive. 

Yeah a bit floaty because of the hydrolastic suspension but that makes them so supple compared to moderns over bumps. Like a 2CV you can corner far harder than what feels natural. With a direct drive  rack and pinion with no UJs will always make a good steer. Then A-Series is a tough lump that's a piece of cake to work on - especially compared to a Mini where the 1100/1300 looks lost under the bonnet.

[Matty]

Just now, SiC said:

This is why I love 1100/1300. Out of the box they handle pretty damn well and good fun to drive. 

Yeah a bit floaty because of the hydrolastic suspension but that makes them so supple compared to moderns over bumps. Like a 2CV you can corner far harder than what feels natural. With a direct drive  rack and pinion with no UJs will always make a good steer. Then A-Series is a tough lump that's a piece of cake to work on - especially compared to a Mini where the 1100/1300 looks lost under the bonnet.

A decent 1300 2 door i could drop a decent a series into would be hard to turn down!

[sharley17194]

6 hours ago, SiC said:

Usually the go-to place is these guys:

https://hahsltd.co.uk/

(Which you've probably come across before)

I don't know if a DIY recharge can realistically be done. @vulgalour is a resident hydragas expert who does a lot of DIY work where they can and may know. Likewise @sharley17194 too. 

Sadly not, trying your self would be fairly challenging due to needing nitrogen etc. I’d leave to the hydro gas guys!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Funnily enough I had the same experience when I bought my VdP1500. I found it quite... ordinary. All I remember now is that the ride was good, the performance was bad and the boot was shit. I remember thinking it was like a less fun Mini. 

[Bear]

2 hours ago, Matty said:

Possibly sacrilege on these pages but properly old porridge is soggy and slow. My A40 was near stock when I got it. I think they are pretty little things and it drove with all the charm you'd expect from something of its era. Slow, handles like a galleon and no brakes. Now it has modified suspension front and rear, discs on the front and a 1310cc a series its quick, corners flat and stops quick. It's now massive fun. But obviously money has gone into that. A standard Allegro is never going to set anybodies hair alight. It has to be taken for what it is.

You misinterpret slightly. I expect a different driving experience, including slow.

The Allegro was too refined, felt too close to say, a later '80s car in some regards. That's why I didn't want it. Not because it was slow - I used to drive a 1200cc Beetle and a Citroen Dyane to college (and had an Austin 1100 project early on). Gawky styling  and strike blight aside the Allegeo was a good car -  a Maestro Clubman or miniMetro feels less good, IMO.

[vulgalour]

On 09/08/2025 at 10:38, SiC said:

Usually the go-to place is these guys:

https://hahsltd.co.uk/

(Which you've probably come across before)

I don't know if a DIY recharge can realistically be done. @vulgalour is a resident hydragas expert who does a lot of DIY work where they can and may know. Likewise @sharley17194 too. 

Essentially you're replacing the old closing rivet with a schrader valve.  The challenge is getting a really good gas-tight weld on the valve when you put it in, I'm not confident I could achieve that DIY style.  Then you just have to find out the relevant pressure for the nitrogen (I can't remember what that is off hand) and pump up accordingly.  If you've the budget for it, get it done via the link @SiC posted, they've got a pretty solid reputation for good work.