Maestro perverts. I know you're on here...

[chaseracer]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

This, I think, is from the Low Countries. But one of our Number Plate Spods will tell you exactly where. (Apologies for Hugh Jarse) 

I'm going for Norway... 😉

[grogee]

21 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

I'm going for Norway... 😉

Netherlands? 

[Jenson Velcro]

11 minutes ago, grogee said:

Netherlands? 

Aren’t their plates yellow/orange or are there different ones for ‘historic’ vehicles

[grogee]

40 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

I'm going for Norway... 😉

@Jenson Velcro I think @chaseracer is right, Norway is letter-letter then 5 digits. 

[chaseracer]

34 minutes ago, grogee said:

Netherlands? 

NL identifier.

[Dyslexic Viking]

2 hours ago, grogee said:

This, I think, is from the Low Countries. But one of our Number Plate Spods will tell you exactly where. (Apologies for Hugh Jarse) 

This is Norwegian registered. It has the newer registration plates but the country mark on the left is missing which is strange. And it has the Norwegian N mark in the rear window. It is listed as a 2001 model which is strange and was imported here in 2021 so not sold new here. And it has a 1300 engine.

Is there a UK licence plate in the parcel shelf? is that where it came from?

And the RL plates is Stavanger plates.

[PhilA]

I almost bought a diesel maestro as my first car but was dissuaded by it "having a big engine and would be too fast".

 

.....

 

 

It was a Clubman in BRG with the red Clubman D script on the back. Ended up with a Fiat instead, which actually had better acceleration and top speed figures. Who'd have thought?

[Asimo]

3 hours ago, grogee said:

not sure where the 4-speed auto was sourced from

I believe it was a ZF

[Asimo]

41 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Is there a UK licence plate in the parcel shelf? is that where it came from?

There is.  Car is a "Ledbury" Maestro.

The AB letters are a Worcester issued number, which would

be the local vehicle registration office for Ledbury.

 

[High Jetter]

I worked in the parts department of several AR branches of Caffyns. IIRC I went to launch parties for both Maestro and Montego, for one of them I was given a demo Acclaim to drive to it. I had a Maestro (petrol) van for a good few years which performed well, though it was slowly melting away. I liked driving them, would definitely have one if chance came up and space allowed.

[ProgRocker]

My late parents loved their early MG 1600. Huge fans of the Maestro. Had it for 5 years. I was 16 years old when they traded it in for a big Vauxhall. Had they kept it for an extra year of 2 I could have learned to drive in it.

My sister's second car was a Maestro 1.6 Mayfair. Semi-luxurious! 

[grogee]

5 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

This is Norwegian registered. It has the newer registration plates but the country mark on the left is missing which is strange. And it has the Norwegian N mark in the rear window. It is listed as a 2001 model which is strange and was imported here in 2021 so not sold new here. And it has a 1300 engine.

Is there a UK licence plate in the parcel shelf? is that where it came from?

And the RL plates is Stavanger plates.

Could be a Bulgarian car with older badging: 

(edit - just seen @Asimo's post) 

[MiniMinorMk3]

This sold at Bonhams Beaulieu sale yesterday for £7,475 including premium

Bonhams : 1985 Austin Maestro 700 City Van Chassis no. SAXXCHGD1AM281900 Engine no. 12HB12AA0101029

[motorpunk]

The first Maestro. Unsullied. I love the wonky lines.

[grogee]

24 minutes ago, motorpunk said:

The first Maestro. Unsullied. I love the wonky lines.

I got some shots of that too. I would love to know the thought process of making a bASe version as Job#1 - Shirley build a high spec one first and check the factory can cope with all the extra bits and bobs? 

[High Jetter]

I'd have though KISS applies, if they can't even get a basic one right...

[somewhatfoolish]

12 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

I'd have though KISS applies, if they can't even get a basic one right...

Keep it simple for the Bobs.

[beko1987]

On 9/1/2023 at 11:01 PM, brownnova said:

There’s a lad by me who is Maestro obsessed! He has had a fair few Maestros and Montegos including dark blue one off @cms206 and a green one off someone else on here.

He’s also the owner of this monstrosity which I posted on news24… 

 

Im a definite Maestro fan. One day I’ll own one. 

That blue montego was class! Quick too, on the way back from scoto-shitefest Andy peeled away from the bus convoy to open the yard. I was in the wrong lane at the time and ended up in l3 and just followed him! 80+ solidly held by my speedo at the time behind it, and it looked bloody nice on the road too! 

A fond memory indeed! Probably never actually own one though sadly, all way out of my spannering league now. Used to see tatty maestro's everywhere in Peterborough as a kid though, a few of the mums my mum knew had one too! 

[adw1977]

On 9/2/2023 at 10:41 AM, grogee said:

I know 2 Litre auto was available on Montego but I'm not sure if it was offered with injection and auto. 

There was a Vanden Plas EFi Montego but I'm not sure if it was Spanish waiter only. 

I'm also not sure where the 4-speed auto was sourced from, I can't imagine it was a BLARG effort? Maybe Honda like the EFi manuel? 

It was possible to have a 2.0 injection auto Montego in Mayfair or VdP trim.

(Oct 1987 brochure)

[High Jetter]

They were very proud of the PS (DIN) figures, though nobody knew what it meant.

[PhilA]

15 hours ago, motorpunk said:

The first Maestro. Unsullied. I love the wonky lines.

It's like the first pancake out of the pan. 

First one here gets given to the dogs usually. The subsequent ones tend to come out better as the pan warms up and you remember how to actually make them.

Phil

[holbeck]

16 hours ago, grogee said:

I got some shots of that too. I would love to know the thought process of making a bASe version as Job#1 - Shirley build a high spec one first and check the factory can cope with all the extra bits and bobs? 

Err. because Job 1  (Or SOP as Rover called it) is the start of mass production build.

They will have already done methods builds of all the launch variants prior to prove that they can build / achieve quality /  assembly fault snagging.

[grogee]

7 minutes ago, holbeck said:

Err. because Job 1  (Or SOP as Rover called it) is the start of mass production build.

They will have already done methods builds of all the launch variants prior to prove that they can build / achieve quality /  iron out assembly fault snagging.

I'm fully aware of that thanks. 

I'm now thinking it was because they knew it was destined for the museum and therefore didn't want to give away a load of features for no sale £. 

Back in the mid 80s, was there a BMC/BL museum as such? I thought Gaydon BMM was built early 90s, could be wrong though. 

I used to have lots of meetings in the museum, and had my JLR interview there in 2010.

[motorpunk]

By the way, fellow Maestro pervs, you know that we can see your likes on here, right? The whole world will know your dirty BL shame. 

And mine. 

[mk2_craig]

These things had a remarkable production run considering they were widely viewed as dated when launched, I know they were hardly market leading in terms of sales volumes after about the first couple of years but the fact that they were being built for almost two decades in one form or another is quite impressive/perplexing. 
 

I don’t think I’ve ever driven a Maestro, but my dad still had a 2.0 carb Montego 7 seater in the mid nineties which I drove a few times and was surprisingly nippy (unladen at least).

[cms206]

I had a Maestro 1.6L before a couple of dalliances with Montegos in 1.6LX and 2.0EFi flavour.

I absolutely fucking detested the Maestro. The VW gearbox was arguably the worst part, but the rest of it wasn't much better.

 

The Montegos for being so similar were so much better it was unbelievable.

 

[andy18s]

Does anyone have pics of the 3dr that was briefly considered as the basis of the Group B contender?

[Andy F]

I learnt to drive in a Montego estate and would definitely have another.  For a while we had the whole BL line up, my mum had a few metros, Dad had 3 montegos over the years and one grandfather had a Maestro and the other a Montego (before he bought a Lada Samara)

I've had wine and now I'm searching Montegos for sale. Thanks.

[Markeh]

My mum had a Maestro for a bit in the late 90s/early 00s. I remember heading to Nottingham to fetch it - looking back given the timeline its entirely possible it was a cheap part-ex wherever dad worked at the time (either Renault or more than likely Ford). It was beige or grey, and I can't remember the spec or the full reg to save my life (it was F974 or F794 JT* - I've tried a few combos of local regs on carbaba and no joy - I don't think it was a particularly high spec). Around 2001 my dad started getting cars through work so we got rid and mum had his P11 Primera. I vaguely remember it selling to someone in the village.

Only other thing I can remember was I think she traded in her Polonez against it (itself a replacement for a smashed up Samara - yes my mother was a shiter without knowing it!)

[motorpunk]

US Maestro Turbo brochure. This is like an oily, BL-themed version of hedge p*rn.