My Austin 1100

[Anglevan]

I am very jealous of your tat sourcing ability. I was only showing my wife the MG Midget you bought as she quite likes them then you post up a lovely 1100. My very first car was an Austin 1300 given to me when I was 15 from my cousin. As is usually the case it was beyond my abilities and the car was scrapped - I think it was NWT***K cant remember now. I do have a picture somewher. Anyways I still long for another to make up for the day I scrapped my old one. yours looks minty mint

[AnthonyG]

Lovely car there Torsten. There's something about the styling of these that is just so right.

 

I had an automatic 1100 about 10 years ago - Mini-like to drive with added bounce!

 

It was a early Mk11, G reg, but still had a 'Crinkly' Austin grille.

[HereHareHere]

My second car was a Van den Plas Princess, 1300 auto - £150 from a long defunct tat auction in Park Royal. BHM 108H. In my capacity as student, mod and twat I thought it looked great once I'd lashed a load of yellow-lensed spotlights to the grille.

 

The only way to get it shifting was to drive it like a semi-automatic, caning it through the 1-2-3 speeds. No doubt this explains why after a year of gradually declining oil pressure it died on the M4. I got the AA to Relay it to my parents' house, and a couple of days later some fuggers HIABed it (along with my horrible soiled duvet and other student accessories). I still miss it.

[Rusty Pelican]

Never had one and was kinda put off by horror stories of the bulkhead oxidizing away , I would though , lovely colour , really suits it

[garethj]

GR8 4 MIXIN XPLYS AN RADIALS

[keef]

Looks a very clean example you have there.

 

As others have said you done the right thing getting a MkI.

[Torsten2001]

Are you going to the Austin day at Brooklands?

[keef]

Are you going to the Austin day at Brooklands?

 

You asking me sir?

 

I shan't be there but know a few who will.

 

Pretty sure this one will be there :-

 

[Torsten2001]

That looks lovely!

[keef]

Belongs to a friend in Bexley.

 

I would think these two would be there :-

 

[HillmanImp]

These look so good. IIRC they were all scrapped because of the cost of maintaining the hydrolastic suspensions (or so my old man told me when I was a kid). I am sure a lot of minters were destroyed just due to the cost of maintenance? However that should hopefully mean the survivors were very well looked after.

 

I would like one when I am a bit older and refined.

[keef]

they were all scrapped because of the cost of maintaining the hydrolastic suspensions

 

The hydrolastic units need little or no maintenance it was the rot that killed most of them. Rust where the rear subframe mounts is a "favorite" one and mud flung up under the front wings rotted the trumpets and inner wings out. Front floors are another spot: leaking windscreen surrounds and/or heaters.

[keef]

Good chance these two will be there as well. :-

 

Probably the best examples around; absolutely immaculate!

 

[AnthonyG]

IIRC they were all scrapped because they all rotted enthusiatically in hard to repair places .

 

EFA!

 

Many died after 8 or 9 years due to rot in the rear subframes, and in the complicated front structure underneath the front wings and round the front bulkhead. Yet, from the outside to a non expert, a severly affected car wouldn't look that bad at all.

 

After Issigonis designed it, he was told by engineers from Pressed Steel (the body construction division of BMC who actually had to make the thing) that it had lots of rustraps and their solutions to them, but he thought they were just ignorant metal bashers and ignored their advice .

[Angrydicky]

Yep my dad's second car, an MG 1100, failed its MOT on rot in the front trumpets/bulkhead and was scrapped in the early 1980's.

 

I'll be at Brooklands in my black four door A35, and my dad will be bringing the beige Maestro, so come and say hello if you're going

[mnde]

Hey, I was going to ask if anyone was going to Brooklands Austin/Morris Day on Sunday! My friend Chris and I went one year in an Allegro: twas a great day - until the heavens opened and we had to dash for cover in the Austin

 

I'll be there with my BX on Sunday, and Chris will no doubt be bringing a Citroen of some variety too (BX or GS), as he currently lacks anything BL/BMC. See you there Dicky!

 

Mark.

[HillmanImp]

they were all scrapped because of the cost of maintaining the hydrolastic suspensions

 

The hydrolastic units need little or no maintenance it was the rot that killed most of them. Rust where the rear subframe mounts is a "favorite" one and mud flung up under the front wings rotted the trumpets and inner wings out. Front floors are another spot: leaking windscreen surrounds and/or heaters.

 

I stand corrected.

 

My mates mum used to have one which even in the 80's seemed ancient. I remember my mate was well embarresed about it as everyone elses parents had Metros or such. However his Mum would be looking pretty cool if she was still rolling around in that. I might contact him on Facebook and see if she still has it and if its still on the road. I used to still see it pootling about in the mod nineties.

[keef]

I stand corrected.

 

I think the problem is/was not many people understood the hydrolastics. Rear subframe (mentioned above) replacement would involve de-pressurizing the system and that "scared" a lot of people.

 

Certainly be interesting to hear if your mates Mum is still on the road.