1985 Austin Metro 1275 Auto
Discussion
Also, I went to my Nans for dinner this evening. My Grandad passed away about three months ago and she’s been going through his things and offering various bits to family members that she thinks might like them. She went off to my Grandads wardrobe and came back with his favourite jacket.
My Grandad worked as a mechanic for an Austin and later Rover main dealer from around the late 70’s to when he retired in the late 90’s. This jacket was given to him by the director of the company when they changed over to Rover and he kept it all that time. It’s in amazing condition, same as anything else my Grandad owned, and it fits me really well! I was really chuffed when my Nan offered it to me and although it says Rover I think it will be a nice thing to wear at car shows when I take the Metro.
It’s weird to think that my Grandad would’ve been carrying out PDIs on these little Metros when they were brand new!
My Grandad worked as a mechanic for an Austin and later Rover main dealer from around the late 70’s to when he retired in the late 90’s. This jacket was given to him by the director of the company when they changed over to Rover and he kept it all that time. It’s in amazing condition, same as anything else my Grandad owned, and it fits me really well! I was really chuffed when my Nan offered it to me and although it says Rover I think it will be a nice thing to wear at car shows when I take the Metro.
It’s weird to think that my Grandad would’ve been carrying out PDIs on these little Metros when they were brand new!
Touring442 said:
The seats are from a much later Rover 100/Metro.
There were quite a few Metros imported from Europe and converted to RHD in the eighties so an odd spec might be down to that.
The wheels might be 100+ Minilite copies.
In 1983 my mother gifted me her Triumph Spitfire as a 21st birthday present and bought herself a new Austin Metro. To save a few bob she bought her Metro from a company which sourced new LHD cars in Belgium, shipped them to the UK and converted them to RHD for UK sale. After all that messing around those cars undercut the new home market cars by about 25%. I remember my mother's Metro cost GBP2880. This nonsense was a thriving industry at the time.There were quite a few Metros imported from Europe and converted to RHD in the eighties so an odd spec might be down to that.
The wheels might be 100+ Minilite copies.
OLDBENZ said:
In 1983 my mother gifted me her Triumph Spitfire as a 21st birthday present and bought herself a new Austin Metro. To save a few bob she bought her Metro from a company which sourced new LHD cars in Belgium, shipped them to the UK and converted them to RHD for UK sale. After all that messing around those cars undercut the new home market cars by about 25%. I remember my mother's Metro cost GBP2880. This nonsense was a thriving industry at the time.
Once I've got it I'll have to see if there are any tell tale signs of it starting life as LHD.itcaptainslow said:
I had a 1983 one up until a few months ago, it was a charming, quirky little thing.
The gearbox performance is noticeably improved if the carb & idle speeds are all set up right-get the fuelling and ignition timing cock on (I went for a couple of degrees more advance than book to take advantage of the 99 octane I ran it on) and they trundle along quite merrily.
Be aware the auto takes a different oil filter to the regular A-Series and you’d be well advised to halve the book intervals-20w50 Millers Mini Oil is the way to go with them. Don’t stick 10w40 in-it’ll piss out from every seal on the engine and affect the gearbox change/performance.
WARNING. The oil is critical for smooth changes and long life of the auto box.The gearbox performance is noticeably improved if the carb & idle speeds are all set up right-get the fuelling and ignition timing cock on (I went for a couple of degrees more advance than book to take advantage of the 99 octane I ran it on) and they trundle along quite merrily.
Be aware the auto takes a different oil filter to the regular A-Series and you’d be well advised to halve the book intervals-20w50 Millers Mini Oil is the way to go with them. Don’t stick 10w40 in-it’ll piss out from every seal on the engine and affect the gearbox change/performance.
Use this (or equivalent) as it has the correct properties for the internal wet clutch plates:
https://www.westwayoils.co.uk/products/10w40-semi-...
When I read up on the A series auto box, I changed our VDPs oil and filter, and the result was quite remarkable. There is a guide on Mini gearbox oil requirements somewhere on the net which was really interesting. I'll try and find it later...
ETA Pic and .Oh, and check what wheel and tyre size you have as metric tyres NLA so you may need to go 12" or minilites.
Edited by Scotty2 on Saturday 22 October 11:15
Scotty2 said:
itcaptainslow said:
I had a 1983 one up until a few months ago, it was a charming, quirky little thing.
The gearbox performance is noticeably improved if the carb & idle speeds are all set up right-get the fuelling and ignition timing cock on (I went for a couple of degrees more advance than book to take advantage of the 99 octane I ran it on) and they trundle along quite merrily.
Be aware the auto takes a different oil filter to the regular A-Series and you’d be well advised to halve the book intervals-20w50 Millers Mini Oil is the way to go with them. Don’t stick 10w40 in-it’ll piss out from every seal on the engine and affect the gearbox change/performance.
WARNING. The oil is critical for smooth changes and long life of the auto box.The gearbox performance is noticeably improved if the carb & idle speeds are all set up right-get the fuelling and ignition timing cock on (I went for a couple of degrees more advance than book to take advantage of the 99 octane I ran it on) and they trundle along quite merrily.
Be aware the auto takes a different oil filter to the regular A-Series and you’d be well advised to halve the book intervals-20w50 Millers Mini Oil is the way to go with them. Don’t stick 10w40 in-it’ll piss out from every seal on the engine and affect the gearbox change/performance.
Use this (or equivalent) as it has the correct properties for the internal wet clutch plates:
https://www.westwayoils.co.uk/products/10w40-semi-...
When I read up on the A series auto box, I changed our VDPs oil and filter, and the result was quite remarkable. There is a guide on Mini gearbox oil requirements somewhere on the net which was really interesting. I'll try and find it later...
The 20-50 is a good call for manual minis, but for autos, it needs the stuff for the wet clutch plates a la motorbike clutches. I have been looking for the guide but still not found it.
ETA Found it:
https://www.widman.biz/mini_pics/classic-mini-oil....
ETA Found it:
https://www.widman.biz/mini_pics/classic-mini-oil....
Edited by Scotty2 on Saturday 22 October 11:30
Scotty2 said:
The 20-50 is a good call for manual minis, but for autos, it needs the stuff for the wet clutch plates a la motorbike clutches. I have been looking for the guide but still not found it.
Yes less/fewer anti-friction additives can be an advantage for wet clutch operation for obvious reasons i.e less is more 
Scotty2 said:
WARNING. The oil is critical for smooth changes and long life of the auto box.
Use this (or equivalent) as it has the correct properties for the internal wet clutch plates:
https://www.westwayoils.co.uk/products/10w40-semi-...
What he said. We have an Allegro series 3 estate with the 1275 and auto, sold as spares or repair with a gearbox clutch fault, slipping in 3rd when cold. I managed to nurse it home from London to Edinburgh, changed to 10W-40 4T oil, and it was like a new car.Use this (or equivalent) as it has the correct properties for the internal wet clutch plates:
https://www.westwayoils.co.uk/products/10w40-semi-...
However, it is not a fast car. Progress is best described as 'dignified'. The Metro might be faster with a smaller bodyshell. It's a fun steer though. The gearbox tends to want to be in top gear by 22mph, unless you wring it's neck and hold the revs. I think from memory the AP box was only rated for 85bhp, so careful tuning is possible - no twin cam crossflow 100bhp conversions...
OLDBENZ said:
In 1983 my mother gifted me her Triumph Spitfire as a 21st birthday present and bought herself a new Austin Metro. To save a few bob she bought her Metro from a company which sourced new LHD cars in Belgium, shipped them to the UK and converted them to RHD for UK sale. After all that messing around those cars undercut the new home market cars by about 25%. I remember my mother's Metro cost GBP2880. This nonsense was a thriving industry at the time.
They were based in or near Reading. They did mostly Minis, Metros, Maestros and Acclaims plus Rover 213's etc later on.The company that my mother bought her car from was based in Enfield and was not the only company in on the act. I remember going to pick it up with my father - modest industrial unit with a dozen or so cars being converted when we were there. I think they did a good job with factory parts and dealt with the cosmetics as well as the greasy bits so new front shelf the dash sat on, MPH speedo, even changing over the front carpet so the heel mat was on the correct side. I do not recall it ever gave any problems. I guess my mother had it for five or six years.
Edited by OLDBENZ on Saturday 22 October 14:15
Scotty2 said:
The 20-50 is a good call for manual minis, but for autos, it needs the stuff for the wet clutch plates a la motorbike clutches. I have been looking for the guide but still not found it.
ETA Found it:
https://www.widman.biz/mini_pics/classic-mini-oil....
Cripes, I’ll sit down and read later when I’ve more spare time! Thanks for the link.ETA Found it:
https://www.widman.biz/mini_pics/classic-mini-oil....
Edited by Scotty2 on Saturday 22 October 11:30
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