1970 Austin 3 litre Estate
Discussion
Today was a sad day for me and good in other ways. An old Aunt of mine who I have not seen for many years recently passed away. From what I remember she was a lovely old lady. Anyway I must stop boring you all, she left me an extremely beautiful Austin 3 litre (straight Six) Estate.
I did not known that an Estate version was manufacutured. Can anyone out there tell me who did the Estate and how many were made?
Its a real animal under sheeps clothing. It's got every thing - automatic transmission, power steering and self levelling suspension.
I just can't believe I managed to get my hands on it.
Its wonderful.
I have just took it out for a spin and it gets other motorists heads turning especially them 'King of the Road' German automobile drivers.
God I am so proud. Anybody else out there got one?
I did not known that an Estate version was manufacutured. Can anyone out there tell me who did the Estate and how many were made?
Its a real animal under sheeps clothing. It's got every thing - automatic transmission, power steering and self levelling suspension.
I just can't believe I managed to get my hands on it.
Its wonderful.
I have just took it out for a spin and it gets other motorists heads turning especially them 'King of the Road' German automobile drivers.
God I am so proud. Anybody else out there got one?
It's good to know that the days of the eccentric Aunt driving an enormous limousine-sized car as a runabout are perhaps not yet over.
It must be a rare beast indeed. It wasn't exactly a best seller. I think Austin only ever sold about 2. LOL. I can only ever recall seeing one on the road. It was always one of those cars in the I-Spy books you never got! I think they liked to include the rarer models like a TVR Grantura as well just to make sure you never got them all.
It must be a rare beast indeed. It wasn't exactly a best seller. I think Austin only ever sold about 2. LOL. I can only ever recall seeing one on the road. It was always one of those cars in the I-Spy books you never got! I think they liked to include the rarer models like a TVR Grantura as well just to make sure you never got them all.
Crayford Engineering was founded by David McMullan and Jeffrey Smith in the 1962, their first product being a £100 soft-top conversion for the car of the moment, the Mini.
Operating from a small workshop and showroom in Westerham, Kent, Crayford Engineering built an enviable reputation for the quality of their conversion work on a wide range of cars, from the legendary drop-top Cortina MkII to the lesser-known Mercedes-Benz S-class estate and VW Scirocco-based Tempest convertible. As the company grew, it established a subsidiary company, Crayford Auto Developments Ltd, in the 1970s to handle the conversion work. They worked closely with several BL dealerships – notably Mumfords and Spikins – to design and develop commissioned conversions on cars such as the Marina and Allegro. Crayford also worked in partnership with Devon-based Torcars, developing the well-known Princess estate conversion for production at Torcars' premises.
In the 1980s, Crayford started to diversify its operations, and consequently the focus moved away from conversion work. In 1980, it farmed out its neat but expensive Cortina MkV convertible to independent coachbuilders Carbodies. Carbodies' recently-appointed MD, Grant Lockhart, was keen to add some new strings to the company's bow, thus reducing their dependence on the FX4 taxicab, and the idea of attaching their name to a convertible (even a Cortina-based one) seemed attractive. However, despite Crayford's great experience and reputation as Britain's foremost converters, Carbodies were not impressed with the way the Cortina conversion had been implemented. There were no proper technical drawings for the job, no jigs to hold the body in shape while the roof was removed, and quality, fit and finish of the hood and the windscreen area were far below the standards that Carbodies were used to working to. In fact, far from marking a new beginning for Carbodies, the Cortina project would prove to be one the last before they decided to concentrate solely on the production of the FX4. Crayford, meanwhile, concentrated their efforts on the production and development of its Argocat all-terrain vehicle, and this still forms the core of the company's business today.
The Austin 3 litre estate was seen as a replacement for the discontinued Morris Oxford Traveller and Austin Cambridge Countryman, this behemoth offered seating for up to nine passengers, and a few examples still exist today.
The car's capacious interior also lent itself to use as a private ambulance Surprisingly, Crayford used the tailgate from the much narrower BMC 1100 estate model, yet managed to integrate it well, sitting inboard of the 3-litre's substantial rear wings. Customers could also order an "interior-only" conversion (as they could with Crayford's 1800 estate), leaving the saloon bodywork intact but gaining the advantage of the folding rear seats
From Crayfords own Brochure ..
Following the withdrawal of the BMC A60 series estate model, this new full length station wagon based on the very advanced Austin 3 litre chassis, and available with automatic transmission, power steering and self-levelling suspension, more than adequately fills the estate car gap.
The treatment is orthodox in general design, producing a profile very similar to the original A60 model, although, of course, much longer. The rear door is a one-piece steel pressing hanging from roof-mounted hinges and controlled by twin support arms. Seats fold forward in the orthodox manner but also lift out completely (as on Crayford's 1800 estate) giving a record floor area for any British estate car of this size.
The roof is fully insulated throughout and covered with a fabric PVC material to reduce noise level, and the rear floor is trimmed with either rubber or carpet to the customer's choice. The interior roof lining is competely rebuilt in high quality material and the inside of the vehicle is re-trimmed to an extremely high standard, producing a general appearance of a truly luxury station wagon. When the car is equipped with the children's bench seat at the rear (facing backwards) it is then capable of carrying a total of nine passengers.
It is believed that as the Austin 3 litre estate offers enormous load-carrying capacity plus certain technical features not available on any other British estate car (eg: self-levelling suspension with low platform height) its future is assured in the quality estate car market.
Can't find any reference to numbers built ... sorry ... probably less than 20 at a guess.
Operating from a small workshop and showroom in Westerham, Kent, Crayford Engineering built an enviable reputation for the quality of their conversion work on a wide range of cars, from the legendary drop-top Cortina MkII to the lesser-known Mercedes-Benz S-class estate and VW Scirocco-based Tempest convertible. As the company grew, it established a subsidiary company, Crayford Auto Developments Ltd, in the 1970s to handle the conversion work. They worked closely with several BL dealerships – notably Mumfords and Spikins – to design and develop commissioned conversions on cars such as the Marina and Allegro. Crayford also worked in partnership with Devon-based Torcars, developing the well-known Princess estate conversion for production at Torcars' premises.
In the 1980s, Crayford started to diversify its operations, and consequently the focus moved away from conversion work. In 1980, it farmed out its neat but expensive Cortina MkV convertible to independent coachbuilders Carbodies. Carbodies' recently-appointed MD, Grant Lockhart, was keen to add some new strings to the company's bow, thus reducing their dependence on the FX4 taxicab, and the idea of attaching their name to a convertible (even a Cortina-based one) seemed attractive. However, despite Crayford's great experience and reputation as Britain's foremost converters, Carbodies were not impressed with the way the Cortina conversion had been implemented. There were no proper technical drawings for the job, no jigs to hold the body in shape while the roof was removed, and quality, fit and finish of the hood and the windscreen area were far below the standards that Carbodies were used to working to. In fact, far from marking a new beginning for Carbodies, the Cortina project would prove to be one the last before they decided to concentrate solely on the production of the FX4. Crayford, meanwhile, concentrated their efforts on the production and development of its Argocat all-terrain vehicle, and this still forms the core of the company's business today.
The Austin 3 litre estate was seen as a replacement for the discontinued Morris Oxford Traveller and Austin Cambridge Countryman, this behemoth offered seating for up to nine passengers, and a few examples still exist today.
The car's capacious interior also lent itself to use as a private ambulance Surprisingly, Crayford used the tailgate from the much narrower BMC 1100 estate model, yet managed to integrate it well, sitting inboard of the 3-litre's substantial rear wings. Customers could also order an "interior-only" conversion (as they could with Crayford's 1800 estate), leaving the saloon bodywork intact but gaining the advantage of the folding rear seats
From Crayfords own Brochure ..
Following the withdrawal of the BMC A60 series estate model, this new full length station wagon based on the very advanced Austin 3 litre chassis, and available with automatic transmission, power steering and self-levelling suspension, more than adequately fills the estate car gap.
The treatment is orthodox in general design, producing a profile very similar to the original A60 model, although, of course, much longer. The rear door is a one-piece steel pressing hanging from roof-mounted hinges and controlled by twin support arms. Seats fold forward in the orthodox manner but also lift out completely (as on Crayford's 1800 estate) giving a record floor area for any British estate car of this size.
The roof is fully insulated throughout and covered with a fabric PVC material to reduce noise level, and the rear floor is trimmed with either rubber or carpet to the customer's choice. The interior roof lining is competely rebuilt in high quality material and the inside of the vehicle is re-trimmed to an extremely high standard, producing a general appearance of a truly luxury station wagon. When the car is equipped with the children's bench seat at the rear (facing backwards) it is then capable of carrying a total of nine passengers.
It is believed that as the Austin 3 litre estate offers enormous load-carrying capacity plus certain technical features not available on any other British estate car (eg: self-levelling suspension with low platform height) its future is assured in the quality estate car market.
Can't find any reference to numbers built ... sorry ... probably less than 20 at a guess.
The standard 3-litre's (aka 'Landlobster') rare enough (only made 10,000), so this is really worth taking good care of.
If you fancy uprating it, the engines the same one as the MG C and vaguely related to the engine from the Austin Atlantic and Austin-Healey 3000, cars with no end of tuning options.
Watch the understeer though!
If you fancy uprating it, the engines the same one as the MG C and vaguely related to the engine from the Austin Atlantic and Austin-Healey 3000, cars with no end of tuning options.
Watch the understeer though!
I have this rather bizaare yearning for an Austin 1800 landcrab with a turbo 16 valve 'O' series from a Rover 820 Vitesse and some nice mini-lite alloys.
www.landcrab.net
>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Monday 9th May 19:43
www.landcrab.net
>> Edited by Balmoral Green on Monday 9th May 19:43
Anybody out there got any idea's on getting more power out of the old Austin 3 Litre Estate and improving the road holding. I got beaten from the lights the other day by a bronze coloured 'King of the Road' BMW driver and I won't to get my own back.
Thought I would also tell you that my old Aunt's funeral went well after an initial hiccup. The old Austin's boot opened on the day so instead of a burial we went to the Crem. I felt terrible. I have now fixed the catch, it won't happen again. I was wondering whether this was a common fault with the Estate version. Are there any old engineers out there who did the conversion on this beauty of a car.
Thought I would also tell you that my old Aunt's funeral went well after an initial hiccup. The old Austin's boot opened on the day so instead of a burial we went to the Crem. I felt terrible. I have now fixed the catch, it won't happen again. I was wondering whether this was a common fault with the Estate version. Are there any old engineers out there who did the conversion on this beauty of a car.
Good Lord !
Reading your posts about the 3L brought the memories flooding back: - what a truly majestic machine these old ladies were. The tales of my '73 model "Bessie", started with an MGC funnily enough - a truly awful car ! After spending a fortune in modifications to make it go better and handle better, I finally wrote it off in a not surprising moment of terminal understeer. I'm sure anyone whose driven one of these beasts will testify - the handling really was dreadful !
The "C" was replaced by Bessie, and of course the engine mods were a direct swap, which certainly made her shift ! I also managed to obtain some wonerful Armstrongs dampers (another great British Engineering institution that has been destroyed by the American dabbling) which tranformed the wallowy ride. After many miles of spirited driving, the bottom end let go - a now well known achilles heel of this engine; the inevitable swap was duly funded - a pristine Healey 3000 engine !!! For those that don't know, this has a 5 main bearing crank instead of the 3 in the "C" engine.
I eventually sold Bessie to an old lady in Devon, and heard no more about her. Wonder if she's still on the road today....!
Reading your posts about the 3L brought the memories flooding back: - what a truly majestic machine these old ladies were. The tales of my '73 model "Bessie", started with an MGC funnily enough - a truly awful car ! After spending a fortune in modifications to make it go better and handle better, I finally wrote it off in a not surprising moment of terminal understeer. I'm sure anyone whose driven one of these beasts will testify - the handling really was dreadful !
The "C" was replaced by Bessie, and of course the engine mods were a direct swap, which certainly made her shift ! I also managed to obtain some wonerful Armstrongs dampers (another great British Engineering institution that has been destroyed by the American dabbling) which tranformed the wallowy ride. After many miles of spirited driving, the bottom end let go - a now well known achilles heel of this engine; the inevitable swap was duly funded - a pristine Healey 3000 engine !!! For those that don't know, this has a 5 main bearing crank instead of the 3 in the "C" engine.
I eventually sold Bessie to an old lady in Devon, and heard no more about her. Wonder if she's still on the road today....!
More on the www.austin-rover.co.uk/ site.
Can't seem to link directly, but scroll down to Austin 3 litre and gives you the development story and the story of the Crayford Conversion.
Can't seem to link directly, but scroll down to Austin 3 litre and gives you the development story and the story of the Crayford Conversion.
MR2Mike said:
I have this rather bizaare yearning for an Austin 1800 landcrab with a turbo 16 valve 'O' series from a Rover 820 Vitesse and some nice mini-lite alloys.
That would be the T series in the 820 Vitesse I think. The Maestro and Montego used the O series IIRC.
IR something similar, probably is C
O-series was also in the 1.7 Marina/Ital, nasty gutless thing, really greedy for choke on cold starts due to being set weak in an unconvincing attempt at economy. Needed to be thrashed to make it move, I recall. I have noticed that the old Austin does lack a little quickness from stand still. You have to treat it like an old steam train with plenty of respect. Might start reducing the weight a bit by putting some of the seats, carpets etc and throw them in the garage. I could even put some shiney light weight alloys and low profiles and drop the suspension if possible. I do like them little factory fit spoilers you get on some of the modern estates. Since I got this car for nothing and going to go completely mad on it. It is probably worth nothing. I was thinking about getting my hands on a 427 cubic inch yankie V8 and seeing if will fit, anyone got one? What do you guys think?
Now that sounds like the perfect sort of thing to ask over at www.ppcmag.co.uk/ Just the sort of thing those nutters would love to hear about and have loads of ideas for I'm sure.
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