Another ID...

[defblade]

After the last success, can you guys try this one? Thought it was a Maxi at first glance, but it's not got enough side windows, and if the 1963 on the photo is right, it's here 6 years early C-pillar is too thick for a Mini, and now I'm stumped.

[Ben Magoo]

Austin 1100/1300

[Trevithick]

Ben Magoo said:

Austin 1100/1300

Yep
T

[defblade]

God, I'm thick tonight. REALLY should have known that seeing as it's the only car my Grandad ever had (still with the factory plastic covers over the vinyl seats - it used to burn my legs something rotten in the summer when I were a lad in shorts).

Thanks again

[52classic]

That 1300 could be an MG judging by the bonnet line and a 2 door based on the position of the door handles!

That would move the dateline to 1970ish so the Arrow Minx/Hunter is more reasonable too.

Must admit that my first guess at that one was a 4 door Marina!

[Lord Flathead]

defblade said:

God, I'm thick tonight. REALLY should have known that seeing as it's the only car my Grandad ever had (still with the factory plastic covers over the vinyl seats - it used to burn my legs something rotten in the summer when I were a lad in shorts).

Thanks again

This was my very first road car. My grandad left it to me in his will. It was a 1972 Austin 1300 'Countryman'. In Teal blue it was like new complete with vinyl seats, hydralastic suspension, crossply tyres and plastic stick on wood effect/effort dash. He loved that car. What I did to it he would never have approved off

• Exhaust system removed and fitted with Cooper LCB, one box and then the obligatory cherry bomb on the back but it was a rare inline model so I could keep a normal looking end pipe... that pointed down.

• As the exhaust manifold had changed we had to swap over inlet too, so the single SU was trashed and exchanged for a pair of inch and a quarter SU's which came off a Midget 1300.

• The orrid 2 clock dash was rebuilt with a matt black vinyl covering, and another 6 clocks were added

• Brakes were basterdized from the MG as were the wheels but the offset was rather Carlos

• No laughing at the back now... I bought (cough) a Harry Moss centre console as Grandad only had a medium wave radio to listen too (and the whiny gearbox in first). Earlier that year at the birmingham motor show, I bought a Clarion PE971 with free mighty amp - it had 23w pc then which was something in those days

First run out was exciting, the engine was much smoother and it revved quicker going through the gears. Brakes were good engine excellent and I had music but at the first bend I nearly died. Hyraspastic suspension as we called it then, was not very appropriate. Also we highlighted a bit of a design flaw as the exhast became detatched from the manifold due to the extra twisting power. On the Austin 1300GT there was a tie bar fitted between the cylinder head and the body, on mine there was nothing. This resulted in about four repairs until further modifications were required.

Later, the following mods were added:

• Carbs swapped with a single 45 DCOE and water cooled manifold
• Engine Tie bar added with brazed in plate to stop twisting motion.
• 13 bolt head lifted from MG first, then complete block with faster cam.
• Fitted Sparkright electronic ignition
• Fitted a Harry Moss alarm system 'with movement pendulum'
• In an effort to improve the handling, we let all the gas out of the suspension so it was resting on its bump stops bad call - had to have it filled up again the next week

The carb install wasn't so clever actually. Sadly the car suffered a nasty fire when, due to not having an air filter on the carb, it backfired through the carb. As I had to cut a hole though the bulkhead to get the carb on the car in the first place, it meant that the bell trumpets were actually in the car behind the dashboard.. a cold starting backfire resulted in a small fire raging behind the dashboard, which then melted the insulation off and induced an electrical fire Several days later the car was refettled with a new part loom, a shoter manifold and a slim pancake filter and the problems never returned. I bought my first fire extinguisher too

I used to use £10 a night in it in fuel.. unheard of in those days!

52classic said:

That 1300 could be an MG judging by the bonnet line and a 2 door based on the position of the door handles!

I had a rare 1100 one of those complete with 'windows loading bar speedo'

I just missed a nice GT going on ebay. Will see if I can find the pics.