Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Ellis · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 12:20 am Post subject: In praise of the BMC 1100/1300

I am old enough, sadly, to remember the Austin/ Morris 1100 being introduced in 1962/1963 and what a stir it caused.
This was the best selling car in the UK for many years even outselling the Consul/Ford Cortina.

[

]

[/

]

The above two photos are a Mark 1 Austin 1100 and a later Mark 2 1300GT taken at a recent show. The different variants were Austin, Morris, Wolseley, MG, Vanden Plas and the rarest of all, the Riley Kestrel.
The first Morris 1100 in my area was a green example MCC *** and the first Austin 1100 was owned by a local printer - a beige example ACA 383B.

I owned one myself in the early 1980s, an orange 1300 4 door GOB 113L from 1972 which I bought as a daily use car while my Triumph Stag was being restored. It was an excellent car apart from leaking water like a sieve when parked bonnet first uphill.
I also had the use of a 1971 K registered automatic Vanden Plas 1300 for a while in 1977 when my Ford Escort 1600 Sport was being examined by it's supplying dealer to find out why it was diluting it's oil with petrol.

I have written previously of having had the opportunity of being offered two very low mileage cars - an Austin 1300GT which belonged to my late uncle and a Vanden Plas 1300 being sold off by a local family after the passing of it's late owner.

The variant I would really like to own is the Riley Kestrel. The lady from whom I bought my Mark 1 Ford Escort van had a two tone brown and cream one at one time which she part exchanged against one of the last Mini Clubman automatic estates. It did not even reach the forecourt of the BL dealer, being snapped up by one of the mechanics employed there.
Another local lady owned a 1965 Wolseley 1100 in two tone grey and blue which she had bought new until, in her early seventies, she part exchanged it against a new MGBGT in 1977 and complained endlessly thereafter about it's heavy steering!

Another of my uncles from Caernarfon bought one of the very last new Wolseley 1300s in January 1970. A white example with a red interior which he cherished until he, in turn, bought an Austin Allegro 1300 in 1975. A retrograde move in my view.

A local BMC enthusiast owns a white 1972 Vanden Plas which he took in part exchange in the early 1980s when he was a part time motor dealer. He has promised me that he will allow me to take photos of it which I will show in a later topic.

The awful gearchange apart on all the models except the GTs I thought they were delightful cars and I would like to read your opinions on them in due course.

Ellis
_________________
Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

My second car was a 1300GT identical to the one in the photo. It had no vices and is one of the few cars that I've owned that I wouldn't mind having today. A few years after I sold it I wanted a Vanden Plas and one was for sale at a garage in Dorset. I drove to the garage and as I approach the car was being driven away by its new owner, I had missed it by seconds!

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4287 Location: South Cheshire

I had one in the 80's; a 4 door teal blue Mk2 Austin1300; OMA308L I still have the front number plate. Have fond memories of it.

I don't remember the gear change being poor? I did run it ragged Smile

and on a trip from Bristol to Chester a piston ended up on the wrong side of the block!! Shocked

I got hold of a good engine from a MOT failed Wolseley 1300 (twin carbs!), but was then offered a damaged stolen recovered 1600 Sunbeam GLS, really cheap so my focus changed and the poor old Austin never got fixed. It sat at my dads for a couple of years until he got sick of the sight of it and gave it to some gypsies. Whether it ever went back on the road I don't know, shame as it was a solid clean car and could have been sorted with a days effort Sad

I still have the grill from the Wolseley if anyone needs one

Dave

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22840 Location: UK

Some of my earliest car journeys were in the back of dad's MG1100, the grille of which is in my garage still.

In the mid-80s dad bought a rotten Austin or Morris 1100 to donate its engine to mum's tweaked '67 Mini estate. I suppose it was maybe 15 years old at the time, the footwells had all but disappeared.

He now runs a low mileage VdP that I found for him, it only has 18 or 19,000 miles on it from new. He had it re-sprayed this year and it looks a real bobby dazzler, the interior is like new. I'll post up some photos of it later.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

Kelsham · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 12:00 pm Post subject:

I owned one in the early 70s.

When I bought it I was aware of their reputation for rust round the rear subframe and inspected it carefully.

It had suffered rot and been professionally repaired with a new subframe, so I bought it.

A few months on I was driving happily along when I lost all forward gears.

Managed to tow it home, removed the engine and after dismantling found a gear had come loose in the gearbox/diff assembly. this acted like a starter bendix and moved out of engagement when trying to drive forward. Reverse still worked as it re engaged.

Sadly at this point I investigated more rust in the inner wings and found it was extensive. I began welding it up, oxy acetylene kit used.

After a while I found I was searching in vain for sound metal and scrapped the car.

A pity as it was a great car to drive, handling and economy were impressive.

Rgards Kels

clan chieftain · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell

The 1300GT was a great wee motor......especially in Black Tulip. Cool

_________________
The Clan Chieftain

Ellis · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 3:23 pm Post subject:

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4287 Location: South Cheshire

The Wolseley 1300 I broke had twin carbs, I presumed that was standard? didn't the higher compression A series engines have an extra cylinder head stud?

Dave

Ellis · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 4:15 pm Post subject:

clan chieftain · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell

I remember the wifes uncle having a Black Tulip 1300. Maybe it wasnt a GT .Its that long ago.
_________________
The Clan Chieftain

Ellis · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 7:03 pm Post subject:

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4287 Location: South Cheshire

Ellis · Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 7:14 pm Post subject:

MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2744 Location: South Cheshire

My Dad had two - an 1100 on a D-plate, and a flame red J-plate 1300. The J-plate was bought new and is still in the garage, one owner from new and quite a bit less than 40,000 miles on it. It's had several bits of bodywork done, though, due to the way these things rust.

Given the numbers they sold, it's quite amazing how few you see these days.

Rich5ltr · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 681 Location: Hampshire, UK

As a kid my Dad had a series of Fords, an Anglia followed by a couple of Cortinas. My uncle on the other hand had an old Pop which he replaced with an 1100. Personally I found Dad's Cortina far more comfortable to be in, better seats and generally seemed like a more substantial car all round. The 1100 seemed somwhat flimsy. Later a mate of mine had an 1300 but I still didn't take to them. He replaced that with a Cortina 1600 GT, much better Wink