Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Hi all,

While away, I spotted this unusually tidy-looking Austin Metro.

There can't be too many Metros left in this condition, especially un-sporty versions. I presume a few of the MG variants are being restored nowadays, especially the early Turbos, but are many base models, and obscurities such as the Metro Vanden Plas, being saved?

If I'm honest they don't do a great deal for me, although if I found an early MG in timewarp condition I'd be half tempted (if it was cheap enough). Mum owned an early Metro, fitted with a stage 2-tuned MG engine in it, which was lively if a little wallowy in the twisty bits.

Will many of the later Rover 100s, perhaps the cabriolet version, be saved for posterity?

They were once a common sight, so hopefully both basic and sporty variants will end up being preserved.

RJ
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Ellis · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 5:39 pm Post subject:

How's this for a rarity, one of the last 15 known examples of the Vanden Pas Metro which was for sale last weekend at the Classic Car Auction Carfest.

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and the genuine mileage from new :

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It's called a Vanden Plas 500 which I hadn't heard of before. Mind you, I don't believe very many Vanden Plas Metros were made. A young lady working at the (then) Midland Bank here in the village had a "Y" registered one in black[/img]

I didn't know that the manual Vanden Plas shared the same engine as the MG Metro. The automatic had a lower powered version.
I note that this example has early MG Metro alloy wheels. I think it would look better with original wheels with VDP wheel trims.
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1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
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mikeC · Posted: Tue Sep 01, 2015 8:42 pm Post subject:

Maybe there are only 15 Vanden Plas 500s (whatever they are) left; there must be many more Vanden Plas Metros around - there are at least three (of which only one is in 'enthusiast's' hands) locally within 5 miles, and this is hardly VP territory. I bet there must be a good few still in the hands of original owners in retirement areas like Devon...