As you say the '1100' was very popular in it's day. I will always remember our (then) Vicar bought an 1100. He was a Yorkshire man and he would tell the story that the car was red and only a couple of years old when he bought it. Being red though he though was not suitable for funerals so he had it re-sprayed in blue, you could still see traces of red inside I seem to recall.They had a 'slobbery' boxer dog which seemed to take up the whole of the back seat. They were very friendly though, that's the dog and the Vicar and his wife! They have both long since passed away. Thanks Rick a great collection of all the versions of the 1100. 👍👍
Love the ADO16. Had two, one being my first car. I liked the MG versions on the video with the shadow tone paint jobs. 😍 Thanks for featuring one of my favourite cars.
Thanks for sharing this. My first (legal) car was a VanDenPlas 1300 auto. You are perfectly correct regarding the carbs. The manual was fitted with twin HS2s (as was the MG) but the Auto had only one HS4 ! Bought back some memories did this. Thank you !
To Willie, etc. etc. Another example of cheating their customers! I had 2 Mini Estate cars and THEY were never modified, like the saloons, to incorporate REVERSING LIGHTS. Fancy not having TWIN carburettors on the Automatic!
The standard tune twin SU carb ones were pretty fast for their time. I remember trips down the M1 in a brand new MG 1300 around 1968/9. I was only a young kid, but it didn't seem like much was keeping up with it when my aunt gave it some revs.😁.
Absolutely, I remember my dentist drove a hotted up Vanden -Plas in a grey blue with mini lite wheels a twin 🎉exhaust and tinted windows. It sounded glorious and looked so cool in those days.
@TheClockwise770 That would have been a cool looking car. The ADO16 Vanden Plas was a much better style than the last Allegro based version. The Allegro based Vanden Plas wasn't a bad car to drive, but they often got nicknamed in the motor trade as a Vanden Piglet. Its big chrome "snout", small square headlamps. and its dumpy styling, always looked so wrong together.
0:26 sure this tangerine -orange - Austin 1.3 was the twin carbs version almost same set up as the mini cooper and with front wheel drive .lovely little car nice drive with hydro-elastic suspension then latter went to rubber dry cones
Interesting selection, in August 1967 I passed my test in a brand new Morris 1100 (NYD 958F), while I can appreciate the roomy practicality of those cars I never really 'warmed' to them. For a teenager at that time the products coming out of Dagenham were much more appealing.
@@oldclassiccarUK I never thought of the interiors as being 'austere' but I remember from conversations with those 'in the trade' the Austin was considered more desirable than the Morris, due to the interior, Your average Austin 1100 buyer could cruise along looking at the 'creeping serpent' speedo and pretend he was in a Rover 2000.........
I passed my test in 1969, driving a Dagenham produced car, an F reg Ford Escort mk1. It was a great car, in fact l later owned a mk1 Escort van which l loved, went like the wind after the VW beetle I'd owned previously.
Brilliant video on a Fine British car. Took my test in one 1973. Hill starts were a breeze, hold the handbrake, let clutch take hold and watch the bonnet lift up, away you go...and NO slip back! If only they had used good rust treatment for this car and the Marina, I would still be driving them! Thank you. Peace be unto you.
I grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, and my dad's first brand new car was a black manual Morris 1100. Dad and mum, myself, and my two younger brothers and younger sister would all pile in to the "Black Beauty" as we called her, and away we would go on weekend picnics in the summer, and family holidays on the school holidays. I remember dad even towed a collapsible camper trailer with the little car. Many fond memories indeed!
Very nice cars, loved all the chrome work, you just don't get that now, not many people seem to take care of their cars now, especially my wife! Her car looks like columbo owned it!
My Brother had a 1100 S, which in Australia actually had a 1275. Nice little car, but after a while we decided that it lacked enthusiasm. So, no worries, a reground Cooper S wild camshaft, twin Inch and a Half SU's (HS4's), which certainly convinced it to try much harder. Lots of fun. Long ago happy days.
Very interesting Rick. My sister and I had the same driving instructor, with a 1966 Black Austin 1100. Both passed our tests, 3 years apart in the same car. The gear lever was like a stick in custard though. I remember that instructor so well, he was brilliant and I still remember some of the 'hints' he taught me. Happy days, 51 years ago ! Take care 🙂
I was lucky enough to have taken all my lessons and test in the same Triumph Dolomite 1300; that's what BSM were running at the time, those and Minis. They all had Chelmsford registrations in those days, mine was JAR 289V. It was quite east to spot ex-BSM cars for years afterwards!
Great video.good to see these cars in the flesh..Dad had both the Morris 1100 after letting his wolsley 1500 go, followed by a Wolsley 1300 in 1969..Wish I had one of those now !
Good morning Rick. I think the rust problem may have been down to the too many strikes that were ongoing at the time. My brother-in-law was the driver for Klaxon and sometimes I rode with him during school holidays. On trips to Longbridge we would see ( if we got through the pickets) rows of untreated bodies standing outside in all weathers, presumably being taken out of the welding shops, waiting to go to the next stage. In those days it was not a continous line, indoors, as it is today. During the 80s I was living in Derby, and my friend Brian, myself and our girlfriends used to enjoy weekends camping. Brian and myself decided to buy a used 1100. On our first trip out to Skeggy, it was running real bad so we kept stopping, have a look and then carry on. It run OK for a few more miles, then trouble again. We changed th plugs ans leads, Brian blowed into the fuel tank, all to no avail. We were about half way there after 2 hours or so. We were in a layby, I had the bonnet open, the air cleaner off and trying to see if the carb was to blame. One of the girls brewed up so I stopped for a drink, throwing the air cleaner in the boot. I finished my drink, shut the bonnet, forgetting the air cleaner, and drove off. The engine was running perfect! We then got caught behind slow traffic and I was cursing, then started laughing because for the best part of 3 hours we had been the problem. Of course it was the air filter that was blocking the air flow.
Fond memories of going to a local breakers yard owned by a friends dad in the early 70s, loads of all things from the 50/60s, and dozens were ADO16 varieties. We were doing some electronics projects and needed lots of the little fruit gum shape coloured warning lamps and toggle switches. Also had great memories of going from Yorkshire, to Northamton with dad and his cousin, to visit another cousin in her brand new late 1968/9 MG 1300, and a Sunday roast waiting for us. She really made it shift down the M1 in those pre congestion days.
I must have been a very strange teenager in the early '70s as I thought my dad's Alaskan blue Austin 1300 looked much sportier than my best friend's father's brand new Escort Mexico! I still think these cars, especially in 1300GT or MG1300 guises are such pretty little things.
Wonderful collection of pictures - I love your relaxed commentary style. I learned to drive in a 1974 registered 1300, flame orange with a black vinyl roof - a great little car. In my aging memory, non-Austin or Morris versions were relatively rare to see back in the day, yet they are very well represented in your slideshow; I wonder if they are now more cherished as Classics than the A & M versions.
I think the posh Vanden Plas versions probably tended to live easier lives than perhaps the regular A & M variants, maybe bought by older retired owners who looked after them well and did minimal mileage? I'm not sure.
When I was an apprentice mechanic I used to cringe when these cars used to turn up for new sub-frames, but I have to say that when kept in good order these suspensions always felt like new.
, Back in 1969 I owned a 1967 Morris 1100 with a genuine Downton touring conversion,it went like stink and was as fast as a Mini Cooper, only problem was the overall low final drive ratio, which was quite low, a real wolf in sheep's clothing, wish I still had it! , Love your videos, keep up the good work, regards John.
A friend of mine Ralph overturned his MG version in 1975, and my grandfather owned a Morris version, in connaught green, it was immaculate. But underneath was rotten as hell. Rot around the subframe put so many of these cars off the road. These cars were like the Morris Minor they were everywhere. The VP and Estates would be my choice. Great video Richard thank you.
I remember these cars so well. It's such a same that cars of that era were not better protected against rust. I had a whole range of British and Japanese built cars in the 70s and 80s. All rusted away on me in short order, despite my efforts. I finally got hold of a 1981 Volvo 244 that lasted me until 2005.
I owned a beige ‘71 Austin 1300 Mk2 in 1973. In 1987 I bought a ‘69 Riley 1300 Mk2, with the high compression Mini Cooper type engine. Then in 1990 I bought a pristine Wolseley ‘73 1300 Mk 2, in dark blue with limeflower interior, that my then partner later wrote off, although it was later purchased by a member of the ADO16 Club and still survives.
Bought my first car in 1975 from Bucklow garage, nr. Knutsford, a 1965 Morris 1100 (KLG160C) in fiesta yellow for the grand sum of £160. Gave me 2 years trouble free motoring,before returning me £100 at the Altringham car auctions. Cheap motoring !
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Thanks again for this video,back in the day they got scrapped for silly stuff like rusty subframes and inner wing ‘trumpets’ ..piles on piles stacked in scrapyards some only needing a new SU electric fuel pump to get em going again
I love the ado16. I've had a few. I currently have a very in pieces 67 MG1100 sports sedan, and a primrose 68 Austin America automatic, which is a nice California rust free 40 something thousand mile car.
Great, we really liked the VDP that dad had a few years ago (in the thumbnail). I wonder if anyone built up an estate car version of the VDP, that'd really be something
Very nice 👍🏻 I have a Mk1 sedan (purchased new by my grandfather), a Mk2 ute (automatic, they only made 500 autos) and a 1966 rally car replica, I have my engine built and hope to put it in before Christmas. :)
I also have a heap of photos of the last London to Sydney rally car still in Australia and have interviewed a now retired BMC mechanic who worked on the London to Sydney Landcrabs once the rally was completed.
The grill of the M.G. seems to ‘fit’ the design of the car , best. All other grills just don’t look right on it. Cute car. I’d have a 2 tone M.G. badged variant. 🚗🙂
Although the overseas market Apache version made it to this vid, I was disappointed that the late production early seventies Australian Morris 1500 version did not. Perhaps peak ADO16 on paper with the E series OHC 1500 motor and five speed gearbox option. If you wanted an automatic gearbox you only had the A series 1275 cc motor that suited the gearbox. Same engine options with the Nomad station wagon / hatchback version that is now even rarer. Both had a bonnet power bulge to give clearance to the OHC E series 1500. In a away a seventies last ditch effort to get the most from the 1100 tooling that was popular in Australia on introduction in 1964 but sales dropped off as the maintenance and rust problems outweighed the interior space and ride quality pluses. An earlier Morris 1100 S version with the 1275 confused many. All the small BMC cars in Australia were badged Morris after about 1961 so an Austin badged small car will be a mystery to most Australians. The Morris Marina replaced it but even the standard E series 1500, 1750 and 2600 six did not recover the sales levels of 1964. Quite a few vids on UA-cam of these cars to search for. My brother tried to get me to buy an imported Van Den Plas 1100 he saw for sale in country Victoria. A rare import I expect.
This was based on cars seen here in the UK (as it says in the description), if I'd seen examples of overseas versions and photographed them then they too would have made it in. Thanks for the extra info.
Five years and they were rusting through . They drove so well with the hydrolastic suspension , it isn't surprising that Britain's most popular 60s vehicle has very few survivor's.
Thanks for this! Such beautiful cars, even today! And did I hear you say you've done a programme specially about BROWN cars? I look forward to seeing it - I LIKE brown!
Those cars were truly masterpieces, strong, economic, very dependable, all purpose vehicle. Sadly speaking, British made cars , these days, are not as good as they use to be. Thanks
I'm sure it has been mentioned, but the steel rostyle wheels on the MG 1300 are made by Authi in Spain and were fitted to the Austin Victoria in Spain, similar model to the SA Apache. I used to visit Spain for a few years in the late 70's and saw a number of these Victoria's over there and quite honestly the Michelotti design was an abomination of the 11/1300, it completely spoilt the Pininfarina design, the over hang on the boot was far too long and the front just looked awful, but, Triumph/BL were in love with Michelotti and that's what you got!! I wouldn't be surprised if that MG was a an MG 1275, that was fitted with the 12G engine, the 12H engine came out in 1968 with the larger crankshaft journals and were then call MG 1300.
To answer the query on the wheels of the MG 1100 Mk I (CSK333F) I restored that car and owned it at the time of the photo. As a result of my connections with South Africa I imported the Rostyle rims to fit on my 1100. The Rubery Owen plant in Port Elizabeth produced these rims for the Apache TC and 35 Special and these were similar but slightly different to the Rostyles used on Innocentis and Austin Victoria Deluxe models. These wheels were the correct off-set and size for the ADO16 so fitted easily. I removed the rims when I sold the car and kept them, putting the original non-vented Mk I rims and hub caps back on the car. I have a website dedicated to the Austin Apache as it was my first car in South Africa at the time.
Not having seen an 1100/1300 for many years I was pleasantly surprised in your video by the nice classic style they had, unlike some of the later Austin/Morris abominations. Am I correct in thinking the rear lamp clusters are the same as on the MGB? My dad had a fire-engine red MG1300 that was really quite quick. Our neighbour had one of the first 1100s and on a downhill, near 90 degree corner he demonstrated, at a seemingly impossible speed, how the FWD pulled the car through a corner. A truly scary experience for someone only used to RWD!!
There was certainly a similarity between the rear light clusters of the 1100/1300 and MGBs, and the Mk II's back lights definitely lingered on for many years on the rear of black cabs!
My sister here in Australia had a Morris Nomad which was 1500cc variant of the ADO16 produced in Australia. It was sort of a cross between a hatchback and a wagon.
I had a 1960 Riley 1.5 and noticed the first photo here of the Riley Kestrel front end looked quite similar to my old Riley. If they could fit a 1500 lump in there it's a pity they didn't offer that in UK. As it was, Riley fans had to go down in engine size if they traded in their 1.5 for a Kestrel.
Missing in the video are the AUSTIN VICTORIA & AUSTIN VICTORIA DE LUXE (based on the APACHE but much more stylish by Michelotti designer and mechanically improved, specially the DE LUXE version), the MG-S and the AUSTIN DE LUXE (the only ADO16 with a 998 engine and Mini Cooper 998 head). All these were not assembled but 100% built in Spain by AUTHI in the 70's. You can see an Austin Victoria Deluxe here ua-cam.com/video/-nOfd8-Qy2Y/v-deo.html.
@@oldclassiccarUK My father changed his cars quite regularly much to my mother's disapproval. He favoured a larger car like a Ford Zephyr or Zodiac, he had a lovely Austin 1800 'land crab' FFF 852 E, and a beautiful MG Magnette 9147 UN, the shortest time he ever had a car l think was about 2 weeks owning a Morris 1100.
My sister had a green Austin Apache in the late 70's in Durban and boy did they rust in that climate, then all cars rot in in that humid climate. My fondest memory of an 1100 was when I visited the UK in 1973. I was batting along at a bit of a rate on my Norton Commando. Looked in the mirror and I was being pursued by a Metro police 1100 panda car lights flashing merrily away. I stopped he got out foaming at the mouth, and asked me what speed I was doing. I said 40 to which he replied, "rubbish I was doing 70 and I could not catch you" how I got away with that one I will never know, perhaps it was my boyish charm. He did tell me I was a very silly young man on a big motor bike and to take it easy.
I think if I'd been a buyer in the 1960s/70s I'd have gone for either the 1300GT or the MG. Were there any major differences apart from the trim and bonnet design, or did it just depend on which marque you were loyal to? If you want to go down a research rabbit hole of everything to do with the ADO16, AROnline carries some very informative articles.
Some versions were definitely more sporty than others, the MG1100 had an improved cylinder head on it, and twin carbs for starters. The head from dad's old MG1100 (code 12g206 from memory) certainly made my A40 go better
I bought on of these 1980, got it on a Sunday and sold it Thursday, my wife burst out laughing when she first drove it and refused to get in it, even to this day she does not like these British cars but loves 60s English motorcycles.
I remember the angle of the steering wheel being a little bus-like, although I don't think that was unique to the 1100/1300. A Metro we had in the 1990s also featured that quirk
@@oldclassiccarUK No it has nothing to do with this, we are Aussie my wife learnt to drive with a 56 Ford Customline, her first car was a 63 Fairlane. These Little English cars were great but only good for shorter travel, this is a vast country so at least to me they were unsuitable. But the bigger cars like A95 were far better than our Holden, the series C engine was a good motor, my Dad had a Rover 100 to me it was weird look but is was a beautiful to drive, I was born in 51 and have been a car nut most of my life, worked on them so much my hands are worn out..
As you say the '1100' was very popular in it's day. I will always remember our (then) Vicar bought an 1100. He was a Yorkshire man and he would tell the story that the car was red and only a couple of years old when he bought it. Being red though he though was not suitable for funerals so he had it re-sprayed in blue, you could still see traces of red inside I seem to recall.They had a 'slobbery' boxer dog which seemed to take up the whole of the back seat. They were very friendly though, that's the dog and the Vicar and his wife! They have both long since passed away. Thanks Rick a great collection of all the versions of the 1100. 👍👍
Love the ADO16. Had two, one being my first car. I liked the MG versions on the video with the shadow tone paint jobs. 😍 Thanks for featuring one of my favourite cars.
Thanks for sharing this. My first (legal) car was a VanDenPlas 1300 auto. You are perfectly correct regarding the carbs. The manual was fitted with twin HS2s (as was the MG) but the Auto had only one HS4 ! Bought back some memories did this. Thank you !
Thanks for watching!
To Willie, etc. etc.
Another example of cheating their customers! I had 2 Mini Estate cars and THEY were never modified, like the saloons, to incorporate REVERSING LIGHTS. Fancy not having TWIN carburettors on the Automatic!
Maybe it's me, but there's something just quite right about the venerable ADO16. Especially one that's been "warmed up". Still a boy racer at 55... 😁👍
The standard tune twin SU carb ones were pretty fast for their time. I remember trips down the M1 in a brand new MG 1300 around 1968/9. I was only a young kid, but it didn't seem like much was keeping up with it when my aunt gave it some revs.😁.
Absolutely, I remember my dentist drove a hotted up Vanden -Plas in a grey blue with mini lite wheels a twin 🎉exhaust and tinted windows. It sounded glorious and looked so cool in those days.
@TheClockwise770 That would have been a cool looking car. The ADO16 Vanden Plas was a much better style than the last Allegro based version. The Allegro based Vanden Plas wasn't a bad car to drive, but they often got nicknamed in the motor trade as a Vanden Piglet. Its big chrome "snout", small square headlamps. and its dumpy styling, always looked so wrong together.
0:26 sure this tangerine -orange - Austin 1.3 was the twin carbs version almost same set up as the mini cooper and with front wheel drive .lovely little car nice drive with hydro-elastic suspension then latter went to rubber dry cones
Interesting selection, in August 1967 I passed my test in a brand new Morris 1100 (NYD 958F), while I can appreciate the roomy practicality of those cars I never really 'warmed' to them. For a teenager at that time the products coming out of Dagenham were much more appealing.
I've always thought that the interiors of the basic Austin and Morris versions looked too austere for my liking, same with the larger 1800s
@@oldclassiccarUK I never thought of the interiors as being 'austere' but I remember from conversations with those 'in the trade' the Austin was considered more desirable than the Morris, due to the interior, Your average Austin 1100 buyer could cruise along looking at the 'creeping serpent' speedo and pretend he was in a Rover 2000.........
I passed my test in 1969, driving a Dagenham produced car, an F reg Ford Escort mk1. It was a great car, in fact l later owned a mk1 Escort van which l loved, went like the wind after the VW beetle I'd owned previously.
Brilliant video on a Fine British car. Took my test in one 1973. Hill starts were a breeze, hold the handbrake, let clutch take hold and watch the bonnet lift up, away you go...and NO slip back! If only they had used good rust treatment for this car and the Marina, I would still be driving them! Thank you. Peace be unto you.
Oh yes - I too took my test in a 1966 Austin 1100, and remember the same thing with the bonnet lift - had forgotten - thanks for the memory.
Agreed, shame that so few survive really
@@michaeltreadwell777 I'm glad to hear from a fellow who knows "good stuff" when uses it, none of that BS for us boys. Peace brother.
Fantastic memories. Had a Morris 1300 back in the late 70's, white with blue interior. Never had a breakdown in it. A good solid car.
Thanks, yes I'm sure many people around in the 1970s have some experience of these cars
I grew up in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, and my dad's first brand new car was a black manual Morris 1100. Dad and mum, myself, and my two younger brothers and younger sister would all pile in to the "Black Beauty" as we called her, and away we would go on weekend picnics in the summer, and family holidays on the school holidays. I remember dad even towed a collapsible camper trailer with the little car. Many fond memories indeed!
Very nice cars, loved all the chrome work, you just don't get that now, not many people seem to take care of their cars now, especially my wife! Her car looks like columbo owned it!
Funnily enough I was looking at Peugeot 403s for sale only a few evenings ago
My Brother had a 1100 S, which in Australia actually had a 1275. Nice little car, but after a while we decided that it lacked enthusiasm. So, no worries, a reground Cooper S wild camshaft, twin Inch and a Half SU's (HS4's), which certainly convinced it to try much harder. Lots of fun. Long ago happy days.
Another nice collection of photos, my best friend had an Austin 1100 new as his first car,(bought by his parents) lucky boy that was 1965.
Very interesting Rick. My sister and I had the same driving instructor, with a 1966 Black Austin 1100. Both passed our tests, 3 years apart in the same car. The gear lever was like a stick in custard though. I remember that instructor so well, he was brilliant and I still remember some of the 'hints' he taught me. Happy days, 51 years ago ! Take care 🙂
I was lucky enough to have taken all my lessons and test in the same Triumph Dolomite 1300; that's what BSM were running at the time, those and Minis. They all had Chelmsford registrations in those days, mine was JAR 289V. It was quite east to spot ex-BSM cars for years afterwards!
Great video.good to see these cars in the flesh..Dad had both the Morris 1100 after letting his wolsley 1500 go, followed by a Wolsley 1300 in 1969..Wish I had one of those now !
Glad you enjoyed it
Good morning Rick. I think the rust problem may have been down to the too many strikes that were ongoing at the time. My brother-in-law was the driver for Klaxon and sometimes I rode with him during school holidays. On trips to Longbridge we would see ( if we got through the pickets) rows of untreated bodies standing outside in all weathers, presumably being taken out of the welding shops, waiting to go to the next stage. In those days it was not a continous line, indoors, as it is today.
During the 80s I was living in Derby, and my friend Brian, myself and our girlfriends used to enjoy weekends camping. Brian and myself decided to buy a used 1100. On our first trip out to Skeggy, it was running real bad so we kept stopping, have a look and then carry on. It run OK for a few more miles, then trouble again. We changed th plugs ans leads, Brian blowed into the fuel tank, all to no avail. We were about half way there after 2 hours or so. We were in a layby, I had the bonnet open, the air cleaner off and trying to see if the carb was to blame. One of the girls brewed up so I stopped for a drink, throwing the air cleaner in the boot. I finished my drink, shut the bonnet, forgetting the air cleaner, and drove off. The engine was running perfect! We then got caught behind slow traffic and I was cursing, then started laughing because for the best part of 3 hours we had been the problem. Of course it was the air filter that was blocking the air flow.
Fantastic video, loads of interesting cars , I own Austin 1300 1971 brilliant cars.
Fond memories of going to a local breakers yard owned by a friends dad in the early 70s, loads of all things from the 50/60s, and dozens were ADO16 varieties. We were doing some electronics projects and needed lots of the little fruit gum shape coloured warning lamps and toggle switches. Also had great memories of going from Yorkshire, to Northamton with dad and his cousin, to visit another cousin in her brand new late 1968/9 MG 1300, and a Sunday roast waiting for us. She really made it shift down the M1 in those pre congestion days.
I must have been a very strange teenager in the early '70s as I thought my dad's Alaskan blue Austin 1300 looked much sportier than my best friend's father's brand new Escort Mexico! I still think these cars, especially in 1300GT or MG1300 guises are such pretty little things.
Wonderful collection of pictures - I love your relaxed commentary style. I learned to drive in a 1974 registered 1300, flame orange with a black vinyl roof - a great little car. In my aging memory, non-Austin or Morris versions were relatively rare to see back in the day, yet they are very well represented in your slideshow; I wonder if they are now more cherished as Classics than the A & M versions.
I think the posh Vanden Plas versions probably tended to live easier lives than perhaps the regular A & M variants, maybe bought by older retired owners who looked after them well and did minimal mileage? I'm not sure.
Love these cars currently restoring a Morris 1300 GT J reg 1970 . Orange.
I had four of these over the years and loved everyone.
When I was an apprentice mechanic I used to cringe when these cars used to turn up for new sub-frames, but I have to say that when kept in good order these suspensions always felt like new.
, Back in 1969 I owned a 1967 Morris 1100 with a genuine Downton touring conversion,it went like stink and was as fast as a Mini Cooper, only problem was the overall low final drive ratio, which was quite low, a real wolf in sheep's clothing, wish I still had it! , Love your videos, keep up the good work, regards John.
Another fine collection OCC 👍👍👍
A friend of mine Ralph overturned his MG version in 1975, and my grandfather owned a Morris version, in connaught green, it was immaculate.
But underneath was rotten as hell.
Rot around the subframe put so many of these cars off the road.
These cars were like the Morris Minor they were everywhere.
The VP and Estates would be my choice. Great video Richard thank you.
In the 1980s dad bought an 1100 for its engine (to go in our Mini estate), and that one's bodywork was rotten to the core
I remember these cars so well. It's such a same that cars of that era were not better protected against rust. I had a whole range of British and Japanese built cars in the 70s and 80s. All rusted away on me in short order, despite my efforts. I finally got hold of a 1981 Volvo 244 that lasted me until 2005.
I think they were designed to last about 10 years then be thrown away
I owned a beige ‘71 Austin 1300 Mk2 in 1973. In 1987 I bought a ‘69 Riley 1300 Mk2, with the high compression Mini Cooper type engine. Then in 1990 I bought a pristine Wolseley ‘73 1300 Mk 2, in dark blue with limeflower interior, that my then partner later wrote off, although it was later purchased by a member of the ADO16 Club and still survives.
Bought my first car in 1975 from Bucklow garage, nr. Knutsford, a 1965 Morris 1100 (KLG160C) in fiesta yellow for the grand sum of £160.
Gave me 2 years trouble free motoring,before returning me £100 at the Altringham car auctions.
Cheap motoring !
Cool, I remember that garage and did see a lot of old BMC stuff in there (quite a few years ago mind)
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The 1100's/1300's were very popular here in New Zealand but I've never seen (or heard of before today), a 2 door saloon.
Thanks again for this video,back in the day they got scrapped for silly stuff like rusty subframes and inner wing ‘trumpets’ ..piles on piles stacked in scrapyards some only needing a new SU electric fuel pump to get em going again
I love the ado16. I've had a few. I currently have a very in pieces 67 MG1100 sports sedan, and a primrose 68 Austin America automatic, which is a nice California rust free 40 something thousand mile car.
That's what so great about the ado16 so many versions . I have a VP been restoring
Great, we really liked the VDP that dad had a few years ago (in the thumbnail). I wonder if anyone built up an estate car version of the VDP, that'd really be something
Very nice 👍🏻 I have a Mk1 sedan (purchased new by my grandfather), a Mk2 ute (automatic, they only made 500 autos) and a 1966 rally car replica, I have my engine built and hope to put it in before Christmas. :)
I also have a heap of photos of the last London to Sydney rally car still in Australia and have interviewed a now retired BMC mechanic who worked on the London to Sydney Landcrabs once the rally was completed.
Sounds like you have a great collection of cars and memorabilia 👍
A very good concept that worked, proven power train suspension & steering etc etc, low wide and stable, but oh how they rotted!
do like the VDP 1300, classy little car. My very first car was an MG 1100
My grandparents bought a Morris 1100 new. Did lots of trips to and from Queensland.
The grill of the M.G. seems to ‘fit’ the design of the car , best. All other grills just don’t look right on it.
Cute car.
I’d have a 2 tone M.G. badged variant.
🚗🙂
Although the overseas market Apache version made it to this vid, I was disappointed that the late production early seventies Australian Morris 1500 version did not.
Perhaps peak ADO16 on paper with the E series OHC 1500 motor and five speed gearbox option. If you wanted an automatic gearbox you only had the A series 1275 cc motor that suited the gearbox.
Same engine options with the Nomad station wagon / hatchback version that is now even rarer.
Both had a bonnet power bulge to give clearance to the OHC E series 1500.
In a away a seventies last ditch effort to get the most from the 1100 tooling that was popular in Australia on introduction in 1964 but sales dropped off as the maintenance and rust problems outweighed the interior space and ride quality pluses. An earlier Morris 1100 S version with the 1275 confused many.
All the small BMC cars in Australia were badged Morris after about 1961 so an Austin badged small car will be a mystery to most Australians.
The Morris Marina replaced it but even the standard E series 1500, 1750 and 2600 six did not recover the sales levels of 1964.
Quite a few vids on UA-cam of these cars to search for.
My brother tried to get me to buy an imported Van Den Plas 1100 he saw for sale in country Victoria. A rare import I expect.
This was based on cars seen here in the UK (as it says in the description), if I'd seen examples of overseas versions and photographed them then they too would have made it in. Thanks for the extra info.
Divinos adorables gracias por mostrarlos desde Argentina Sonia G Nielsen🙋🙋🙋
I can attest to the 1100 rotting for England . I worked in bodyshops at the time these cars were starting to show their age.
Five years and they were rusting through . They drove so well with the hydrolastic suspension , it isn't surprising that Britain's most popular 60s vehicle has very few survivor's.
My Dad also had an MG 1100 it set me off on my love of the AD)16 range and I now own one the same colour it's on here at 16.35
Thanks for this! Such beautiful cars, even today! And did I hear you say you've done a programme specially about BROWN cars? I look forward to seeing it - I LIKE brown!
Here's the brown compilation!! ua-cam.com/video/OYlSZSRzNi4/v-deo.html
Those cars were truly masterpieces, strong, economic, very dependable, all purpose vehicle. Sadly speaking, British made cars , these days, are not as good as they use to be. Thanks
I'm sure it has been mentioned, but the steel rostyle wheels on the MG 1300 are made by Authi in Spain and were fitted to the Austin Victoria in Spain, similar model to the SA Apache. I used to visit Spain for a few years in the late 70's and saw a number of these Victoria's over there and quite honestly the Michelotti design was an abomination of the 11/1300, it completely spoilt the Pininfarina design, the over hang on the boot was far too long and the front just looked awful, but, Triumph/BL were in love with Michelotti and that's what you got!! I wouldn't be surprised if that MG was a an MG 1275, that was fitted with the 12G engine, the 12H engine came out in 1968 with the larger crankshaft journals and were then call MG 1300.
To answer the query on the wheels of the MG 1100 Mk I (CSK333F) I restored that car and owned it at the time of the photo. As a result of my connections with South Africa I imported the Rostyle rims to fit on my 1100. The Rubery Owen plant in Port Elizabeth produced these rims for the Apache TC and 35 Special and these were similar but slightly different to the Rostyles used on Innocentis and Austin Victoria Deluxe models. These wheels were the correct off-set and size for the ADO16 so fitted easily. I removed the rims when I sold the car and kept them, putting the original non-vented Mk I rims and hub caps back on the car. I have a website dedicated to the Austin Apache as it was my first car in South Africa at the time.
Not having seen an 1100/1300 for many years I was pleasantly surprised in your video by the nice classic style they had, unlike some of the later Austin/Morris abominations. Am I correct in thinking the rear lamp clusters are the same as on the MGB? My dad had a fire-engine red MG1300 that was really quite quick. Our neighbour had one of the first 1100s and on a downhill, near 90 degree corner he demonstrated, at a seemingly impossible speed, how the FWD pulled the car through a corner. A truly scary experience for someone only used to RWD!!
There was certainly a similarity between the rear light clusters of the 1100/1300 and MGBs, and the Mk II's back lights definitely lingered on for many years on the rear of black cabs!
The rear lamps are similar on the Mk1 1100s to the MGB but I don't remember reading anywhere that they are identical.
My sister here in Australia had a Morris Nomad which was 1500cc variant of the ADO16 produced in Australia. It was sort of a cross between a hatchback and a wagon.
Just had a look at a few pictures of the Nomad, shame they didn't make that here
I had a 1960 Riley 1.5 and noticed the first photo here of the Riley Kestrel front end looked quite similar to my old Riley. If they could fit a 1500 lump in there it's a pity they didn't offer that in UK. As it was, Riley fans had to go down in engine size if they traded in their 1.5 for a Kestrel.
Missing in the video are the AUSTIN VICTORIA & AUSTIN VICTORIA DE LUXE (based on the APACHE but much more stylish by Michelotti designer and mechanically improved, specially the DE LUXE version), the MG-S and the AUSTIN DE LUXE (the only ADO16 with a 998 engine and Mini Cooper 998 head). All these were not assembled but 100% built in Spain by AUTHI in the 70's. You can see an Austin Victoria Deluxe here ua-cam.com/video/-nOfd8-Qy2Y/v-deo.html.
Indeed so, I was mainly concentrating on the cars offered here (UK), thanks for the added info and for watching.
Funny how the Vanden Plas version looks more old fashioned! 😮
Maybe they were trying to appeal to "trad" buyers of more stately, older, motor-cars who were looking to downsize?
@@oldclassiccarUK My father changed his cars quite regularly much to my mother's disapproval. He favoured a larger car like a Ford Zephyr or Zodiac, he had a lovely Austin 1800 'land crab' FFF 852 E, and a beautiful MG Magnette 9147 UN, the shortest time he ever had a car l think was about 2 weeks owning a Morris 1100.
My sister had a green Austin Apache in the late 70's in Durban and boy did they rust in that climate, then all cars rot in in that humid climate. My fondest memory of an 1100 was when I visited the UK in 1973. I was batting along at a bit of a rate on my Norton Commando.
Looked in the mirror and I was being pursued by a Metro police 1100 panda car lights flashing merrily away. I stopped he got out foaming at the mouth, and asked me what speed I was doing. I said 40 to which he replied, "rubbish I was doing 70 and I could not catch you" how I got away with that one I will never know, perhaps it was my boyish charm. He did tell me I was a very silly young man on a big motor bike and to take it easy.
In the USA the few that we sold were known as the MG Vanden Plas.
I think if I'd been a buyer in the 1960s/70s I'd have gone for either the 1300GT or the MG. Were there any major differences apart from the trim and bonnet design, or did it just depend on which marque you were loyal to?
If you want to go down a research rabbit hole of everything to do with the ADO16, AROnline carries some very informative articles.
Some versions were definitely more sporty than others, the MG1100 had an improved cylinder head on it, and twin carbs for starters. The head from dad's old MG1100 (code 12g206 from memory) certainly made my A40 go better
I bought on of these 1980, got it on a Sunday and sold it Thursday, my wife burst out laughing when she first drove it and refused to get in it, even to this day she does not like these British cars but loves 60s English motorcycles.
I remember the angle of the steering wheel being a little bus-like, although I don't think that was unique to the 1100/1300. A Metro we had in the 1990s also featured that quirk
@@oldclassiccarUK No it has nothing to do with this, we are Aussie my wife learnt to drive with a 56 Ford Customline, her first car was a 63 Fairlane. These Little English cars were great but only good for shorter travel, this is a vast country so at least to me they were unsuitable. But the bigger cars like A95 were far better than our Holden, the series C engine was a good motor, my Dad had a Rover 100 to me it was weird look but is was a beautiful to drive, I was born in 51 and have been a car nut most of my life, worked on them so much my hands are worn out..
Those cars overheated in hot weather countries. Reason : radiator was mounted on the side of the car, rather than the front. Thanks
never got hold of a mk 1 but owned a mk2 1100
Great video yet again these old cars had character and no two were exactly the same not like the disposable muck they're making now
Thanks for giving it a watch!
I just see Basil Fawlty beating it up with tree branches..