Allegro Equipe
Discussion
[url]Ahhh! The dear Old Allegro brings back many happy memories of finding this scrapped 1750 model and using the engine and gearbox to build an "Agribuggy" type fertiliser spreader.
The machine was perfect 4 wheel drive and 4 wheel steer using two Land Rover front axles at either end.
Perfect apart from the engine and gearbox, the former overheated in spite of a huge radiator and fans, and the latter failed.
However the biggest issue was what to call it as it had to be taxed for the road.
Cut the "RO" off the Allegro sign and cut the "Land R" off the Land Rover and ended up with an "Allegover"
Some time later had a call from the local licencing office and a timid sounding girl.
"I've been told to ask you about this vehicle you want to tax, an Alleg, an allego, Oh Christ it's a Legover! Sound of much laughter in the background but that is what it is named on the V5!
|http://thumbsnap.com/SzmN1mcr[/url]For gods sake don't go on the BMW forum and say that, you would be lynched.
I remember my Aunt buying a new Allegro in 1980, it was a gold V plate estate, she kept it five years then sold it to my Granddad, he kept it five years, mechanically after 10 years and 60 thousand miles it was absolutely knackered, the bodywork however was like new, so was the interior, certainly better rust protection than say a nineties BMW/Merc.
It was a dog to drive, no real redeeming features, it felt heavy and gutless, like a MK4 Golf, I believe the Allegro design was severely compromised buy BL bean-counters insistence of using existing power plants, shared engine and gearbox, they really should have moved on by then, it was originally a Wedge shape in the style of the Princess, and the decision to not fit a Hatchback because it was the Maxi's unique selling point pretty much summed up the intelligence of the BL bosses.
It could have been all different, may have still been a sack of s
t though.
I remember my Aunt buying a new Allegro in 1980, it was a gold V plate estate, she kept it five years then sold it to my Granddad, he kept it five years, mechanically after 10 years and 60 thousand miles it was absolutely knackered, the bodywork however was like new, so was the interior, certainly better rust protection than say a nineties BMW/Merc.
It was a dog to drive, no real redeeming features, it felt heavy and gutless, like a MK4 Golf, I believe the Allegro design was severely compromised buy BL bean-counters insistence of using existing power plants, shared engine and gearbox, they really should have moved on by then, it was originally a Wedge shape in the style of the Princess, and the decision to not fit a Hatchback because it was the Maxi's unique selling point pretty much summed up the intelligence of the BL bosses.
It could have been all different, may have still been a sack of s
t though.singlecoil said:
AndrewCrown said:
Don't you hate it when guys pop black and silver plates on cars which never ever had them in the first place...
I realise we could all argue forever about what constitutes a genuine classic, as opposed to just an old car. One of my criteria would be that it had to be at least mildly desirable when it was new.
Not sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
Not sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I realise we could all argue forever about what constitutes a genuine classic, as opposed to just an old car. One of my criteria would be that it had to be at least mildly desirable when it was new.
Not sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
I agree, but I think at least a few cars like this should survive for prosperity, its not a classic in the sense of the word meaning desirable, but it is a good example of the sort of sNot sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
t the average man on the street drove in the seventies.MarshPhantom said:
singlecoil said:
AndrewCrown said:
Don't you hate it when guys pop black and silver plates on cars which never ever had them in the first place...
rallycross said:
I have committed this sin in the past and although I know its wrong I still like the look, we've had this plate in our family for over 45 years and when I was a kid my dad had it on various cars back in the day with black and silver plates, hence me doing it on some of mine (although not currently as its on a 2006 335i and would look silly with black and silver)
Oooooh that would do..
StuntmanMike said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I realise we could all argue forever about what constitutes a genuine classic, as opposed to just an old car. One of my criteria would be that it had to be at least mildly desirable when it was new.
Not sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
I agree, but I think at least a few cars like this should survive for prosperity, its not a classic in the sense of the word meaning desirable, but it is a good example of the sort of sNot sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
t the average man on the street drove in the seventies.TwigtheWonderkid said:
StuntmanMike said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
I realise we could all argue forever about what constitutes a genuine classic, as opposed to just an old car. One of my criteria would be that it had to be at least mildly desirable when it was new.
Not sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
I agree, but I think at least a few cars like this should survive for prosperity, its not a classic in the sense of the word meaning desirable, but it is a good example of the sort of sNot sure if this meets my standard, although I suppose if you were into All-agros at the time, this would have been the zenith of your ambitions.
t the average man on the street drove in the seventies.
They had the 1750 HL Maxi engine with twin SU's - 1.5 inch HIF's iirc. The E Series was a real old cement mixer, long stroke and very small bored crammed together - that was BL wanted the six cylinder version (2200) to fit under the bonnet of a Landcrab 1800. They hated high revs and if driven with verve, would be shagged after 30'000 miles.
Compare that to a 1500 Golf that would runs rings around it, or a 1500 Alfasud that would sit at 100 mph for hours on end. Issigonis designed a cracking little 9X OHC engine as well as the alloy head OHC A Series (84 bhp from 1275 cc) , and BL turned out st like the E Series instead.
Compare that to a 1500 Golf that would runs rings around it, or a 1500 Alfasud that would sit at 100 mph for hours on end. Issigonis designed a cracking little 9X OHC engine as well as the alloy head OHC A Series (84 bhp from 1275 cc) , and BL turned out s
t like the E Series instead. Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff