Austin Allegro
Discussion
When did they become sought after, am I missing something?
Needs a lot of work and already over £2K.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-ALLEGRO-1750-SS-E...
Looking on ebay most seem to be priced quite high, one is even up for over £5k.
Needs a lot of work and already over £2K.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-ALLEGRO-1750-SS-E...
Looking on ebay most seem to be priced quite high, one is even up for over £5k.
Baz2000 said:
When did they become sought after, am I missing something?
I wouldn't say they are sought after as such..... I'd say it's more the fact that there's just so very few left (like the equally hateful Marina) and so probably just enough demand from the few Allegro geeks to make them 'worth' a little more than the 50p they should be worth.
I had a 1975 old type N reg ex Police Allegro 1.1 3 yrs and 2 months old at the time I bought it with 60,500 miles on the clock
run it as far as 91,000 miles
Rebuilt engine and gearbox , turned clock back to 19,000 miles
Rebuilt engine again
Sold it with 85,000 miles on the clock
total roughly 157,000 miles on clock
Yes I did a lot of miles in a few years as I was working away from home
Then bought a Newer Allegro 1.3 , kept that for 2 years
At the time I loved the cars
It Was nearly 40 years ago
and we didn't have much choice !!!
run it as far as 91,000 miles
Rebuilt engine and gearbox , turned clock back to 19,000 miles
Rebuilt engine again
Sold it with 85,000 miles on the clock
total roughly 157,000 miles on clock
Yes I did a lot of miles in a few years as I was working away from home
Then bought a Newer Allegro 1.3 , kept that for 2 years
At the time I loved the cars
It Was nearly 40 years ago
and we didn't have much choice !!!
I used to drive one when it was new around 1975- a 1750 Sport. OK the 'sport' was a bit of an exaggeration but it was nothing like as bad a design as its reputation suggests.
Particularly strong point was directional stability- it used to do motorway journeys at 85 mph in a straight line even on a windy day- we take it for granted now but plenty of the competition in 1975 couldn't manage that! And it was comfortable thanks to the Hydrogas (or some variant) suspension.
Build quality- a nightmare though. Bits did indeed fall off, including on one occasion a crucial part of the gear linkage. Although some other 1970s cars were a bit that way as well.
Particularly strong point was directional stability- it used to do motorway journeys at 85 mph in a straight line even on a windy day- we take it for granted now but plenty of the competition in 1975 couldn't manage that! And it was comfortable thanks to the Hydrogas (or some variant) suspension.
Build quality- a nightmare though. Bits did indeed fall off, including on one occasion a crucial part of the gear linkage. Although some other 1970s cars were a bit that way as well.
My father bought a cream coloured one with a brown vinyl roof for one of his employees back in the early 80s. The chap quit a short while later and my mother ended up driving it for a while. I remember she kept a piece of wood and a mallet in the front passenger foot well as she occasionally had to open the bonnet and smack it to get it to start. She seemed happy when she went back to driving XJ6s.
They are worth a bit of money because they are iconic. in a bad way but still iconic.
They are worth a bit of money because they are iconic. in a bad way but still iconic.
That one is the 1750 SS ("Sports Special) and as such is the top of the range version.
It's not for me but they obviously have a following, each to there own. I'm glad people like them and are saving them, would be a very boring place if the only cars from that era that were saved were Ford Escorts.
It's not for me but they obviously have a following, each to there own. I'm glad people like them and are saving them, would be a very boring place if the only cars from that era that were saved were Ford Escorts.
austin said:
That one is the 1750 SS ("Sports Special) and as such is the top of the range version.
It also ticks all the other boxes - all the paperwork, one owner, low mileage. Doesn't look like it'd need too much work, either, to be really quite good, especially difficult-to-find stuff like trim. If you're an Allegro anorak, that's gotta be as near to the holy grail as it's possible to get.I thought they were s
t in their day, and I was right. However, these days I have a real affection for old BL tat. I can only think it's nostalgia and quirkiness. My Dad was never stupid enough to own one in my lifetime, so there's no reminiscing.
I would love an Allegro, a Metro, an SD1, a Princess etc.
Whoever thought old jap crap would be cool; 120Ys, old Corollas, Crowns, etc?
I reckon there are loads of saddos like me pushing up the price of st cars that shouldn't be cool but are. It helps preserve st history, too.
t in their day, and I was right. However, these days I have a real affection for old BL tat. I can only think it's nostalgia and quirkiness. My Dad was never stupid enough to own one in my lifetime, so there's no reminiscing.I would love an Allegro, a Metro, an SD1, a Princess etc.
Whoever thought old jap crap would be cool; 120Ys, old Corollas, Crowns, etc?
I reckon there are loads of saddos like me pushing up the price of s
t cars that shouldn't be cool but are. It helps preserve st history, too. Had the option to buy an Allegro estate a few years ago at a bargain price, low mileage & good condition for year. Didn't ( no room on drive and threat to marital relationships if I even thought about buying another car). Did wonder how it would go with a stealthy V-tec conversion tho.....
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