BOO The Retro Metro
Discussion
Let me introduce BOO my 1989 Austin Metro, I collected her yesterday after years of searching for her.
In 2015 this metro was owned by my best man, and as such used as my wedding car to get myself, bestman and 2 groomsmen to the venue, along with a slight detor to Goodwood and a few pubs !
Then as much as I wanted BOO I didn't have the space, as soon as she was sold j knew I'd made a mistake.
Fast forward a few years, lots of searching eBay, Facebook and Instagram and low and behold, I caught glimpse of a single picture, of the side. I haven't see. Another with cosmic wheels so it must be, a message to the Instagram account and he confirmed it was BOO.
But,
He didn't was to sell, he was keeping her locked up for when his son grew up to try and get him interested in classic cars, bugger !!
A polite request, that if he ever did choose to sell, please give me the chance and that was that.
Fast forward a month or so, after waking from a night shift I had a message, he'd thought on it and to him it was just a metro, to me it had some memories and meaning. If he could find another, he would sell it to me for the same price.
True to his word, Stu found another, travelled to Yorkshire from Bournemouth to collect and sold me BOO for what he paid, you cannot be fairer than that.
Safe to safe, she not quite how I remember. The all original interior and been stripped out by another owner in-between in favour of bucket seats and harnesses, an alleged staged head has been fitted and some bodgery.
But that's all irrenvant, BOO is now tucked up in the garage ready to be transformed to her former glory and not to leave my ownership again.
In 2015 this metro was owned by my best man, and as such used as my wedding car to get myself, bestman and 2 groomsmen to the venue, along with a slight detor to Goodwood and a few pubs !
Then as much as I wanted BOO I didn't have the space, as soon as she was sold j knew I'd made a mistake.
Fast forward a few years, lots of searching eBay, Facebook and Instagram and low and behold, I caught glimpse of a single picture, of the side. I haven't see. Another with cosmic wheels so it must be, a message to the Instagram account and he confirmed it was BOO.
But,
He didn't was to sell, he was keeping her locked up for when his son grew up to try and get him interested in classic cars, bugger !!
A polite request, that if he ever did choose to sell, please give me the chance and that was that.
Fast forward a month or so, after waking from a night shift I had a message, he'd thought on it and to him it was just a metro, to me it had some memories and meaning. If he could find another, he would sell it to me for the same price.
True to his word, Stu found another, travelled to Yorkshire from Bournemouth to collect and sold me BOO for what he paid, you cannot be fairer than that.
Safe to safe, she not quite how I remember. The all original interior and been stripped out by another owner in-between in favour of bucket seats and harnesses, an alleged staged head has been fitted and some bodgery.
But that's all irrenvant, BOO is now tucked up in the garage ready to be transformed to her former glory and not to leave my ownership again.
Important public service keeping one of these going
Growing up within commuting distance of Longbridge (generous staff discount), they were ubiquitous in the early '80s (especially the 'city' base editions).
These days you're more likely to see a 25 - 30 year older Morris 1000 than a Metro which is the 1000s descendent.
Growing up within commuting distance of Longbridge (generous staff discount), they were ubiquitous in the early '80s (especially the 'city' base editions).
These days you're more likely to see a 25 - 30 year older Morris 1000 than a Metro which is the 1000s descendent.
Other than some tweaking of the hydrospastic, comics alloys, mg metro read spoiler and modified head she's standard.
The drop and wheels really make this car, they'll stay and the rest clean, refreshed standardness.
The exhaust is shot so a maniflow 2" might find its way on however !
Metros are such a rare car to see now, I've always have and always been a mini man and the amount of metros /mg metros I bought, pillaged of the engine and scrapped the rest makes me feel shamed now.
Stu who I got BOO back off was telling me he did the same, and with MG metro turbos. We both shamefully looked back, and it's even worse if you look at the price of one now.
The drop and wheels really make this car, they'll stay and the rest clean, refreshed standardness.
The exhaust is shot so a maniflow 2" might find its way on however !
Metros are such a rare car to see now, I've always have and always been a mini man and the amount of metros /mg metros I bought, pillaged of the engine and scrapped the rest makes me feel shamed now.
Stu who I got BOO back off was telling me he did the same, and with MG metro turbos. We both shamefully looked back, and it's even worse if you look at the price of one now.
Very few metros seem to survive when compared to the Fiesta. Those wheels really suit it to. There is a Rover metro for sale on the bay that has a Honda lump and a turbo strapped to it. That would be a quick unassuming car.
I always struggled with the peddles in these being small and close together, I learned to drive in a 100 Knightsbridge
I always struggled with the peddles in these being small and close together, I learned to drive in a 100 Knightsbridge
Bring back memories, my first car.
Saved up for it since the age of 14, finally got 'Beryl' just before my 17th birthday (back in '91)for the princely sum of £1200, kept her for 4 years and had A LOT of adventures.
Eventually sold her for £795 - back in the day of submitting pics to the print version Autotrader.
Great post and following, made me dig out my old pics...even found the set I took for the ad...almost forgot she had an MG gear knob too!
I loved that car.
Saved up for it since the age of 14, finally got 'Beryl' just before my 17th birthday (back in '91)for the princely sum of £1200, kept her for 4 years and had A LOT of adventures.
Eventually sold her for £795 - back in the day of submitting pics to the print version Autotrader.
Great post and following, made me dig out my old pics...even found the set I took for the ad...almost forgot she had an MG gear knob too!
I loved that car.
littlebasher said:
That filler cap looks painfully low, i had a 1.3s but can't remember that being an issue, probably had to get on my hands and knees
Petrol used to piss all over the rear tyre during tight left handers often leading to a spin!Edited by littlebasher on Friday 29th May 13:55
Very nice OP, well done on finding her too.
I'd love a Metro, but I would struggle to justify the money they go for these days. Having said that, on my little cul-de-sac of 14 houses we have a number of Triumphs and a few Metros too, so it would fit in the area well.
I think they look great dropped in the weeds, particularly the earlier ones with the horizontal slanted grille, rather than the later shape where the bonnet wrapped over.
I'd love a Metro, but I would struggle to justify the money they go for these days. Having said that, on my little cul-de-sac of 14 houses we have a number of Triumphs and a few Metros too, so it would fit in the area well.
I think they look great dropped in the weeds, particularly the earlier ones with the horizontal slanted grille, rather than the later shape where the bonnet wrapped over.
Didn't think there would be so much love for the old girl, I'll be sure to keep you all updated.
At the moment I'm in the middle of alot of jobs around the house/garden so can't give BOO my full attention.
It was very much a case of, I have to buy her now as I highly doubt I'll get another chance.
As for rust, she wears her 30 years of age very well, the full interior has been stripped and there's no rust, a previous patch on the drivers inner door step needs "finessing" and a small bubble patch by the Ariel, other than that I think we're pretty good
At the moment I'm in the middle of alot of jobs around the house/garden so can't give BOO my full attention.
It was very much a case of, I have to buy her now as I highly doubt I'll get another chance.
As for rust, she wears her 30 years of age very well, the full interior has been stripped and there's no rust, a previous patch on the drivers inner door step needs "finessing" and a small bubble patch by the Ariel, other than that I think we're pretty good
![](https://thumbsnap.com/sc/JQzVhom3.jpg[/img]</a> <a href="https://thumbsnap.com/mzPMmYuY" Target="_blank" rel="nofollow">[img]https://thumbsnap.com/sc/mzPMmYuY.jpg)
Caddyshack said:
Under the carb you can probably see that the inlet manifold is part of the exhaust casting, this was to help warm up but with spirited driving it can cut out and overheats the fuel charge, if you swap to an mg inlet and cut off or replace the manifold you gain a good chunk of power.
Noted, as some background info I've owned countless A Series, although of the mini kind. I've owned and build all variety's ranging for 1061cc screams to 1460 strokers and just about everything inbetween included C20XE clubman on twin webbers.Long term plan will be to build another engine up to be fitted once everything is done, I'm torn between turbo/supercharged 1293 or finished the K1100 16v twin cam I started to mock up when doing my apprenticeship some 13years ago.
But at present, engine is very low down on priority.
Its rapidly dawning on me how much harder it is to track new/replacement parts for a 30 year old metro than its is a 30 year old mini
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