Originally Posted by doctorj
Actually not such a bad call especially the Turbo version which was worked over by Tickford but five doors so not allowed :lol: :lol:
Inside the Tickford factory. Maestro turbos being fitted with their bodykit and Turbo decals. The Tickford MG Metro carried distinctive Tickford enamel badges and logo on it's tailgate. The Maestro turbo did not carry any Tickford badges but the development of the Maestro turbo has strong links with Tickford. Two Tickford Press releases were made at the time
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C314328#Good luck finding one that will last the winter! :)
My dad drives a Mk II 16v every day, still going strong, 150k or so on the clock. Bits and bobs do go wrong, mainly the windows, but it's been very reliable. He reckons it's the best (road) car he's ever had, but I think for driving I preferred his slightly lowered Maestro EFi, and for looks the 'sud sprint.
8)
Really - the EFi was a great handling and driving car. Perfectly balanced (no oversteer or understeer, just a 4 wheel drift when pushed), nice (Honda) gearbox, and the engine was pokey and not 16v so had decent grunt low down. The newer power steering models weren't so nice to drive, but they were still ok.Really???? :shock:
That was a fine looking motor :wink:....and for looks the 'sud sprint.
The turbo spoiled it completely for me. I didn't like those at all.
Taffy you should buy that Sud! it looks great. Even got the Veloce wheels! And if the bodywork is as-new it should last at least two years!
Red (ish!) 944 turbo used as a daily driver. Not entirely standard 8) and its a great little car.
240K to date and no reason why it shouldn't just keep going and going.
The MG EFis I drove (and all other Maestros for that matter) were just apallingly built. I never warmed to them. I never drove the Turbo Maestro but did have a stint to the north west in a Montego Turbo. Similarly, not impressed although it demonstrated decent grunt for the class at the time.Really - the EFi was a great handling and driving car. Perfectly balanced (no oversteer or understeer, just a 4 wheel drift when pushed), nice (Honda) gearbox, and the engine was pokey and not 16v so had decent grunt low down. The newer power steering models weren't so nice to drive, but they were still ok.Really???? :shock:
That was a fine looking motor :wink:....and for looks the 'sud sprint.
The turbo spoiled it completely for me. I didn't like those at all.
Taffy you should buy that Sud! it looks great. Even got the Veloce wheels! And if the bodywork is as-new it should last at least two years!
I'd second that. My mum had an early Y plate Maestro and it was truly awful in terms of build quality. In the time she had it I remember a loom fire, an incident where she lost some of the gears as the control rods on the shifter popped off at about 70mph, several occasions where I had to hold the passenger door shut on the way to school as the lock repeatedly froze, leaky door seals, etc. Come to think of it the leaky door seals were probably due to the appalling shut-line tolerances. When I was a skinny six year old I could probably have slid into the car without opening the doors.The MG EFis I drove (and all other Maestros for that matter) were just apallingly built. I never warmed to them. I never drove the Turbo Maestro but did have a stint to the north west in a Montego Turbo. Similarly, not impressed although it demonstrated decent grunt for the class at the time.Really - the EFi was a great handling and driving car. Perfectly balanced (no oversteer or understeer, just a 4 wheel drift when pushed), nice (Honda) gearbox, and the engine was pokey and not 16v so had decent grunt low down. The newer power steering models weren't so nice to drive, but they were still ok.Really???? :shock:
That was a fine looking motor :wink:....and for looks the 'sud sprint.
The turbo spoiled it completely for me. I didn't like those at all.
Taffy you should buy that Sud! it looks great. Even got the Veloce wheels! And if the bodywork is as-new it should last at least two years!
Contrast that with something like an early MK2 Golf and you can see why BL/Austin Rover/Rover went to the wall.
Somebody once posted a link to a great book on here about that very subject - British Leyland - Chronicle of a Car Crash. It specifically concentrated on the years 1968-78 but included later details also. That was a great book for anyone interested.I'd second that. My mum had an early Y plate Maestro and it was truly awful in terms of build quality. In the time she had it I remember a loom fire, an incident where she lost some of the gears as the control rods on the shifter popped off at about 70mph, several occasions where I had to hold the passenger door shut on the way to school as the lock repeatedly froze, leaky door seals, etc. Come to think of it the leaky door seals were probably due to the appalling shut-line tolerances. When I was a skinny six year old I could probably have slid into the car without opening the doors.The MG EFis I drove (and all other Maestros for that matter) were just apallingly built. I never warmed to them. I never drove the Turbo Maestro but did have a stint to the north west in a Montego Turbo. Similarly, not impressed although it demonstrated decent grunt for the class at the time.Really - the EFi was a great handling and driving car. Perfectly balanced (no oversteer or understeer, just a 4 wheel drift when pushed), nice (Honda) gearbox, and the engine was pokey and not 16v so had decent grunt low down. The newer power steering models weren't so nice to drive, but they were still ok.Really???? :shock:
That was a fine looking motor :wink:....and for looks the 'sud sprint.
The turbo spoiled it completely for me. I didn't like those at all.
Taffy you should buy that Sud! it looks great. Even got the Veloce wheels! And if the bodywork is as-new it should last at least two years!
Contrast that with something like an early MK2 Golf and you can see why BL/Austin Rover/Rover went to the wall.
This is my old MK1 Gti. Absolutely loved, used it daily for 2 years then sold it to fund a Panerai I had my eye on.
One of the reasons it went was that my friend had just completed this project and didn't mind me borrowing it when he was away working.
Under the bonnet was a 1.8 16 valve engine with twin dellorto's!!
Thanks! I will have a look out for a copy.
I'm not a BMC/BL basher by any means, having owned two MGBs and a TR6 in the past and loved them all. Some of the engineering on the later BL cars was quite clever in parts, but it was the execution that was sorely lacking. I seem to recall reading that when the Rover SD1 paint shop was built the extractors blew air in as opposed to sucking it out. Whether that's true or not it is certainly typical of the malaise engrained in the popular mindset towards BL by the mid-70s, to the extent that no one seemed to question it as it seemed entirely plausible.
I can't imagine a similar tale of woe coming out of VAG during that period. I think the worst they did was try and fail to sort out the rotor tip issues on the NSU Ro80.
When my Sprite was my daily driver I used to have a banger to see me through the worst of the winters. About ten years ago I had (for two winters) a Maestro 1.3L. It was completely reliable, comfortable, economical and a hoot to drive. It cost me £250 (and I sold it for about £100 with no MoT as I recall).
Nice STD MKII I've had 2 and loved them. Can't see me selling my Rallye.This is my old MK1 Gti. Absolutely loved, used it daily for 2 years then sold it to fund a Panerai I had my eye on.
One of the reasons it went was that my friend had just completed this project and didn't mind me borrowing it when he was away working.
Under the bonnet was a 1.8 16 valve engine with twin dellorto's!!
I've a feeling I may know you.
Correct! Your Rallye is a beauty!
8)
Must have been one of the last roadworthy ones then! I was trying to think when I last saw one, given that they were a volume production car that was still being made <20 years ago. Maybe they're all in dehumidified garages having their oil leaks and atrocious panel fit lovingly attended to by their devoted owners, but somehow I think not...
I realise the modding is way out of scene, but it was done in 1993.
When I get myself sorted with a house, it's going back to standard.
1991 G40
More nice VW's, there can't be many of these G40's around now. There were only about 500 rhd sold here. As for the the BL/ MG offerings, sure they were a bag of badly put together sh!t but back then in the early 80's so were lots of its rivals including Golfs which whilst a bit better were still rusty buckets after a relatively short time. Even the Mk2 Golfs weren't that great, the main thing that has save a few is that they have a bit of an enthusiastic following these days but when I was looking for mine there were plenty of rusty sheds around.I realise the modding is way out of scene, but it was done in 1993.
When I get myself sorted with a house, it's going back to standard.
1991 G40
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
