Description
AUSTIN METRO CITY 1. 0 IN LIPARI BLUE ,(paint code JPE 666), ONE OF THE VERY LAST METRO'S TO BE FITTED WITH THE WORLD FAMOUS BMC / LEYLAND "A" SERIES ENGINE.
THIS IS AN ABSOLUTELY CRACKING LITTLE METRO, A TRUE AND GENUINE SURVIVOR, ONE OF THE RAREST METRO VARIANTS, AND PRECEDES THE MORE COMMON "ROVER METRO"
FIRST REGISTERED BY HENLY'S IN BASINGSTOKE THE FIRST OWNER WAS A LADY WHO AFTER JUST 6 MONTHS OR SO SOLD IT TO AN OLDER LOCAL GENTLEMEN WHO IN TURN ONLY USED IT OCCASIONALLY UNTIL HE STOPPED DRIVING AT WHICH TIME HE TOOK IT OFF THE ROAD BUT KEPT IT GARAGED AND BY ALL ACCOUNTS STILL SERVICED IT DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE NO LONGER DROVE IT ANYWHERE ! IT COMES WITH ALL THE ORIGINAL HANDBOOKS AND LOADS OF OLD PARKING PAY AND DISPLAY TICKETS AND WE WILL BE LEAVING THE TRAVEL CUSHIONS WITH IT !
THE INTERIOR IS ABSOLUTELY MINT IT EVEN STILL SMELLS LIKE NEW AND CLEARLY HAS NEVER HAS A DOG OR A SMOKER RIDE IN THE CAR.
THE EXTERIOR IS ALSO IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN PAINTED OR WELDED IN IT'S LIFE, YES IT'S 31 YEARS OLD AND IT HAS A COUPLE OF TINY MARKS BUT SO DID I WHEN I WAS 31, BUT IT IS AS CLOSE TO AS NEW CONDITION AS YOU WILL FIND. IT DOES NOT REQUIRE ANY REPAINTING ANYWHERE, IT HAS NOT HAD THE UNDERSIDE COVERED WITH UNDERSEAL, ANY INSPECTION IS WELCOME.
HISTORY:
IT WAS KEPT DRY STORED AFTER LAST BEING MOT'D IN 2006 IT CAME OFF THE ROAD IN 2007..
THE OWNER SADLY PASSED AWAY AND IN LATE 2018 SOME 12 YEARS AFTER IT'S LAST MOT IT WAS SOLD BY THE ESTATE WHICH IS HOW I ENDED UP ACQUIRING THE CAR.
WE HAVE JUST GONE THROUGH THE CAR AND REFRESHED IT WITH A FULL SERVICE AND NEW MOT, IT NEEDED A NEW EXHAUST AND REAR WHEEL BRAKE CYLINDERS AND THE "HYDROGAS" PUMPING UP AND A FOG LAMP BULB CHANGING AND THEN IT PASSED IT'S MOT WITH NO ADVISORIES !
IT'S HAD FRESH FUEL AND IS NOW UP AND RUNNING AND READY FOR IT'S THIRD OWNER TO ENJOY AND CHERISH.
IT IS A TOTALLY UN-MOLESTED TIMEWARP EXAMPLE OF THE OFTEN MALIGNED REPLACEMENT TO THE CLASSIC ORIGINAL MINI.
FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1980 THE METRO WAS VERY MUCH OF IT'S TIME, MANUFACTURED AT A TIME WHEN BRITISH LEYLAND / AUSTIN ROVER AND THE BRITISH CAR INDUSTRY WAS FRANKLY JUST A SHADOW OF THEIR FORMER SELF.
THE DESIGN WAS IN ACTUAL FACT QUITE GROUND BREAKING, AND THEY DROVE REALLY WELL, THEY WERE POPULAR AND WERE FOUND IN USE BY EVERYONE FROM DRIVING SCHOOLS TO THE POLICE, AND ALSO ENDED UP THE BASIS OF THE MIGHTY METRO 6R4 GROUP B RALLY MONSTER.
ANYONE THAT OWNED OR DROVE ONE AT THE TIME WILL NO DOUBT REMEMBER JUST HOW SPACIOUS THEY FELT COMPARED WITH THE ORIGINAL MINI THEY WERE DESIGNED TO REPLACE. IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE BUILD QUALITY OF THEM WAS NOT ON THE SAME LEVEL AS IN THE HEYDAY OF AUSTIN, INDEED IN THE 90'S ANY BRITISH LEYLAND PRODUCT WILL NOT BE REMEMBERED AS THE BEST VEHICLES EVER MADE.
THEY FAILED TO WIN OVER THE FANS OF THE "CLASSIC" MINI AND INDEED THE ORIGINAL MINI CARRIED ON BEING PRODUCED ALONGSIDE THE METRO UNTIL 2000 AND ACTUALLY ENDED UP OUT LIVING IT'S REPLACEMENT . THE METRO CARRIED ON UNDER THE "ROVER" BRAND UNTIL IT DIED OUT IN AROUND 1990.
AS WITH MINI'S THE METRO WAS PRONE TO RUST ISSUES AND THIS SAW THE DEMISE OF MOST OF THEM.
TODAY FEW SURVIVE AND ONLY A HANDFUL OF RUST FREE ONES ESPECIALLY, WITH THE VALUES OF THE FAR MORE COMMON "CLASSIC" MINI NOW GETTING OUT OF REACH FOR MANY THE RARER METRO HAS STARTED TO APPRECIATE. AS WITH THE MINI THEY ARE SIMPLE AND EASY TO WORK ON, PARTS ARE READILY AVAILABLE AND THEY ARE STILL AFFORDABLE AND FUN TO OWN AND DRIVE. WHY NOT BE A BIT DIFFERENT AND OWN A METRO ?
THEY ARE MY HOT TIP AS AN APPRECIATING "MODERN CLASSIC" A CAR YOU CAN USE AND ENJOY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LEFT.
