80s Cars

[propersplitbrainme]

This news feature asks why are 80s cars less loved than those from other eras...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22525103

Answer - Because if they were British they were pieces of cr@p that's why. Allegro, Montego, Maestro all utter crud heaps of automotive technology. The Montego was a particularly hateful vehicle more often spotted at the roadside with the bonnet up than cruising the highway, putting the MG badge on it and the equally festering Maestro was an act of motoring heracy of the highest order.

 

[Tin basher]

Ah 80's cars rust buckets in the main but the front seats of an allegro folded almost flat for more comfort when the vehicle was stationary.DT_Xtremez_15:

 

[Ex-Bay]

I'd like a decent 2L Capri or even a decent Cortina.

 

[Rocket_Ronster]

I'd like a decent 2L Capri or even a decent Cortina.

No no no.
You`ve forgotten just how bad the suspension was in`t old days.
Mate of mine has spent too much/too long restoring a MkII Mexico, its immaculate, and looks the dogs danglies. But its not practical nowadays, not now the local council have put their pre-invasion plans in place and put tank traps every 500 yards in`t road, backed up with pot holes to get the cyclists.

 

[busby1971]

Dissolvable Fiats and broken down British marques are my memories of 80s motoring.

Black plastic seats in summer, without tinted glass or air con, and stopping every hour to top up the radiator made the journeys interesting. The fear of a MOT failure every time and points that wear out quicker than a quick thing made maintenance concerting.

The only good thing was less traffic and cheaper petrol.

Austin princess anyone?

Sent from my Nexus 4

 

[OldMedic]

Had three of the original Mk 1 Capri's - last one in red with a black vinyl roof.

Loved it - later versions became bloated and a tad boring.

At least you could see out of the older cars not like some of today's designs.

 

[Tashy_Man]

Loved my mk IV Cortina and always wanted a Capri until one of the guys I worked with had one and sprayed it pink :-(
As for the Princess another car I aspired to but never got around to.......had a montego but not for long !

Crack on.......


Sent from my iPad .....

 

[shettie]

1980's... let me see - that would have been the Audi 100 Avant... Wouldn't have bought any crappy British sh1te!

 

[chief remf]

Loved my Alfa Romeo Sprint right up to the point it rained and filled with water. But in the sun it was sex.

 

[grumpyoldb]

Austin Montego............................ DT_Xtremez_19:
My 2ltr turboD estate had 330,000 on the clock when I finally retired her to the scrapyard.
The Perkins engine never missed a beat and she was still doing over 60mpg till the last day.
I can honestly say that she never once let me down.

Trouble was, there was more welding rod than metal in her.

 

[Gonterseed]

The first 1980's car I had was a brand new dark blue Astra 1.3L estate company car when I left in Dec 86. It was akin to driving a roller when compared to all the other cars I had in the 80's, which were a succession of early 1970 bangers held together with speed and bodge tape. One, a Fiat 128 had a replacement front wing, brush painted in hemp, which complemented the red-lead patches. If it wasn't for the facilities at the station motor clubs.... aaah memories

 

[Malesu]

Always remember my dads Montego 'Van den Plas' saloon, from when we lived in Akrotiri 84-87. From what I remember he never had a problem with it, though the estate versions were meant to have rather dodgy fuel tanks.

 

[Gonterseed]

The Maestro/Montego van den plas. Wasn't that the one where you could fill it up, drive away and turn it over into a ditch or something and this voice would tell you that your fuel tank is empty.

 

[flintwich]

My 1980's consisted of a Hillman Hunter 1.5 GL, Ford Escort Harrier 1.6, Talbot Horizon 1.5GLS and an Austin Maestro 1.5 HL. Escort was the most fun to drive but the Horizon was the fastest, 115 on the clock down a big autobahn hill. Drove the Hunter from Leuchars to Laarbruch, twice in 2 months. At the end of the second journey it stopped and never started again.

 

[propersplitbrainme]

Talbot Horizon 1.5GLS and an Austin Maestro 1.5 HL.

Christ my dad had one of each of those in succession!!! The Horizon was always breaking down although to be fair the Maestro wasn't bad. He part-ex'd that for a Peugot 305; look up the word 'bland' in the Oxford English dictionary and there should be a picture of that beige 305 as the definition DT_Xtremez_34:

 

[rest have risen above me]

Mine was an MG Maestro 2.0l EFI that I ragged around for 2 years as a 2nd car in Germany. It was tatty and well worn. But I bought it for £100 paid £250 to keep it on the road then flogged it for £300 when posted.
It actually was quite fun to drive and when asked what I drove I could truthfully say an MG (could never keep a straight face though) My mate borrowed it whilst I was sandy side just as a local run around he proceeded to take it back to the UK and then drive it all the way from Calais to Bruggen with the exhaust in the back seat.... cnut.(although he did put a new exhaust on it when he got back) I suspect it didn't last long after I was posted.

 

[Ex-Bay]

Loved my mk IV Cortina and always wanted a Capri until one of the guys I worked with had one and sprayed it pink :-(
As for the Princess another car I aspired to but never got around to.......had a montego but not for long !

Crack on.......

Sent from my iPad .....

I've had two Cortinas and two Capris and they were all OK.
That said, I did have something done with/to the suspension on one Capri:
Went round corners like it was on rails or a frightened Jack-rabbit.

 

[he_who_dares_rodney]

No no no.
You`ve forgotten just how bad the suspension was in`t old days.
Mate of mine has spent too much/too long restoring a MkII Mexico, its immaculate, and looks the dogs danglies. But its not practical nowadays, not now the local council have put their pre-invasion plans in place and put tank traps every 500 yards in`t road, backed up with pot holes to get the cyclists.

Probably worth a fortune though MK1 & MK11'S are going for a fortune you can pick a Ferrari up cheaper.
Saw a pointy nose RS 2000 for £37k last week.

The Montego turbo's we had in MT went like mad decent cars
Allegedly the MG Maestro would out run a 911 from a standing start.

Old Man had a Princess IMHO the best car he ever had far better than any Ford Escort

 

[rest have risen above me]

Never managed a drag race with a 911 but it wouldn't surprise me mine did go like hot snot...very rattly and creaky hot snot but hot snot all the same.

 

[Stevienics]

I cannot believe I am hearing nostalgia for any leyland skip.

It was like being at sea in a seascape of beige velour and brown cheap plastic.