Austin Allegro

ENGINE 1098cc/4-cyl/OHV POWER 45bhp@5250rpm TORQUE 55lb ft@2900rpm MAXIMUM SPEED 88mph 0-60MPH 19.4sec FUEL CONSUMPTION 32-36mpg TRANSMISSION FWD, four-speed manual MoT 12 months on sale ODOMETER 81,398 miles This Allegro drives better than you’d dare to expect. It’s not exactly quiet but the A-series engine whine isn’t too obtrusive. The 1098cc engine pulls well, the Hydrolastic suspension isn’t bouncy and the gearchange doesn’t feel springy. There’s enough power for comfortable 60mph cruising, the steering (via the infamous ‘quartic’ wheel) feels positive and there’s no excessive wander. The clutch feels light and positive and the brakes give no cause for concern, stopping the car smoothly and in a straight line. BODYWORK CHECK This car is far from immaculate, but appears to be sound underneath. There is some evidence of welding around the sills, which appear to be original. Work has been carried out around the rear wheelarches, with a dollop of filler in the nearside, but again all seems fairly sound. Some of the paint looks original but much of it appears to have come from a touch-up can – sadly, the car was attacked by vandals during its 30 years with a previous owner when it was kept in a

Paintwork EXTERIOR issues Some filler INTERIOR Sun-damage dashboard Excellent seats MECHANICALS All seem to work well

London street. Chrome is quite good, apart from pitting on the door handles. The tyres – a mixture of Arrowspeed 100s and Kwik-Fit Centaurs – look to be in good order, but we’d probably want to replace them. HOW’S THE INTERIOR? The dashboard has suffered from sun damage – it’s faded and feels rough. Application of various products may improve things, otherwise the car’s next owner might just have to live with it. The rest of the interior has survived extremely well. The vinyl seats are almost as new and the rubber floor covering isn’t torn or excessively worn. The headlining and door cards are also in good condition. There are no cracks in the steering wheel but there are a few nicks and patches of wear on the surface, though these could be rectified. The instruments all work as they should, though we couldn’t coax anything out of the period radio. All the glass is in good condition. UNDER THE BONNET There are no signs of overheating and no leaks from either the engine or the suspension. The wiring is hardly immaculate, but it does appear to all be there and none of it is frayed. There’s no evidence of oil or coolant contamination and no excessive smoke from the engine. The hoses all seem to be in good order and the bulkhead and inner wings also seem to be good. THE CCW VIEW This extremely rare base-spec Allegro comes with some paperwork, including all the MoTs, and is being sold by BL fanatics with an extensive collection. This Allegro has issues but seems solid and runs well, with the important interior bits intact. Nick Larkin