... while BMC 1100/1300s defy the generational effect

You’d think that the effect mentioned above would have pulled down BMC 1100s and 1300s values, but I think the opposite might be happening. Always a wallflower to the sexier Mini, very nice ADO16 survivors look like they’re now being pulled up by ever-climbing Mini values and demand. And the fact that they’ve matured into a cute, rare period piece.

In January WB & Sons sold a very early and very gorgeous ’61, 1100 in Fiesta Yellow with a continuous and large history from new, including a fully stamped service book, and just 21,000 miles for £9810. The guide price was £4000 to £6000, so the epic result surprised everybody. In July last year Historics sold a 1970 1100 in grey with 36,000 and three owners for £10,304, while Barons knocked down another 1970 car, in Aquamarine and time-warp condition with 10,000 miles, Ziebarted from new and never welded for £6250. And this February Mathewsons sold a ’71 MG 1300 with 79,000, although in stunning condition and finely detailed, for a very respectable £8700. Mind you, these warmer prices only apply to very exceptional examples, with tired and rusty cars still worth only a few hundred quid. Soft-riding with their Hydrolastic suspension, roomy cabins, sweet A-series engines and frontdrive handling, they’re bewitching drivers and becoming increasingly rare. Survival rates are incredibly low and out of a 1961 to ’74 production run of 2.1 million units, there are only 541 licenced and 312 SORN listed on the DVLC main frame. A tiny total of 853 1100s and 1300s remain in the UK. So next time you see a mint, original, low-mileage ADO16, don’t be sniffy. It might be worth £10k.