1975 AUSTIN ALLEGRO 1500 SUPER
WHY DID YOU WANT ONE? Back in late 2004, I mentioned to my friend and CCW legend Richard Gunn that I needed to buy a £100 car to compete in a new banger rally to run from Calais to Naples called the Staples2naples run. As quick as a flash, Richard offered me his nowextremely rare Austin Allegro 1500 Super Series 1, saying that I could take it off his hands for that price as long as I enjoyed myself and made sure that my teammates and I would call her ‘Molly’ all the way through the Alps and down to the finishing point on the Amalfi Coast. How could I refuse this vision of beauty in Harvest Gold?
WHY DO YOU HAVE FOND SUMMER MEMORIES OF IT?
It brought friends and family together and took me all the way to Italy in one piece. It skimmed me through the Alps, whisked me down the Autostrada in 30-degree heat all the way to Naples and bonded supremely with my two teammates on the event – now lifelong friends. The Allegro won the award for the unlikeliest car to make it to the end, and it finished the event in southern Italy despite having a damaged cylinder head gasket and a worrying appetite for engine oil. We took it all the way back to Germany where it lives on to this day. Wonderful!
WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR BUYING ONE?
If nothing else, our run to Italy shows that these cars are actually pretty tough, even when damaged. That might explain why there’s a decent number of them left on the roads and why they really do make great classic cars. They weren’t hit hard by rust and the mechanicals are well understood by classic-friendly mechanics. Look for rust, though, and make sure that the cylinder head gasket is in one piece (on A- and E-series engines), the gearbox is in good order and the interior and exterior trim present and correct – otherwise there isn’t much to worry about here.
WHAT I PAID £100 IN 2004 PRICE NOW £20005000
WHAT IT COSTS TO INSURE 1975 AUSTIN ALLEGRO 1500 SUPER
worth £3500. Standard quote: £66 or £81 with agreed value. Modified quote: £75 or £90 with agreed value. *Quotes based on a 45-year-old male marketing manager, access to another car, no claims or convictions, club member, 3000 miles per year, living in SP2 0HL £125 excess. Includes Insurance Premium Tax Disclaimer: Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may vary between schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. An additional charge may be payable. Quote generated on 07/06/22.