1983 Austin Metro

WHO? Howard Edgar

MILES 10,800

PROVENANCE Full history

MODS None

HOW MANY LEFT?

25 in this spec HOW LONG HAVE YOU OWNED THE CAR?

Since August 2020. I found it via the Metro Owners' Club while looking for another old car. My search for a two-door BMC 1100 had proven fruitless within my budget and an early non-mg Metro in excellent condition was, as it turned out, extremely rare. This prompted me to add SOG 12Y to my collection, bought unseen but from a very honourable seller who has continued to help me with the odd technical query. With the car only having 10,500 miles on the clock I didn't think there was much scope to run into trouble and issues would be mainly cosmetic.

HOW MUCH HISTORY?

The car retains original dealer stickers and number plates and I have the purchase receipt with the car delivered to a Mrs Bore of Station Road, Wythall. First service was at 3175 miles in October ‘84. With the current mileage (backed up by MOT records) at 10,800 it could be loosely interpreted as having full service history but it doesn’t have any further evidence of servicing between 1984 and the restoration. It was previously part of a large collection of pre-production and early cars.

HAS IT BEEN MODIFIED?

No. And as a base model it still has no cigar lighter, passenger mirror, heating control illumination or radio. I’m keeping it like that.

WHAT'S LEFT TO DO ON IT?

Nothing apart from insuring it correctly. I’d estimate that I’ve spent £6000 to get it to the condition you see now. The re-spray was £3600 with me removing all the trim and doors, etc. But it was all about saving some manufacturing history and hearing the soundtrack of my childhood. The money wasn’t a factor at all.