Real Road Test: 1977 Austin Maxi 1750

[@martinrule1569]

These were way better than they’re given credit for today. Great car 👍🏼

[@peejpom]

I was a salesman for Leyland in the late seventies and always had Spitfires or Dolly Sprints as my demo cars, 1979 Daughter born so out of sporty cars and into Maxi 1750 HL in denim blue. With the gear required for a new born , pram, portable cot and masses of bags the Maxi was ideal, add a glass sunroof and Daughter travelled for hours watching clouds and trees . As a useless bit of information you could carry a 6 x 2 plank of wood 10ft 2 inches long with the tail gate closed.

[@seancooke4127]

Maybe Arthur Lower and Eric Sykes should have driven a Maxi in "The Plank" instead of a Morris Minor.

[@peejpom]

@Guestar I ended up as an area manager for B L and the plank length was always one of the questions for incentive gatherings, be surprised how many were pretty close. The trick to achieving it was to lay seats flat and tucking it into the parcel shelf on the passenger side. Those were the days...

[@martinparker6536]

@@peejpom BL top management (not you btw) were PLANKS lol

[@isthereanybodyoutthere9397]

Didn't Terry from Terry and June have one or was it a Princess?

[@kenh3344]

@@seancooke4127 what year was the plank . Had maximum come out. Yes I also had a taxi our baby used the parcel rack to sleep on .when we slept overnight.

[@sveld5666]

Have owned one for 14 years now. Still have it. Brilliant car. Very underestimated car.

[@DavidSmith-yt7im]

You look better than a BMW driver and you are different

[@daifromwales9543]

@@alanssnack1192 Not sure what this comment means. If nice large windows with an excellent view is a bad thing, them guilty. Modern cars have huge pillars and small windows and narrow interiors because of all the crash protection. Not nice to be in.

[@alanssnack1192]

@@daifromwales9543 true, its just i had a old fiat panda, the privacy was bad, felt like a nobhead, could not relax. when someone drives behind you they can see your whole head. etc

[@RZVPeter]

As a wee boy in shorts, to this day I still remember the plastic seats in summer.

[@numberstation]

People are often critical of BL’s styling but fail to appreciate that unlike many other motor manufacturers, they weren’t slavishly copying Detroit. Brilliant video, by the way.

[@kai990]

i dont get that at all - id rather have a bland car than the overstyled function follows form stuff that other cars have in common

[@jammyone100]

I gotta say I love the Maxi. Whenever we go to classic car shows my mates laugh and say "are you being serious" and I say YES. its an icon truly a British design classic, As you said HUBNUT: a true family car, a 5 door hatchback, transverse engine with front wheel drive, a 5 speed gearbox, rear seats that fold that flat you can use it as a double bed!! My late father business always had Maxi's as company cars even until their demise in 1981& they were ultra reliable. Hasn't every modern car followed it's lead since? I think it should hold great status in our history of the motor car for it's futuristic forward thinking design, something you can't say about many BMC cars. Alec Issigonis was a cleaver engineer even if he didnt have the flare for style!

[@khylerin70]

😅😅😅. I get the same thing here in Australia when I pore over a Morris 1100, or Datsun 1000😅😅. Horses for courses I guess 😉

[@bronburrell2670]

Well, Puff will be very pleased with Ian's comments. And yes, she had and still has a very serious sumpshield for the rally. And really quite comfortable to drive.

[@davidgibson4840]

Loved my maxi. Comfy, fastish ,hit115 once on a long downhill. 35mpg easy and just so practical. All my friends took the piss till it came to camping and on a rough night the seats turned into a flat double bed and zzzzzz

[@edgarbeat275]

Spooky 😊 I was looking thru my international vintage VW magazines to find more info. I bought a load of old IVVM magazines from him. I a. Sure his has a vw engine in it and type 125 front wheel drive. Adapted from the VW 4x4 system used on the type 125 or type 166 commander wagon VW.

[@alanssnack1192]

maxi>? what maxi lolli? maxi renault 5? maxi pad?

[@robertmorley3609]

I had a High Line around 1973 which was excellent except for wheel vibration which they could not solve.

[@alejandrayalanbowman367]

@@robertmorley3609 Front wheel bearing. I had the same problem.

[@Londonfogey]

I seem to recall the ability to convert the maxi into a double bedroom was a selling point when it first came out. Ostensibly for 'campers' but probably also for unmarried couples needing to get away from nosey landladies.

[@GuyChapman]

The Maxi was amazing. Very spacious, easily room for a six-footer in the back, rapid, and quiet on the motorway. The first car I owned that could match the Maxi for interior space was a Volvo 940!

[@2010thesoca]

My dad had a 1750 HL in purple, a 1975 N Plate. Really quick for it's time with twin carbs. We went all the way through France and down to the Costa Brava in it twice in the 70's and had no problems at all. Sometimes the choke would slip back in when the engine was cold so I was often on choke holding duty if I was in the front passenger seat. The car was in the family for 10 years and I loved driving it when I passed my test. Happy days! so long ago now.

[@donsharpe5786]

I kept a clothes peg in the car to stop the choke from slipping.

[@ChrisFEJackson]

Love it mate, memories for me too! Holding the choke for my dad, I was so happy to participate :)

[@scabbycatcat4202]

@@donsharpe5786 I thought the clothes peg was supplied with every car from the factory !!

[@lmlmd2714]

Our old Vauxhall Chevette did that.... Clothes peg did the trick ;)

[@matthewgodwin3050]

I've always loved these things; Wholesome, straight forward, comfortable and very characterful family car designed solely for the transportation of people and their things. No pretence of being sporty; No bone shaking suspension, no low profile tyres, no silly touchscreen, and all the better for it. Those were the days when a motor manufacturer would actually sell you a car that was genuinely useful & user-friendly, and one that fulfilled a family's actual needs. Today's cars are more about selling the perception of image, lifestyle, political statements (Toyota Pious, I rest my case), and are stuffed full of expensive electronic nonsense that nobody actually needs. Give me the good old 60s, 70s and 80s cars any day.

[@n136h]

Spot on

[@matt8787fat]

Yes!

[@grahamariss2111]

For all its virtuous the Maxi did not sell, people bought the Ford Cortina because it sold them an image they wanted to be.

[@DavidSmith-yt7im]

How are they wholesome have you eaten one

[@DavidSmith-yt7im]

How is it wholesome weirdo

[@andrewthompsonuk1]

I was given one years ago with a blown head gasket. I fixed that and tidied it up and drove it for 5 years before I lost the battle with rust and tightening rules for safety inspections. It was actually quite rewarding to drive. I never had any major issues with it except for a slightly sticky clutch that would get a small amount of oil on it. The clutch can be removed in an hour or so so it was not much of an issue. t the time (late 90s) the car had no problem keeping up on the open road with the cars of that time. In fact you could easily catch others up in the bends. I never understood why people hated these cars, I always thought is was because they did not understand cars. Mine was the same color but had a matching red interior.

[@mrtelechi]

I loved the Maxi, borrowed one from a friend of mine when I was working in Gt Yarmouth but living in Birmingham, the car I had was a Rover SD1 2.6, I loved it but it was in the garage for some work, when I borrowed the Maxi 1750, I was quite shocked at how fast and nimble it was, not to mention the space, (I am a musician) Needless to say, I didn't want to give it back...lol. Great review.

[@peteacher52]

The 1977 Maxi was the best car I had before 1989. Its one weakness was a tendency to screw out drive flanges (but it had done 120000 km when I got it). It was reliable, economical and, for the day, very lively. I carried everything in it from washing machines, camping gear of all kinds, and I could, at a pinch, sleep in it. The pros far outweighed the cons. It annoys me to hear smart-arses who decry Maxis as none of them have ever driven, let alone owned one. Col, NZ.

[@petergouldbourn2312]

I’m so thankful to be involved with the HubNut world. Thanks Ian. Pete 🇬🇧

[@rickydoolous5356]

The perfect passion wagon, the seats folded absolutely flat and would easily accomodate my 6ft frame, MAXImum fun.

[@hjp1hjp22]

You could do the same in a Cortina estate.

[@burthabard8316]

Ricky Doolous the older 18 Austin's before the maxi had column change full bench seat front and back I slept in mine every night when I worked away on site and the boss paved me the lodge money for a hotel use to shower/ shave in the transport cafes I never saved the lodge money that went to the pubs and clubs ha ha

[@lameduck3630]

Enough room to knock one out?

[@MarkESBuckmaster]

The Maxi was my first proper car, after driving a number of Reliants on a motorcycle licence for 5 years. It was 1984 and with a wife and twins, the Robin was just too small. Both my wife and I, who also drove the Reliant on a motorcycle licence, had 5 lessons with a neighbour who was a driving instructor we both passed our test first time. We then sold the Robin and bought a 1974 blue 1750 Maxi. We loved it, with all it's space. One more extra wheel, one more extra gear and a 1,000 cc's more engine!

[@GreyTheFloydianSergal]

I do like the maxi indeed. I'd of tried for one if I didn't get my Talbot Alpine instead. I think that these underdog classics deserve more attention than they get. Every channel rants & raves about nothing but Nissan GTRs & BMW M3s but cars like this need a second glance

[@MikeG-fo1lb]

Here Here

[@noordcop1]

My very first car was a green Austin Maxi 1750. I bought it in 1979 for 500 guilders here in the Netherlands. It was a trade-in car that was 10 years old at the time. I drove it for years as a young man, with great pleasure. I have now worn out about 12 cars, but my first is still the most precious to me.

[@michaelpaterson5281]

Thankfully some people preserved the unloved leylands.

[@KarlHamilton]

@Farina Marcina hahaha

[@davidwatts1886]

One of the best British cars produced, not without fault, but extremely practical, very comfortable, quite economical, won't break any records, but one of the best motors I have ever owned.

[@seancooke4127]

I remember travelling in a Maxi 2, the sort of off white colour with the lovely black bumpers and mirrors. It was very spacious a d the seats were really soft and squishy. The ride was great and the slab dash was nice in that it was different to the norm. Nothing wrong with it.

[@mrb6094]

I actually think in the right colour the Maxi is quite a handsome thing.

[@AceBanana100]

Mine was white and scrubbed up quite well - I also put in a centre console which went really well when I came to sell my very first car TOR 27?T :-)

[@markwalding8205]

Thanks Stevie Wonder for that comment.

[@GuyChapman]

Teal blue, every time!

[@lmlmd2714]

Agree there. It's definitely one of the better looking BL things of the era. It's definitely nicer than the Allegro, and way more practical too (aside from the ground clearance issue where the first thing to hit a speedbump is the gearbox...). If it wasn't from the terrifying lack of safety and an auto box I wouldn't mind one of these :)

[@donaldasayers]

And what colour would that be? They came in; farmyard shit, Autumn shit, shitty sandy colour, winter, spring and summer shit and Fern green (shit).

[@RexWaldron]

My Dad had 2 Maxis, both of which he bought brand new. Both were 1750 HL's and so had the twin carb engine and very comfortable velour seats. The first (in white) was a 1974 M plate and drank oil, had a tricky gearshift and wasn't as quick as it should have been. The second, (in metallic blue) was a 1977 R plate. It was, in total contrast to the earlier one, well put together, had an almost slick gearshift, a smooth, powerful engine and was totally reliable. I had a 1600L mark 3 Cortina (1973 L plate) at the time, and it could not live with the blue Maxi HL, either through the bends or in a straight line. I drove both Maxis on a number of occasions and found them a lovely drive. The engine was more about torque than revs, the steering direct and not heavy once on the move, though the HL twin carb engine had enough power to create some torque steer if you were heavy with the right foot :). Car magazine got a 0-60 mph time of 10.0 seconds out of an HL in the late 70's, which was not bad at the time. Ours certainly felt to be in that ball park.

[@jrgboy]

I had a HL L reg, great when my daughters were babies, could get a Silver Cross pram in the back, loads of room for such a small car.

[@RexWaldron]

Agreed! Fantastic interior space available for the exterior dimensions. We would travel 5 up - my parents plus the three of us kids (my brother and I were teenagers, so adult size in reality) plus the family dog. There was always room for us all and our luggage. Dad used to tow his racing cars with the Maxi's too - they proved to be great at this.

[@carl160269]

My dad also had 2 1750's I remember the second being the HLS in metalic gold. I actually quite liked them.

[@RexWaldron]

Me too - underrated cars in my view!

[@donsharpe5786]

I remember the oil consumption 40 miles per gallon or was that the petrol. I always carried oil with me.

[@johnbrereton5229]

I owned three Maxis's, two 1750's and one 1500, all great cars with so much room inside and very reliable. You could change the clutch in situ in about an hour or so. Also you forgot to mention that it converted into a fully strung double bed. As a hatch back you could of course put down the back seat to carry items. However, if you wanted to sleep the rear seat back also went backwards and the rear seat itself had little legs that you could put down to make it lie flat. Also both front seats pushed forward and there backs could be lowered horizontally, and there you had it, a fully strung double bed. I traveled extensively on British and foreign holidays and often used the convenient bed. A truly great and underrated family car, for long journey's it was exceptional, large and comfortable and when you put into the high faith gear the revs dropped and it just sniffed the petrol and so was very economical.

[@michaelhawkins8418]

Owned 2 of these underrated cars. The 1500 were tunable the 1750, being a long stroke engine very smooth and bags of torque, real jeykel and Hyde character if it had a turbo conversion.

[@donsharpe5786]

The Maxi did have its faults. However, its road holding abilities were excellent. I remember driving in snow. Other cars seemed to be sliding all over the place. The maxi stuck to the road and drove along it although there was no snow at all.

[@andrewwilkin1923]

Thanks for this, took me back to the mid 70's when my Dad had a new Maxi as a company car every year. Very practical car for a family of 5, took us on many holidays.

[@richardwalker_]

As a youngster growing up in the seventies, Mini, Allegro (of which my family had several), Marina, Maxi all seemed completely different, distinct models. But now I see lots of similarities in switchgear, door cards, seats, even the family look to them all. And we haven’t progressed much in terms of packaging a family saloon in forty years - all that saloon legroom!

[@PaulHardingham]

First car I ever drove on a public road. Takes me back. Thanks for sharing.

[@SamDeeksRelovedGuitars]

You also managed to summon up the summer of 76 as the backdrop for this video!

[@DavidWhitley]

love the comment Ian " if you dont like the Maxi explain why or go away" i had to laugh at that your comments are class

[@rhamlyn100]

Yeah, my dad owned a Marina, an Allegro, and a Maxi in succession, and all were good cars. I can't remember any problems with the Maxi at all. I remember thinking how unusual it was to have a 5-speed gearbox. There was a ton of room, especially with the back seats down. The plain design was never an issue for me - I think it has its own character. Great memories of that car.

[@khylerin70]

Here in Australia ,our Leyland products were manufactured here in Sydney. There's a village of hi-rise apartment buildings on the former Leyland factory site, however the streets within it are named after various Leyland Marques. My brothers 1st car was an olive green 74 Marina coupe. He put Cortina sport alloys on it, lowered the front by turning the torsion rod nuts and it was a great looking car, and unique. From memory it was ridiculously reliable with it giving him zero, I do mean ZERO issues throughout the 2 or 3 years he had it. He sold it to buy a Ford Falcon ute which gave him considerable headaches, and they said Leyland's were no good?...😅😅😅

[@PicRic]

My dad loved his Maxi's, an early 1750 and, later, a 1500. Each a spacious, airy saloon with proper windows and ashtrays everywhere. Comfy for any long journey or over excited family away day. The wide opening doors were popular with infirm aunties, bridesmaids and mothers-to-be. The clever suspension soaked up the bumps. And then it's Monday again … Capacious with its large opening hatch presenting van-like access to the space on the inside. Painter, decorator, mechanic, tiler, electrician and gas-fitter. All were accommodated as needed. Never thought much of it until I found myself driving the Toyota Sienna mini-van. Like a modern Maxi but more so! Excellent, practical design stands up for itself. But don't tell the naysayers with a go faster stripe and vinyl roof.

[@markymark560]

I remember always having to put oil in the SU carburetor and wondering where it all went. I also became an expert at adjusting the points where ever I might be, even at night. It was pretty good for handbrake turns and good off road too.

[@oldbatwit5102]

Absolutely lovely car! I knew a guy who worked in a Cambridge dealership, he told me these sold themselves. They could never get enough and they were always on order. I drove one, briefly, around 1980 and I liked it very much.

[@phil955i]

You're featuring all the cars from my childhood plus some cars I've owned / had as company cars. Plus I like your style of delivery. Subbed.

[@edheide7229]

Thanks for sharing. My very first car was the Austin 1967 1100, I was always admiring the Maxi as you call it. Here in Canada it was called the 1800. I was too wild to settle down with a family car like the Maxi so My second car was the 1968 Mini. Those where the good old days for the British cars.

[@terrortorn]

There are a number of cars which lead you down nostalgia lane. Whether by direct experience or because they appear in the Carry Ons, the Maxi is one of them.

[@ykdickybill]

I’m 54 and I can remember us having 2 of these one after another. Both twin carb. Fantastic car . One of the first , if not the first ? true hatchback. Massive practicality and a real gamechanger. Dad wrote the first one off going through some roadworks when he ripped the bottom of the engine out over a raised manhole cover !

[@barryshackson4005]

Love the maxi, great cars. 👍👍

[@GoliathAngelus]

What i like about these cars is the nice view around when you are in the car. There are no blind spots.

[@mauryginsberg7720]

I used to drive one of these when I was 15-16 in the 1990s & I had a Saab 96 too after or before the Maxi. I really like old quirky cars and sometimes just the really average mundane overlooked cars are alight!

[@Bevoin1970]

Hearing that Maxi engine takes me back to 1979. I hitch hiked to Watford from Birmingham to buy a motorbike. My previous lift dropped me off at Corley Services on the M6 whereupon a social worker driving to London from Liverpool stopped and picked me up. He hammered that Maxi all the way to Watford to which I was duly grateful, having stood for over two hours trying to get a lift. He had the 1750 and it was a joy to be in even back then in 1979. My other memory was a local Tailor, he was named Stan Cooke, he bought a brand new one in 1972 in Blue, "K" reg. I remember it well. Maxi sounds bringing it all back to me now... You have a great car on your hands there.

[@OldeJanner]

Great traction in the snow, my father could go almost anywhere in one of those!

[@paultaylor9652]

My Uncle had 3 Austin Maxi's sadly they all turned to rust, so i do appreciate how much love the owner of this Maxi must of given it over the years. Another vlog just showing how cars from my childhood weren't so bad after all, thanks for memories.

[@gazp2194]

My brother in law had one that conveniently used to break down at or near pubs 😂

How awful of it 😂

[@davidmackenzie1952]

My Dad had 3 Maxis and had 2 myself and as a mechanic I found them bullet proof 100% reliable we travelled all over Scotland from Kent and they did not miss a beat!. Glad you enjoyed the drive .

[@Darwinion]

The reason the Maxi gets a bad rep is same as the Marina and Allegro... it's purely BL bias. People love to bash BL due to the reputation of the workforce in the 70s. They might not directly mention that but they love to bash the cars instead. Mini gets away with it due to it's legendary charm. But not much else did. You don't see the same ire towards Ford or Vauxhall cars of the same era, and there wasn't much difference in build quality between any of them.

[@PeterTOrganist]

Precisely. It is often caused by lazy people reading "10 worst car" articles written by lazy journalists, half these people weren't even around during this period. An Allegro was a better car in many respects than an equivalent Escort or Chevette, the interiors were much nicer. The Allegro 1.3 Super had nice cloth seats and full door trims where as the others had vinyl or far less plus cloth and exposed metal on the doors.

[@Dan_druft]

I don't think that's right, Iv worked in the motor industry all my life and the BL cars from the 70's were terrible compared to Ford and other manufactures of the time. I remember my dad having cars in the 60's like the Austin Cambridge that was built like a tank and various cars like the Singer Vogue. I remember in 1972 he got the Ford Cortina 2000GT which was amazing at the time when you think of the crap that BL were making, there was the Ford Capri, Escort and Granada. Vauxhall had the Viva and the sporty Firenza, Victor and the shitty Chevette but still all built better than more or less anything from BL. That morris marina might have sold a few cars but they were all company cars and I know from experience that they were absolute rubbish. People love to bash BL and there is a good reason for it. We used to call the Allegro the All-Agro because of it's unreliability and terrible build quality. Thank f*** those days are gone.

[@kwakkers68]

In this same era, Ford had a hand in supporting the rise of Friedman's Chicago School economics in Chile, and Pinochet's coup ... leading to economic implosion, a police state, and many extremely unsavoury deaths. If it had been more widely known, and understood, it should have led to a world wide boycott of the brand.

[@jrgboy]

I was always getting ribbed at work by one guy about my Maxi till his Cortina engine blew up - he went quiet after that...

[@dungareesareforfools]

Although I suspect that people are unfairly biased against BL cars of the era, the way I see it is that BL used sophisticated engineering badly executed, whereas e.g. Ford used basic engineering well executed. BL cars tended to have advanced ideas but were always let down by the details or the build quality. Ford made similar mistakes sometimes too (the Zephyr mk4) but when they stuck to the conventional (mk1 / 2 Cortina and Escort) and invested heavily in getting the details right they made winners.

[@Motopappa]

Also my dad had one, a 1974 1750 dark yellow. Very spacious car, a lawn mover was very easy to put in the back. Eventually the crank shaft split in the middle... Regs from Anders in Finland!

[@MrHairyTeabag]

Had a 4-speed auto 1980 Maxi. Great car. 3k oil changes (engine and gearbox shared same oil) and when someone crashed into it, it was still showing 60psi oil pressure at 90,000 miles and running sweet as a nut. As well as folding forwards, the rear seat could be folded backwards to make a fairly decent double bed (with front seats all the way forward then reclined).

[@CarlJones14]

My dad had a Maxi. I was 10 or 11 at the time. I loved it, all that space in the back. I remember dad doing 100mph (on the clock) on the Abergeley bypass, such fun.

[@stashyjon]

I was in a metal band in the 1980's we had two cars between five of us, six if you counted the roadie. The bassist had a mini and the guitarist had a Maxi. We could get the full band kit including a small PA in the maxi with the rear seat down so two would travel in the maxi with the gear, the rest of would pile into the mini. We toured the UK like that. Note - the band was crap and we got nowhere in the grand scheme of things, but we did have a lot of fun at the same time.

[@davidmacdonald1695]

Don't believe you - a drum kit, two guitars, bass, mikes, PA in a Maxi? I think you and your bandmates must have been smoking something funny at the time

[@stashyjon]

@@davidmacdonald1695 The PA was a small 500watt vocal only rig, powered speakers and a small mixing desk (deck was a six channel job only a foot or so square and the speakers were only 3x2x2 ft, if that - no stands or monitors). Amps were combos, Can;t remember the bass rig, could have been a Trace Elliot of some kind. Guitar amps were a Peevey Bandit and a Laney Linebacker, both loud but small. The drums were a custom kit that stacked like russian dolls, one inside the others. So the whole kit came in four boxes - the bass and three toms, a seperate snare, a small ammo box with stands and a soft bag with cymbals, mic stands were carried in a golf club bag and our three mics were in a very small flight case. The only other stuff we had was a small backpack with leads and four gangs in, two guitars and a bass in soft cases. oh yeh sometimes a small backpack or bag each with spare undies, washing stuff etc each. It was a squash and sometimes a guitar and personal bags were in the boot of the mini, but believe it or not. It happened.

[@Module79L]

@@stashyjon - I believe you, been there, done that. Many people think that back in the day even amateur bands had gear that could only fit in a van or a small truck. We had to get very creative when it came to logistics.

[@petrichor649]

The family had a blue 1750 followed by a really bright yellow 1750, they were great.

[@zola561]

Very underrated car and much bad press for no major reasons

[@andrewthornton326]

Harsh engine, poor gear change, headlights that acted as search lights as soon as you hitched a caravan - the list goes on.

[@ArtyEffem]

Apart from galloping metalworm. This vehicle should be destroyed compulsorily along with all other surviving examples. All historical evidence of this model's existence should be deleted. All mention of this vehicle is hereby taboo.

[@tractorhead971]

The robustness of the Maxi was fully appreciated on the banger track, engine well inboard, survived lots of frontals, excellent car.

[@jamescalcutt5503]

my dad had a maxi back in the early 80s it was the weird yellow colour, great car, its name was Gizard Puke (kenny Everett characature).

[@flybycomet]

Drove them in New Zealand in the 70''s , stunning car. Ride, handling, cornering, amazing roomy cabin. What fun .

[@deadmeat6563]

My first Girlfriend's Dad had one, the space in the back was very welcome i'll say no more.

[@deadmeat6563]

You can't prove anything! lol

[@bid84]

syncmaster2015 Mums the word.. oh no wait

[@pauldunneska]

@@deadmeat6563 Oh Daddy!

[@peteramberley9952]

#Who s the Daddy ?

[@johnpenny5638]

The 1800's were even better! (I had a SAAB 99, much more upmarket - as was my girlfriend at the time (still my wife 41 years on!)

[@kjeldlarsen912]

Didn't have this one , I had the Morris Monaco 2200 6 cylinders, spacevise it's the same and man oh man what a space , even the ashtray was huge 😉 , really loved that car.

[@HubNut]

Denmark? I believe that's the only market where it was called the Monaco.

[@kjeldlarsen912]

@@HubNut yes Denmark 😊

[@paulriggs42]

Great cars, 5 speed gearbox in 1977 ! They towed quite nicely too !

[@rinunculartoo3006]

Just as well then...probably needed to be towed quite often😂

[@jeffallinson8089]

One of my favourite family cars of the era. Bags of room, very practical and comfy too. I also thought they looked great too.

[@TheSimonhammond]

Love the Maxi having owned one. Love the sound, styling etc

[@clyneheretic]

Hired one of the first of these in 1969 to drive from Letchworth to Birmingham and back - fabulous car for it's time. All the seats even folded down to make a double bed. I do remember that 5th gear was very much an overdrive - you changed down fast when a hill appeared!

[@lewis72]

That cigarette lighter is actually an iPhone X charger. How forward-thinking was that ???

[@nicholasdavies8795]

Lewis72 lmfao

[@nijasty]

And no rear wiper - like a Tesla!

[@dukenukem5768]

Isn't it bizarre that a huge socket intended to contain *within it* the gadget it was meant for, for an activity (smoking) now deprecated, has become the international standard 12v connector.

[@Mark.D.H.]

I've thought for a while it's about time these sockets were updated but if you need something demanding a higher current like a tyre inflator, apart from crocodile clips on the battery there's not really any alternative.

[@lmlmd2714]

DESIGNED FOR THE FUTURE!

[@neilsg2001]

As a child my folks had a maxi. Fond memories. Reliable, fast, practicle. Taking a ride lying down in the back with the seats down 😃

[@SuperTabitha22]

Great cars; that E-series engine is bullet proof. Personally, I've always liked the Maxi styling. The only issue was gear box; weak cable linkages on the Series 1 and the nut on the end of the main shaft had a tendency to vibrate loose, causing loss of drive. Easy to sort out though. Other than that, with regular servicing, they were generally very good, reliable workhorses. My Grandfather had a 1750 just like this one, same colour (Damask or Emberglow?), clocked up lots of miles; car never missed a beat. He later traded it in for a Princess 'wedge.'

[@safebreaker2269]

Nope, not Damask Red or Emberglow. It's actually Carmine Red. Damask Red is a darker maroon colour and Emberglow is more orange.

[@richardsedding8444]

Thank you Ian, it is like travelling back to the 1970s when we had a damask red Maxi 1750, used to travel all over the country on holidays, with us three kids in the back, with the obligatory roof rack-I remember once we had a dinghy that flew off the roof-happy days!

[@eddiewomble2172]

We had a 1971 HL model in limeflower green. Terrible gearbox, though the selector mountings needed replacing. ACRES of room compared to modern cars, easy to use function switches, unlike the complicated cockpits of today. Really comfortable to ride in, due to the hydrolastic suspension. As for the handling ; as Rex Waldron said - the MK3 Cortina couldn't live with the Maxi HL either on the bends or straight. I remember my uncle driving it ( with a petrified me in it ) doing 80mph on twisting and undulating country roads and it' handled like a dream' as my Hillman Hunter driving unc remarked.

[@effyleven]

Eddie Womble Yeah... I tried to get my Maxi to slide.. just a little bit, just for fun. I never did succeed, not even on gravel roads, or even in the wet. Never pushed it on snow or ice, but then who would, prior to ABS?

[@thefudgerunner]

I have fond memories of our Maxi in the mid 80's. It had the velour seats and was a charming dog poo brown colour. It leaked oil so much that we called it THE SLUG as it left a slime trail.

[@robdixon3953]

Flying plughole 😂. Completely agree with your opinion of the Maxi and K series engine. So sad that fundamentally good designs were ruined by cost cutting.

[@pierre-de-standing]

My wife had one of the original Rover Metros, it was a 1 .4 GS and the engine (and car in general) was fabulous, no head gasket issues at all.

[@psk1w1]

@@pierre-de-standing The 1.1 and 1.4 litre K series had no issues with head gaskets. It was the open deck design of the 1.6 and 1.8 litre K series which had the problems

[@pierre-de-standing]

@@psk1w1- thanks for that Paul. Once again more fake news via the press and rumour mills! I was sufficiently naive to have believed it.

[@PhilipSiddall]

Loved our Maxi; ours was purple, nicknamed 'Bramble', and was still going strong after 130,000 miles.. Ours was also used as a camping car- the folded down seats made a comfy double bed. Stuff out the boot moved into the front footwells at night; bin liners over the windows for privacy, and the raised tailgate gave cover when cooking. Managed a two week holiday in it in Scotland with the missus.... wish there was something similar today.

[@RetroGamerVX]

Used to go to school in a maxi, loved em, you need to get in an austin princess!! :o)

[@DarrenCoull]

My dad had a Maxi (1750HL), really liked that car - Was a 1975 N reg, and I remember how easy the front wings rusted out - they had a horizontal shelf to catch all the mud and muck so the rust would appear along the coachline halfway along the wing! The headlight surround area wasn't too far after this - ours was rusted out after 6 yrs :-) - Kept the car for ages, and changed the engine (when it started burning oil) about every couple years for one from scrapyard, was easier than rebuilding the engine - I helped dad do the swap - he'd undo the big bits, exhaust, engine mounts, driveshafts etc. and I'd work on the cables, wires and hoses. Got so good at it that could have engine out in just over half an hour from opening the bonnet! So engine swap entirely in about 2hrs.

[@robertgarrett4046]

My father had a 1971 / J,Reg , Austin Maxi 1750 , in Teal Blue , it was a brilliant car in every aspect, especially as we towed a caravan with it , and we slept in it also ,i would like to know if it is still around/ on the road.The Reg Number was PEB307J. Rob.

[@garyhunt7265]

My Dad had the maxi 1750 in a mustard colour it did just over 100, 000 miles as my dad was a driving instructor with 1 new clutch and gearbox in that time. I learnt to drive in the very same car, very nippy as well used to love driving it you always seemed to want to go faster in it as there always seemed to have a lot of power to go at. Brings back great memories both me and my Dad loved this car great to see it again and a lovely review of the car by yourself made for a very nostalgic view of my youth well done.

[@emmerson22]

I remember by Dad's 1971 Maxi 1500 fondly. White with a red vinyl interior. At the time, a 5-speed gearbox and inertia-reel seatbelts were pretty damn cutting edge. I also remember its ability to burn the skin off my legs when the vinyl got hot.

[@PeterTOrganist]

And the opposite in WInter when thick trousers were required!

[@zaphodbeeblebrox6627]

My Dad had a 1968 Maxi 1500 in the 70’s Kept fouling number 2 plug every couple hundred miles & the notorious crappy cable gear selector cables that stretched so it kept slipping out of second & fourth. Something that they corrected with the later model by using rod selectors, but by then the car had got a bad reputation.

[@martingregory9590]

My a Dad had a mustard one held together with fibre glass. Nice memories as a kid 🧒

[@CortinasAndClassics]

Hurrah indeed, I love the Maxi.

[@stevek3636]

I had a later Maxi 1750 in the late eighties. It was a great family car, and we used it to carry huge amounts of stone slabs and steel forms. The beauty of the hydrolastic suspension was that the car still rode level, even when horrendously overloaded. I also liked being able to change the whole power plant in one lump. Did you know a maxi engine and gearbox fits in the back of an Austin Metro? Only for transport purposes though.

[@912582]

Really a very good car, my father had two when I was young and he always stated how well it towed with the rear wheels well back and independent suspension. Our friends had a Chrysler which for mos people was thought of as better but was not even close.

[@supikkaeetu68]

I bought my blue 1974 Maxi 1750 on march 1986 and i still have it. It´s has now been sitting in a garage about 17 years and i hope that some day i get it on the road again because i love it!

[@hjp1hjp22]

The Maxi is a more interesting car than other British saloons of the 1970s such as the Hillman Avenger, Vauxhall Viva, Triumph 1500/ Toledo, and Ford Cortina.

[@davidwilson1861]

I had a Maxi 1750 as my first car at 17. It had so much room for passengers and their stuff. It was an original Hatch Back. I like mine!

[@stevecarter8810]

Sparse?! As a driver of early to late 70s minis, that dashboard looks like a palace! You can hardly see any of its workings! You twist the vents to open and close them

[@pokerclown7922]

Recently subbed, I’m loving these old car reviews. Born in 79 myself I remember some of these old cars, so much more character than the new ones.

[@adampowell5376]

It was ahead of its time being a 5 speed hatchback. As with so much BL output. The ideas were good but the recipe went flat.

[@richardrichard5409]

Or brilliant recipes but always under cooked😉

[@ianhjan]

I Loved these cars, good to work on, and nice to drive. It was much beloved by North Wales sheep farmers as they loved their practicality, and ease of maintenance. I lost count of how many we used to see with sheep , bags of feed, and hay bales in them. They soon disappeared when the Toyota HiLux appeared on the scene.

[@barukkazhad8998]

One of the most useful cars I have owned

[@davidwilmshurst3211]

I had one in the early 8o's. Still have fond memories of it. Great car.

[@lanehogger1532]

I like it that you checked if the choke stayed out when applied. We used to use a clothes peg to hold ours out when I was a kid. My mates took the piss because of this. Apart from that it was a sound reliable motor, just not very cool at the time. Great review 👍🏼

[@NOWThatsRichy]

Lane Hogger Haha I remember the clothes peg on the choke too! You were ment to turn the choke knob to lock it but it never worked!

[@rwadley15]

I had forgotten that I used to wedge the choke open with a coin laid flat between the knob and the dashboard. Thank you for the memory :-)

[@HubNut]

Well, it's an alternative to a clothes peg!

[@LesD9]

And I thought it was only me had to use a peg! We had a 1971 Maxi. 5 speed cable shift. But only 3 worked and one of those was reverse!

[@dukenukem5768]

What I remember of that BL era is that you were meant to twist the choke knob 1/4 turn clockwise and it locked. I never had a Maxi and maybe it did not always work.

[@jaymartna]

Owned two and loved them .Practical and reliable.Wish I had one now.

[@PoJoWo]

Have you done a Princess/ambassador? Loving the channel from a new sub and fellow beard in North Wales. My next door neighbour growing up had a series of maxis and they struck me as being very comfortable and practical. They took everything the neighbour threw at them anyway. He once built a drive by taking a chunk of sunked land out of his raised garden and shifted the soil and stone between his maxi and Renault 4. At the time the cars we had were a 1275gt on denovo run flats, a tr7 and my dad's work car was a princess. Take it easy

[@HubNut]

Not had the pleasure of a Princess/Ambassador yet sadly.

[@noexpensespentstudios]

You're welcome to sample mine if we end up nearby one another at some point.

[@HubNut]

Ah, I'm heading to the North East middle of next month... Though I can imagine your Prinny garnering a right mixture of comments!

[@noexpensespentstudios]

It usually does! I could well be free when you're in the North East too, there's nothing on my calendar deadline wise about then so.... we'll see. Wonder if the gearchange will be any better than the Mighty Dacia, or just on a par with it?

[@spodule6000]

I had a mk2 maxi 1750. absolutely loved it. Just put a big smile on my face every time I drove it. Pin sharp steering, nice neural handling, quite nippy performance, super visibility, smooth ride and tons of character. I've owned many cars before and since, and driven many more, but this sticks in my mind as possibly my favourite ever.

[@carpademen1066]

My God What other cars have you driven ????

[@spodule6000]

Haha do I detect a degree of incredulity?

[@BeatPoet67]

I can still smell the interior of my dad's Maxi - that fug of stale cigarette smoke and vinyl seats. And the engine noise came flooding back. Those interminable trips to see my granny on a Sunday afternoon. The Carpenters playing on the radio on the way back - condensation trickling down the windows, a hard frost outside. Looking at the bright stars as we crossed the Cabrach - calling occupants of interplanetary craft.

[@MrWillibaldvongluck1]

Richard Smith I love your description of "a day out in the "Maxi." Magical nostalgia... Perhaps you could write more. Do you or anyone you know have a voice for a.s.m.r.? I remember the magic (as a child,) of the atmosphere, smells, noise and the uniqueness of (every) car, bike, truck, lawn-mower and domestic appliances of yesteryear. I can still hear the comforting clunk of my cousin's Austin A.30. the interior wasn't at all luxurious but the smell was leather enough for my juvenile "old factory" senses. The ping of the ignition, when the green (too late) oil light and the red no charge light came on. Curious for a low oil pressure or worse, warning light to glow a cosy green don't you think? Then the sound of the starter as the black knob marked "S" was pulled and the (asthmatic) "A" series lump "burst" into life. The ratchet (wretched?) handbrake (like the rest of the "plan your brakeing before you leave the house"* hydraulic/mechanical combo) was temperamental and inefficient. So we just left it in gear, saving the handbrake for m.o.t. time...It was a great introduction to double-de-clutching, actually and set me up, royally to drive the trucks of the 70s with their non-synchromesh 'boxes. The semaphore type indicators deserved a module of advanced driving instruction all of their own. We should have a had the front of a car, "Z" cars like on stilts with a screen fore and aft, for reality like...If you were in a lane of traffic stopped at the lights, someone crossing between cars could walk into them. They froze in the winter/freezing fog, so we carried a hot water bottle or two in the winter. Similarly, the carburettor used to ice up. And, at the best of times, the semaphores just stuck. So you hammered on the panel behind the door depending on whether you wanted left or right just after activating the (illuminated, but not winking,) switch. So, the routine (optional extra in highway code,) was, "mirror, activate signal, hammer on door panel if necessary - Manoeuvre!" Having a starting handle was a great luxury also, but a positive earth electrical system ensured there was no "in car entertainment." Just a "Roberts" radio sliding round on the back seat. As the baby Austin had an "A40" back axle, it could "fill the clock." A frightening enough experience when trying to take a corner or getting stopped in a hurry. It also meant you could say your 12 times tables, at leisure, waiting for the needle to reach the extreme right of the 'clock." * I stole the line about the retarding from "Ixion," "Motorcycling Reminiscences."

[@MrWillibaldvongluck1]

I forgot to say, during the "intention to stop, start, change direction..." After hammering on the inside of door panel to extricate the still-stuck-semaphore, one waits (patiently,) for the reassuring and resounding "thunk"* as the pendulous little "illuminated" arm pops out from the bodywork. So, again: "Mirror, activate signal, hammer profusely on door panel (if necessary,) await "thunk," - manoeuvre." *Mixture of "think" and "clunk." ...and I lied about the radio sliding around on the back seat. The "G" forces would have been quite insufficient...

[@stuartselkirk7581]

Ah memories of old. I had a Maxi 1500cc in blue, the cills rusted away but replaced those. They were surprisingly economical, I got 50mpg on a motorway run. It was reliable, I don't recall ever having any problems and very comfortable on long trips.The original ads made a feature of the seats folding flat to make a double bed!

[@jaggass]

I bet you had to be careful over speed bumps with the gearbox being underneath especially if the suspension is low on gas at the front. Its different and looks very spacious.

[@Noseypoke-mr7th]

Speed Bumps?? in them days they filled pot holes in the same day not wasted asphelt on speed bumps ;)

[@hlund73]

....and the gearbox is almost between the front wheels so raises over the bumps as they do. It's what's behind the wheels that catches as the suspension is still rebounding.

[@abitoria3310]

my dad owned 5 of them,used for mini cabbing in the seventies.passed my driving test in one,so much space inside and a 5 th gear great for the motorways

[@mark-1rc502]

I want an Austin Princess video now or an Ambassador . 👍

And if it's a princess how about the 2.2 six 😊

[@111squire111]

I used to get a lift to work in one of these big yolks, great memories of the 1750 Maxi. "When I was Young" Carefree times.

[@juliankowalewski908]

Hi Had 2 of them. The first was 1978 the second a MK2 1980 that was much better and had Hydrogas suspension. Love the later one. The Maxi was the same size as the BMW mini . I was talking to Alex Moulton and he hated the BMW mini.

[@gavmusic]

My dad had a 1970 Maxi 1500 in Bermuda blue (JPO 527H) which he bought in '71. It had been previously owned by a jeweller and it had a Triplex laminated windscreen and all the other windows were "Triplex armour-plated". A brilliant family car, never missed a beat. He owned it until 1976 when he bought a Citroën GS convertisseur estate - now there's a car to road test, if you can find one. Thanks for the trip down memory lane in the Maxi.

[@HubNut]

I've somehow got two tins of C-Matic fluid in my garage. Sadly, I've never owned the vehicle which uses it.

[@safebreaker2269]

Windscreens were indeed laminated but the other glass is actually marked "Triples toughened". Didn't really need to be armour-plated on a Maxi as they were unlikely to be chosen for diplomatic duties. Incidentally, the date of manufacture of the glass wihin the decade on these can be determined by a dot under one of the nine letters of the word "toughened" printed on the glass. No dot = year ending in zero. This particular car has a dot under the 'n', indicating 1977.

[@gavmusic]

@@safebreaker2269 The side windows were a custom fit for the jeweller who had the car new. Definitely said "Triplex armour-plated" on the side windows of JPO 527H.

[@safebreaker2269]

Wow, I stand corrected. I'm amazed that it was possible to get armour-plated glass for a Maxi back then. Still, I supppose it was sensible if he carried a lot of expensive jewellery about in it.