Austin 1800 - Too Big For its Boots

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Hello everybody! :D
In 1964, Alec Issigonis appeared ready to score a hattrick in terms of providing the British Motor Corporation with three consecutive hits for the family car market, the diminutive but practical Mini, the 1100 and the mid-size 1800, the latter of which was to be the culmination of a project nearly 10 years in the making, and would perform the same wonder of design as the Mini by giving over as much of its internal space as possible for the use of the passengers and driver.
Unfortunately, the 1800 would prove to be the unravelling of Issigonis' phenomenal run, as while the car was indeed one of the most practical, comfortable and well performing machines on the British market on a mechanical level, there were a variety of aesthetic, price and manufacturing problems with the car that led to it being sullied by the press and public, creating one of the biggest commercial failures in the history of the British motor industry.
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The views and opinions expressed in this video are my personal appraisal and are not the views and opinions of any of these individuals or bodies who have kindly supplied me with footage and images.
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References:
AROnline (and their respective sources)
Wikipedia (and its respective references)

[@febweb17]

I had a BMC 1800 Mark 2 automatic. It was a brilliant car. Cheap to run, reliable, roomy and incredibly comfortable. Its road holding was excellent. It was somewhat under powered. I've been driving for 58 years and the1800 is one of my favorite vehicles.

[@FredScuttle456]

You too? Mine was a Wolseley 18/85 S. Couldn't recline the front seats properly, so I had to eff my girlfriend with the seats upright. No transmission tunnel, very spacious, easy-wipe seats which was better than velour.

[@DaveSCameron]

@@FredScuttle456that’s disgusting! 😂😂

[@Robert-e4q8g]

I agree. I owned an Austin 1800 and loved it. Great car.

[@572Btriode]

Yep, I had a rather unusual 1800 S automatic, a very good and roomy car.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

I'd rate the 1800 as more roomy and comfortable than most modern cars!

[@chrisking7256]

The Austin 1800 was under-appreciated - it was a great car. I owned two - a 1965 Mk1 and a 1972 Mk2. I had the Mk1 when I was still young (and single) and bored the block out to 1900cc using Ford pistons. I fitted a 1/4 race cam and twin inch & 3/4 SU carbs. That car would fly, it would go off the clock at 100 mph in fourth - Cortinas couldn't catch us! Unfortunately my dear mom borrowed the car and T-boned it so I scrapped it and having married by this time I bought the Mk2. The Mk2 was a great improvement over the Mk1 and was our family car for several years, from late 1970 until late in the 80s. We called it 'The Barge' and it is now living somewhere in the Free State - it still has a place in my heart. The Barge (or Landcrab) was a great car.

[@Ozcrazy49]

I remember trying to catch a twin carbed 1800 thru the Adelaide Hills in Australia, many years ago. We were in a 1275 Morris Cooper S. Struggled to keep up with it!

[@mikeymike3634]

I owned a 1974 Wolsley Six auto for several years and loved it. smooth and powerful for it's time and with regular servicing it never gave us a scrap of trouble. One amusing story; The car became our "wedding car" when my wife and I got married, but on leaving our wedding reception in the evening the thing wouldn't start, accompanied by much popping a backfiring! My cousin Tim had got under the bonnet and changed around the plug leads! There was me in my best suit under the bonnet in the dark sorting them out again! the Wolsley is Long gone, but my wife and I have stayed the course and have now been together for forty years.

[@williamegler8771]

I thought you said it never gave you any trouble!

[@john1v6]

@@williamegler8771 I presume his cousin had played a prank on him by switching the plug leads - not really a reliability issue.

[@malcolmwhite6588]

Well done I was going to say that’s what the problem was before you identified it in the remainder of your comment. I think somebody had played a trick on you as part of a wedding joke prior to you correcting the spark plug orientation configuration.

[@williamegler8771]

@john1v6 and that's about as believable as it being trouble-free!

[@Ozcrazy49]

Congrats on 40 years of happy motoring & marriage!

[@stevegibb6421]

Absolutely marvellous car… much maligned by people who never owned one

[@williamegler8771]

Then why did the original owners complain about them? Their reputation had to start somewhere!

[@robtyman4281]

Both the 1100 and 1800 were much better cars than their successors - the Allegro, and Princess.

[@ethelburga]

@@Mark_Mullotank he seats were amazing and it looked as if there was enough room under the dash for a grand piano.

[@angusharris2408]

My first car was an 1800. I got because the owner bought a Princess. When I spoke to him about six months later he said how much he missed the 1800 and hated the Princess.

[@andrewdale3695]

My family had a Morris 1800 for 6 years from 1973. It was always our favourite family car, incredibly smooth and comfortable for that class of car. We went all over europe in it on holiday - I remember a marathon non-stop run from the Alps to Calais. A great car

[@kaatom1]

My Dad had two of these I always think of it fondly as a BIG Mini.

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Great testament!

[@robertp.wainman4094]

As a 1960's/70's Ford lover - I think the 1800/2200 was a far superior car to the competition that was the Cortina......sadly most of the buying public didn't agree!

[@richardnunn3205]

My father bought an 1800 in 1966 and had for several years. Great car. Borrowed it regularly. Good for nooky in the back in my teens.

[@marklelohe3754]

Dad had a Mk2 it was a brilliant car which he owned long enough for us to rebuild the engine. It was a flyer. I once drove it from a night club in Bristol to Yeovil in Somerset a distance of 44 miles in 40 minutes, I've never since bettered that time in cars of much higher performance. The handling of the car was absolutely tremendous. Good memories of that car. It was a comfortable spacious car that could be driven great distances with stops only for fuel. I remember my father driving it from Blois to Marseilles over the Massif Central in one day, a distance of 488 miles. It was the best car he ever owned.

[@user-s1o3nr532]

The 1800 was supposed to replace the A60 Cambridge and Oxford though, not the Austin A40 as shown.

[@jamessergeant2136]

Came here to say that! The wrong Farina is shown.

[@davidpeters6536]

Dead right. Unusual for Rudy gets things wrong, but this needs a remake.

[@oldcynic6964]

And if you remember, the public's reaction to the Mk1 1800 was so negative, BMC kept the Cambridge and Oxford in production in parallel with the 1800 while they sorted out some of its more egregious faults.

[@markjones-vx3kp]

The 1800 was so underrated without doubt

[@iangrice329]

Dad had an 1800 he loved it, huge inside and a massive boot, I loved the ribbon speedo and umbrella handbrake. Opening rear quarterlights, I've never seen them again.

[@insitetoursirelandltd.5795]

My dad had two of these. Mark I and Mark II, the first in the flat beige and the second in Harvest Corn. We were a family of 8 and before the silly seatbelt stuff we travelled Ireland together, packed into the massive space of these brutal looking cars. Great memories!

[@s208richard8]

As the kids grew, my father went from the Austin A40, to the Austin 1100 and then the Austin 1800. Great family car for long holiday trips. Quite roomy, but we often spent Sunday mornings servicing and replacing parts!

[@richardharris7214]

I learnt to drive in 1973 in an Austin 1800. A nice car, easy to drive, remembered particularly for the amount of room inside. Good video.

[@DaveSCameron]

Back seat was like a corner sofa!😂

[@Robert-e4q8g]

I owned an Austin 1800 and loved it. Under appreciated, it is one of my favourite cars that I have owned and deserves a much better reputation. Great to drive, incredibly spacious, and reliable. Wish I still had it! I always felt driving it that I was in a more expensive, more luxurious car than what a paid for it. So comfortable, great handling.

[@emjayay]

Well, it hardly ever rains in the UK so they just didn't think of that problem.

[@kenbradley5035]

The 1800 was a fantastic car... more room than a Rolls Royce of the day. Ever the bloke who bought it from me had the same opinion.

[@Bicyclehub]

The thing that amuses me is that the XC9001 prototype, the big 4 door Mini shape, looks almost identical to the 4 door Minis that BMW are now selling. Issigonis was 60 years ahead of his time.

[@nigelbarratt6825]

I had a 1969 Austin 1800 Mk2 back in the 70s. It was an absolutely brilliant car for its day, roomy, comfortable, quiet and economical to run as well as being totally reliable. The only down side was the lack of power steering which made the steering heavy when parking, but my cousin bought a Wolseley 18/85 version with the optional power steering and plush interior which was lovely. I started driving in 1967 and now drive a new Audi A6 S Line Avant, but I'd still happily go back to the 1800, even without all the bells and whistles!

[@pcno2832]

Never thought of it before, but I just Googled "aftermarket power steering". I don't know if such kits were available then, but they are now, and the ones at the top of the search were 12V electric systems. It makes sense that they would have been available in the 1960s, since I can remember seeing cars with hand controls for the disabled back then and some drivers needed very light controls. Seems like a shame that such an appealing car was shunned for a minor flaw. I wonder if any dealers tried to add power steering.

[@nigelbarratt6825]

​@@pcno2832There was no electric power steering in those days, it was hydraulic with a belt driven pump on the engine and was a factory fitted option on some cars. The vast majority of cars didn't have it so it didn't put us off buying one as we didn't expect it. That's why steering wheels were much larger, you needed the extra leverage to steer them at low speed.

[@captaccordion]

This channel is normally pretty reliable, however there are errors on this occasion. The BMC Farina pictured was the Austin A40 version. This car was powered by the A series engine and was the car replaced by the 1100. The car which should have been shown as the precursor to the 1800 was the Farina A55 and A60 Cambridge with the B series engine. (Morris, Wolseley, Riley and MG variants of these cars also existed.) Also, no mention was made of the strengthened engineering implemented initially by BMC Australia. It's always odd to Australian ears to hear about how unsuccessful the 1800s were, as they sold well here, where their size was considered perfectly normal, and no-one ever thought them over-engined!

[@danieltynan5301]

Exactly

[@Ozcrazy49]

I concur. Well suited to Australia's awful roads. Made a great rally car.

[@brucelivingstone365]

Agree and would go further to say the A40 should have continued in development. It had the basics just right and was, albeit rwd, the Metro of the 1960s. Just as Nissan used the licensed manufacture of the A50 as the basis for their successful small cars, they could have done more with it.

[@asd67lkj]

Agree. I had a MK2 for a few years Very easy to drive, even with "bus driver steering wheel position". We could lay back the seats and sleep in the car on a long trip. Found out later that my BIL worked at Zetland during the development. Had some great stories about testing the car out near Narromine.

[@alexshepherd]

Agree; similar story in New Zealand to Australia, I suspect the time of the 1800 was when Austin/Morris hit their maximum appeal in this part of the world (also with the 1100/1300 which were a common sight on the roads into the 1980s). Although it was before my time, I think the 1800 had a reputation for toughness and resilience earned from taking part in rallies, not mentioned in this video. I don’t think the Princess successor, with which I am familiar as one of my first cars, had anything like the same reputation for toughness and reliability. The Princess did introduce a modern driving position, power-assisted steering, four-piston brake calipers, air-blending heater (closes off airflow instead of coolant flow), fibre optics, concealed wipers, and a number of other features that were avant-garde for the time and typical today. Pity the basic car wasn’t as well-engineered as the 1800, and the overhead-cam O-series engine that replaced the B-series in 1978 was quite a retrograde step in harshness (and in not keeping the oil inside…) Video also didn’t mention the Borg Warner 35TA (Transverse Application) automatic transmission being developed for the Wolseley 18/85 I think (later applied to the Princess) with its unusual chain drive from the torque converter. In summary of all the above, I feel the 1800 was the product of a few skilled, experienced engineers (like Alex Issigonis), while the Princess that replaced it was the product of a committee, leaving it with many detail refinements but hardly improved engineering over its predecessor from ten years earlier.

[@berwynjones7073]

My parents bought our family a second-hand Austin 1800 Mk 1 (NCY20F) shortly after I passed my driving test. Driving it probably did nothing for my ‘street cred’, but I couldn’t have cared less. It was a very enjoyable car to drive. Sadly, they sold it and bought a slightly older split-windscreen VW campervan (0-60 in a fortnight!) …

[@gordonbitting1659]

I drove an 1800 for many years in my job as chauffeur and loved it

[@johnzmuzic]

My father bought a ten year Morris1800 in New Zealand in 1976 , had a lot of fun driving it , quite reliable .

[@jeremyrichards8327]

The B series 1.8 engine in the MK1 1800 had a 5 bearing crank and was surprisingly smooth. My dad had one and was a really good car with plenty of room for 5 adults.

[@loskop100]

I had one of those as a ute here in Oz. With no drive shaft the floor it the tray was cavernous and was easy to overload the rear suspension but the new invention of air shocks took care of that. I had that ute for over 10 years without a major problem, just usual service issues, and would have it still today, however a storm and a tree not really anchored that well severed my connection to the ute.

[@Tom-Lahaye]

Didn't know that there was a ute version, looked it up and it looks a lot cooler than the saloon version.

[@joelawrence56]

NZ got the Aussie built ute as well!

[@loskop100]

@@joelawrence56 yep I know, my brother had one with a dead donk so installed a 3.8 Kia motor and transaxle from a Grand Carnival. That went like the clappers.

[@stephenw2992]

They sold plenty in Australia. My dad had a Kimberly that we toured the Flinders Ranges in and he later drove it to Tassie. Looked a fair bit better than the 1800 because they squared up the rear end and had dual rectangular headlights.

[@agedflier9129]

I had the Mk2 1800 for a few years and upgraded to the Kimberly.. However for whatever reason my Kimberly was a dud.....Engine was ok around town but not so good on the highway especially the Hume Highway heading to Sydney....

[@johnmoncrieff3034]

Even as an ex Rootes Group design engineering employee I has to acknowledge the brilliance of the engineering of all the Issagonis designed cars of the 50's & 60's! I have subsequently owned Mini's, 11/1300's all gave huge enjoyment and reliability! Other family members owned Maxi's & the 1800 Riley all without any problems. Recently, When asked what their favorite old cars were, all plumped for their BMC model of the 60's

[@kevinsylvester770]

My Uncle had a Wolseley 18/85 from 1972-1978 , it always felt so much more refined than anything else that I'd been in at that time . I was truly gutted when he part exchanged it for a bottom of the range Nissan in the late 70's 😔

[@stephenchapman2939]

Definitely an under appreciated car. My Father had a small farm in the south of France in the earl 70s which he reached by Land Rover because the road was so appalling - steep, rutted, potholed, gulleys, slippery shale and muddy and basically noone tried to come up it. Except the 2CV post van which with its tall thin wheels could come up in even the worst weather. We always went down to collect people at the bottom of the hill. Except once when we were preparing to go down and we heard a car approaching. Yes - an Austin 1800. How did you get up we said to them? Well we just drove they said. The car did it easily. A brilliant car not understood sadly. And all in an extremely strong bodyshell. Would love one now

[@paulfletcher4213]

Hydrolastic suspension would cope with anything. I loved mine.

[@jeremyrichards8327]

@@stephenchapman2939 I remember walking along the Peddars Way in Norfolk in the 60' s and my brother decided it would be easier if he brought the car and when I turned round my Dad's Austin 1800 was following. " Well it's Hydrolastic isn't it" was the comment.

[@stephenchapman2939]

@@jeremyrichards8327 Funny! Isn't it strange how some cars look good more in hindsight than they did at the time?

[@colinallan1962]

It's interesting that the fact that the car had so much interior space ( due to its excellent packaging ) made people think it was a much larger car than it actually was, On the Wikipedia page it is described as a large family car. In fact the latest VW Golf is 3.5 inches wider and 3.5 ins longer than the 1800. ( My tiny 2024 supermini Peugeot 208 is 1.5ins wider than the 1800 and only 5.3 inches shorter ).

[@rflhenley]

I currently drive a Tesla Model 3, which is bigger all round but much smaller inside - except perhaps for the boot but I can't find any figures.

[@PaulDouglas-i5m]

Matched with the Cars around at that Time it Probably was Larger on the Inside back then......

[@mikewilkins3210]

We had a Mk1 and a Mk2 S version and a few years lar I had the 2200 6 cylinder. All awesome cars, just like a mini on steroids. More than enough room in the interior, huge boot space, comfortable and all of them stuck like limpets to the road in all conditions. Very economical too. Sad to see it’s passing

[@area51isreal71]

In Australia we had those too. A family member had one and I was always impressed by the amount of interior room. They introduced the Austin Kimberly and Tasman after that which were well received by the press, but they suffered from the usual Leyland quality gremlins. Good timing for Leyland, fuel prices where close to blast off point and they had an ideal sized car. So what did they do? Drop it in favour of the Leyland P76 and then went broke.

[@biastv1234]

They are strong, good cars

[@madmarsupial]

The P76 goes down in history as a major symbolic late milestone in the decline of Great Britain.

[@Ozcrazy49]

​@@biastv1234 Yes, torsional rigidity was apparently far superior to any other makes.

[@barrymartin3813]

Don't forget the ute

[@area51isreal71]

@@barrymartin3813 Good point. I completely forgot about it. It was unique to Oz too wasn't it?

[@jfv65]

That kink in the bootlid of the 1800 really reminds me of the Peugeot 504 saloon.

[@macjim]

@@jfv65 yes, it does look like it…

[@artureff3046]

same designer....Pininfarina

[@emjayay]

Also a FWD Simca model. I think it provided the basic platform for the Horizon.

[@jimcarter8034]

although the 504 came later

[@1951GL]

My father had a second hand Morris 1800 from 1969 to 1974 - when I drove it, the feeling of space, comfort and smooth motorway running was superior to most cars I have driven since. I remember the oil dip stick issue and Dad had his own, from Leyland Motors, where he had worked in the truck and bus division.

[@HelenGarland-d2q]

My Dad had an 1800 in the early 70s on a K plate. It took me and my brother on Holidays with Canoe's on thd roof and a Trailer full to ghe brim. It was a fantastic Blue beauty and never ever let us down. Sleeping in the back was a pleasure and we went all over thd Country in it. Fantastic memories and l would havf one now as a 60 year old in a heart beat. What a Family friend. Thanks for the memories you brilliant blue beauty ❤

[@Anaximander_1]

Fav childhood game, sliding from side to side in the back seat as we went around NZs windy roads. (feet off the floor no rear seat belts of course!) Best memory, my dads DIY CV boot change. I learned some new words.

[@commodorenut]

I have exactly the same memories, but across the ditch. And memories of being stuck when it rained hard and learning even more language. WD40 lived up to its name when you dumped half a can thru the dizzy and got going again. We had a Mk2 with the terrible plastic window winders. Compared to the Mk1, the Mk2 was de-contented, and our friend’s Mk1 had more useful things like the rear door pockets and grab handles.

[@russellhammond4373]

I never knew that Australia had so much influence on the 1800 after it was released. I really did like this car.

[@robertmarsh3588]

A truly excellent car. My father and his colleague who were peripatetic music teachers both had one for many years. My Dads was a Morris 1800S Mk2 which he bought to replace an A60 Cambridge (and which always needed careful carb balancing) and his colleagues an Austin 1800 Mk2. Maybe not a drivers car but fast, comfortable and I'd argue good looking. That large boot and interior was often filled with brass instruments and passengers. Another colleague had a couple of Maxis in succession, which was an underated car too.

[@owenyexley7290]

My parents gave me their old car when I passed my test in 1983, an Austin 1800. Great car!

[@rapido2963]

I loved my Austin Maxi 1750 HL. I found the manufacturer’s workshop manual in my loft a couple of days ago - forgot I had it.

[@jamespasifull3424]

I had the 2.2 version, in olive green. My abiding memory of it is the massive interior, & the amazing ride comfort, courtesy of those huge seats, & the independant suspension!! Ok, it had more perforations than a teabag, but while I owned it, I loved it! 😁

[@andyb2515]

Lovely car - I passed my driving test in my Dad's Austin 1800 in the Summer of 1976!! We had 2 1800s and 2 Austin Maxi's - all really nice to drive and travel in

[@alangordon3283]

The upmarket crab of the land.

[@martinxxxmartin]

I once had one for repairs. Some welding. It was an Automatic Gearbox version. I took it for a drive and was totally amazed how smooth it drove and how much space there was inside.( It was the Wolseley version.)

[@Thomas6Anderson]

I owned an Austin 1800 (in Canada) for several years. Brilliant car. Exceptionally roomy, massive trunk (Boot). With the hydrolastic suspension, it rode like a Cadillac on rough roads yet handled like a small car on corners. Acceleration was good and so was fuel economy that that size of car.

[@pavloarmand4070]

A wonderful car. I remember it's launch. The Wolseley 18/85 and Six were the best kitted out. A schoolfriend's father bought a Morris 1800 and I loved the suspension and flat cornering .

[@gppsoftware]

My grandfather had a Wolseley six in a metallic dark blue, which he eventually replaced with a Mark 1 L-reg (1973)ford Granada Coupe Ghia which had a hand-operated sunroof - wow! I was only a kid at the time, but I remember travelling from Sussex down to and around Somerset in the Wolseley and it was a thoroughly comfortable, smooth and quiet car, It was a column-mounted auto. The Granada was a beautiful beast in metallic brown being a 3 Litre which later seized. Happy memories!

[@TheGrimReaper1]

The family had a f reg Austin 1800 and i loved driving it. Its ability to go up the very steep farm drive in thick snow and through small drifts was what I mostly remember. Nothing seemed to stop it. The power to weight ration seemed to be perfect compared the ford Thames van and 1100. I have heard “land crab” mentioned but at the time i never ever heard that expression.

[@geoffwoodgate7450]

Weight over the drive wheels is very good in snow.

[@nygelmiller5293]

So exactly WHAT FAILURE are we talking about? All the owners, including myself, LOVED it!

[@geoffwoodgate7450]

My parents owned one of these. The automatic as my mother didnt like the previous car, a hillman super minx. I learnt to drive on this and a Hillman imp at the same time. It was a very spacious and reasonably fast cruiser.

[@StephenDodds-o6e]

Best drive-in theatre car ever. Basically a big bed on wheels.

[@voodoonights1671]

That Rover overtake on the dual carriageway 😮

[@davidpeters6536]

Yeah, dreadful bit of driving.

[@madmeister407]

Learned to drive in my dad's Wolsley 1800 and I loved that car. So comfortable and a pleasure to drive and I passed my test first time.

[@stevenharrison9257]

My parents had a 1967 Austin 1800 which had been a showroom demonstrator; what a wonderful car! My dad had a Wolseley 6 as a company car but I always preferred the 1800. I always get nostalgic when I see an 1800, in fact I'm often tempted when I see one up for auction, despite owning 5 cars (but none of them an 1800).

[@paulbuckland132]

My dad had an Austin 1800 in the late 1970s. I passed my driving test on it. Great car. Loved it. Really roomy, comfortable, easy to drive.

[@theclocker7406]

I remember my Dad having an Austin 1800 when I was a kid, and what a glorious car it was; incredibly comfortable, smooth, and quirky - I loved it growing up. A seriously underrated quality car. I recall my Dad eventually replacing it with a Morris Marina 1.8. There was just no comparison though, our Marina was an absolutely dreadful tinny thing that was nowhere near as comfortable, definitely not smooth, nor reliable, and felt built down to a budget. Ours broke down a lot, and didn't stay with us for long. I really missed that lovely big Austin 1800.

[@johnmoruzzi7236]

The Marina was the actual replacement for the BMC A60 Farina…. basic old fashioned running gear to compete with the similar Cortinas and Escorts of the time.

[@theclocker7406]

Many thanks and much appreciated, although I was aware of that. Unfortunately, my Dad thought the Marina would be the perfect logical replacement for the 1800 at the time, despite various protest from 12 year old me. We disliked Fords in my family, as Dad was firmly a BMC man, and my grandfather was always a Daimler/Roots guy.

[@keithralfs5190]

I owned a Morris 1800 when I lived in UK and Austin 1800 here in Australia - Brilliant cars

[@EelingStudios]

I had an 1800, really superb ride, spacious, simple, economic, quiet and like other comments would love to own one again...

[@davidchadwick1892]

I had one for several years, loved it, so comfortable, reliable, far better than a Maxi I once hired.

[@jeffbell2266]

My first car was a Morris 2200 version a 6 cylinder 4 speed manual for £150. It was basically rust with wheels but mechanically sound I loved it.

[@Ozcrazy49]

One of the best cars I ever owned.

[@bwghall1]

it looked awful. nice to drive, but it was no head-turner.

[@TheCienporciento]

My dad had a whitte Morris 1800 which was both his first car and the first in our family. I remember the rear being huge and I missed the rear armrest when my dad replaced it with an Avenger.

[@WhosPhotoTube]

1967 Morris 1800 was the best car I ever had, it was a banger when I bought it near 100,000 miles on the clock.

[@rflhenley]

My father had two in succession - the result of having three sons who were rapidly headed to being six feet tall. It was the only thing on the market at anything like a reasonable price that was big enough to take all the family.

[@rflhenley]

And I learned to drive in the second.

[@timmelia7551]

I used to own the oldest surviving 1800 , a pre production prototype, great car .

[@templeviewgate]

I had nice poster during my younger days ...i always dreamt of austin 1800 ...loved its elegant looks.

[@cliffordpedley3216]

Hi i have been reading the comments and I'm so surprised that everyone seems like they have had no trouble with them my dad had one in 67 and I loved it i was only young at the time my dad had some mobile shops and he used to fix a lot of things him self but we had a lot of trouble with the 1800 from gear boxes engine rattling put in a gold seal engine driveshaft over heat and when i pass my test in 74 i used to get cars and do work on them and sell them but i had about four 1800s i worked on them all but i still love driving it i remember when the Maxi came out It was a lot more reliable my dad didn't like me having as many cars but i used to make good money doing them up but that was not a thing them days mending cars i have been a lorry driver for years but the 1800 was my favorite and I passed my test in my brother in laws mini Cooper

[@JohnH1]

We had these in Australia with the last of them being called Tasmans, they were better riding and had as much room as the local Fords, Holdens and Valiants. The issue with them was they were under powered. But on a long trip like Sydney to Port Macquarie they really were able to shine when it came to passenger and driver comfort.

[@DavidAtkinson-cd3os]

The Morris1800 was a vehicle that I did many miles in. It was roomy, comfortable and fast. It was the days before blanket speed limits and speed cameras but I found it to be faster than its brakes. It was late at night, with very little traffic and I decided to see how fast it could go. Whilst it was a speedometer reading it comfortably exceeded 100mph. I knew the riad and also knew that there was a roundabout at the end of this particular stretch of road. The speed was deceptive and the brakes virtually defective. The speed and its weight rapidly heated up the brakes on trying to slow down and it was like trying to use a bar of wet soap to stop. Massive brake fade and it was only due to its excellent roadholding that enabled the roundabout to be taken. It was the first time I had experienced such brake fade and felt that braking technology had not quite caught up with the rest of the vehicle. Brake development on today's vehicles would have managed the situation but then, it was 1968 and on a G plated vehicle, the brakes didn't work from a high speed. I still fondly remember the vehicle but never fully trusted the braking ststem.

[@mickvonbornemann3824]

Great cars, I’ve had both a MkI & a MkIi back in the 80’s. They even made a Ute model in Australia, that had a very deep tray, plus a couple of prototype panel vans too.

[@angusmacmillan5365]

I had an 1800S in the early seventies. It was a great car and one of the best I ever owned.

[@tonylittle3508]

It was the first car I drove at 15 as my dad had one. He carefully explained the function of the accelerator and the clutch. Unfortunately, he did not explain the brake. Fortunately, when we went through the first intersection, nothing was coming the other way.

[@russcattell955i]

Oh the irony, the museum shots next to its real rival. Magnificent Citroën DS. I recall a colleague inherited a Wolesley landcrab, well cared for it was virtual free motoring. He had to scrap the ugly brute when the clutch started slipping as no garage would take the job of repairs. He insisted the roomy interior was a great passion wagon !

[@Snoozzzzzze]

When I was a kid my parents loved these cars. They were so reliable and long lasting we had at least 4! All of the Austin, Morris, Wolsey variants too. White or Harvest Gold. I always felt car sick in the back of the 100% vinyl interior and so glad when my parents moved on to Triumph. 😀

[@normandunckley3926]

The 1800 made my father change from a brand loyal Austin supporter to a Morris. 1968 He traded his 1963 Austin A60 Camebridge for a new Austin1800. From day 1 took up all the garage space, hard to steer at low speeds, either clutch /gearbox issues. Being a kid course I was excited not just a new car, but new shape, bigger, so modern. But I do remember dad wasn't happy with it and for a new car, didn't seem that proud of it & lots of bad moods. After a month so dis satisfied, I came home from school to find a new light blue Morris Oxford VI. Was kind of let down, didn't think it was a nice as the A60. But you get older and learn the truth. (told me many years later, he was pressured by the Dealer into buying that 1800, because a longtime good customer, they got him the Oxford) He didn't want an 1800cc car, 1600 was plenty The Oxford got traded for a 75 Marina , then olive green 80 Marina 1700

[@DaveSCameron]

Lucky you, I was 12 before my all fella came home in a car, a red Robin Reliant, followed a year later with the worst performing Mini ever made 😂😂😂 to make it worse my next door neighbour and my best mates dad worked at Vauxhall Ellesmere Port and they had subsidised new models on tap, Vivas and suchlike. I remember when there was only about 7 cars in our whole street!!

[@660einzylinder]

​@@DaveSCameron you were lucky to get one of those mythical three wheelers, the rest of us had to make do with Reliant Robins...😂😂😂

[@davidmuckle599]

A brilliant motor vehicle. Had one or two in the police service. Great to drive and very comfortable.

[@al_dente4777]

I once had a left-hand drive 1968 Morris version of which I bought as a barn find in Sweden. It was a great-driving motorcar and unaffected by crosswinds. I wish, I still had it. What they should have done was to only market it in it's upscale Wolseley version, eliminating the cost of badging it under four different brands

[@riogorgos]

I owned the Wolsey version the 18/85 auto. Wonderful, smooth riding vehicle.

[@linmal2242]

Did have a Morris 1100 which was my first car and did drive it well for years. Did love throwing it 'gently' through the corners on my way to parade ! Followed that up with a used Austin Tasman/Kimberly produced in AUS which was like a big mini ! Did love both cars at the time but later outgrew them !

[@markjones-vx3kp]

The 2200 was superb smooth and quite to drive

[@TheDELAMY]

Owned an Austin Wolesley 18/85 Automatic FPB 77J. Just a Great Car, so so comfortable & Roomy interior.Very Good MPG.

[@UncleJoeLITE]

As a kid in AU, the Kimberley/Tasman looked great! The Austin 1800 was a bit weird. Yep, same engine as the 5-bearing B- in my MGB II (slow after a Midget III 1275, mine was bored to 1348). Ofc, in 2024, I'd love to find one & be 'custodian' for a few years. Cool cars now. A Kimberley/Tasman please RMV.

[@jonathanpardoe8722]

In the years between the MK1 and MK2 , My Father and many of his friends at the Chasewater powerboat club , all towing competition heavy speedboats on double axle trailers favoured the Austin Morris and Wolsely varients above all other makes because they were so spacious for all the skiing gear , and the ability to tow the boats so well . The later Princess models were not received so warmly and to this day my dad remembers his 1800 mk2 with fondest of memories . Things got financialy easier for him in 1971 and he sold the 1800 for a new Jaguar XJ6 and which made all other cars obscolete overnight .

[@cumbria0896]

When I was 18 I had a 66 Mk1 bought for £20 with rusted front wings and knackered bottom end. Did a re-bore and rebuild with a fast road MGB Kent cam and twin SU's and lots of filler and a brushed on coach paint finish. It lasted me a few years and even towed a caravan to Santa Pod using a home made towbar. Never had any problems with it.

[@simonwalton1218]

The video refers several times to the mid range 1500 Farina cars but in every case shows the much smaller A40 Farina, an entry level car.

[@MF-fg3cg]

My dad had one it was amazing and huge inside. I still think it's the best car he ever had

[@nygelmiller5293]

To MF etc. Well MY dad had the Wolseley, and we all agreed THAT was the best car WE ever had!

[@johnmaddox4403]

Drove an 1800 here in australia for a short film scene. Automaric, with shift on the right side of the dashboard! Smooth hydrolastic suspension. Jm

[@alan-sk7ky]

Issigonis as ever impressing himself with his own brilliance...

[@nygelmiller5293]

​@@PS-js9ohAMAZINGLY, I think this was designed by PININFARINA!

[@gbentley8176]

A relative lived next to Issigonis and tells stories of seeing the bones of the mini in his garage. However any criticism was forbidden. Apparently he took little or no notice of feedback from testers etc and was a real prima donna, too full of himself. Shame because his concepts could have evolved into far better cars.

[@nygelmiller5293]

​@@gbentley8176 Someone equivalent to Alec Issigonis, regarding to not listening to people's reactions to his designs, was the man who built up VOLKSWAGEN - HEINZ NORDHOF. Certainly the crossways torsion bar suspension (designed by Dr. Porsche) was "self -adjusting", and on my Karmann-Ghia -which of course has works by Volkswagen - I noticed that the suspension , which was comfortable, didn't need to be hard, for such cars to HANDLE well! The suspension sort of self- adjusted so it really was just as stable at top speed, as round town! But because the crossways torsion bars were beneath the boot, it made the boot shallower, than on, say on a rear engined SKODA. Heinz Nordhof persisted in claiming the Beetle was a perfect design, an icon, from the start. Others disagreed, and when he died in 1968, the front suspension was changed, making for a larger boot!

[@EbenBransome]

@@gbentley8176 The man who at the last minute widened the Minor by 100mm in response to feedback? Stories I heard were that he didn't tolerate fools but would always listen to engineers.

[@mrc6301]

mum had one of these, it was great to drive and so much room. great car

[@paulkopp3634]

I owned a morris 1800 for a couple of years in the early 80s bought for a few pounds with no MOT . Cost me about £ 20 for a rear exhaust box and a rubber mounting, ran it for 2 years or so as a daily driver , several trips to Scotland from Oxford and a few to Cornwall paid £3 ( from a scrapyard ) for a regulator that failed. Apart from service items ,oil and filters , and fuel never spent a penny extra on it . Terrific car roomy comfortable and would happily sit at 70/80 on motorways. Traded it for a newer car , and regretted it many times since . A car that to me and I’d guess many that owned one was far better than its image and sales figures suggested.

[@Mark_Mullotank]

Yes!. I owned one of these and put in a Ford 351 V8 with 8 four barrel carbides. Great for going down the supermarket picking up groceries in style. Although I was not one for posing off too much.

[@jananders1351]

Really loved my Austin 1800

[@b.nichols3255]

I owned one - apart from the stupid 'isolastic' suspension system it was an excellent car. Comfortable and easy to work on. And that front seat....... Many happy memories.

[@tonystevens9278]

My father had a 1965 model that he ran for eleven years until it was written off in an accident. It was a very robust car & I recall the chap in the motor body repair garage remarking that it was like working on a Centurion!

[@johnquilter7620]

Never sold in the USA but amazingly the center body section of the 1800 was used in the rear wheel drive Hydrolastic suspended Austin 3 liter. One of the few body shells that went from front wheel drive to rear wheel drive! The big 3 liter engine in these was north south located and also used in the short lived MGC. BL had far too many completely different cars competing in similar market segments, Rover P6 with the 3.5 V8, Triumph 2500, and the Austin 3 liter and maybe even the Daimler 2.5 and Jaguar Mark II with 2.4 engine. No wonder profits were illusive.

[@JohnHill-qo3hb]

It was sold in Canada though... I had one.

[@schanche1965]

@@johnquilter7620 that exact same centre section and doors were also shared with another of BMC's success cars The Maxi, probably one of the most innovative British designed and built cars of that time

[@jakmoan]

I never owned one but always wanted one They look fantastic

[@rustle2]

Mark 2 great at drive-ins with huge rear room and comfy seats. Low front seats also easy to look over or lay back as well as hang legs and bodies over when with girlfriend. Bonza bmc design.

[@alansaville7860]

had one for 12 years great family car never let me down

[@MrTonyHeath]

A stunner especially on the motorway.

[@PaulinesPastimes]

If the styling had been more appealing and less weird (particularly the headlight bezels and dumpy rear end) it would have had much more showroom appeal. I drove a Mk2 automatic and it was really good. Apart from the compromised and awkward driving position and heavy steering. It was well regarded, if not very popular, in Australia. Close, but no cigar. 😊

[@gilesduke8665]

My father had one when I was a child, and we brought it to Japan. Regardkess it had all kinds of mechanical troubles- oil, electrics and so on - constantly breaking down and was unpleasant to drive. My father traded it in for Toyota Corona Mark II Automatic which was a flawless vehicle and never broke down.

[@007JHS]

The Austin 1800 really was a great car... roomy and comfortable... never owned one, but several people I knew drove them... though I did drive a borrowed Austin Maxi for a year.

[@Mancozeb100]

Another “BMC-Led by Donkeys” saga ! They really shouldn’t have given Issigonis so much power - great and innovative engineer that he was, he didn’t seem to be great at listening to alternative opinions. Incidentally, Ruairidh, I’m surprised you got the Farina references a bit off-beam - the Landcrab was to replace the A60/Oxford range of Farinas, not the A40 Farina, which was Morris Minor equivalent and supposed to have been replaced by the 1100/ADO16. Think this one needs a rework, sooner than later. Pretty sure there wasn’t a single image of a mid-size A60/Oxford Farina. Sorry old chap! (Oh, and I won’t even get into BMC’s mistaken pronunciation of Vanden Plassssss! AROnline can speak for that one!!)