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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2024
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The ADO17, known as the Austin/Morris 1800/2200 or Wolseley 18/85 or Six, is one of the all-time missed opportunities.
Masterminded by Sir Alec Issigonis, famous for the Mini, the Landcrab combined unrivalled practicality with ultimate ride quality and agility, thanks to a transverse engine, front-drive layout, Hydrolastic suspension, and an incredibly sturdy body, putting it decades ahead mechanically.
But thanks to a lack of desirability, this was a Great British Failure.
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00:00 Introduction
00:39 BMC: A History
01:06 Issigonis' Front-Drive Revolution
02:26 Advertisement
04:16 The Farina Saloons
05:39 Transverse Engine
06:59 Hydrolastic Suspension
11:41 Exceptional Packaging
15:15 Solid, Rugged Engineering
16:37 Handling and Steering
19:13 Landcrab Proportions
20:35 Austin, Morris, and Wolseley
21:08 Styling
22:47 The Cortina Conundrum
24:08 Engines
28:40 Self-Inflicted Wounds
30:10 An Ergonomic Nightmare
32:33 Showroom Undesirability
34:35 An Unforced Failure
35:57 Conclusion - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Peugeot clearly stole the rear from this car
Which Peugeot?
You are a breath of fresh air on this era of cars mate, too many lazy car journalists far too eager to dismiss cars from the past with a single sentence and zero research
I was actually half way through the video before I realised just how good your content is. This is like a Top Gear for Nerds. You've also reminded me about just how comfortable the Land Crab was. Especially in the back.
I'd prefer to call it, "Top Gear for sane, grown up people". Top Gear hasn't been a motoring show since that thug Clarkson arrived.
I love this channel. The little dog. The abandoned serial killer's burial site barn. Perfect for the eccentric British cars of the 50s and 60s.
I'm not afraid to say this is THE BEST video of the Landcrab to date. Top notch knowledge, vocabulary and presentation sets you above the usual cartubers.
The video brings back so many childhood memories for me - thank you. My dad was an upwardly mobile engineering manager in the late 1960's. We were all set to take over a 6 month old Corsair 2000E when my dad moved jobs and we moved house. Apparently, the guy leaving had abused it somewhat in it's short life and my dad rejected it. We ended up with an Austin 1800. When it turned up - like a large white bride - it didn't set the pulse racing with excitement - that's for sure. Especially as my dad had been assigned (short term) an MG1300 saloon AD016 type and we all absolutely loved that. The crab took a long time to get in our good books. It was however spacious and as kids we saw a lot of Britain out of the rear windows. It was also the first car I got to 'steer' whilst it was in motion (health & safety types look away). But, it loaded us all - including granny and grandad - for extended family visits. The build quality wasn't great (did you know bare body shells were transported from one factory building to another on lorries as the covered tunnels weren't big enough to accommodate it's width - LOL)? The white paint flaked off after one of my stray footballs hit it - and that wallowy waft suspension wasn't much cop on black ice - something my dad discovered when he banged up the front wing. But, we toured all of Ireland in it - and it never missed a beat - including in floods and a thunderstorm of epic proportions. But, you are right in your assessment - my mum felt like an old fart in it - and it wasn't replaced at the end of two years by another. Oddly mind, all these years on - I oddly fancy a Wolseley Six. One of my schoolmates dad had one - and towed a caravan with it. With the Rostyles - it is a nice looker - in a warped kind of a way...?
Needed the twin-carb version to do any good.
A really superb video again. In these 36 months, you have honed your craft to a very high standard, where you now stand alongside the very best motoring presenters. This video for example, is better than it could have been allowed to be on TV. Very well done!
I agree. Just as good actually better - than 5th Gear or Top Gear. Hope you're getting your show reels ready! 🙂
Issigonis was responsible for some good cars. My relatives lived next to him and drove an experimental mini he had in his garage unknown to anyone else. Major problem with flawed designs often came from the man himself. He was a prima-donna engineer and the air used to turn blue when it came to suggested design changes especially when related to what customers might want. Sad that his talent and ego got in the way of making outstanding cars.
I heard in the drawing offices his nickname was "Ishegoneyet"?
i still find it fuckin hilarious that the mini had 4 ashtrays but no radio. love issegonis for that, and it even carried over to the metro!!
@@shaungreer3350 Cars didn't generally have radios in the late 50s - and most had even a heater as an optional extra.
The future of car reviews. Fantastic research and execution of the video Ed.
Love your work. Your enthusiasm is very catchy.
I learnt to drive in an Austin 1800. I was 16 at the time. It was my mother's car. It was an amazing car, very secure on the road and very spacious.
I took it to 100 moh and felt very save, more so than in many other cars since.
This video brings back many good memories of this car.
When you put the front seats as far forward as you could, and laid the seat back down, the seat back aligned with the back seat making a huge and very comfortable bed.
Great for camping and - well, I'll leave that to your imagination!
This is an excellent video I really enjoyed. I live in Canada and my dad had an Austin 1800 when I was a kid. He was so proud of the fact it had more room inside than most of the American monsters of the day. I remember us having 5 or 6 kids in the back, etc. You wouldn't get away with that these days! And now I'm restoring one of my own, to go along with my Mini.
also from Canada: I have a restored 1967 Mini Traveler (station wagon) "steelie" - it had the wood trim deleted at the factory. It's got a 1275 from a Mark III Midget, with 2x1.25 SUs instead of the perfectly adequate 1.5 - they just look so much better! Biggest engine mod: we hardened the valve seats for unleaded - got sick of little bottles of additive. Hope you kept the 10" wheels on your Mini - but I can tell you it's hell's own job converting the fronts with a disc kit. Luck with the crab - you sure have a lot more room to work with!
@@coldlakealta4043 Nice to hear from you! My Mini is a very early 1959 Morris, restored as original. It has the 850, magic wand gearbox, 10" wheels, etc. I'd never chop up such an early car. The 1800 will be as original too when finished.
@@ianmcgee9945 Yep, I remember stirring the gears on my Mum's early Mini. They were always in there somewhere, tho' Be well.
It was the space that I remembered. My brother had one. He described as a living room on wheels. The Austin 3 litre had even more. A friend had a Crayford Estate conversion of a 3 litre, that used to belong to a Brooke Bond executive, he called it the flying tea chest, it had more room than a small van!
My dad had an Austin 1800 (VVY 848J) in the 1970s, too. It was ideal for ferrying lots of kids about and I remember it as luxurious and comfortable with a smooth ride (although I was only a small boy, so my memories might be unreliable, just a bit). It was a sad day when he traded it in for... a Morris Marina. Oh dear, was that a mistake!
My first car was an Austin 1800 Mk2 here in Australia in the early 70's. One of its greatest features was the ability of the front seats to lay back completely flat which resulted in a wonderful bed. Ideal for drive-inn evenings or ... umm ... other activities. 😉
Wow. My dad's 1800 here in the UK had no such facility, back in the 1970s. Not that I was old enough to even imagine such "other activities". Lovely car, though.
I didn't have one but I do remember the front bench seat cars were great too
Other activities?? I'm certain I have no idea what you mean.
He missed a feature or this car that surprised me. When I was about 18 and driving around the countryside with friends in Australia, vans and station wagons were very popular, because you could throw a mattress in the back. This meant you could go on an overnight outing with friends and their cars. Some friends took tents, but for convenience and comfort, you couldn't beat a car with a mattress in it. You and if you had one, your girl, could sleep in your car, saving driving in to town and money on a hotel room. Important as most of us had little money back then. Most of it was spent on the trip and party.
A friends father purchased an 1800, that I'm sure the Wolseley model has the same capability as they are almost identical. Although the manual model in this video has a floor shift. My friends was an automatic with the gear selector coming out of the dash. When you put the front seats forward and reclined them they lined up perfectly with the back seats, giving you a very comfortable double bed. Sadly the car broke down with gearbox issues I think and his father got rid of it. Which was the real reason why Australians abandoned English manufactured cars. Aussies do a lot of miles, reliability was very important to us. English cars just didn't cut the mustard on that score : (
This is great - not just any old landcrab, but the posh Wolseley version! 🥰 I'll always say it's more than "badge engineering" because of the grill & trim etc. These are a popular classic over here. Btw. I'm glad you have a sponsor now - that shows people respect and have confidence in your video work!
That's exactly badge engineering.
Ed, I grew up in Australia and my dad's first new car was a 1965 Morris 1100. He had owned a used Austin A40 before that. I got my license in 1975, and my first two cars were Morris Mini 850's. I remember how smooth the Hydrolastic suspension was in the Morris 1100. I have to say I would have loved to own a 3 litre six cylinder version of the Land Crab with the hatchback body which was available in Australia. It was an interesting vehicle.
Great to see such a detailed assessment of the 1800 series. I must have been a very strange schoolboy as, when my best friend's dad was collecting a brand new Escort Mexico in Daytona yellow, I felt no envy whatsoever and was busy pleading with my own father to buy an 1800 in teal blue. It just seemed so stately and cavernous, and, dare I say, British? We eventually got a Maxi, so I could at least dream some of the dream. Had we ever won the pools what would my choice have been? Austin 3-Litre, without a doubt!
Just to add - Daytona Yellow was the 1970's No1 destination choice of every wasp and insect in the British summer. Park up anywhere in Daytona Yellow and you may as well have smeared yourself from head to toe in honey. Teal blue is, and always will be - really classy. Triumph did a Valencia Blue - which was even classier. I wanted a Stag in Valencia blue - but I was on the company car treadmill by then, so it never happened. At least I saved my wallet from annihilation .. LOL!
Definitely the Austin 3 litre!! Super motor!!
I've worked at a number of car manufacturers in engineering. It's occasionally discussed that the only characteristic of car design that _hasn't_ improved over the years is ride quality.
People seem more interested in Nurburgring times and stupidly large wheel sizes with skinny tyres.
I am in Australia. My first car was a Morris 1100. I have always wondered why hydrolastic suspension didn't become standard. Perhaps it wasn't the best type of suspension for towing.
Especially in view of poor road surfaces, low profile tyres are just dreadful. Thankfully my Volvo v70 doesn't have them.
@@jamesschafferius2687
Probably cost.
@@hoffwell
Yes, easy to smash an allot in a pot hole if you have skinny tyres on it.
Back in the 1980s, even 15" wheels were seen as big for a performance car.
The tickford Capri, with a 2.8i turbo engine, was still on 13" wheels.
Even the Aston Martin V8 Vantage was only on 15".
I agree. I hate the 'crash, bang, wallop' of low profiles. A chiropractor & dentist's dream! But - I have a Defender - so crunch along on huge balloons ... LOL!
Yet another great video. When I was a child we had a harvest gold Austin 2200 and it was great for transporting a family of six. The six cylinder motor was so smooth and torquey that my father couldn’t be parted from it when it was replaced by his first company car - a mark one Vauxhall Cavalier. Consequently it sat on the drive until it rusted away.
I love 1950-60 British cars and I've just discovered your great videos. The Austin 1100 was probably the last popular "really British" car in France apart from the Mini. Since the collapse of your motor industry, where have all these beautiful cosy car interiors and excentric bodies gone? I miss them.
Love your videos that cover classic cars. Wish the UK could bring back its auto design, manufacturing and ownership back, imagine a modern British built Jag XKE. Thanks to Ed and Twin-Cam for another fine watch of automotive history.
Tesla is busy destroying the car industry with its efficient designs.
UK should be stepping up with cars designed to compete. We won’t of course that would need Elon Musk style management, something UK just refuses to do.
@@davidelliott5843 Not a fan of EV's yet, slow charge times, short range and a bit pricey---not to mention the cost of new batteries. Tesla's styling looks like a mid-level car, not great on overall looks, but I do love Musk's "SpaceX." The UK once had some of the best-looking cars, what happened?
In Australia the 1800 was built and sold as an Austin. I was a teenager in the late sixties, I remember the Mini, the 1100 as a Morris and the 1800 all being popular cars and plentiful on our roads. The late Paddy Hopkirk drove a works Austin 1800 to second place in the London to Sydney car marathon in 1968. That race passed through our farm on a competitive stage.
I think the 1800 is a good looking vechile. British Leyland in Australia went on to make a car called the P76 , it got canned for various reasons but was probably ahead of its time too.
The Morris 1800 mk2 was my first car, I did nearly 100,000 miles in it ( before I replaced it) in terms of leg room and comfort I haven’t found anything to replace it ( I am 6 foot 7 tall)
When I was a kid I never liked the styling of the ADO17. I thought they were ugly. Cousins of us had a blue Wolseley which I loved riding in. It was better than our MK11 Cortina. You get older and times change. Now I respect what these people were all about.
I would have one.
The car I always disliked was the Hillman Hunter.....My goodness, I hated those cars!!! I found them so ugly and unimaginative.....Have to admit I'm pleased they're no longer made, plus, I'm thankful I NEVER sat in one.....
Just done a 600 mile round trip in my recently bought Morris 1800S and absolutely loved every minute. MGB engine gives it 100mph performance. The torquey engine comfy suspension and rock solid handling loves sweeping bend A roads and it holds its own in the outside lane of a motorway. All this from a car that’s more than half a century old. Way ahead of its time, the template for the modern family car. Great review here, on the nail with all the comments made. Re minimalism versus bling (rev counter on leaf spring live axle car) give me design purity and minimalism every time.
Regarding the lack of rev counter... ok, the wide-boy Blue Oval mob may have wanted a rev counter, but few cars in period had them as standard. Lack of rev counter wouldn't have been a deal-breaker for the average family / business customer, and the soup-up crowd wouldn't have gone near an ADO17 anyway.. way too classy for the mob! .. ADO17 got the last laugh.. look at the rally successes!!!
Talking of instruments, in 1979 my mate's dad had one of the new model Avengers (when they had become Chrysler rather than Hillman) and it had a green illumination on the instruments. This was so impressive that we referred to this as the X-Wing Fighter dash board, and to be honest we still use the expression to this day for any instrument layout that looks as if be belongs in a cockpit rather than a passenger compartment.
Brilliant video, again, Ed. You summed up, beautifully, the advances in automotive development. Whilst I like modern cars they all rely on electronics to ‘enhance’ driver input. Whilst I drive a ‘modern’ for everyday use it’s my older cars I drive for pleasure. I have just added a 1953 Vauxhall Velox (GM-H assembled) to my fleet. The Velox cost £1178/6/6 Aussie pounds, on the road. Just a small point, we did the Aussie thing and shoehorned a 6 cylinder in the Farinas giving us the luxury Wolseley 24/80 (my first car) and the, lower spec, Austin Freeway. Great to see you driving and enjoying the cars you review.
I'm in New Zealand and when I was a youngster I had an 1100 & a 1300 & an 1800, not all at the same time. As a youngster I didn't appreciate the interior size of these cars compared to others. Obviously I knew the 1800 was really roomy, but until I got into Cadillacs, of which I've had a few, I didn't appreciate just how roomy they were for a small car. None of my Cadillacs have had the same leg room as the 1800! Wow! Pure genius!
I feel like the proportions of the landcrabs could have been helped massively if they'd just extended the boot a couple more inches, not that the extra space was needed, but it would have given the rear a far more traditional silhouette, while also making the whole car look larger, which would have appeased what I think was one of the biggest problems for buyers' first impressions.
I worked for a BL dealership in the 70's and got to drive a few of these and loved them, particularly the 2200. But all of them had the wafty cable gear linkage that let them down!
In the 1980s I’d often attend car auctions and seeing a BMC/Leyland car limping into the ring with once side lower then the other was a familiar sight. Having said that, I owned a couple of hydrolastic cars and never had any problem with them at all.
It’s just people that had no idea how the system works.
All they probably needed was a pump up.
Love the Austin 1800. I had a saloon and a ute,. Put in a smaller engine, are you nuts... not in Australia, it had to compete with six cylinder cars. As usual the accountants won over on the engineers. You are right about not necessarily being better off in the motoring world today. The NSU RO80 was also a car ahead of its time.
IIRC correctly BMC Oz engineered a Rover V8 into an 1800 and though I never saw it a friend's neighbour was on the development team and he used to drive it. Sadly it never got past development and the P76 got the gig for a V8 powered car in Oz. BMC ran an 1800 in rallies driven by Evan Green and it was fairly successful against the works Renault R8 Gordinis.
Thank you for a very comprehensive report on the Landcrab and it's history in the scheme of things. I passed my driving test in 1964 and owned a rubber cone suspension Mini. I also owned Hydrolastic Mini and the Austin 1100, My memory is that the Hydrolastic lost its ride height due to pressure leaks and it had to be restored by a special pump which replaced the lost fluid. This rendered it unsuitable for DIY maintenance.
I also drove the Austin 3 litre which I recall was uninspiring on performance.
Rusty rear sub frames of the Mini and generally poor build quality, plus a lack of underbody protection from the climatic conditions, meant Austin Morris , BL , BMC were not renowned for longevity.
Have to agree with your analysis. We had an Austin 1300 and I remember my father doing (or trying to do) work on it and explain to a very young child how the suspension worked. It seemed a nightmares, particularly with all the corrosion issues to deal with on top. I remember my father trying to patch the rust up with fibre glass and the the suspension being real pain and having to be topped up. We had holes in the front floor plan you could see through. That said, the car was 1968 reg which we got second hand around 1970 and I think we got rid of it in 1979, so not bad all in all even if it was a constant nightmare for my hard up parents.
I had an Austin 1800 with an auto box for a while; sadly, it died when the body rusted beyond economic repair. Before then, it was arguably the favourite of all the cars I've had (but don't mention the fuel consumption!). Inside, the back was like a playroom for the children, it was so spacious; and the boot was big enough to take all the family holiday luggage without compromise. The handling was such that I felt I could drive it along windy country roads (often in Wales) just like a Mini. The Hydrolastic suspension sprang a leak when the flexible pipe from the actuator rubbed against the body - but that was easily and cheaply fixed with a bicycle puncture repair patch held on with a jubilee clip! And blow convention - I really like the look of the car.
@@winfrithhodges My father looked forward to going on visits with his CO when they used the boss’s 1800 staff car as he said it was comfortable and quick.
Thankyou for this wonderful and nostalgic piece. In the mid 1970's I was the proud owner of a chocolate coloured 18/85. If my memory serves me right, it was an 'H' reg. It was also an automatic and I think I'm right in recalling that the auto selector was located out of the dashboard with vertical selection. Please correct me if not.
During the time I owned it, I carried Nigel Davenport and Simon Ward to and from their homes whilst working on the set of Dan Curtis's 'Dracula'.
I always used to think of this car as a big luxurious motor and it is very interesting now to hear that it wasn't the big beast that I always imagined!
Yes, absolutely! The automatics had their gear lever located next to the driver's side dash vent!
I have always thought that the 1800 was the best car BMC ever made. I love the proportions. All the space within the wheel-base, so that it has secure handling, and enough space inside to actually relax [unless you are driving of course], so that the conventional designs with cart leaf rear driving rear axle - to me at least - look like a triumph of form over function. This car is just as sumptuous for the rear passengers as the front. Perhaps this was not so necessary for the kids in the family setting, but nice to have. I wish that they had made an estate version. That would have been amazing.
The Maxi was also a highly underrated car, but the sad truth is that by then BL were making very badly put together cars that broke for no good reason.
I would love to get a good 1800 and I reckon it would make a wonderful conversion to an EV powertrain. Not for a long distance tourer so much as a comfortable daily local car.
Best wishes from George
Yes George, I had three Maxis, another great car and like the Tardis far more room inside than it seems possible from the outside.
My father owned a Austin 1800 Mkll and a Peugeot 505 and I drove both. They both hard very comfortable rides and good handling and I drove them on Australian Country Dirt roads.
Thank you so much for yet another fantastic, professionally produced video, my Dad had a Morris 1800 S with twin SU carbs, your so right it was a long serving absolutely fantastic family car, I was lucky enough to be able to drive it once I had passed my test, it was very quick, happy days 😁
well done Ed a fabulous video and probably one of the most in depth i’ve ever listened to on the land crab
like you i love an underdog and especially a BMC BL one! my auntie and uncle and cousin had a 1800 and 2200 respectively and i remember the wafty ride and thick comfortable seats i am hard pressed to think of another car as roomy especially on a run
it’s a shame it didn’t catch on more than it did as it could have changed motoring as much as the DS and another missed opportunity is the pininfarina 1800!
Ben keeps that 1885 immaculate and it’s a stunning car
well done Ed looking forward to the next video
I had one and did 250,000 miles in it. And it was far from new when I bought it. It wasn't trouble-free but on the motorway it just sat there like a museum. As it got older, people joked that I should alert the AA in advance before leaving but that was true of many vehicles in those days. It did 120 000 miles after the power steering failed even though the book said don't. I'd give it 4 stars out of five.
A friends father owned a Wolseley six in , I think, blue. A lovely thing to be transported in.
The Australian Austin Kimberley proved that a Landcrab-based car doesn't need to look ungainly. But as for the BMC 1800, I'm pretty sure it would be more aerodynamic going backwards than forwards!
Had a '69 18/85 auto (same colour as this one) that I replaced my 64 16/60 auto with. The dimensions of the landcrab are positively tardis like compared to modern stuff and still a doddle to slot in modern day parking spaces.
I remember my Dad owning a MK2 Austin 1800 and enjoying every minute of it . He towed a big speedboat at the time everywhere , and this car was absolutely the best for towing either his boat or the touring caravan . He regretted not owning the Wolsely and then in 1970 he got his first Jag XJ6 which eclipsed every other car made in the world . I was a 12 year old car mad kid and tried to pursuade my Dad to by the Austin 3 litre , but now Im glad he got the Jag and to this day I drive a V12 series 3 Jag which is still the best car in the world bar non
Far better presentation than anything i've seen on Top Gear lately. The BBC need to get rid of Flintoff (most wooden presenter i've ever seen and can't drive) and McGuiness (knows nothing about cars and can't drive) and bring this guy in! He loves cars and it shows in his presentation. Great videos!
As a kid we had a Mk1 Cortina an Austin 1300 and an Austin 1800. as kids we thought we were in a limousine with the 1800 it was smooth, quiet, the speedomoter fascinated me (linear not a dial) we could roll around on the back seats (no seatbelts fitted or required) there was so much room! when on a hill and the handbrake applied the whole car would level out spooking people behind a right laugh for us watching out the back.
Another fantastic video Ed, even the way you incorporated the sponsorship (other content creators take note!).
The Landcrab had some great success in rallying for many of the reasons you specify.
Had BMC had the funds to do a late 60s reskin it may have been a different story (and indeed obviated the need for the Maxi...)
I bought a 1968 Morris 1800 in the early years of the new millennium-the 2000s when I needed a car as part of my job as an advertising space salesman.
The car I chose gave me excellent service and was rock solid reliable defying the reputation of British cars at the time. The cars use selling magazine advertising space put a high mileage on the odometer and I traded the Morris on an Australian 1973 Holden Kingswood Sedan when I needed a more commodious boot and interior to carry around suitcases of Woman's lingerie samples to sell wholesale to retail stores. In all the ways that matter relating to a family Sedan consigned to commercial use, the 1800 gave stalwart service, ate up the miles week after week with no breakdowns or mechanical misbehaviour. I knew nobody else who used an 1800 in the same way my job nessesitated so I have nothing to compare my ownership with.
My dad had one, it was a lovely car, we had three driving holidays in France with just one glitch. It was a comfortable ride and greatly admired by our French friends. It was capable of accommodating two adults and three teenagers and all our luggage.
Back in the 70’s….. went to see a chap selling one of 1800’s that did the London to s Sydney rally….. initially as the recce car…. Then did it for real
Minilites….. shock adj lever on back shelf….. and the engine had stamped on the block “ exp 101”…… guy wanted £600 …. My mate didn’t buy it an I already had a cortina lotus mk 2
But I always fancied the 18/85 wolseley….crackin motor😎👍🏼
I've always liked the styling of the landcrab and find it infinitely more appealing than the Maxi (a sort of sister car) which I find had an awkward and ungainly look to it.
I loved the Maxi, I had three of them. One 1500 and two 1750 a very commodious and comfortable family car and I would definitely buy another one.
The Maxi had to share the Landcrab’s doors so it was never going to look good when you consider that the Maxi had to be a smaller car.
I have to agree.
You can tell that the Maxi was constrained compared to the Landcrab.
@@Odnet001 The landcrab's doors were also used in the most expensive car of that era, the Panther De Ville.
@@TwinCam you must be smaller than me ( 220+ LB and 6+FT ) as i wouldn't have bought the BMC-1000 ( can't fit in it same for GM-metros and panda's ) and having the better 3L-5L jag-6 is welcome and i don't care for 4-cylinder's and its under powered in my opinion or at least the one in the video
probably still get the charger, puting this vs american charger in 1968 as a buyer but it is competitive choice im just not a FWD-only-guy as both cost about the same in 1969-window tag's
Its great that you are now able to drive the cars you're reviewing, it adds that third immersive dimension to your video. Lovely presentation about a lovely car, one which I have never driven myself despite expecting my first car in 1985 to be one of these; instead I walked out of the car auction with the keys to a Mk3 Cortina, much less revolutionary but a far superior package.
I learned to drive on an Austin 1800 'Landcrab' back in the mid 70's. It felt like a big box with a wheel at each corner, but I still have a huge affection for these cars!
I miss my Australian MK2 1800 so much. Comfortable, roomy, surprising road holding. Non powered steering was so heavy at parking speeds but just lovely when on the move. Enjoyable video, thanks!
Thanks Liam :)
I have to say, I think an 1800 might be on my 'one day' list.
Being used to driving Valiants, the Austin 1800 while looking compact was surprisingly tardis like when getting behind the wheel. Always liked the ute version- would be a great upgrade to shoehorn a Magna V6 AWD driveline or from an EVO lancer , whichever fit better.
My dad had an Austin 1800 in the late 60's early 70's. As a kid I thought it was huge. Great car!!
We had these in Australia back in the mid 60’s and were just named the Austin 1800. In size they were almost comparable to the local offerings of Holden and Ford Falcon. Thwarted probably by there wheezy performance and lack of durability on our longer distance’s between towns and less then perfect roads. Farmers found them wanting in their abilities to tow a trailer of any size. Even with the addition of a Ute which I think was just an Australian oddity. There comfort and interior appointments admittedly were first class and superior to the local offerings. Later we had the Tasman and Kimberly which had 2.6 liter 6 cylinder engines but were still considered wheezy and inferior to the other local offerings. The final nail in the coffin in Australia was the introduction of the Leyland P76. A full size car comparable to the Holden and Ford Falcon of the time. The P76 had the British 2.6 liter six and and alloy V8. These vehicles could do nothing to compete against the local offerings. Due to there atrocious build qualities and lack luster performance and terrible build qualities, none of these vehicles could compete against what was offered here so they died a natural death along with the rest of the British car industry🇦🇺.
Don't forget the Utility that was unique to Australia and NZ. It had the upgraded drive shafts, as did the MK II 1800. There was also the Nomad based on the 1100 with the hatch back. I had a MK I 1800 with the rubber joints in the drive shafts and simple U bolts. They shredded so often that I always carried spares and could change them in 20 minutes. The distributer cap was also exposed just behind the grill. A rubber glove with the finger tips cut off fixed that disaster. It was a great car to drive though.
Thank you so much. What an absolutely fantastic video. You summed up the good the bad the ugly & the brilliance of the land crab perfectly. In 1981 when I was 12 my Dad replaced his K reg Vauxhall Viva with a 1975 Wolseley 6 auto which got us 4 kids, I was the eldest & Mum & Dad in perfectly. I loved it from the second I saw it. The 6 cylinder 2.2 Litre engine the arm rests front & back seats, the auto gear change on the dash board the wood interior well to me it was so posh after the Viva & I was hooked. To me it did & they still do now look such amazing looking cars. Keep up your brilliant work.
Great presentation, as always; your knowledge and style are wonderful. Thanks for sharing it on here.
Hi from Sydney, Australia, I'm now 66 yrs old , when I was a kid, there were plenty of these on the road here. I have not owned one , however , my first girlfriend was given one by her step dad as her first car, it had been his daily car via his employer , however he was promoted and given an Austin 3 litre the 1800's big brother. I taught Jessie to drive and obtain her provisional drivers license in that ca , and I really liked driving it . When her step dad changed jobs , he bought the 3 litre off his prior employer , . If you feel the 1800 & 2200 land crabs are great then you should drive a really good Austin 3 litre as they are even better, with self levelling suspension, more powerful engine, but the longer wheelbase adds to the grip and drivability. I only wish that when Ken was selling the 3 litre that I had bought it, I anger myself that I didn't buy it , to me it was the Toyota Lexus of the 1960's , a luxury car made by a company that normally made mass produced basic cars , not a fancy luxury car that would out handle and out perform a Mercedes 300sel with the 3 litre 6 cylinder engine, let alone a BMW 2800 4 door. I at the time owned a 1965 4.2 ltr Jaguar mk10 and I liked driving the 3 litre Austin as much as the Jaguar .
Dirt roads & there are plenty in Australia , back then , and even now, the "landcrab" went over hideously bad bumpy , corrugated gravelly dirt roads like a Hovercraft , no wonder it did well in rally's on terrible roads .
We had the 2200 cc engines in the Aussie Kimberley & Tasman's which hit the roads in late 1969. Mo9st owners of the !800's & the 2200's kept them for DECADE or MORE, so well loved they stayed with their owners for 20 years or so.
Structurally they had a better engineered, stronger, more safe passenger cell than a way more expensive Mercedes 250SE. No wonder Sir Alec called this his greatest achievement .
I’m glad to see you mention the engine size being an issue. Most reviews don’t and this is one of the biggest issues with the car. The bigger engine led to a bigger and heavier car that completely missed the intended market segment. That’s why they had to try to make a smaller version in the Maxi.
The engine wasn't bigger or heavier or even more expensive to build; simply offered more internal capacity, power, and torque in the same package.
@@jamesengland7461 Yes but the fact that the engine had more power led to the overall car being made larger. If they had put the larger engine in a smaller car then that would have been great. But they didn’t and everything ended up missing the intended market
@@Odnet001 he literally told us the car was actually shorter than the Cortina. This wasn't a design failure; it was a marketing failure.
An absolutely fabulous video. My father had a Morris Oxford, Morris 1800 s ( twin carb) that was the best car to tow a caravan and then an Austin Princess single carb that wasn't a patch on the landcrab. Many thanks for such a nostalgic half hour!
I'm 6'3" i have had an Austin 1800 mk 1 & 2. I can confirm that the back was sufficiently spacious for me. I loved my 1800s Ride was superb the cars were incredibly strong.
I would love to have another one
You do such a good job on these videos. Always look forward to seeing these.
Excellent video, you have raised the bar again….
Thanks mate :)
When I was a sprog, mum n dad had the Austin 1800, F reg. It was an amazing car I've always remembered. Even the flashing green bulb on the end of the indicator stork...
They knew how to design cars back then, me and my sister would sit on the back seat, with a full size suitcase between us driving from Yorkshire to Tenby for the summer hols. We would even take it in turns to get on the rear window shelf to lay down n have a sleep on the way down there!!! How laws have changed!!! 🤣😂🤣 I also loved the mainbeam switch on floor by the side of the clutch pedal.... They where great cars. Shelves right the way across the front under the dash...
I remember we traded it for a Chevette of all things, so my sister could do her test in a more modern car.... what a mistake that turned out to be. Snapped off gear shift lever, burnt out points every few weeks, rough ride..... all from new....
Great video's!!! Cheers...
My father had an 1800 in the 1960s and enjoyed it. For him, the size was useful because he was disabled. He had a TB hip which meant that, after his femur was shortened, he couldn't bend his right leg (he had no hip joint - his operation was in the1920s) so he modified the seat to be a bit higher and the extra space made it easier. He also learned to operate some of the almost out-of-reach dashboard controls with his foot :) He loved it and appreciated its handling. We also had a Morris Minor van for the business and on one occasion he noticed a bump as he exited a roundabout and realised he'd driven like his 1880 (ie too fast) and the bump was the inside wheels returning to the road :)
At the time your Wolsley was being use my wife and I were running a 1967 Austin Healey Mk4 Sprite - which was really fun to drive over the 100k miles we had it - but then, I was a motorcyclist so appreciated the fresh air.
My Dad bought a 1969 Austin 1800 Maroon in colour from the local dealer in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. It replaced the Cambridge we had. Love it. It was the best. The only thing that it lacked in Canada was Air Conditioning, it gets hot here then stupidly cold. -40c to +40c. Wish we or I, since I‘m 65 now, had one. I will have to make do with my 22 year old Land Rover Discovery. Now being replaced in Jan 2024 with a Land Rover LR 3.
Excellent review. In Australia it came smack up against the conventional 6 cylinder (and later optional V8) Holden, Falcon, Valiant trio of family cars with predictable results. The Mk 1 looked so dumpy but the Mk 2 looked better and sold better too. In the 80s I drove a friends Camino Gold Mk2 automatic quite a bit and it was brilliant, apart from the awkward steering wheel. With regard to the engine. The 1.8 litre B series was a huge improvement on the B series in the Farina cars. It was re-engineered in many areas with a 5 main bearing crank as opposed to the 3 bearing crank of the earlier engines. The 5 bearing engines are much smoother and basically bullet-proof compared to the more vibration prone 3 bearing versions. I can't imagine it with a smaller engine, the 1.8 was adequate but not overpowered by any means. Issigonis was incredibly clever but flawed and I think he had a lot to answer for at the end of the day.
We aussies tested the 6cyl engines in the later Kimberley and Tasman.
@@johncoops6897 there used to be a lot of marinas around in the day.
The Wolseley's have one of the nicest interior I have ever seen.
Regarding the engine, I think they also forgot a very simy thing that was fairly common at the time: overlaping.
There should be some overlap in ranges, not much but some. The entry level engine on this should be the same as the top spec on the previous segment car.
That way the buyer could choose either a top spec ADO 16 with a very lively engine or.... For almost the same price, a bigger car but with limited power, maybe enticing people to step up from the ADO16 because it wouldn't be that more expensive and wouldn't use that much more gas.
Also, for the costumer already wanting one of these,. It would provide them with a much more economical alternative.
An excellent presentation which held my interest throughout. Well done.
It's a crime they didn't do an estate version of this, they could have solved both the size issue and the awkward market placement.
I never knew much about these, thanks for the video!
As a kid I didn't like the look of these cars but now I see things in a different light. Well done England, and you for such a good video!
Issigonis was a magician. I had a 1972 Wolseley 18/85 in the late 90s, when it was about 25 years old. I loved it. And let me make clear, it handled well. It was just like a Mini, but on steroids. It went round corners as if on rails. Just as quick as the then modern cars. Previously I had a Wolseley 6 (the 6 cylinder Landcrab). I preferred the 4 cylinder car. A very tough engine, and more in keeping with Issigonis' minimalistic ideas.
He certainly was.
It’s an interesting point though, the four-cylinder engine. While it’s absolutely more minimalist, it’s funny how Issigonis’ last project was a Metro with an experimental straight-six!
In about 1971 my Grandad who was a farmer had a BMC 1800. He gave me a lift in it now and again. it was always dusty and full of hay etc. But what I recall most was the the front door locks did not work any more so there was bailing twine tied through the door handles and the twine trailed out over the front seats. Front seat driver and passenger were required to sit on the twine to stop the doors from bursting open! When he was alone in the car he used to tie the passenger length of bailing twine to the hand brake..... 50 years ago that was acceptable, seems pretty bonkers today.
I had the Austin 2200 many years on my friends and family talk about the good time we had in that car. It was the only car my grandmother didn't get travel sick in. On Friday/Saturday night there would often be as many as 9 in it. The seat folded down to a comfortable double bed which was very useful for a young man .... camping yes camping 😁. The biggest issue with the handling was the seats lovely and comfortable but did nothing to hold you in so you lost grip of the seat long before the car would lose grip of the road. I won't say it was all fun and games as it broke down A LOT 😳 so was kept fit doing long walks in the rain looking for a phone box while the girlfriend reclined the seats and had a nap 🙄. Sadly it come to an end when a stolen car was crashed into it parked outside my house 😭💔
Ed, you have now covered the “bookends” of the ADO cars so very well, so now it’s time to get a nice ADO16 on the channel - maybe a later 1300 version (Wolseley or 1300 GT even!)
I can now confirm that I do have an ADO16 lined up - a Mk1 Wolseley 1100 - so I'll have covered Wolseley versions of all three!
Austin 3 litre too please……if you can find one.
There is a 3-Litre I know of, but whether I can secure it for a video is another matter!
austin 3 litre would be great Ed!
@@TwinCam I have an Austin 3 L in Tasmania Australia. Ready to go anytime. Well…..keep it in mind. 😀
My Dad had an 1800 Mk 1, then an 1800 Mk2 - he was in a very bad crash (hit by a drunk driver - total impact speed 90 to 100mph) and almost simultaneously hit by a Cortina about to overtake him - he was able to open his door and climb out with only a small cut to his head - a very safe car......it saved his life
i had one for 12 years and i loved it. A great family car with lots of room for the kids and it never lot me down
Thanks Ed another Brilliant car review, love the Wolseley version of the BMC 1800 think it looks quite stately and like the interior with the wooden dash and round dails over the strip speedo of the Austin & Morris versions. The example you had to test looks incredible what a credit to it's owner ♥️👍🏻.
Thanks Steve :)
It's a gorgeous car, and to think, in 2018 it nearly went for scrap!
*Wolsley. 😉
*Wolseley, if we’re being pedantic 😉
@@TwinCam How?!
For those of us lucky enough to buy a classic quality Wolseley 18/85S for £600 in 1972, it was soon to become the team taxi.
A ex MD car with the roof lining well brushed by his hat, it was a dream to drive ... it only lost out to my first and series of life long COMPANY CARS.
My dad had a landcrab. I can still smell the interior as we took trips to the beach in the early 70s.
Our Morris landcrab used to refuse to start most of the winter, because the front-facing spark plugs got to damp. The answer was to drop a fan heater in the front of the engine for about 10 mins!
i had a new one when I was young and despite having loads of cars sice, the Landcrab was really the nicest car to drive of all of them, for all the attributes you mentioin.
Mine was the automatic version with the gear selector on the dashboard to the right of the steering wheel.
And everyone loved riding in it. Smooth, quiet and comfortable.
I'm really glad I had one!
People can believe what they want, this is one of the coolest cars I've seen in a long time and I'd love to own one. The rear wheels set so far back just scream "sacrificing traditional beauty for functionality".
We had a 66 Morris 1800 in New Zealand. It was a marvellous car with huge room in side, great ride and adequate power for a family car. I loved it and and have never worked out why its so denigrated.. love your videos, but would not agree that it looks blobby. I always thought it looked fresh and modern compare to most of the staid offerings from Britain.
Great Review of a much maligned car. You mention rally use! I bought the Austin Mk1 in 1966 form, from a guy desperately trying to avoid me seeing the oil light flicker on turns! Fact was I knew the draughtsman had drawn the dipstick with wrongly positioned markings, and anyone even slightly overfilling ended with the crank whipping the oil to foam. Drop the level, no issues! Having got it for a song, after a while I had the engine over bored to absolute max for the "B" series, Stage III tuned with two twin choke Webers and modded inlet/outlet manifolds by Neal Davis Racing, and finished off in a similar way to the London/Sydney Rally cars. Full instruments and revised handbrake. With its Old English White body, black recess headlight surrounds (a usual 2200 fitment), special sealed beams and four spots, it was "quite adequate" for night rally use. I was once stopped by the Police on a quiet Sunday, and told not to worry, I had not broken the law, but they were impressed by the down change as I passed their parked car and wanted to see the engine as "it definitely wasn't standard"! Things were very different in 1972!!!
Fantastic video! Really thorough and informative. I'd be quite interested in acquiring one of these, after watching this.
1:32 I loved my old Austin America. They actually made quite an effort to equipe that car to American tastes, not the least of which was a bespoke 4spd automatic! My car, like many, was fitted with an aftermarket air-conditioner at the local port facility that worked acceptably. It was a 'Coolaire' unit.
I had one of those. Different people, different experiences. Mine leaked in and out everywhere you could imagine. The door locks were installed upside down, didn't work and couldn't be fixed. Things were always falling off. Six months and gone. Glad you had a better experience.
Brilliant review. Just brilliant! Subscribed immediately. Keep up the god and informative videos. You managed a very difficult task: to be original and include a very distinct and personal flavor to a very used and abused format. Historically relevant and very informative. Best of the best.
This very nicely put together video brought back many memories of what I have always said was my all-time favourite of all the cars I've owned - the Land crab. I had four of these, all purchased second hand from Frimley car auctions. My first was a 1964, followed by 1966, 1968 & 1970. I also purchased an insurance write off to replace the engine and gearbox in the 1964 car when the big ends started to rattle. Apart from that, I never had any mechanical problems with any of them. I remember too, being told that an 1800 had more room in the back than a Rolls Royce, which may or may not have been true, but it was certainly cavernous. I also purchased a Wolseley 18/85 and a Wolseley Six for my father from the same auctions, and he loved both of them and had many years trouble free motoring. I later had both a 1500 Maxi, a 1750 Maxi and a 1700 Princess. No comparison, I disliked all of them as they just didn't hack it like a Land crab. One thing I never noticed but learned today, the Land crab & Maxi had the same doors. A very enjoyable 37 minutes thanks.
Thanks mate 🙂
Very clever of you, Ed, doing another thirty-minute video of a car you covered in another video...... and it was still such a good job. Thank you.
An impressive, but criminally overlooked car - had it looked as good as it went it could have had a different story. Perhaps the British car buyer at the time though didn’t want clever, or roomy, or novel. Much as it is a very impressive car, it suffered a similar fate to the Mk4 Zephyr - it was too odd! Great presentation as always - it’s nice to see you driving the cars too!!
My dad's was drinking oil like mad in old age, and the car shouldn't be driven in wet weather as it easily reverted to three-cylinder mode. And why on earth not sold as a hatchback?!
Because it was 1964 - almost nothing was a hatchback.
Having owned a Landcrab years ago, I must admit they're massive inside.
My Uncle had one. BRILLIANT car. Comfy, huge interior, massive trunk, backseat like a London cab, and 25 mpg.
I liked the Princess our neighbour had one the 2200cc with the suspension which leaked from new and he could put up with it because it was nice looking car and it was a nice orange bronzy colour and he then parted with it when the camshaft snapped in half? He went on to buy a new Triumph instead which was very fast and was a Dolomite 16 valve and it was quick and a nice car but for it had to have a new cylinder head gasket and a water pump every 13 weeks under warranty? He sold it when the year was over and bought an Audi 100 Avant 1600cc 1977 and had no issues with it what so ever.
i had a 1966 mk1 cooper with hydrolastic . it felt like no other mini i ever owned .super comfortable (and quick!). i was under the impression that it was done away with due to cost.
I had a brief flirtation with the Austin 1800 and was impressed with it's incredibly smooth ride, a bit like navigating a ship perhaps. Was also intrigued by the seats that all folded flat to make a double bed! A less pleasant experience with Austins was when a friend borrowed my motorbike and rode it into the side of an Austin Cambridge at about 80km an hour. His helmet merely left a small round indentation right above the centre door pillar - there was plenty of steel in those old cars. He lived.... just...
I would have this or any BMC over any ford. Yes the interior is huge and you're too far away from the dash but engineering wise it's streets ahead. This and the Maxi are the ones for me. I would like to see a test drive of the orange maxi you had on the channel as that car is lovely.
Remember the Maxi had a 5 speed gearbox too...almost unheard of back in those days.
Our Dad had a brown 1800. Drove that car to Poland and back in 1973 with 3 kids, all luggage and a 5 man tent. We had no room to put our feet in the back seat. It made it there and back, as a lot of roads in Eastern Europe were mud tracks. Also survived being searched by the East German border guards.
Another superb, well-balanced video. I really like the landcrab and remember sitting in the back of one at a show and being amazed at how it felt like I was sitting on a big settee in a big room. Such a shame that the philosophy wasn't mated with aesthetics and ergonomics. I really think that for this car Issigonis should've been kept in check somehow. He was quite blinkered when it came to his vision. I think that the British car industry had a tough time from the late 40s onwards, style-wise. By the 60s, on the one hand, Minis and E-types were iconic, fashionable while being incredibly British, but I don't know quite how powerful the lure of Americana was. It seems as though the Americans, flush with cash after the Second World War, were top of the tree when it came to designing sedans/saloons. I think that the landcrab was a square peg in a round hole in a market where the 3 box saloon was king
Hi again Ed. You mentioned seatbelts in this video. If my memory serves correctly, manufacturers had to provide them from 1965 onwards but most people, my dad included, wouldn't wear them. They weren't the inertia reel type that we have todays vehicles. They were I think (the early ones) just lap belts with the second belt over the shoulder appearing in the late 60s or early 70s. In the UK where I'm originally from, seat belts weren't compulsory until 1983. Can you believe it!