The Austin Morris 1800 "Landcrab" & derivatives (UK market)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ต.ค. 2024
- The Austin 1800 and its UK derivatives are the subject of today's classic cars compilation. The ADO 17 series, as it was known internally, went on sale in 1964 as a (much) larger brother to the Mini, which had also been the brainchild of Alec Issigonis. Its unusual wheel-at-each-corner stance and generous width embodied the 1800 with a very spacious interior, and led to it earning the unofficial nickname of the landcrab which remains to this day.
In addition to the Austin 1800 and Morris 1800, which were the most common versions of the ADO 17 sold here in the UK, I've included many examples of the related domestic market spin-offs, such as the Wolseley 18/85 & Wolseley Six, the Austin/Morris 2200, and the Austin 3 Litre (including a surviving ambulance restoration project). Other export-only variants such as the Austin Kimberley aren't included.
Most of the 1800s featured are restored classic cars that I've seen at shows over many years but there are also a few barn finds and restoration projects, plus several examples of the BMC Works-supported rally cars. There's even a one-off luxury Vanden Plas proposal.
I'd be interested to read your comments on the Austin 1800 & variants of. Likes and subs welcomed as always.
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Another first-class video about old classic cars from our classically-trained intrepid roving reporter! 😁👍
Ah the memories. " It floats on fluid" was the advertising campaign for the hydrolastic cars in Australia.
Yet another great video Rick. I love these cars - so comfy and spacious. I had an Austin 3 Litre Automatic in Damask Red, VOT 868H, when I was 21. I'd loved them from the day they were launched and was so lucky to have owned one. Very thirsty, but oh so elegant. I've been in an Austin 1800 of 1966 vintage and also a Wolseley 1885 of 1971 - both huge inside and again, so comfy. Lovely to see so many still around - I'd happily own one today. Thanks for your hard work in preparing these videos Rick. Take care 🙂
Good morning Richard. Drove a few back in the '70's . As you say, the interior space was unique , the FWD allowed the floor pan to be free of the prop' shaft tunnel making it feel very spacious . I remember Clive Baker called into our pub and took my brother out for a spin in the works prepared Landcrab . Clive drove for "Special Tuning " and drove highly modified Sprites at Le Mans , Nurburgring in the 1960's . Thanks Richard
The Landcrabs were nearly as roomy as Roller, and very practical, as well as a strong endurance rally car. Enjoyed the versions. Great as usual!
Rob
Very interesting Rick. That fawn Vanden Plas Princess proto that never went into production has me recognising another car straight away. It looks like the Australian Kimberly / Tasman from behind. These were a BL product that were a bit of a flop there as well as in NZ. Google images for Austin Tasman / Kimberly. Probably where BL Australia got the design from. Had an OHC 4 and 6 if memory serves me correct. These were East - West engined as well.
Yes very spacious cars. A friend had one in a sort of forest green with black and chrome grill. When his children were younger the family would often go camping and he also had a trailer for the tent and other equipment. I don't remember the year but I know he had it for quite a while. As you say the rallies were a very good advert for the brand and it is great that a number of these cars survive today. Thanks Rick for the post. 👍👍
I was working in auto body at the time these cars were relatively new.They appeared to me as being a quality vehicle.
Great video thankyou! We have Austin 3-Litres and a Wolseley 18/85 shell. Lovely to see some very rare cars.
The car at 12 minutes in, the rather sad Wolseley is a Six, the two vent holes either side of the grille are only on the Six. The 18/85 had one vent, reason being the Six had its radiator mounted at the front of the engine bay rather that at the side in the 4 cylinder cars, so needed more frontal air flow. Also the Six had thinner grille slats, again to allow better air flow.
our workshop run about was 1800 ute. had funny paint colours then. Peel me grape, shiver me pink, colour me purple, hairy lime, bold as brass, of fudge, bitter apricot. cant remember the others
Great video, great cars from my past, I love it! Thank You from Fresno California.
Thanks for calling by!
Great video by the way, my dad owned a white 1800 mk1 and I own a Wolseley Six.
My father had a similar car in mid blue to the first in your video, FFF 852 E which l think was a Meirionethshire reg. It was just after l passed my driving test and he let me drive it occasionally, lovely roomy car!
Great selection thanks Rick. Love this range of cars. I managed to get an Austin 3 litre in Fawn Brown with Autumn Leaf upholstery as you showed in several pics. Very rare car in Australia. They were not sold here. Mine is a NZ import. Been working on it for 2 years. Just about there now. Last job is getting the hydraulic rear end to work. Now starting to enjoy it. A great cruiser that handles like a sports car.
The VDP prototype you showed is based on the Aussie Austin Kimberley/ Tasman as someone has stated in another comment.
The brown 3 litre with the Autumn Leaf is mine, glad you have it's sister car down under
👍@@nigef334
Nice collection, Cheers Bob
I always rather liked these cars and in particular the 3 litre versions. My brother had a 3L which was really a very nice and comfortable. It was a huge car which was both nice to ride in and also drive. Nothing quite like both these and the 1100 on the roads these days which is sad.
Hi Vince,
If I remember rightly, the trouble with the 3 litre was that it was very heavy on petrol for the level of performance it had; it was also the victim of vicious inter marque competition within BL itself and lost out to Rover, Triumph etc (maybe even the small-engined Jaguars too). Quite envy your brother though because the 3 litre is very rare now.
Great video.
Interesting cars.
📻🙂
I had an Austin and a Morris (both MKll). I always wanted a Wolseley but never got one.
The Austin 18/85 rally car number 32, is available in model form from Vanguard models.
Brilliant! 👍👍
I have had 3 1800 2mk1 1mk2 never had a car that comes near these very roomy amazing ride very stable on the road I was 23 24 at the time they were all manual I am now 73 plus and are still crazy about these cars ❤😊😊
The Van Den Plas prototype at 13:30 was built and sold as the X6 Tasman and Kimberley in Australia
My father had two Austin 1800s a 1966 and a1969 both bought new. Put about 95,0000 miles on each. Great cars. I still think about them and miss them. The next Austin was a1973 Marina four door Marion in color 1.8 L with Sundime glass an automatic transmission and radio. Nice car but couldn't understand why they would go back to rear wheel drive. The 1800s weren't offered in Canada in 1973 as far as I know. Just the Mine. Never got the Austin Maxi either. Enjoy your utube Videos which I only discovered about eight or nine months ago. Have been watching your son's as well. You both do a great job of video and describing the cars and trucks and their special features and differences. Brings back memories of a lot of these cars when I was growing up. Will be watching for all your future videos.
Thanks for supporting both our channels!!!
Favourites: #1 1972 HCY897L 4:53, #2 1971 NOW85 8:12 and #3 1971 VMR959K 1:33 😁👍
Thanks for this great video. My first car was a '67 Morris 1800. It was two-tone blue and grey. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of it.
How do you feel about modified cars ? Mine is a dune buggy running chassis with an Austin body. 10' x 11 ' . The demensions of a Mini. Roshedale seats . Lucus guages
Spitfire gas tank.
Modified cars have been around since the motor-car first appeared on dusty old cart tracks in the early 20th C. I don't mind modified cars, but for me personally I tend to prefer modifications that are in keeping (and in period with) the car itself. Fitting modern gizmos to old cars doesn't do much for me tbh and I'm not really a follower of the custom or hot rod scene either. Just my take, others opinions will vary of course, the car world is a broad church after all.
Three different shapes of Landcrab rear lights. Mk1 Austin and Morris horizontal, facelifted Mk2 vertical, and the Wolseleys rectangular. There were no Riley, MG or Vanden Plas models like the 1100/1300.
Another good video A friend of mine bought an original rally Landcrab that had done the London to Sydney and the Mexico World Cup rallies it was an original unrestored car in remarkable condition He and his wife then took it on the the Montecarlo Historic Rally and won it.True to his word when he came back he brought the car round my bungalow for me to try and polish the perspex side windows, which I did with reasonable success ,I think I might have had them done before the Monte! However while it was on my drive the postman delivered my Historic Rally Car Register magazine and there was the car on the front cover ,he spent ages looking at it My friend asked me to use it as he didn't like cars standing about, not wanting to abuse this I decided one day to take my son to school then go on to a job ,he wasn't impressed but when we got to the school the car caused so much interest even the headmaster came to have a sit in it I think his dad owned one my sons impression changed. On leaving to go to the job a chap was looking at the car so much he walked into a lamp post ,perhaps you don't see many Works Landcrabs in Crayford Highstreet in the morning rush hour!
Ha great stories, thanks for posting
I rode in the back seat of an Austin 1800 l can remember how spacious and how smooth the ride was and that left a lasting impression on me and that Paddy Hopkirk rally Austin 1800 was that the London to Sydney marathon Austin 1800 because if it was Paddy came second by 6 seconds
I still can't make up my mind about the styling. I always thought it was 'Unfortunate'. A pity, because otherwise they were very capable cars.
I'm the same really, although I always liked the curved shape of the Austin 3 Litre's rear lamp cluster for some reason :)
There were other cars with more 'unfortunate' styling around at that time!
I saw a very nice imported "ute" example earlier in the gear at an event in Gillingham, Dorset. Did they also do a van version too in Australia? And, why did they not do an estate version, something akin to a big Volvo, they would have been a great seller.
The utes are rare in Australia and have never seen or heard of a van version.
No production 1800 vans, but usually aftermarket fibreglass conversion pieces made to try and function like a van.
Some even made for Holden's when they stopped making vans.
Dad had bronze Mark 1. Later Mark 2 S type in white. So roomy and extremely comfortable.
Had a couple of Maxis, closest thing to a 1800 estate in many respects.
Also drove an Austin 3-litre on its final journey to the breaker's yard where I worked in the mid-70s. The auto box was shot and nobody thought it was worth the expense of repairing.
Why can't we have simple cars like these now? They did what was expected of them without all this surplus garbage in modern cars.
I had a 1973 Austin Maxi 1750 in the late 70's/early 80's had it just under 5 years, only needed a new water pump in all that time. A little bit prone to rust though 😮
Apart from catching one one fire shrinking down a damaged rear guard on a 1800 as an apprentice my main memorie is if a local x6 Tasman which i new was different but not how.haven’t seen one here in New Zealand 🇳🇿 for years.just checked the registry 27 66 71 still on rego list not sure how many driving tho.more than i thought.hi from New Zealand 🇳🇿
Strange there was never a Riley or MG badged version. Unusual for BMC to not badge engineer the hell out of a model!