1100/1300
The Mini started the transverse, front-wheel drive ball rolling, but it was the larger 1100 range that proved it could really work for small families. From its launch in 1962, pretty much to its death over a decade later, the pretty and capable ADO16 was a UK best-seller. Here’s all you need to know about it.
The cars : BMC 1100/1300 development history
World beater So the Mini was launched, and the world had showered BMC with the acclaim that it so richly deserved, but in the months following the car’s arrival on the market, things were not all sweetness and light. Quite simply, fuel crisis or not, the Mini was not the car that the dealers wanted; [...]
August 29, 2011
· 
Keith Adams · 
7 Comments
BMC 1100/1300 buying guide
BMC and BL badge engineering ran amok on the much-loved 1100/1300 range of the Sixties and Seventies. RICHARD GUNN unravels the various marques and tells you what to look out for when buying. Availability Years produced: 1962-1974 Body style: 2- and 4-door saloon, 3-door estate Engine options: 1098cc A-Series inline-four 1275cc A-Series inline-four Transmission options: [...]
October 23, 2010
· Keith Adams · No Comments
International variations : Austin Victoria Mk2
Could the Mk2 version have saved Authi? Victoria Mk2 article written by Graham Arnold with reference to messages contributed by members of the Spanish Authi chat forum Updated, 8 January 2013 For some time now there has been evidence, in particular on the Spanish Authi chat forum, that Mk2 versions of the Austin Victoria were [...]
January 8, 2013
· Keith Adams · 14 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Innocenti IM3/I4/I5 facelift
Keith Adams It’s often been said that Innocenti had the unswerving knack of being able to take a BMC car and make it look just a little bit more appealing. The Austin A40 transformed by the Italians into the fully hatchbacked Combinata, and the already pretty 1100/1300 was tweaked to become the better-looking and more [...]
January 1, 2013
· Keith Adams · 22 Comments
LEJoG in a Princess : back home and gallery
Words: Alexander Boucke, photographs: Alexander Boucke, Karin Lukaszewicz After leaving the big ADO16 meet in Gaydon with the trophy for the furthest travelled we spent another day in London before finally heading home. It was all plain sailing and rather relaxed – that starter motor seemingly felt threatened by the replacement in the boot and [...]
September 2, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 7 Comments
Blog : Remember the 1100
Keith Adams So, there we are – the BMC 1100 has now passed the magic half century. And doesn’t it still look fantastic? I’m going to go out on a limb here, and say that in my humble opinion, the ADO16 remains the ultimate incarnation of the Issigonis vehicular template. Yes, the Mini sold more, [...]
August 22, 2012
· Keith Adams · 22 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – Finish line
Team AROnline made it to the finish. Better late than never… Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke Due to the mishap with the starter motor we only arrived at the 1100 Club’s annual rally on Sunday morning. We have had lots of offers for help including a free replacement starter from one of our French friends, [...]
August 13, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · One Comment
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day seven
Today AROnline’s team should have reached Gaydon… Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke After watching the cavalcade of ADO16s drive past our B&B after a quite early start, we proceeded to have a good breakfast. Travelling with our children does require a little compromise, as it would seem quite unfair to them to simply usher them [...]
August 12, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 3 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day six
AROnline’s team tries to include a little more holiday into their last full day… Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke After having to press on really hard during the last few days, we wanted a little bit more time to relax – and on paper this day looked like we were able to do so: a [...]
August 11, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · One Comment
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day four
AROnline‘s team reaches the finishing line. Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke We’ve made it. Our wonderful little car is now parked outside the Seaview Hotel in John o’Groats. The drive through the Highlands, along the lochs and finally the North Sea shores has simply been fantastic. Every drop of rain we have had on the [...]
August 9, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 4 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day three
More than 1200 miles from home our Princess and her passengers have reached Scotland. Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke When the sun sets, we are still not in Scotland, still on the M6 fighting the hills around the Lake District with roughly 100 miles to go to our first nightly stop in Scotland, near Glasgow. [...]
August 8, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 6 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day two
Today, the convoy was seen passing all those places that played more or less important roles in creating and building the ADO16. Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke How can a day in the middle of summer be so cold and wet? When driving into Birmingham tonight after – again – battling heavy rain, we found [...]
August 7, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 3 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – day one
Finally, our AROnline team’s adventure started officially when we were flagged off at Land’s End. Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke Please excuse these grainy mobile phone pictures, but they are currently the only way I can show you the impression 13 ADO16s leave when lined up in front of the Land’s End hotel. The international [...]
August 6, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 8 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess – arrival at the starting line
Karin, Alexander and the kids made it to the starting line. Words and Photographs: Alexander Boucke As we reached Sennen Cove, a sandy bay next to Land’s End today, more than 600 miles lie already behind us. So far everything went well, in particular regarding the car. The journey was split into two parts, the [...]
August 5, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 3 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess, the preparations
After the decision was made to tackle LEJoG in his partner Karin and his ADO16, Alexander finds some unexpected prep-work was needed. Words and Photography: Alexander Boucke Where to start? Faced with a wide choice of small to medium jobs that could or should be done on the Princess before we actually start the journey. [...]
August 1, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 2 Comments
Events : LEJoG in a Princess 1300
Here at AROnline we love the ADO16 and long road trips – why not combine both? Alexander Boucke has some plans… As you will probably know the Morris 1100 was launched nearly 50 years ago, and to celebrate this, the 1100 Club will hold a big party at the National Rally, taking place at the [...]
July 27, 2012
· Alexander Boucke · 10 Comments
Unsung Heroes : BMC 1100/1300…
…or ADO16 to the aficionados For those, like me, who absolutely adore the BMC 1100/1300, it’s actually quite tough reconciling the fact that next month will mark the 50th birthday of this fabulous little car. Not because it doesn’t deserve a big party, and lots of emotional tributes – after all, the 1100/1300 is as [...]
July 16, 2012
· Keith Adams · 41 Comments
Around the world : Yugoslavia
Final assembly of CKD Austin 1300s began at a plant in Novo Mesto during 1969, with the cars arriving from Longbridge almost complete; indeed, the chassis plates of these models identified them as having come from Longbridge Yugoslav 1100s IN 1967 in Novo Mesto, Slovenia, IMV (Industrija Motornih Vozil – Industry of Motor Vehicles) signed [...]
October 2, 2011
· Keith Adams · No Comments
Austin de Luxe
The 1-litre ADO16 In 1974, just as the ADO16 was preparing to face its final curtain in the UK, Authi introduced a new 998cc version of the standard-bodied car, known simply as the Austin de Luxe. The specifications make interesting reading – with 55bhp on tap, it would have been likely to out-perform a standard [...]
October 2, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
Authi ADO16s (pre-Victoria)
Prior to the launch of the Austin Victoria in 1972, Authi built a range of standard-bodied ADO16 models from 1966 onwards. Authi MG-S 1300 ALL good things travel well, including the ADO16. Because of tough restrictions on cars imported into Spain, BMC knew that the only way into this market was to set-up a local [...]
October 2, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
International variations : Austin Victoria
The three-box ADO16, as restyled by Michelotti. IN October 1972, Authi replaced its Morris and MG ADO16 models with the Victoria (Spanish for Victory, so not named after a girl, queen, place or station). There is a rumour that the name was a chosen as a sardonic comment on the similarity of Michelotti’s styling job [...]
October 2, 2011
· Keith Adams · 5 Comments
International variations : Austin Apache
The Austin Apache was designed by Michelotti in 1970, alongside the almost identical Austin Victoria, and was produced by Leyland South Africa at its Blackheath plant from 1971 until the mid 1970s. Like the Victoria, the Apache is a well-disguised Austin 1300, with extended nose and tails sections grafted on. The centre section is virtually [...]
October 2, 2011
· Keith Adams · One Comment
