Austin Allegro by ARAY
Don’t have many photos of the Austin Allegro. So reposting some picks.
When I was at school I thought that I wouldn’t get an Allegro. I had a look around for my first car when I needed a car. As I had a Suzuki 50cc motorbike first.
My local garage had a sand glow Allegro in in really good condition and price. It was a 1300cc. I drove it around for a while and coming back from a night out dropping my friends home I lost control with it on some black ice. and rolled it and landing upside down in a hedge. I remember undoing my seat belt and hitting my head on the roof. We all was ok. Odd going back home borrowing my parents car to take my friend home and driving past the reck.
Then I went out to find a anther car. It was inevitable that I had a second Allegro as I now got one for parts. A anther garage locally there was a yellow one with tinted windows and all black inside.
Allegro maintenance
Bet you guys didn’t treat your Allegros like this when you are working on them. See you now jacking them up Putting axel stands or blocks of wood under the floor. Then rolling on your backs and sliding under. Getting flakes of rust in your eyes. Yes.
No tip them on their side stand up and work on them. See the white arrow. Above it is a wheel which I welded a frame on. Which was bolted to the front wheel. Then with the digger in the background fastened a chain to the back loader and lifted the Allegro on its side. Resting on 3 straw bales. Allegro is a strong car. Never dented it or spoiled the paint work.
The first time My Allegro failed its MOT with a rusty Sill. I had a quick go with a stick welder which just blow holes in the metal. I even got some thin rods with the welder amps right down wasn’t much better. So with some galvanised sheet steal I bolted and pot riveted the patch on. When I took it to the garage for its MOT it failed as any work needed welding. So in the end I had to weld it. I used the small welding rods and I got a set of carbon rods for the stick welder and brazed the sheet on. It was a mess as the silicon salient melted and set on fire but I got there.
I also painted the wheel arches with hamerwight. Which wasn’t the best choice of paint for steal plate.
I also painted the underside of the floor with old engine oil to stop the rust. This was not a good idea as it reacted with the Allegros under seal.
On my Allegro I made plastic wheel arches for the car. I made these out of old 25litre round plastic drums. My mate at collage was jealous of this. But was mine first Allegro to have plastic wheel arches to keep the rust away from the cars wheel arches.
The front spoiler was made out of a sheet of galvanised steel bent to fit. Wasn’t the best material as the paint didn’t stick to well to the surface.
Some photos from Allegro
Allegro being painted
This was donner car which I bought for the 1750cc engine and alloys with upgraded brakes.
I remember once driving down Knutsford high-street late at night car full of friends 1st gear cursing and a bunch of people walking in front of the car dancing to the music. Those were the days. Lol.
