31 replies to this topic

[Tanya]

I think it's time for a few more pictures now. 

 

He's off at Southam Mini and Metro Centre at the moment for his service and tune up, but when he's back I shall take some more and post them up.

 

However, I have some exciting news, well exciting for me anyway.  I have just spoken to his original owner, Dr Sutherland who owned him for 16 years.  Dr Sutherland was really pleased to hear from me and I've emailed him a couple of photos.  I have also told him that I will take Arthur back to see him at some point, although I would prefer it if that was once his bodywork had been sorted!

 

Milly's (my other Maestro) original owner had her for 25 years, and although he has since died, I am in touch with his daughter and will be taking Milly to see her in some time this year.  

[leroy26]

you really are a genuinely lovely lady aint yer tanya!, id luv someone to roll up with my old rides

[251 ENG]

Hello Tanya , you have a PM

[Tanya]

Well, what a blast owning Arthur has turned out to be!  Out of all our cars, only Trevor, our early 1275GT gets the same amount of interest as Arthur does.   While owning an MG Maestro is great fun, it is extra fun owning one in Oxford where they were built.  I love the mouths that I can see saying 'MG Maestro', as they point and look at Arthur with great big smiles, as either I drive past them or they drive past me

 

It's been non stop with being interviewed by our local BBC radio station, because of course Arthur can talk - the perfect car for radio  .  He joined other Cowley built cars at MINI Plant Oxford, when the Plant opened their Centenary Exhibition to the public for the day and took part in Cowley Classic Car Show, both of which attracted many people who had worked on Maestro and have stories to tell.  I have been approached by the MG Car Club to help form part of a committee to manage the newly revived FWD MG Register which has come about because the revived interest in these cars.  He's been invited to be on the FBHVC stand at the NEC next weekend - what an honour, little on Arthur on their stand!     At the beginning of next month we are going to visit Dr Sutherland in Hull, as both he and his wife are really keen to see him.  Unfortunately, his wife is quite unwell with Parkinson's, which makes travelling difficult, but Dr Sutherland had told me she'd love to see Arthur again.   They both clearly cared very much about him and Dr Sutherland regularly checked DVLA's website to see if he was still on the road.   He told me that he was quite upset about 3 years ago when he discovered that he was SORNed, and so was really delighted to hear from me that Arthur was very much in the land of the living!    Today Arthur was part of a photo shoot for Classics Monthly.  

 

 

Taking a photo of the digi dash.  The photographer wanted a photo showing the revs, so we needed the engine running (and so some smoke to go with his rust!) 

 

A couple of photos with the XR3i and Astra GTE who were part of the shoot.  They were in beautiful condition, so I did feel a little bit sorry for Arthur in his original so consequently slightly tatty paint, delicately sprinkled with rust!  

 

Arthur did extremely well today, considering that he's a rubbish hot starter and I was having to constantly start him to move him about 10 inches.  I am a complete Austin Rover fan, but even I can't understand or explain why when they produced an engine that was already late for the model, it was so poor at hot starting that it needed to have a note hung over the rear view mirror explaining how to start it!

 

 

[megamini_jb]

Arthur looks fantastic

[Chance]

I love all the underdog Austin/Rover/MG

If I had my own space (only 19) I'd have so many Cars now!!

Should probably stick to the mini and my modern Rover 114

Arthur looks awesome, theres a bloke by my house with a a couple of these under tarpaulins and a running one which I presume he uses....not MGs just Austins maybe a Rover

Also a chap with 3 green MG versions on his drive, very tempted to knock his door

I love things like that hot start note...just brilliant lol

['Chop']

 

so what does the digidash say then?

You tube
http://m.youtube.com...h?v=FUstFe-Jiwc

Never did do it in Welsh!

 

Found another piece on youtube with all the languages....

 

The French woman's voice has made my tummy go funny (and other places  )

 

Need to get a French maestro now

[A-Cell]

Hi Tanya, re
. I am a complete Austin Rover fan, but even I can't understand or explain why when they produced an engine that was already late for the model, it was so poor at hot starting that it needed to have a note hung over the rear view mirror explaining how to start it!

This notice was introduced to mitigate the hot start issues. Key is not using any choke so as not to flood engine. Also the webers have an accelerator pump. Needs wide open throttle to admit loads of air, however pushing accelerator pedal down too quickly pumps more fuel in which is counter to getting it to hot start so this also causes flooding. No doubt even when you follow these instructions, when the engine is really hot, it coughs into life sort of burbles and tries to rev, then if you let the accelerator pedal off too quickly the fire goes out.
Don't you just love webers!
Maestros were fantastic cars, just 4 years late into production, mainly caused by political interference and prevarication.

[Tanya]

A couple of weekends ago, we took Arthur back up to Hul to reunite him with his first owner who had him for 16 years, and it is mainly due to his diligent care, that Arthur is with us today.
 
It was lovely to meet Hector and his wife Kathleen, and they were both so pleased to see Arthur.  Hector was a little glassy eyed and said that he wished he'd never sold him, but at least he could take some comfort that I had him and was looking after him properly.  As Kathleen is too unwell to travel but they would both very much like to keep in touch, we are going back to Hull in the spring to meet up again.  
 
Here is Arthur on Hector's drive with Hector holding the very brochure that he chose him from over 29 years ago (it has the dealerships sticker on the front )  

 
Outside Hector house with the ZS that replaced Arthur (they was a disastrous 45 for a couple of years in between Arthur and the ZS)  

 
At what would have been the front entrance to Parish's, Arthur's supplying dealership 

 
At the garage that used to service and MOT Arthur

 
On the Sunday, we were very lucky as there was an MG meet on locally.  What I find interesting is that there doesn't seem to be a divide in MG circles, all MGs are welcomed, whether they are ones from the 20s, MGB's Midgets, Maestro, ZR, ZS, ZT or MG3 or 6.   There have to be a few who don't like having all MGs together, but I've yet to find them!

 
Arthur, with one of Hull's famous cream telephone boxes

 
 
 
 

Edited by Tanya, 14 December 2013 - 03:58 PM.

[surfblue63]

So this is Arthur, I must have missed this thread back in the summer.

 

Some how I imagined the car would be silver, but the "Blue Rinse" metallic suits it very well.

 

The hot starting regime sounds exactly the same as I used to use in my 1982 Alfa Romeo Giulietta. That had a pair of twin choke Dellortos, with accelerator pumps. By the way, Alfa didn't feel the need to tell people how to start the cars as their loyal customers were/are quite used to having temperamental cars.

[Tanya]

Yes, this is Arthur and there is nothing 'Blue Rinse' about him I'll have you know!

 

Arthur was at the NEC for the Classic Car Show, on the FBHVC's stand and attracted many admirers.  He demonstrated his talking dash so many times, that he was a little iffy about wanting to start when we came to leave.  Also on the FBHVC's stand was Alan Colman, one of the Police Officers who appeared on Motorway Cops on the BBC and also presented the item on Crimewatch Roadshow programme about Mini thefts in the West Midlands.  Alan is a classic car nut with about 30 classic cars and this year he is going to be working theft prevention of classic cars - I guess he's an obvious choice

 

Anyway, here's Arthur on the FBHVC's stand:

 

Being visited by Sir Stirling Moss

 

And by Shifty, who named him!

 

I was more than a bit chuffed that just before Christmas Geoff Lancaster, the Comms Director from the FBHVC forwarded a letter that he received about Arthur.  Here it is below

 

 

 

 

[surfblue63]

Makes a change to see Shifty full clothed, lets hope he stays that way from now on!

 

Aurthur looks good.

[MiniJosh92]

Do you know the trick that puts the dash in show room mode? Means you don't have to be driving or have it running for action dash photos.

[Tanya]

Do you know the trick that puts the dash in show room mode? Means you don't have to be driving or have it running for action dash photos.

 

Oh yes I do!  I know this sounds really really sad, but I play it time and time again when I'm driving so I can join in and say it along with Nicolette McKenzie (the woman's whose voice it is) .  I can now recite the repertoire/rap by heart, word for word!  I rarely seem to have passengers with me nowadays - wonder why?  

 

My other trick is if I need the lights on to drive, when I stop I deliberately open the door (with the lights still on), so that we get the bing bong with Nicolette then saying 'lights on', to which I then say, 'thank you Nicolette' before turning the lights off.   Of course, my passengers (if I've managed to retain any) are expected to show this courtesy to Nicolette too, and also have to thank her.  My son's poor girlfriend was clearly a little embarrassed at having to say this, and mumbled it under her breath, so I made her repeat it loudly and clearly!  Well, I do have standards!      

 

I love talking dashes - they're brilliant fun! 

[Anthony30]

 

Do you know the trick that puts the dash in show room mode? Means you don't have to be driving or have it running for action dash photos.

 

Oh yes I do!  I know this sounds really really sad, but I play it time and time again when I'm driving so I can join in and say it along with Nicolette McKenzie (the woman's whose voice it is) .  I can now recite the repertoire/rap by heart, word for word!  I rarely seem to have passengers with me nowadays - wonder why?  

 

My other trick is if I need the lights on to drive, when I stop I deliberately open the door (with the lights still on), so that we get the bing bong with Nicolette then saying 'lights on', to which I then say, 'thank you Nicolette' before turning the lights off.   Of course, my passengers (if I've managed to retain any) are expected to show this courtesy to Nicolette too, and also have to thank her.  My son's poor girlfriend was clearly a little embarrassed at having to say this, and mumbled it under her breath, so I made her repeat it loudly and clearly!  Well, I do have standards!      

 

I love talking dashes - they're brilliant fun!