11 replies to this topic

[mab01uk]

"There’s always a strong argument for not fixing something that isn’t broken, but back in 1980, anyone excitedly peering under the bonnet of the newly released Austin Metro might’ve been rather disappointed to see the familiar A-Series rocker cover staring back at them. Never mind that it had been heavily tweaked; British Leyland’s brand-new hope to beat the world was still fitted with an engine that made its debut in the A30 of 1951.
But some things can transcend the desire for the new-fangled technology, and the venerable A-Series has proven to be one of them. It has been fitted to various best-selling cars spanning multiple decades, in a seemingly infinite variety of capacities and states of tune along the way. Indeed, over 14 million units were built.
The engine was initially the work of an independent Austin company but when Austin and Morris Motors were amalgamated to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC), it would be used to power the A30’s bitter market rival, the Morris Minor. In 1956, capacity was increased to 948cc, but that was just the start of a myriad of different engine sizes and transmission layouts spanning almost 50 years.
Several attempts were made to replace the old cast iron motor over the years, but all in vain. Even though the fashion was for high-revving OHC engines, the A-Series still boasted impressive torque and very competitive fuel economy, making investment for costly new designs difficult to justify."
More here:-
https://classicsworl...eries-classics/

 

[Aly-g]

 good reading that article ,you know what they say if it ain't broke don't fix it, lovely engine that little A series and well proven to.

 

Allan

[mini-mad-mark]

Not much of a mention for the "worst" A-series classics which I feel still have merit (Allegro Marina Maestro Montego) - I guess the vote for the worst would go to the Allegro on popular opinion (not mine by the way I would vote for the Marina - bring it on)

 

I'm not a hater of the Allegro, as my wife (girlfriend at the time) had one as her first car- a 1976 1100DL in Sandglow that I helped her to buy for £275 and we sold for £400 about 3 years later (1986 IIRC) - her dad said that "she might as well have put her money down the drain" when we bought it...

 

We also had three Maestros (not A-series however)

 

 

So in approximate order there were  A30/Moggy MinorA35/A40/Mini/ADO16/Marina(later Ital)/Allegro/Metro/Maestro/Montego  - Can't think of any other A/A+ engined cars off the top of my head - were there any more? 

[MiniMadRacer]

Midget?

[PoolGuy]

Moke, Elf, Wolsley, 1100, didn’t that oddball Innocenti thing have a a series in at some point?

[Cooperman]

Both the Innocenti and the Spanish Authi Minis had the A-Series.

[mini-mad-mark]

Article mentioned Midget (I forgot it in my list) and 1100 (ADO16), and I would say the Moke, Elf and Hornet were Minis really as were the Innocenti and Authi versions, except maybe the later Innocenti hatchback although I believe that was pretty much mini under the skin?

 

Just worried I might have missed something worse than the Marina.....

[Northernpower]

There's also the a series diesel fitted to the BMC-Nuffield Mini Tractor, there was also a marine version of it. They were both 950cc and produced an eye watering 20hp.

[Cooperman]

There was a very nice little sports car calls a 'Turner' which used the 948 Sprite engine in the early 60's

[DeadSquare]

There was a very nice little sports car calls a 'Turner' which used the 948 Sprite engine in the early 60's

 

 

 

A variety of A-series engine were used over the years, in quite a few nice little sports cars, 73 to be precise, all called Unipower Gt.

[MiNiKiN]

Moke, Elf, Wolsley, 1100, didn’t that oddball Innocenti thing have a a series in at some point?

Oddball? How very dare you philistine  

Anyway - Innocentis fitted with A-Series in more or less cronological order:

Innocenti A40S

Innocenti 950S and Spider 1100 (based on Sprite MkII)
Innocenti Mini and Cooper Mk1 to Mk3, Innocenti Cooper 1300

Innocenti IM3, I4 and I5 (based on ADO16 Morris and Austin 1100)
Innocenti Regent 1300 (based on Allegro)

Innocenti Bertone 90L, 120L and DeTomaso (rebodied Mini)


 

[PoolGuy]

 

Moke, Elf, Wolsley, 1100, didn’t that oddball Innocenti thing have a a series in at some point?

Oddball? How very dare you philistine  

Innocenti Bertone 90L, 120L 

Only the oddball one, some, especially the Sprite based cars were lovely.