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n00b from Finland looking to buy an estate

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n00b from Finland looking to buy an estate Empty n00b from Finland looking to buy an estate

Post  Fille Mon May 26, 2014 5:45 am

Hello!

My first car back in 1995 was a 78 Allegro 1300 Super which I sold a couple of years later on. Now however, I'm on the brink of falling into Allegro ownership again!

The object of my desires this time is a late Allegro 2 1300 Super estate. the car has been sitting for about 10 years after its engine seized so i guess you could call it a barn find now! It seems remarkably sound bodywise though, only some rust just in front of the LH rear wheel where the wing joins the sill. Suppose that means the sill needs some attention as well. This would be along term project anyway, I will probably need to source another engine or have the current one rebuilt. The engine in situ now is a "Gold Seal" engine, I've heard that this is a factory reconditioned unit? Would mean the car is on at least its second engine already.

The hydragas suspension is low on the RH side and sits on the rubber stops on the LH side. Brakes are most likely seized solid Smile The interior is good with only a tear on the drivers seat backrest.

Only 5 or 6 Allegro estates were imported to Finland so this should definitely be worth saving.

I have not bought the car yet but it's getting closer... Any advice?


Fille

Posts : 3
Join date : 2012-05-28

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n00b from Finland looking to buy an estate Empty Re: n00b from Finland looking to buy an estate

Post  Andy Perman Mon May 26, 2014 2:37 pm

Terve and welcome to the forum!  They are all worth saving now as these cars are becoming quite rare, especially estates so jump in  Very Happy 

If the suspension is sitting low it could just need pumping up again, if it has a leak it will be obvious it has one when you do this.  Check around the displacer units and the front/rear connecting pipes as these can form rust holes mainly around the fixing bars.

On the engine you are correct, if it's a gold seal unit then this is a factory replacement so this car's engine has been changed at some point. Again these engines are becoming rarer now as some are used to put in Mini's & the Allegro shell then scrapped, but they are still available and come up from time to time.  It would probably be possible to re-build the engine, parts are available and they are easy to work on.  Yes, brakes are probably siezed, but easily sortable, clutch likewise has probably siezed to the flywheel.

The one thing to look for (and I'm sure you have) is the rust.  Check cills & jacking points, front panel in and out, rear wheel to cill area, tie bar mounting area, front wing to cill area, and front floor pans. All are sortable if not too far gone but it makes it more complicated !!

They are great cars, which you know if you owned one before, easy to work on and the 'smiles per mile' is more than worth it  Very Happy 

Good luck & keep us posted.   Andy.

Andy Perman

Posts : 122
Join date : 2011-09-28
Age : 60
Location : Portsmouth

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Post  Fille Mon May 26, 2014 10:33 pm

Actually the front valance was not very beautiful on this car, quite rusty, but not so much in the seams towards the wing but rusty in and out from the bottom upwards and the tie bar mountings were rusty as well, not sure HOW rusty though. Would need to clean up and check. Do the Allegro Club (or anyone else) have any repair panels available?

Fille

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Post  Andy Perman Tue May 27, 2014 1:43 pm

Hi, Not sure if the club has any panels. It's worth asking in the club on the wanted section and send an e-mail to the spares controller. Also keep your eyes on e-bay & other such sites as these panels do come up from time to time. Also whole cars come up for spares, someone could cut off the panel your after & send it.

Problem with the front panel is it is 2 skins with a water/leaf/rust trap along the bottom seam & unless kept clean & rust treated they do rot out in no time. Also as you said they come away from the front wings, usually below the bumper.

Post up some pictures of the car.

Andy.

Andy Perman

Posts : 122
Join date : 2011-09-28
Age : 60
Location : Portsmouth

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Post  Fille Mon Jun 30, 2014 11:29 pm

Well, I went and bought an Allegro yesterday. It's a 2-door series 1 1300 Super, registered jan 1976 so probably quite a late example. It was cheap and it seemed reasonably solid from what I could tell, as the car was chucked in a barn with LOTS of stuff around it. The chassis no is AE2SJS- 217644A, if anyone can tell anything from that number?

I have been trying to source a replacement engine for the estate mentioned earlier in this thread and the guy who owned the 2-door contacted me about his car. However, from what I could tell from the quick viewing I had yesterday, this car is far too good to scrap and just take the engine. I still want an estate though, but I'll tackle this one first!

Fille

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Join date : 2012-05-28

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