Stephen aka puddlejumper has aquired a 1983 MK1 and features as Car of the Month for October 2009.
Here is the car's history and his plans in his own words:
The following is a potted history of the Metro I am currently attempting to restore and is my 1st attempt at bodywork.
SOB 63Y was originally purchased new from Colliers (Abbey garage) Ltd of Sutton Road, Erdington, Birmingham
and 1st registered on 19th January 1983.
It was a metro Basic in primula yellow with brown cloth interior.
The car was owned by the original lady owner until her death in May or June 2008.
The car was then sold to a local garage with a genuine mere 24,000 miles on the clock.
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The car was then purchased by a kid who used to walk past the car every morning
and evening on his way to school on the original owners drive.
During his ownership the car clocked up a further 6,008 miles.
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He made a number of modifications.
1. Fitted the larger higher specification head lamps.
2. Removed the original grill and fitted a debadged MG grill.
3. Fitted an MG boot spoiler.
4. Fitted a BURGUNDY coloured MG turbo body kit (probably an acquired taste).
5. Fitted a set of Metro advantage white honeycombe alloy wheels.
6. Various rear speakers but no stereo or aerial ?????????????
7. Put it on a rolling road (26 hp at the road).
8. Fitted a larger diameter exhaust, new coil and lower radiator pipe.
9. Removed all stripes
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I found the car advertised on pistonheads.co.uk and purchased it for a grand total of £210.00.
(With 2 months tax and 4 months MOT)
The car had basically spent the first 26 ½ years in the same postcode (B36) and has now moved
5 miles down the road to B92 so this has always been a Brummy car.
The car has never been welded underneath and the sills are still in fairly good condition.
The car has had replacement front wings and front valance at some stage in it’s life
and has also been touched up below the windscreen.
Other than this the rest of the paintwork was inexcellent near factory condition.
There was some rust underneath the rear wheel arches.
It had also had some minor impact damage on the passenger side rear wheel arch
and also under the rear drivers side bumper endcap.
The interior, with the exception of the rear parcel shelf and
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the two rear quarter panel cards (speakers fitted) is in original condition.
Since I purchased the car I have repaired the impact damage.
I have also filled the holes that were drilled for the body kit
on the rear arches, rear valence and front valence.
I am just going to replace the two front wings with two genuine rover ones
I have acquired as the two that are currently fitted are both showing signs of rust.
The front valance had at one stage been replaced and was crudely fitted using huge rivets.
I have now filled in around these and hidden them.
I have also repaired some dinks in the passenger door.
My next job is to sandblast some areas.
Namely around the fuel filler cap, fuel door, behind the drivers headlamp
above the passenger headlamp and the slam panel.
Once that has been done I am going to try my hand at a partial respray.
I am going to primer the whole car up to the middle crease on the door
plus wings and respray in the original primula yellow.
It is my intention to leave the larger headlights in the car as I believe they suit the Metro better
(and I have never seen another primula yellow metro fitter with the larger headlights)
they all seem to be either basic, L, city, or city X models.
I also intend to replace the front bumper with the higher specification plain bumper.
I may remove the rear spoiler or replace the tailgate but for the moment it will be staying.
Once I have finished this intrim restoration I will be putting the car in storage so the mileage will stay low.
Back to Car of the Month.
