Autobiography of a Metro

I am a 1981 Austin Metro 1.3s, resplendent in Bokhara Bronze, and this is my account of the first 20 years of my life.

I left the factory in December 1981 destined for a car showroom in Stratford Upon Avon.

It felt great sitting in the brightly lit showroom with the lights sparkling on my paintwork. When one day I was shipped off to Duncan Hamilton Garage in Ascot Surrey an Aston Martin dealership, who organised my conversion into Frazer Tickford no 13, for Mr Froggatt my first owner.

He collected me in early 1982 and kept me till November 1986, when I was bought by a Mr Davidson, for his wife.  While taking me out for a spin one day Mr Davidson had a small accident and damaged one of my special pepperpot wheels.   Back at the garage they could not get me a replacement wheel so I was given a set of new Minilights.

In July 1985 I was sold to my third owner Mrs Green, a quiet life, I was only used for shopping and the school run.   Mrs Green found my wide wheels too heavy on steering so I was fitted with a set of standard MG wheels.  I must admit they did look a little silly under my wide arches.  My rear anti roll bar was also removed to soften the ride, they also disconnected my cruse control unit and some how I lost my electric door mirrors.  By the time I was put in for part exchange in February 1993, I was looking a little worse for ware.

My present owner Mr Paine spotted me advertised in the Thames Valley Trader.  I remember he looked a little disappointed when he first saw me, I think my wheels were putting him off, anyway he just got back into his VW and drove off.  Only to return one week latter and talking to the salesman, who handed him my keys, Mr Paine had a good look around me and eventually decided to buy me.  He gave the salesman a cheque and agreed collection the following weekend.

So it was of to Farnham, then I was soon taken to a local garage for a thorough check-over and service, I needed a little welding done and also had some electrical problems caused by someone actually using household fuses as replacements!  A phone call to Mr Green secured the return of my wide wheels and tyres, cruse control unit and anti roll bar.  I now felt and looked much better. 

These days I am very well looked after and only come out of my garage on dry days, Mr Paine is slowly brining me back to my former glory, we both fee very proud when out driving, and get lots of admiring glances.

by Peter Paine