Favorite BMC car?

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Now, while BMC (British Motor Corporation) has been the brunt of many an automotive joke over the years, I do think that they produced a few cars could make you proud to own them. While I feel that most people on here would leap for a sporty machine, I would go for a sedan. Not just any sedan, though. I'm talking about the Austin 3 Litre.

Introduced in 1967, this car was very much based off of the more basic Austin 1100, with the center section of the 3 Litre being the same. While the 1100 was one of the ADO16 variants (known as Land Crabs), the 3 Litre was of a new type designated ADO61. It was also cruelly nicknamed the "Land Lobster" due to it's more glitzy nature.

Power was delivered via the same smooth 3.0 litre inline six that powered the MGC and interior furnishings were way above average. However, despite this, the Land Lobster wasn't that big of a success. Less than 10,000 units were made from 1967-1971 and surviving examples mostly wallow in ignominy today. Ah well, I enjoy it at least!










Would anyone care to share what your own favorite BMC offerings are?

[8E45E]

That car was the replacement for the Farina-bodied Westminster A-110. It was a complete sales flop as it looked way too much like its far cheaper 1800 fwd sibling. https://www.aronline.co.uk/cars/austin/3-litre/

Keep in mind, the 1967 3-litre was not truly a 'BMC' offering. It was introduced after 'British Motor Corporation' bought Jaguar cars, and one of the suppliers, Pressed Steel Company., when the company was briefly renamed 'British Motor Holdings' for a little over a year, until the disastrous merger with Triumph-Leyland in 1968.

BMC as we knew it might still be around had they not merged with Triumph-Leyland.

As far as BMC products I like, there are several I actually like and its hard for me to name only one.

Craig

[sweetolbob]

I can't imagine a British Car as a daily driver but I bought this one as a basket case and a couple years later was probably the most fun to drive car I've ever owned. Hard to get used to looking 18 wheelers right in the lug nuts on the road though. It left to become an Avanti however.

1960 Austin Healy 3000

[Andy R.]

...and that's a BIG Healey!
For me it's a toss-up between an early Mini-Cooper S or a Bugeye Sprite.
Hard to beat that little A-series fuel efficiency for "smiles per gallon."

[j.byrd]

Like Craig ( 8E45E ) says, too many that I really like to have a "most favorite". I am fiddling around with our little old Mini currently though. Talk about a fun car and a crowd pleaser ! Got it in 87 and people still ask about it from back then, ha !

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Like Craig ( 8E45E ) says, too many that I really like to have a "most favorite". I am fiddling around with our little old Mini currently though. Talk about a fun car and a crowd pleaser ! Got it in 87 and people still ask about it from back then, ha !

Truth be told, you're right! I like plenty of more BMC-mobiles than just the Land Lobster here. Another favorite of mine (that has already been mentioned on here by Andy R.) is the Austin-Healey Mk.I "Bug-eye" Sprite. It's just got to be the happiest car ever made!

[Dick Steinkamp]

My first British car was a 1958 Austin A40 Farina...



Maybe the first econobox?

I've owned many since then. My favorite is probably my 1967 Daimler V8250. A 2.5 liter hemi V8 (aluminum heads), 4 speed, OD, right hand drive...

[Dick Steinkamp]

Longest ownership is my MGB with a 3.5 Rover aluminum V8 and Camaro T5 5 speed. About 5 years now. Maybe a record. I am lusting after a BMW Bavaria right now so the MGB will probably go. I did some video today in preparation for the sale...

[Dick Steinkamp]

And Andy....you KNEW I had to own at least ONE Sprite...

I had a 1275 in the Sprite in place of the wimpy 948. Disc brakes and wires from a Midget.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I attend the All British Field Meet at Van Dusen Gardens in Vancouver, BC every year. One of the best car shows I've ever been to and by far the best venue...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/996911...57680960258264

[t walgamuth]

I had a bugeye when in college. It was lots of fun to drive but really crappy on reliability. The experience cured me on British forever, though some of the Jags really tug my heart strings.

[jts359]

The biggest problems I have had with British cars are the previous owners , Once I removed their ideas or DNA the cars performed great , Ed

[jclary]

My favorite BMC car??? Hmnn...let's see...OH...pardon me while I check Wikipedia??? ....You mean those cars! In my youth, I thought many of them were kinda cute (so were some of the girls in my school) but didn't seem to age well. These days, I think my favorite BMC car would be any of them that are well maintained, insured, property taxes paid, occasionally brought to events to be publicly displayed, and owned by someone else!

[64studeavanti]

I have owned 3. A 58 MG 1500, a 75 Spitfire, and a Nash Metropolitan. Both the MG and Spitfire were daily drivers. The biggest problem I had with British cars was the electrics. The Lucas stuff just did not hold up. Additionally, the wiring left a lot to be desired. One night, I was driving the Spitfire from LA to Vegas when smoke started pouring from under the dash . I was somewhere in the middle of the desert. I was able to splice and tape the wires so I could get to the next town. The MG needed tinkering most every weekend so I could drive it to work during the week. Keeping the dual SUs in sync was not trivial, even with the the proper tool. I owned the Spitfire for about 15 years. While it was fun to drive, it only had 40,000 on it when I got rid of it. Whenever it broke down, I would let it sit until I got around to fixing it. It broke a lot.

[qsanford]

I think the Morris Minor was the ultimate BMC product! My first car was a 1960 Minor 1000 two door sedan (saloon). It was a good car to start with and made for cautious driving!