Hello Dolly

After nearly seven weeks at Crossings garage phase one of my rolling resto project is complete. Having bought an Allegro sold unseen last year (price £1500)and garaged it I needed someone to inspect it and make sure it was roadworthy and hopefully within my £500 initial budget. Those who read chapter two of my Allegro adventure will know I had a slight mishap at the first place I took the car to but the second time proved to be the charm.

I must confess, I’d been deeply concerned about Dolly (please don’t harm my street cred on YouTube by mentioning the name) because we had the wettest May on record and the poor girl took a battering every day, as she was rolled outside (due to a lack of space in the garage during the day).

When I turned up to collect Dolly on May 28^th the friendly mechanic Christian was happy to go over every job done at a leisurely pace and prime me for what still needed doing, but was not yet agreed upon. He turned out to be old enough to have cut his teeth on Metros and Minis, mentioning that he’d change head gaskets midway through mini rally cross races. He was also well aware that the rear hub bearings on Allegros should not be done up too tightly. 

Whilst Christian and I were talking another customer came over to say something nice about Allegros. His wife had had a 1500 with “plenty of poke” and it gave her no trouble, he said. Except a wheel fell off. (I cover the unfortunate history of Allegro wheel loss in my YouTube video ‘Bad Allegro’).

In order to see what work Dolly’s had you need only look at the included photo of the invoice for £461. I regret the fact that the only steering rack I could source at short notice was for a Series 2 and though it fits the Series 1 I would have preferred a completely authentic part, improvement or not. But that can be remedied at a later date, if I feel the need. 

Despite the work on the windscreen water ingress is still possible through the rubber windscreen wiper mounts and those will need replacing. Likewise, there is daylight shining through the front passenger door. Another day, another rubber seal.

The repairs done are enough to make her safe and then some, with the footwell welding not urgent but with an eye to the future. The carpet I bought has still not been laid but first the floor needs scrubbing and painting, a job so simple Christian reckons I can do it (and encouraged me to do so, to bond with the car). He even gave me a free wire brush and a quick lesson in how it’s done. 

Christian has taken a shine to Dolly and told me that her stay in the garage had been a source of nostalgia and interest from many a passing customer. His vernacular opinion of her condition? “A really bloody solid car.”

I asked him if they thought the mileage was genuine. “Does it really matter? A car like this is a labour of love,” he replied.

What Dolly does need doing before too long is the after market vinyl roof stripping and the rust treated. A body shop job, Christian recommended I drive over to a place a mile or two beyond Newbridge-on-Wye to get a quote. It was tricky for my sat nav to find and whilst driving round trying to find it the engine petered out when I pulled up at a junction. 

Repeated attempts to start Dolly were to no avail so I booked a recovery on my smartphone and the RAC sent a local garage to my assistance. (I’d had a previous encounter with these boys. Rats on their farm chewed through the fuel lines of my Fiat Punto three years ago after I had a fan belt replaced by them, but needs must).

As I waited I stood looking at my Allegro side on and realised that the suspension appears to be well adjusted with a decent ground clearance. I never gave it much thought when I purchased the car and I am so glad that this hasn’t (yet) proved to be an issue because that is one that would test me financially (I understand it costs around £700 to repair).

The mechanic who came out jumped in my driver seat turned the ignition and the Allegro started first time. Embarrassing, but he looked under the bonnet anyway and diagnosed a sticky choke, meaning the choke was activated even when it wasn’t pulled out, and suggested I get a new choke cable. He was another old hand who will have seen many Allegros so I figured he might be right but I’ll get a second opinion.

FYI, I considered uploading a video of this adventure to my channel but I didn’t want to give all the Allegro haters an excuse to make bad jokes about a car that so far has been good to me, not least forgiving me for my shocking dereliction of duty on the oil front when I bought her. I don’t have much of an excuse, except my lack of confidence with things mechanical.

The Allegro was right as rain driving back home. It made all sorts of slightly intimidating vocalisations of yesteryear but that is what a car of this vintage does (one hopes) and it was perfectly happy bowling along country lanes and reversing up the steep incline into the garage I keep it in until I take her out again. Having had a 13 mile jaunt the real test will be when my daily driver (the Fiat Punto) goes in for an MOT and TLC and the Allegro drives me over 50 miles to South Wales and then back again when I pick up my Punto. I hope. Is Dolly really up to it or am I asking too much of her?