For sale at Brightwells in March.
I've a soft spot for the little Nippy and at some time would like to acquire one but am I wearing rose coloured specs, are they really as good as some have suggested. Every one I've seen has a problem with door gaps, are they prone to any other inherent problems.
Being 6ft tall would I get in one?
How do fellow Austin owners view them?
26-01-2020, 07:13 PM (This post was last modified: 26-01-2020, 07:15 PM by Chris KC.)
Perhaps the most practical A7 sports car Paul. I'm 6ft1" (slim, mind!) and have never found driving a problem, plus the seats can be moved back and forth (with a spanner). I can also fit in a fair bit of luggage / camping gear.
Not quite as quick off the mark as SWB cars simply because they are heavier; doesn't make too much difference on the open road.
But - either make sure you get one with a rock solid body, or plan on rebuilding it. The sills and wooden frame rot and then the back is prone to sag and the doors flap about, and once in this state a rebuild is not for the faint-hearted.
Ah yes, Austin is right about the screen height! But it's liveable-with I think. I removed the screen wiper anyway.
26-01-2020, 08:22 PM (This post was last modified: 26-01-2020, 09:20 PM by Ian Williams.)
As a Nippy owner I feel they are an excellent car, a good fast tourer, the problems of doors sagging, run big ends, etc should only be an issue with an abused example. I am 5'11" and have no issues with the screen, my friend Joss is 6'2" and also manages just fine, he can even get in with the hood up. I think one of the problems comes when the original seats and squabs get swapped out for ruby items as is often seen or they are over stuffed in a re-trim.
I agree with Ian; I ran a Nippy as daily transport for several years with no accommodation issues. I'm 6 foot, but the seats were originals with the Moseley blow-up cushions, which allow one to sit virtually on the floor in comfort.
Mike I'm curious about the year of your Nippy. I noticed there are no sidelamps mounted on the front wings. I had thought that when the Type 65 changed to the Nippy, the headlamps lost their integrated side lamps and separate ones were mounted on the wings.
I'm fairly new to to Austin world, so by no means an expert. But I'm also a rivet counter. I look at the door retaining leather on the OS door and wonder why it isn't attached, or the rear tunnel cover retaining clip and why it is upside down. Details obviously, but why no attention to detail?
![[Image: 1980-Gladstone-Street-New-Basford-800.jpg]](https://i.postimg.cc/D0FqdqQL/1980-Gladstone-Street-New-Basford-800.jpg)
