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Make & Model: Austin Montego 1.6HL 86MY
Date of Registration: 1st September 1986
Supplying Dealer: Tills V. Smith & Co. Ltd, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3HG
Original Owner: Mr H G Boreham, Halstead, Essex
Colour: Silver Leaf
Interior Trim: Osprey
I first came in to contact with D648 PVW in December 2004. At that time, I was trying to assist the previous owner to find it a new home. Fate would have it that I ended up saving the car from an appointment with the scrapman in January 2005. I recall going to collect it and being completely wowed by its unmolested and almost immaculate condition. To think that this car could have perished is a truly awful thought.
Within a few days, I had traced the original supplying dealership, Tills V. Smith and was thrilled to find out they were still trading. I was able to take the car along for an MOT test and met with the man who had serviced and MOT'd the car all it's life. It passed with flying colours of course. He was very pleased to see the car again. I took the car there several years running until they finally closed in 2008. When they did close, they gave me their garage copy of the Austin Montego repair manual, no doubt used to repair and service my car over the years.
I took the car to many car shows over the years and it even won "Best Montego" in 2005 at the Austin Centenary Celebration in Longbridge.
By 2009, my use of the car had become quite limited and I decided to try and find the car a trusted new owner to continue to maintain the car to a high standard. Rather than openly offer the car for sale, I approached Steve Worsley as I knew he was looking for a Montego at the time. A sale was made and D648 PVW travelled up North. It was odd to see the car go but I knew it was in good hands so I soon got over it not being here.
Fast forward 4.5 years and I received a message from Steve who was changing his Montego and asked if I fancied "HL1" back. I had never considered owning it again, I had just never thought about it but the more I lulled it over, the more I liked the idea of having it back. It felt "right" having it back again, plus I didn't want to risk the car falling in to ownership that I could not trust. This made me realise that I still cared for the car quite a bit, so the best thing would be to bring it "home" and protect it, as I had done almost ten years previously.
Steve has done a wonderful job maintaining and improving the car. I am sure that it may not have been as well looked after or even survived at all if I had not been so careful when chosing its new owner.
So what does the future hold for HL1? Even though the car is exceptional, it is still 28 years old. Age has taken its toll on some of the paintwork etc. As the car is approaching 30 years old, I have made the decision to give the car a reasonably comprehensive restoration over the next two years. This will be pretty straight forward as it is remarkably rust free. This will mainly involve a full respray and renewal of various trim items and other subtle improvements.
Its lovely having D648 PVW back in the fold and it feels like an old friend has come home. I can't believe it is nearly ten years since I originally acquired it. I am hoping that its restoration will see it survive another ten years and beyond.
Date of Registration: 1st September 1986
Supplying Dealer: Tills V. Smith & Co. Ltd, Castle Hedingham, Essex, CO9 3HG
Original Owner: Mr H G Boreham, Halstead, Essex
Colour: Silver Leaf
Interior Trim: Osprey
I first came in to contact with D648 PVW in December 2004. At that time, I was trying to assist the previous owner to find it a new home. Fate would have it that I ended up saving the car from an appointment with the scrapman in January 2005. I recall going to collect it and being completely wowed by its unmolested and almost immaculate condition. To think that this car could have perished is a truly awful thought.
Within a few days, I had traced the original supplying dealership, Tills V. Smith and was thrilled to find out they were still trading. I was able to take the car along for an MOT test and met with the man who had serviced and MOT'd the car all it's life. It passed with flying colours of course. He was very pleased to see the car again. I took the car there several years running until they finally closed in 2008. When they did close, they gave me their garage copy of the Austin Montego repair manual, no doubt used to repair and service my car over the years.
I took the car to many car shows over the years and it even won "Best Montego" in 2005 at the Austin Centenary Celebration in Longbridge.
By 2009, my use of the car had become quite limited and I decided to try and find the car a trusted new owner to continue to maintain the car to a high standard. Rather than openly offer the car for sale, I approached Steve Worsley as I knew he was looking for a Montego at the time. A sale was made and D648 PVW travelled up North. It was odd to see the car go but I knew it was in good hands so I soon got over it not being here.
Fast forward 4.5 years and I received a message from Steve who was changing his Montego and asked if I fancied "HL1" back. I had never considered owning it again, I had just never thought about it but the more I lulled it over, the more I liked the idea of having it back. It felt "right" having it back again, plus I didn't want to risk the car falling in to ownership that I could not trust. This made me realise that I still cared for the car quite a bit, so the best thing would be to bring it "home" and protect it, as I had done almost ten years previously.
Steve has done a wonderful job maintaining and improving the car. I am sure that it may not have been as well looked after or even survived at all if I had not been so careful when chosing its new owner.
So what does the future hold for HL1? Even though the car is exceptional, it is still 28 years old. Age has taken its toll on some of the paintwork etc. As the car is approaching 30 years old, I have made the decision to give the car a reasonably comprehensive restoration over the next two years. This will be pretty straight forward as it is remarkably rust free. This will mainly involve a full respray and renewal of various trim items and other subtle improvements.
Its lovely having D648 PVW back in the fold and it feels like an old friend has come home. I can't believe it is nearly ten years since I originally acquired it. I am hoping that its restoration will see it survive another ten years and beyond.
this is my second ownership of the car.
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