Britain’s first five-door hatchback, and the first British production car with five speeds. The seats folded into a bed.
Launched in May 1969 and built at Cowley until 8 July 1981, the Maxi was Britain’s first five-door hatchback and is credited with the first five-speed gearbox in a British production car. Both front seats reclined fully and the rear backrest folded forwards as well as back, which gave it the sleeping-accommodation trick it was famous for. Underneath is the E-series: overhead cam, mounted transversely, with the gearbox in the sump sharing the engine oil, and the engines machined and built at Cofton Hackett next to Longbridge. There was never an estate, a van or a saloon — the five-door hatch is the only body it ever had. In New Zealand it was assembled at Petone by Associated Motor Industries.
October 1970 is the date to know. The 1750 was added alongside the 1500 and the whole car was revised: the cable gearchange — which one critic likened to stirring marbles in a bucket with a knitting needle — gave way to a rod change, and the grille, dashboard, steering wheel and seat facings all changed with it. Cable-change cars are now genuinely rare and nothing in that linkage crosses the date. The other hard split is 1978, when Hydrolastic gave way to Hydragas and the front subframe changed with it, so subframes do not cross that date either. And 1500 against 1750 is a stroke difference only: the bore is 76.2mm on both, which is why the 1750 is a taller block.
Austin Maxi — specification & changes within the model
- Built
- May 1969 – 8 July 1981, Cowley. Just under half a million built. Five-door hatchback only.
- Engines
- E-series overhead cam, transverse, gearbox in the sump. 1485cc (76.2 × 81.3mm) and 1748cc (76.2 × 95.75mm) — same bore, longer stroke. 1750 HL has twin SU HS6 carburettors.
- Gearbox
- Five-speed all-synchromesh from launch. Cable change May 1969 to October 1970, rod change after. Four-speed automatic on the 1750 from the mid-1970s.
- Suspension
-
Hydrolastic 1969–1978, Hydragas from 1978 — and the changeover needed a revised front subframe, so they are not interchangeable.
- Brakes
- Front discs, rear drums. Dual-circuit from 1977 on UK cars.
- The 1970 revisions
- Maxi 1750 added; rod gearchange; new grille with centre badge; bodyside strips; veneered wood dashboard; smaller steering wheel; new seat facings; more sound insulation.
- Later changes
- Alternator on all UK cars 1971 · hazard flashers 1973 · heated rear window and cigar lighter standard 1975 · electric screen washers 1978 · 1500 dropped December 1979.
- Maxi 2
- From August 1980: new bumpers with integrated indicators and reversing lights, matt black instrument bezels, headlight switch on the column, choke warning light. The last eleven months only.
- Known weak point
- The clutch oil seal is prone to leaking.
- Built here
- Petone, Wellington, by Associated Motor Industries. The Maxi was never assembled in Australia — Leyland Australia built the Morris Nomad instead, using the Maxi’s engine, transmission and tailgate on the 1100 body.
