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long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Thanks TTF---I had not seen that video in several years.  It's long and most people never see it through.  One oddity (since I own a '59) is the Nash Metropolitan on the assembly line...Most miss it since it's at the end of the video.

The mfgr methods are somewhat archaic by todays standards, indeed, for the world standards of the time.  One reason for the failure of the auto industry in the UK?
They are not alone as I've been at THREE US auto plants that closed, GM South Gate, GM Van Nuys and, Ford Pico Rivera...Now with the recent closing of US auto plants and bankruptcy filings, the US could very easily go the same way.

One thing for sure, I've owned more than my share of British cars.  Love them all.  Still race a Mini and a Lotus Cortina.  I'm just finishing the restoration of a '59 Met and looking around for another Sprite or Midget (mom will shoot me).  Even my '23 T trackroadster is powered by a two litre Cortina/Pinto engine (much modified, however).

I DON'T like the BMW (New Mini)...It's just not British enough to suit me.  Hmmmm, maybe a '58 Mk I Jag?

Rod

 

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

The old machinery was one of the reasons for their decline - they couldn't afford to replace them,had to make do...had to make cars that could only be made on those machines,stuck in a circle going nowhere.

I was surprised to see the rust proofing,there was no sign of BMC cars being rust free! Mind you most of our BMC vehicles were assembled here in New Zealand.Also,robot spray painting??!!

Driven and worked on almost everything BMC,never worked for a BMC dealer,but there was just so many of them over here.Those Austin trucks transporting the Mini's were great to drive,one of the first big trucks I ever drove.And a Nuffield tractor was almost the end of me once....

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

LOL, is that a drip tray under the Rover on the showroom floor??  (@ 1:38)

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

(OP)
OT for Evelrod

When I was a kid, working in a ma & pa auto parts store, this guy would come in every other Saturday (guessin' it was payday) and bought six cans of Krylon 1501 Glossy white, and Six cans of Krylon 2101 Cherry red (I can still remember the p/n's nearly 40 years later). The owner of the store gave him the "case price", ($ .69/can in 1971 dollars!)

This went on for months! He said he was 'painting a classic car' but wouldn't tell me what it was - I thought he was BS'ing. Just before I left the job to return to school, he came by in the sweetest Nash Metropolitan, Cherry Red over White.

Although my expectations were much lower in those days, I remember being hugely impressed (me having some real bodyshop experience and all). Slick as a whistle, no orange peel anywhere.

I often wonder what happened to it.

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Just for you, TTF...However, the cost of the paint is a bit over $800 so far.  Taking chrome stuff in this week. Hard time finding whitewall tires ended up with some 180/70/13 Hankooks. A littler bigger, still look good, though.  Replaced the 4.22 with 3.9's and fresh rebuild on engine.  Upholstery shop next week, maybe.

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

EXCELLENT Rod !!

Haven't seen one on the road here for a while, let alone one as good as yours.
They were all 'B' Series running gear, weren't they?

Bill

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Yes,B block,with a 3 speed box...1st was removed as 4 gears was considered too complicated for it's intended market.Spent a lot of time in one as a teenager,as a passenger.It ended up on it's slab side on a gravel road.

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Given the amount of gear available ex-B series, I imagine you could have had some perverse fun with a Metropolitan.
MGB engine and o/drive box, perhaps? That fine narrow track would have made exciting cornering.

Bill

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Actually they are powered by MGA 1500 and 1600 (late versions).  Mine is a single carb 1500.  Stock and as you would expect, kinda weak on hp.  Rides like a small boat on rough water.  Gets <30 mpg average.
But---It generates more spectator interest and comments than ANY of my cars...People are funny!

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Indeed. My sister has a '58 Metro up in Washington. She loves it. I need to get up there and visit. The narrow track and overall design never attracted me. My Stude Hawk, on the other hand...

Jay Maechtlen
http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

The restoration should be finished soon.  We will see if all the adoration can be converted into $$$$$ !

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Yeah, cutting through the BS, it gets around 30 overall.  That's mostly town driving.  If you 'cruise' on the freeway without stop and go, it is capable of nearly 40 but no one actually drives that way in a vintage Met.  Last I cked it was about 28...still a lot of just moving it around on the lot to keep it out of the way of other work, though.  The engine has about 500 miles on it and all this may change as it runs in.

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

One other thing, Jay.

I changed the final drive from 4.22:1 to 3.9:1 and changed the spedo drive gear to "get it close".  In other words, "it's close"....Now for what the odo reads..."its close"?

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Cool. even the 3.9 will have the engine revving, but you're limited with only a three speed trans. Cars like the Metro were typically given really awful trans and gearing choices here in the US.
The Ford Econoline was another - we had one with the Dagenheim 4-speed: first was too high, and fourth was too low.
You mentioned that the trans is morphed from a four-speed. Can the Metro be given four speeds without hacking it up?

Jay Maechtlen
http://www.laserpubs.com/techcomm

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Dunno.   I bought the car some ten years ago as a fun driver.  We have done just that and, now it's time to move it to someone else.  It's a kickass car and gets as much or more attention than any car I have ever owned, especially the girls...It's a "chick magnet" for sure.  

As to the gearbox???  Well I guess the Ronald Reagan approach would work...Throw enough money at it !

I've seen several 're engined' versions, Toyota 4's and five speeds are popular as is the MGB.  MGB mated to the stock three speed makes a very good driver if you update the suspension a bit. Four/five speeds require bucket seats to clear the gearchange lever.  All in all, keeping it original and authentic, as I have, should bring a dividend on the open market.  We will see.

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

I should have thought that the engine should accept of the boxes fitted to a B-series - MGA, MG Magnette (ZA or ZB), Riley 1.5 (~1955 to '62), Wolseley 150) (~1955 to '62), with a suitably revised prop shaft.

Bill

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

I think all will agree that, post War, the UK, as it pertains to automotive racing, performance, etc., was and, to a certain extent still is, at the forefront of engineering innovation.  Somehow, it never translated to the production industry until it was too late.  Now I'm curious to know, are there any home industry or are all owned by other countries?

Rod

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

There's no mass production capability that is truly UK-owned and run. Just the specialists, and then not all of them.

TVR was bought bought by a Russian. Is Lotus Cars UK-owned or does it belong to Proton?

Bristol still make (a few) cars.

I'm sure I will now be deluged by people correcting me and pointing out omissions.
The crux of it is, owning to dire management by accountant, interference by Government and politicians and poor labour relations, there is no mass produced UK-owned and managed automotive industry.

 

Bill

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Owned, as in privately owned?  Our (non-private) big names seem to flip-flop between major shareholders.  Kind of makes you wonder how many big names aren't actually owned by faceless financial companies' investors.

- Steve

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Lotus is currently owned by Proton. Are Ginetta still around? Morgan is still independent I guess. Bristol recently spruiked a 'new' car.

That is the sound of straws being grasped.



 

Cheers

Greg Locock


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RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

http://www.bristolcars.co.uk/

Bristol's web site is a real hoot, thoroughly recommended.  Takes me back to my student days - wandering down Kensington High Street, wondering why there was a quirky little shop selling weird, expensive cars in the middle of London.

- Steve

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

(OP)
Thanks for the Bristol link. I knew a guy in college that drove one, military father brought it back from overseas. This was in the 'I gotta have a GTO' days.  

RE: long dead Brit auto insustry RIP

Thruthefence that sounds like quite the body work job that that man did. Too bad you never got a picture of it, it would be interesting to see it even though pictures from the 70's don't usually age well. I would have thought that Krylon spray would be a difficult way to go to get a good result (to say the least).





 

custom rubber molding
www.meererubbermolding.com  

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