Brits vs. Z's

[DougN]

I'll have to agree with Arne and Randy here. I love my Z for top-up driving, and love my MGB for top-down driving. After I got all the DPO issues sorted on the B, it has performed flawlessly for years now. Once you get rid of all the hackjob DPO issues, a classic Brit car should run great without much additional effort required!

And the real reason the Brits drink their beer at cellar temp (about 52 degrees) is because it actually tastes good, unlike certian domestic mass-produced swill that has to be ice cold so you don't have to see how bad it really tastes :classic:

[HS30-H]

Hummm that was quite a trick - British Leyland wasn't formed until 1968.(BMH and LMC were merged to form BLMC)

I'm no expert but "As I recall" - The basic design of the Continental Z-120, push rod, OHV 4 cylinder goes back to around 1946 and was used in several different cars {Standard, Triumph, Morgan} as well as the Ferguson tractors.

Carl,

I think you are getting your engine types confused. The Standard / Triumph side, and the Austin / Morris side, of the ( later ) British Leyland.

The Standard / Triumph "tractor" engines were nothing to do with the Austin 'A' and 'B' series that sblake01 was pointing out contributed to the DNA of those early Fifties Nissan units........

[HS30-H]

By the way, what were the USA domestic-built rivals to all those English 'Sports' cars anyway?

Does the Crosley Hot Shot count?

[26th-Z]

Corvette and Thunderbird

[HS30-H]

Corvette and Thunderbird

Really?

So why did the imports ( and not just the English stuff ) sell so prolifically?

[sblake01]

If compared to the 1970 model year, the Corvette's base price was over 5K USD, and IIRC the Thunderbird was higher and also by 1970 the 'bird was more of a full sized coupe than a sports car.

[Fun_in_my_z]

If compared to the 1970 model year, the Corvette's base price was over 5K USD, and IIRC the Thunderbird was higher and also by 1970 the 'bird was more of a full sized coupe than a sports car.

by 70 the t bird was more like a tank.....

[26th-Z]

Really?

So why did the imports ( and not just the English stuff ) sell so prolifically?

I was thinking of the late 50's early 60's when I answered, but what did America build as a sports / road car? Alan, have you ever driven a Corvette? Appalling.

[HS30-H]

I was thinking of the late 50's early 60's when I answered, but what did America build as a sports / road car? Alan, have you ever driven a Corvette? Appalling.

Hey, I've owned 60s & 70s American cars in the dark and distant past - let alone just driven them! One of them was a 65 Thunderbird coupe. Seemed massive here in London.......

Had a drive of a '69 big block Corvette ( a bit squeaky, and steering seemed to be connected to the front wheels using a Panna Cotta as a universal joint ). Great fun.

Got a run in a 64 coupe once ( bit of a dream car for me ) and was disappointed by the individual car - although it looked excellent - as I think it needed a thorough going-through on all joints and linkages. Was all quite sloppy. Bit like my 65 MGB-GT, and my TR4a IRS - which was rotten as well as sloppy.......

I was thinking Fifties and Sixties cars when I asked the question too. The Corvettes and the original Thunderbirds both seem like leviathans compared with the spartan and lightweight / small eager engine philosophy of the Euro invasion cars that sold so well into the USA in the Fifties and Sixties. Bring those Corvettes and T-Birds from the same era over to Europe and they seem to be in quite a different market sector altogether. Of course the $US used to be quite strong too......

I guess my question kind of answers itself; There really wasn't any cheapish, volume, mainstream, USA-made answer to all those MGs, TRs, ALFAs, 356s/912s/911s etc etc was there?

The door was wide open for the HLS30-U, wasn't it?

[26th-Z]

Oh my, yes it was! As you may recall, the American thing was to stuff a big V-8 into a small British car...

[gogriz91]

By the way, what were the USA domestic-built rivals to all those English 'Sports' cars anyway?

I'd be surprised if the Mustang didn't outsell the bulk of the cars named above. Came in several different body styles with v-6 or v-8 power and has a somewhat respectable road racing history.

[soundmasterg]

I'd say in the US we just kept with our WW2 philosophy.....make lots of something even if it wasn't the best......seems like GM, Ford, and Chrysler still do that! Make lots of big huge vehicles that people don't want or need.

LUCAS stands for: Let US Create A Short.

Lucas = Prince of Darkness

My '69 Volvo 1800S has Smiths gauges and Lucas electrics....yuck to both...haha. Probably ok when new though.

Greg