My Dad gave me his 2.2 Wolsey version, I can still feel the nasty velour seats 40 years later.
Scarred!
That would have been the Princess with 6 cylinders (C-series engine). I've towed cars to and back from the Brighton Run with a Princess. OK as a tow vehicle. That's the best I can say about it.
I took my driving test in its predecesor the Austin 1800 (4 cylinder B-series engine). It was OK apart from very low-geared steering. Super roomy inside for its overall size.
a super car the Lotus, with a very sporty design, thanks to the fact that the company continues until now, its new models are of a sporty design, and exclusive, with a soul inspired by the original designs of the brand
I totally understand your feeling, the v8 except for the poor quality of some models, and made them even more interesting, we must not forget the Mg gt with the v8, which is a little one with a Leon heart, and the 70's Range Rover with the same engine
Probably the most underated car of its day was the P6B ( B for Buick ) thankfully designed and in production before BL got their car destroying hands on the design though they did make cuts along the way which saw them effectively kill the Rover car company.
I still own this one more than 30 years after purchasing it, it has been incredibly reliable.
Probably the most underated car of its day was the P6B ( B for Buick ) thankfully designed and in production before BL got their car destroying hands on the design though they did make cuts along the way which saw them effectively kill the Rover car company.
I still own this one more than 30 years after purchasing it, it has been incredibly reliable.
Nice example you have there. I had one of these VNE 705L in the same colour as yours. Lovely car and one I wish I still had. This unfortunately is the only picture (of a picture) I can find right now which does not show it in its true glory. I have lots somewhere but sharing anyway with a glimpse of the wonderful little V8. It's replacement the SD1 was another BL cock up for some interesting reasons and (like so many) a missed opportunity. The SD1 did have its moments though and I have fond memories of them. It looksed so great when they came out. My Dad had one of these DWG325V which rotted away only for him to replace it with another GUM108Y. The Vitesse model of these was the highlight.
Nice example you have there. I had one of these VNE 705L in the same colour as yours. Lovely car and one I wish I still had. This unfortunately is the only picture (of a picture) I can find right now which does not show it in its true glory. I have lots somewhere but sharing anyway with a glimpse of the wonderful little V8. It's replacement the SD1 was another BL cock up for some interesting reasons and (like so many) a missed opportunity. The SD1 did have its moments though and I have fond memories of them. It looksed so great when they came out. My Dad had one of these DWG325V which rotted away only for him to replace it with another GUM108Y. The Vitesse model of these was the highlight.
The SD1 was a car that could have been great, unfortunately it was crippled by accountants cutting corners. So much potential lost but when they were in pristine condition they were a great car, just let down with poor interiors, bad assembly and rust. One of the sayings about them was if you washed it in the morning they would be rusted out by lunch time lol ( I may have started that saying).
When they first came out there were so many failures due to poor assembly things like gearbox failures that they quickly got a bad name at the outset unlike the P6's that just kept going and going.
The SD1 was a car that could have been great, unfortunately it was crippled by accountants cutting corners. So much potential lost but when they were in pristine condition they were a great car, just let down with poor interiors, bad assembly and rust. One of the sayings about them was if you washed it in the morning they would be rusted out by lunch time lol ( I may have started that saying).
When they first came out there were so many failures due to poor assembly things like gearbox failures that they quickly got a bad name at the outset unlike the P6's that just kept going and going.
You sum it up pretty much spot on. Especially regarding the rust! Once the rot set in (reputationally speaking) that was it. You are right in saying they were great when in prestine condition. Having experienced them all I cannot say the same for the TR7.
You know, I'd forgotten I had a TR7. Convertible. Dark blue. All that comes to mind now is that the pop up lights worked sulkily and only occasionally and even with the roof in place it leaked in the rain. Any rain. Light or heavy. Really leaked. Both footwells had to be bailed out. The dealer took it back and I think I bought a used Mercedes 250 SL instead. But thanks for the memory 🙁
You know, I'd forgotten I had a TR7. Convertible. Dark blue. All that comes to mind now is that the pop up lights worked sulkily and only occasionally and even with the roof in place it leaked in the rain. Any rain. Light or heavy. Really leaked. Both footwells had to be bailed out. The dealer took it back and I think I bought a used Mercedes 250 SL instead. But thanks for the memory 🙁
Reminds me of my Series Land Rover, a miracle machine, water ran in and oil ran out.
All that comes to mind now is that the pop up lights worked sulkily and only occasionally
My Lotus Excel with pop-up headlights had a slight difference in the speed with which the lights raised. So sitting in traffic [*] if there were kids looking back from the car in front I could get it to wink at them.
Any rain. Light or heavy. Really leaked. Both footwells had to be bailed out.
In my Austin-Healey Sprite I wore bicycle-clips to keep my trousers (flares in those days) out of the water in the footwell. And in my new, NEW!, Lotus Elan in 1990 I kept a paint-tray to catch the water dropping from the top of the windscreen onto the driver's seat when it was parked.
Sounds like an AMC Pacer I had for about 1 year, in 1977. It leaked like a sieve in a car wash, but that was only one thing that was wrong with it. Come to think of it, there may not have been anything right with it. Traded it on another AMC that we had for 44 years! So they weren’t all bad!
Probably the most underated car of its day was the P6B ( B for Buick ) thankfully designed and in production before BL got their car destroying hands on the design though they did make cuts along the way which saw them effectively kill the Rover car company.
I still own this one more than 30 years after purchasing it, it has been incredibly reliable.
I’m routinely asked about my MGA’s reliability. Maybe it’s because I grew up around these cars, or maybe it’s because I listen to what they tell me but my MG has never left me stranded or failed to start when I wanted to go somewhere.
I’ve had the car since 1992 and it was my daily driver for many years, though not so much anymore I still drive her all the time.
To be fair some of the design work was questionable too e.g. Marina, Allegro & Maxi.
I had a Maxi new in 1979. Fantastic design, very comfortable and with mustard coloured seating that my infant son threw up on. We loved it, but only had it for one year as we left again for foreign parts.
It may look like a design thrash compared to its older TR siblings, but it's absolutely innovative for its time.
its lines are straight and not curved like its older brothers and the design of the engine with overhead camshaft and fuel economy system was used by other brands later
your car is beautiful, and you can see in the photos the affection that you have given it over the years, the MGA, was an incredible design, with simple and powerful mechanics, and for the time, it was very accessible with respect to the value of an austin healey, super great english car
despite the fact that it was late when they used the v8 engine, it remains in the history of the sport, with several rally teams using them, the comparison with the spirit is great, its straight lines are very similar in design,
100% happiness is not always possible, although it is not a sports car, it has a super rare design and nothing similar to its French and German rivals
Although they are first cousins in design, the difference in power from the 6-cylinder to the 4-cylinder version makes the Austin 1800 much more friendly and less rustic when driving.
his car is incredible, the passage of time is not noticeable, his lines are clear and exclusive to English design in sports cars, combined with the super engine he has is the best
its quality was perhaps not the best but it was even used by the police, its design was also advanced, and since at that time it was from BML, they shared some components such as the gearbox with the tr7
In terms of design, you had similar lines, although one was specifically sporty, and they represented a glorious era of English automotive design that was always different and bold from the rest of the world.
Land Rovers made history, in outroad, for long decades, and continue to do so now with renewed designs, the defender, was until the end of the 90s the best positioned vehicle, where the road is impassable
