Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[badhuis]

Today I came across a Standard Vanguard for sale. A very rare lefthand drive. But what surprised me the most is that its proportions are so wrong. Or rather, why the rear axle has been put so far forward.
What was the thinking of that? To put a modern body onto an existing chassis / platform? Could they not bring back the axle half a metre?
It looks very weird, wrong even with the rear wheels sticking into the passenger compartment.





It not only happens to older cars. This 2013 Fisker looks very awkward / wrong to me.


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[Rootes75]

Agreed it does look odd and is not an improvement on the beetleback Vanguard.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Penman]

Hi
The wheelbase was the same, (whether the chassis/floorpan was the same I don't know)
The ohase 2 then had the rear doors extended so that the rear bodyside window became incorporated in to the door, the window was reshaped to fit the door shape and also the Body shape having got rid of the beetle back before the boot was tacked on.
Strangely considering the apparent difference in balance the phase 2 is only 2" longer.
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[BigJohn]

If I remember correctly the front door is also slightly longer on the PH2. The are a very comfortable car but with interesting handling. I met an old Standard franchise mechanic who told me the farmers loved them but they found the lever shocks woeful when towing. Their garage's answer was engine oil in the rear shocks, then EP90, then EP140, then eventually they drilled and fitted a grease nipple. No money to be spent on uprated springs or shocks, obviously, they were Yorkshire farmers!

[Ashley]

The axles were more forward to aid the suspension. It created a natural for/aft rocking motion that occurred at a low frequency so you wouldn’t notice it, but it improved the ride. It was an American idea and Vanguards were American influenced, so if you look at contemporaries, you’ll see they’re the same.

Also leaf springs needed to be longer to ride softer.