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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22438 Location: UK
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2014 7:22 pm Post subject: |
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No Rick, but we used to have a customer with an American Nash which was like a larger metropolitan (or was it the other way round? )
The style, trim and colour scheme were the same, though the Nash had four doors, was obviously bigger and had a rather old fashioned looking (even then) six cylinder side valve engine.
I never saw another Nash of the same model. The owner insisted that the Nash company were trying to start a his and hers trend in motoring in America in the days before two car families were normal by marketing the matching pair.
Of course initially the Austin Metropolitan was initially launched as the Nash Metropolitan.
I believe the enterprise failed, leaving Austins selling Metropolitans in this Country.
I do remember driving one once. The impressions I am left with was a very bumpy ride and a very slippery bench seat which seemed determined to slide you across on every corner. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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PAUL BEAUMONT
Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 1281 Location: Barnsley S. Yorks
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Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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I have seen this around the local shows and it looks like a nice car. I scrapped one back in the 1970s, closes I ever came to owning one. It belonged to a USAF guy who was returning to the USA, but it was supposedly not licensable in the UK (though he had been using it!!)
Hope to see this one at Thornes Park tonight, if I can get there without breaking anything this year!!
Paul |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7117 Location: Edinburgh
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2014 3:59 pm Post subject: |
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Quote "parks in the smallest space requireq by any American Car" and the Nash with no mentopn of Austin except in relation to the engine dates the brochure as being pre-introduction to the British market by Austin.
Introduced on the British market by Austin about the time of my first car my wife (at that time girl friend) lusted for one.
They seemed to be everywhere and were a bit of a curiosity because there appeared to be insufficient room for the front wheels to swivel for steering.
Had they appeared a year or two later I might have been able to aafford one.
Another thing I rember was that access to the boot was (initially) from inside the car though later ones had a boot lid i believe.
Drop-head models as shown in the brochure were quite rare.
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7117 Location: Edinburgh
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4755 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
Looking at the picture it would seem that that run was done in the states, here is how we did it a few years earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3zhvyMC9_Q
Incidently, if the Metropolitan run was done in the states then converting US gal to Imp Gal gives 49.93mpg
While a History of Morris Minors http://www.ourclassiccars.co.uk/morris-minor-1000-history/ gives
Quote: | It was this model (series II) that took part in the famous road test carried out by the Experimental Department of the Nuffield Organisation. A production Minor covered a year’s worth of motoring (10,000 miles) in just 10 days! The test was carried out at Goodwood road circuit and a team of six drivers put the car through its paces non stop for the duration. The Minor was driven an average of 45mph and returned an average of 43mpg. There were some slight alterations to the car – a larger fuel tank was fitted and the rear seats specially hinged so that the drivers could get in and out, through the boot, while the car was still in motion. At these change over times and when the car needed servicing, it was driven into a mobile servicing bay, a hollow trailer with platforms at either side, which was towed by a modified Morris Oxford. Once in the bay, the oil, water and tyres could be maintained. The rear wheels could even be changed with the car still propelling itself by lifting and braking the wheel to be changed, while still being driven by the |
_________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7117 Location: Edinburgh
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:21 pm Post subject: |
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The Minor looked more like an MM rather than a Series II but it sounds like the Austin/Nash did rather better with its 1500 cc OHV engine than the Minor with 918 cc SV or 803 cc OHV.
Peter _________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:24 pm Post subject: |
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A long time ago I found that a 500cc Triumph motorbike could be just as economical on fuel as a 200cc bike I also had.
Engines turn fuel into power. And if two different sized engines are turning out the same amount of power at the same thermal efficiency they will consume the same amount of fuel.
The trouble is that we select bigger engines to give us more power top squander.
By the way I managed 110 mpg ith the 500 bike. usung it at speeds and acceleration no more than I would have expected from the 200cc. It took a lot of self restraint, but that was 7mpg more than I ever got from the 200cc.
With the Minor and the Metropolitan there is no evidence similar conditions of speed or power were used.
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008 Posts: 1480 Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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I remember they sold them in the PX store at Prestwick Airport (American Air Force base) when they first came out. Would that be 1956?
Art |
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:12 am Post subject: |
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That would be about right Art - the year I passed my driving test.
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4755 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 7:01 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Peter
From what I can find the MM had the low level lights at the side of the grill untill they started exporting to the states which necessitated the higher position, all vehicles had them from '51 and the seriesII started in '52
The run was done in '52 with an early A series engine according to the MMOC. _________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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Jim.Walker
Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:26 pm Post subject: |
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It is amazing how some things youu think are common knowledge are not.
I always thought everyone with an interest in older cars would know that the Minor headlamps were raised to suit USA Traffic Law.
I believe bumper height for exprts to the USA was modified too leadinfg to MG modifications. Is that right?
Jim. _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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