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peter scott
Joined: 18 Dec 2007
Posts: 7118
Location: Edinburgh
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 Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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A friend had a 1.8 litre way back. I can remember that it wasn't bad off the line but it was too scary going round corners.
Peter
_________________
http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon |
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 1585
Location: Le Mans
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| Posted: Fri Jan 29, 2016 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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| The Marina; how I hated the ruddy thing. A "coupé" 1275, wipers set up for LHD, drum brakes and no servo. Went into the back of a lorry due to lack of braking after two days "ownership". My fox terrier decided to eat the interior during an appointment. The second one - no choice - was puke beige with same colour curved dashboard that creaked and drove me mad. God, was I glad to leave that company! |
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peppiB
Joined: 30 Jun 2008
Posts: 686
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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| Posted: Sat Jan 30, 2016 1:34 pm Post subject: |
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I have had 3 of the things (family owned garage were BL dealers - originally Riley and Morris from 1927)
I used a coupe (showroom model at launch so bolted instead of welded together) to drive daily from Durham to Mansfield and back for months - drum brakes so none to speak of in the wet. Fairly comfy on the straight but unsteady on corners. That was followed by a 4 door 1.8, not as nippy, and after the body rotted away on that I put the engine in a mk II bodyshell. That rolled so badly that my infant son was constantly travel sick. |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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Ashley
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 1426
Location: Near Stroud, Glos
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| Posted: Mon Feb 01, 2016 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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I had a 1970 3,500 P6 and not only did I like it, but so did the wife I'd just married, which was rare! They were very good for the day.
The Marina was a disgusting car, absolute rubbish, everything that could go wrong did. One fault that caused a friend who'd been given one nightmares was that the propshafts weren't balanced so the vibration slowly extracted the rear bearing from the Triumph Herald gearbox followed by the oil and then a hideous crunch as it all smashed to bits. It always happened on the motorway miles from work or home and after two gearboxes the axle failed as well.
Where I worked someone had a TC Jubilee that was grim and troublesome, but not even close to a Wolesley 2200, or a 1750 Maxi. The Hilman Hunter GT was also a strong contender.
The Maxi and Wolesley were both returned to BL as not fit for purpose and Hunter vibrated its way till it was written off. The owner lived on a housing estate, his house was up a steepish drive and the house opposite down one, but the drives were not opposite so his car was pointing at its sitting room window when the handbrake cable snapped. The car entered through the sitting room window and quite a lot of brickwork fell onto it. It too, was a crap car and this was the last of its regular failures.
Britain was an absolute disgrace in the seventies with strikes everywhere all the time, dreadful rubbish being made, regular power cuts and ultimately 26% inflation before Mrs Thatcher got elected and saved the day. The country was on the verge of being declared bankrupt! |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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lowdrag
Joined: 10 Apr 2009
Posts: 1585
Location: Le Mans
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 6:33 am Post subject: |
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| I bought a Maxi for the family. it went after three months for a 1500cc Golf S and I never regretted it one bit. Asthmatic engine, infernally heavy steering and if you could find the gears you were a better man than I Gunga Din! An incredible concept, ruined by inept BL engineering sadly. Incidentally, I have never, ever seen another Golf S in my life. Very basic, not even carpets, but a jewel of engineering. |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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Ronniej
Joined: 02 Dec 2008
Posts: 239
Location: Blackwood, by Lanark, Scotland
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Rick"]The Austin A40 Countryman - you can depend on it!
It may have been dependable but it would not have won many beauty contests. |
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Ashley
Joined: 02 Jan 2008
Posts: 1426
Location: Near Stroud, Glos
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 4:36 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Ronniej"] | Rick wrote: | The Austin A40 Countryman - you can depend on it!
It may have been dependable but it would not have won many beauty contests. |
I had an A40 Devon saloon and it was definitely an extremely good car, but I agree it was hideous. |
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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Rick
Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22446
Location: UK
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
Posts: 1775
Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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| Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2016 4:45 pm Post subject: |
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I like to have brochures and owners manuals for my cars, and I am lucky enough to have them for each of my current cars:
1914 Saxon:
1931 Austin:
and 1953 Lancia:
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