Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

I hadn't heard the expression "it eats the miles up" for a very long time until the other day when I spoke with a guest at one the nearby hotels.
He and his wife had taken less than four hours to travel from Buckinghamshire in their new BMW 5 Series.

I can remember only two long journeys in the 1960s. One was in our 1962 Vauxhall Velox to Eccles outside Manchester in 1964 which I recall was smooth and fast.

The second was a journey to a wedding in deepest Shropshire in 1968. My parents and I travelled with friends, a husband and wife, in their 1966 Austin Westminster, just like this one :

[img]

What I remember was enough space in comfort for three on the rear seat, the dark blue leather interior and the effortless way the big Austin "ate the miles up". An almost inaudible engine and a surge of power when overtaking other cars.

Minis, Morris Minors, Austin 1100s, Vauxhall Victors or Triumph Heralds most certainly did not cover long distances well, neither did our Rover 2000 either, it simply was not powerful enough and the Triumph 2000 was rather cramped in the rear seat. A family friend's 1965 Humber Hawk was comfortable but no "road burner".

Which cars of the 1960s, 1970s or earlier do you consider had the ability to "eat the miles up" on long distances and travel with effortless smoothness and comfort, and power?[/img]
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Rick]

Anything with a decent size engine, suitable gearing, and perhaps an overdrive manual 'box would probably fit the bill. I remember undertaking a Goodwood trip years ago in my (auto, they all were) S1 XJ12, that covered the ground magnificently although fuel stops were a very regular occurrence (especially as the gauges were u/s!!!!).

RJ
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[colwyn500]

Not tongue in cheek.

I regulalrly make 250 mile round trips in a day in this, and I get time to do my job in between driving. Mind you, no car is going to average more than 50mph on Highland roads.
FOR_2578 by Peter Thompson, on Flickr

[peter scott]

At 20 mph / 1000 rpm the old SS is reasonably relaxed at speed but does suffer from wind noise from the less than well sealed (in my car anyway) opening windscreen, sunroof and side windows. However it's not the noise that limits my endurance but the rather upright front seat back rests.

As to perfomance it does 40 to 60 in 10 seconds in top or 8.4 seconds in 3rd.

I find 200 miles in a day is OK but not a lot more.

Peter


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https://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk
1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

[Phil - Nottingham]

Our Rover P5B and P5 do easily - both autos as does our overdrive Rover 100 P4
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[emmerson]

Outside Ellis' time frame, I'd have to say my Range Rover LSE!
But way back in 1967 I had a Vauxhall Velox PB three speed with overdrive.
It was a bit wallowy, perhaps, but ate up the miles from Cardiff to Whitehaven on a regular basis, so much so that Herself and the children slept most of the way! I don't remember it being too heavy on petrol either.
Sadly it got written off after about eighteen months, being hit from behind by a new-out-of-the-box Ford Zodiac, and replaced by my first Citroen D,Any of my subsequent Citroens would also fill the bill.

[Ronniej]

It is surprising how far you can get in even a slow car if you take it steadily.
A couple of years back I took my Morris 8 Two Seater to the event at Scone Palace. I left Glasgow very early and just kept a steady pace without stopping anywhere. I was in Perth in a little over two hours.
I also drove my Singer Roadster from Devon to Glasgow in a day.
I left Devon at an ungodly hour with the intention of getting past Spaghetti Junction before the morning rush but actually arrived at the peak.
This journey was taken out of necessity and while it is possible I would not recommend it.

[Ronniej]

It is surprising how far you can get in even a slow car if you take it steadily.
A couple of years back I took my Morris 8 Two Seater to the event at Scone Palace. I left Glasgow very early and just kept a steady pace without stopping anywhere. I was in Perth in a little over two hours.
I also drove my Singer Roadster from Devon to Glasgow in a day.
I left Devon at an ungodly hour with the intention of getting past Spaghetti Junction before the morning rush but actually arrived at the peak.
This journey was taken out of necessity and while it is possible I would not recommend it.

[Bitumen Boy]

I think a lot of it is more down to comfort - especially for passengers, and of course that depends on how many - than the mechanical parts of the car. In my own experience of two very different small cars the long trip up to Nottingham to visit the family (avoiding motorways, which I don't like) takes pretty much the same time in the Herald as in the modern - while the modern (2001 Corsa) can easily manage a higher speed on the decent bits of road, the suspension doesn't cope as well with the rougher roads and that's where the Herald will make up the difference. Both take about 6 hours 30 for the trip, with only the strictly necessary stops. These days the modern will usually get the duty for having a better radio and doing another 10 miles or so on every gallon of petrol, but comfort wise there's not much in it.

It's on that journey that I really miss the Triumph Acclaims we used to run, as a manual Acclaim would do that same trip in as little as 4 hours 40 - partly down to its overtaking ability, and partly down to coping well with rough roads at higher speeds. The other option of course was to make a day of it with an extended stop somewhere along the way. And yet the odd thing is that when we lived over in Gloucestershire (obviously using a very different route) the Acclaims had no time advantage over my old Mini, though there was a big difference in comfort! Both would take, IIRC, a little over 4 hours for the trip.

[BigJohn]

Austin 1800's, and Morris, Wolseley derivatives, my Morris 1800S was great for the long haul as it was agile and quick. My Austin 3 litre m/od was relaxing except on fuel, but had a huge boot for luggage, the self levelling rear suspension made for a comfortable ride even when heavily loaded, but not quite as agile as an 1800.

[Ashley]

My 1951 4.25 litre MK VI would cruise all day at between 70-80mph with more comfort and silence that most moderns. Very little wind noise, no engine and no road and excellent seats. Ride was comparable with a DS.

My son drove it 450 miles in a day once and enjoyed.

IMO they're one of the best cars of all time.

[peppiB]

[BigJohn]

I would have another 1800 straight away, but I want an auto, and a series 3 with a centre handbrake, reaching for the under dash one is uncomfortable for me now.

[exbmc]

My own choice of cars from the past, which could eat up the miles, is the mark two Ford Zephyr and Zodiac. That lovely 2.5 litre six, and the huge seats, gave effortless performance and long trip comfort.

[Ashley]

Rover P5Bs are lovely too.

I'm wondering what my little 356 is going to be like too. It's very comfortable, rides superbly and has a good cruising speed. I just hope it's not too noisy.