Horsetan Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I may have managed to secure the elusive offside bi-optic headlamp for the CX as there is a similar car being dismantled for parts.... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MJI Posted October 2, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 2, 2018 Fords are recalling their 1 litre and 1.6 litre Eco-drive engined cars due to reliability problems. How about their 2.7 and 3.0 Diesels? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
great central Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) To add to the Cortina at Airfield garage, there was a Y reg estate at the nearby Tesco last night Edited October 2, 2018 by great central 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 My 1955 Austin A30 used to achieve 48mpg with indecent regularity. Progress? If you applied the subsequent emissions regulations, added weight to make the car safer, etc., etc., you'd find that comparison is rather pointless. Relatively speaking modern engines are way more efficient than ones from the 50s to 70s, and more reliable... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 If you applied the subsequent emissions regulations, added weight to make the car safer, etc., etc., you'd find that comparison is rather pointless. Relatively speaking modern engines are way more efficient than ones from the 50s to 70s, and more reliable... If you consider the thickness of steel used, lack of plastics (dashboard was thicker steel than a modern car body), would the weight be much different? I don't know, but the A30 was 14cwt. Accepted that the modern engines are greener, but that is not the whole story of being green. Don't forget the manufacturing pollution, which is far greater that the driving pollution over the whole normal lifespan of car, and also the scrapping pollution which is large as well. If I was still using my A30, it would still be (overall) greener than having a new car. I wish I still had it though. Stewart 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 If you applied the subsequent emissions regulations, added weight to make the car safer, etc., etc., you'd find that comparison is rather pointless. Relatively speaking modern engines are way more efficient than ones from the 50s to 70s, and more reliable... If you consider the thickness of steel used, lack of plastics (dashboard was thicker steel than a modern car body), would the weight be much different? I don't know, but the A30 was 14cwt. Accepted that the modern engines are greener, but that is not the whole story of being green. Don't forget the manufacturing pollution, which is far greater that the driving pollution over the whole normal lifespan of car, and also the scrapping pollution which is large as well. If I was still using my A30, it would still be (overall) greener than having a new car. I wish I still had it though. Put a modern engine into the A30. Simples. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted October 2, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2018 Put a modern engine into the A30. Simples. Bit like this? ok it's a 100e ...... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickstart Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 If you consider the thickness of steel used, lack of plastics (dashboard was thicker steel than a modern car body), would the weight be much different? I don't know, but the A30 was 14cwt. That is about 700kg, which is very light compared to modern cars. For comparison a basic Ford Focus is over 1300kg Katy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Bit like this? ok it's a 100e ...... IMG_1143.jpg Is that a Nissan engine? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I wonder if it'll fit (sideways) in a Mini... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 I wonder if it'll fit (sideways) in a Mini... Can you shoehorn a straight-six into a Mini? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted October 2, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2018 Can you shoehorn a straight-six into a Mini? You can get an impreza turbo in .....(with the rad in the boot) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alastairq Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) Putting a BMC/Rover A+plus engine in the A30/35 is fairly easy.....with the single-point fuel injection the old mini ended up with, probably meets some emissions regs too. Better to fit a Rover K series of maybe up to 1.7 litres? Light in weight [lighter than an A -series, perhaps?]....ecumenical as well..... I always feel it is better if wishing to modernise a power plant, to keep things lighter, and effectively as small as the original..then the character of the car, its dynamics, can be retained. Shove in a whacking gert V8 may look good at the shows, but totally alters the original car's dynamics. Disc brakes off the Midget range, and off you go? Good enough for James Hunt.... Edited October 2, 2018 by alastairq Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted October 2, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 2, 2018 My 1955 Austin A30 used to achieve 48mpg with indecent regularity. Progress? But motoring then was a gentler pursuit. My autobahn driving was generally at 130 kph/80 mph, with bursts up to a legal 160 kph/100 mph. And the car could do rather more if asked, of course, as most can these days. Most 1950s cars would struggle to reach those speeds, let alone sustain them for many miles. For 0.9 litre and three cylinders, 90 bhp isn’t a bad spec. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) Put a modern engine into the A30. Simples. Together with all the modern emissions equipment, airbags, etc., and all the extra wiring that would entail to bring it to modern spec... Not so simples.. Horses for courses, I enjoy my P6 for what it is, a 60s/70s car with all the foibles of the time it was built, I enjoy my new Golf for what that is, ultra reliable and economical... Would I want to have the best of both worlds? Perhaps not as I would lose what i like about it if the P6 was modernised and hate the unreliability if the Golf was put into back in time... I'll just live with them as they are and enjoy both for what they are, thanks... Edited October 2, 2018 by Hobby 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 He's only joking, they like the new image of being the underdogs! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 There was a rather well known (in Australian racing circles) A30 owned and raced by the late Peter Brock. It was fitted with a Holden straight six 179 motor (2,940 cc). http://brock05.com/brock05/brockA30.php 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 Can you shoehorn a straight-six into a Mini? Just returned from Specsavers, I now see what you mean...! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 But motoring then was a gentler pursuit. My autobahn driving was generally at 130 kph/80 mph, with bursts up to a legal 160 kph/100 mph. And the car could do rather more if asked, of course, as most can these days. Most 1950s cars would struggle to reach those speeds, let alone sustain them for many miles. For 0.9 litre and three cylinders, 90 bhp isn’t a bad spec. Just for the record, 60-65 was my normal max, with a little in reserve. As I said, kept up with traffic of the 60s & 70s. Happy days. Stewart 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted October 2, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 2, 2018 There was a rather well known (in Australian racing circles) A30 owned and raced by the late Peter Brock. It was fitted with a Holden straight six 179 motor (2,940 cc). http://brock05.com/brock05/brockA30.php About the only A30 bit left was the bodyshell. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rugd1022 Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) A nice period pic - a Fiat 850 Coupe in Torbryan, Devon, 11th September 1971... Edited October 2, 2018 by Rugd1022 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium polybear Posted October 3, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 3, 2018 Relatively speaking modern engines are way more efficient than ones from the 50s to 70s, and more reliable... But sadly nigh on impossible to fix for the home mechanic, and all too often pretty hit and miss for the main dealer workshops also (despite manufacturer support, computers and factory manuals). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 (edited) The vast majority run just fine, though, more so than old engine, especially those that used carbs... My last two "moderns" are on 20k servicing, between those intervals I've not had to touch them other than fuel, which is a far cry from the 60s and 70s cars I've owned in the past (not to mention the current 70s car I own which hardly does any mileage but has plenty of issues)... I agree about home fixes, but when it's all about keeping down emissions (ignoring the rights or wrongs of that subject) and reliability who is more likely to keep the engine in good state of tune? Again in the majority of cases it's the electronics rather than the home mechanic... As I said before it's horses for courses, give me a modern for a daily any day a roadside fix when you are on a long journey to Bavaria isn't my idea of fun. Edited October 3, 2018 by Hobby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kickstart Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 In a lot of ways, once you get past the fear modern cars are not that bad to fix. Down side is how specific some of the required tools are, but many diagnostic tools are readily available. But depreciation is so high few people bother! Katy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolseley Posted October 3, 2018 Share Posted October 3, 2018 About the only A30 bit left was the bodyshell. And even that was modified. Mind you, if he had left the bodyshell looking the way it was when it left the factory, it would have surprised a lot of people at the traffic lights.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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