morcus
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 01:06 AM |
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The Golden age of the British motor industry
This came up at work and I'm curious to know what you guys think would've been the Golden age for our motor industry.
If pushed I'd probably say the 60's or the interwat period, but I don't really have much in way of evidence.
In a White Room, With Black Curtains, By the Station.
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LBMEFM
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 03:40 AM |
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60’s without doubt, maybe its just nostalgia I grew up and started my apprenticeship in the motor trade in the 60’s but cars were individual then.
Minis were taking on the American muscle cars on the track and winning the Monte Carlo rally in 64, 65 and 67. On the road were Humbers, Hilmans
Austin, Morris, Ford, Triumph etc. Sports cars such as the Jaguar E type, Jensen Interceptor, Healy 3000, Triumph TR’s, MG B’s and A’s, not forgetting
Sunbeam Alpines, Frog Eyed Sprites, Midgets and Lotus 7’s. Manufactures produced tuned versions of their cars such as the Cortina Lotus and Mini
Cooper S.
Cars were individual such as the Anglia, Hillman Imp and the Austin A40 with its lifting back window, was this the first hatchback? They were basic
inside and prone to rust easily and compared to today’s efficient, comfortable, fast reliable euro-boxes were pretty awful but they were individual.
The 60’s was exciting after the austere 50’s, music was changing, lifestyles were changing and the British motor industry was enjoying its Golden era.
Barry.
Why are we up at this time of night?
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speedyxjs
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 06:01 AM |
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Definately 60's imo. Cars were at their best style wise and not hampered by so many design altering saftey regulations as we are today.
How long can i resist the temptation to drop a V8 in?
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MakeEverything
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 07:12 AM |
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60's and the further developed 70's that saw the Mk3 capri and a little more technology before they were all strangled by statutory
limitations.
Kindest Regards,
Richard.
...You can make it foolProof, but youll never make it Idiot Proof!...
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02GF74
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 09:26 AM |
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surely that includes the British motorcylce industry?
then that would make it late fifties, maybe early 60s?
later in the 60s saw the dscline start.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 02:12 PM |
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You know I would like to stick in a mention for the twenties, the days of Goodwood and the likes of Bentley beating the europeans all over the shop.
Also isn't this the time we held (and broke) the land speed record several times over?
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morcus
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| posted on 2/6/10 at 05:18 PM |
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Good to hear that car wise so far people agree with me and for simillar reasons. I also agree that the 50's would be the Golden age for bikes
but I wouldn't include them together as I feel they peaked at different times (For reasons like Cars replacing motorbikes as cheap transport and
such).
I actually read something in the paper sugesting that we're currently in a golden age of Motorsport manufacturing, what do people think about
that?
In a White Room, With Black Curtains, By the Station.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 4/6/10 at 06:00 AM |
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Well, don't British people pretty much run Formula 1?
British design, engineering, pit crews. It's just the drivers lol
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