Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

One of my elective courses in college this semester is "The Impact of the Automobile on North American Culture". Sounds like quite an interesting course. The first unit seems to deal a lot with Ford (history-wise), and looks to move on to stuff like cultural impact, environmental, social, etc. Seems quite interesting, and I have high hopes for this course. Hopefully the FinalGear Braintrust will be of help when I need it!
 
PistonHeads has transformed into dead tree!

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Got a copy here, and am thoroughly enjoying it. ?5.99 is pretty good although if it comes back in the future I'm hoping for a sub-?5 price point.
 
I saw a Volvo P1800 at my university today, and noticed an Abarth badge on the front left fender.
A quick search, however, didn't reveal any connection between Abarth and the P1800... halp? :blink:
No there is no such connection, there are two badges you may find on a P1800, a swooping J with a blue and yellow striped shield and crown on the C-post on the 1960-62 models made by Jensen in the UK and on later models the 1800S-shield next to the rear lights which show that the car was made by Volvo in Sweden.

Jensen was a small manufacturer and had a hard time keeping pace (production targets were 10 000 cars a year) and quality was poor for a number of reasons, beyond the logistical and manpower-related problems there were also confusion related to Jensen using imperial and Volvo ordering a car in metric and uninterested suppliers. The car is very british, the metal came from Pressed Steel, the electrical system were Lucas, the carburetors were Skinner Union and the brakes were Girling.

Volvo was so unhappy with the quality they decided to ship every finished car from West Bromwich to Gothenburg for quality control before shipping it to the customer and after two years decided to give Jensen a bunch of money to get rid of them and make the car themselves instead. And that's why they stuck that badge on, to show that the car was a "proper" Volvo. Many enthusiasts think the Jensen cars are a little more exciting because of their "british" character although most agree the later models are much better made ;)
 
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The MGB will soon be on a fun filled trip to Ohio. Glad I won't be joining my Dad for that voyage.

No there is no such connection, there are two badges you may find on a P1800, a swooping J with a blue and yellow striped shield and crown on the C-post on the 1960-62 models made by Jensen in the UK and on later models the 1800S-shield next to the rear lights which show that the car was made by Volvo in Sweden.

Jensen was a small manufacturer and had a hard time keeping pace (production targets were 10 000 cars a year) and quality was poor for a number of reasons, beyond the logistical and manpower-related problems there were also confusion related to Jensen using imperial and Volvo ordering a car in metric and uninterested suppliers. The car is very british, the metal came from Pressed Steel, the electrical system were Lucas, the carburetors were Skinner Union and the brakes were Girling.

Volvo was so unhappy with the quality they decided to ship every finished car from West Bromwich to Gothenburg for quality control before shipping it to the customer and after two years decided to give Jensen a bunch of money to get rid of them and make the car themselves instead. And that's why they stuck that badge on, to show that the car was a "proper" Volvo. Many enthusiasts think the Jensen cars are a little more exciting because of their "british" character although most agree the later models are much better made ;)

Speaking of which someone around here is selling one of these for $4500. I wish I had the money to buy it and rebuild the 907 4 pot it came with.

20070309082249!Jensen_healey.jpg
 
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I'm finding that Melbourne drivers these days are becoming increasingly needlessly aggressive on the road. Sigh.
 
Well, I would say most drivers around areas where I go have already reached Sydney levels of stupidity and disregard for other people.

And I've learned today to be extra careful around Asian girls driving white Subaru liberty wagons..
 
Meh, checked out the other Forte. Didn't even feel like driving it. The thing is, if I wreck my 323F / it gets stolen / wrecked / hit by a meteorite, I can't replace it with a similar one; rusty underbodies and axles and what not are just such a turn-off.
 
Now that it's only -3 outside I decided to poke a bit at the ice around the windows, and the rear doors are no lunger glued together with the body.
 
Now that it's only -3 outside I decided to poke a bit at the ice around the windows, and the rear doors are no lunger glued together with the body.

If they're siliconed properly, they don't stick to the body.
 
Pffft not that kind of wussy ice, I'm talking about proper ice that physically connects the roof of the car with the rear doors and the sills. You know, real winter :p
 
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Pffft not that kind of wussy ice, I'm talking about proper ice that physically connects the roof of the car with the rear doors and the sills. You know, real winter :p

That's not a problem in America.

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That explains the dull paint finish on many older american cars :D

Here's another of those VW videos, I am dumbstruck by it's existance. It appears to be official videos from VWoA. A operations manual for a seat? Is there anything more self-explanatory in this world? :|

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e32XViTaXgQ[/YOUTUBE]

And ze accent, jaaa wir pretending zu be a German enzineer jaah. I haff drawn a graph...
 
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one million internets to anyone that can translate this:

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TFfxchqvB0[/YOUTUBE]

seriously... please... anyone...
 
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