Idiosyncratic features to be savoured
Discussion
Icehanger said:
wildcat45 said:
The MGF does not have a wash/wipe mode. You pull the stalk to apply water then operate the wipers yourself. Apparently it's to stop you getting wet with the roof down.
Also on the F - and I assume TF which was in production until something like 2011 - the inside of the glovebox lid has slots to store cassettes. Even in 2001 when my car was new it was an obsolete feature as it came with a CD only stereo.
I seem to recal that might of been for a flair, left on from the LHD models, but could be wrong.Also on the F - and I assume TF which was in production until something like 2011 - the inside of the glovebox lid has slots to store cassettes. Even in 2001 when my car was new it was an obsolete feature as it came with a CD only stereo.
How about the fact you had too fill it up with an inverted fuel nozzle and partially squeeze the handle otherwise it would just keep tripping out, felt embarrassed so many times as the pump would time out hahah
The fuel nozzle issue didn't transfer over though, although my car must have had a new (used?) cap at some point as I had two different MG-branded keys for it. One for the ignition and locks, another for the filler cap.
AMGSee55 said:
Rover P6. Bolt on roof and rear wings for starters, horizontally mounted front coil springs which was to allow the fitment of a gas turbine engine (obviously). And head restraints shaped like ET's head.
Had to check those springshttp://www.britishv8.org/articles/rover-p6-design....
The shock absorber arranged to expand on a bump rather than usual compress too
saaby93 said:
Had to check those springs
http://www.britishv8.org/articles/rover-p6-design....
The shock absorber arranged to expand on a bump rather than usual compress too
This reminds me of the suspension setup on a 2cv, the actual springs themselves were fitted inside cylinders mounted longitudinally in the middle of the chassis. You can see the black cylinders in this pic, approximately underneath where the driver and front seat passenger would sit:http://www.britishv8.org/articles/rover-p6-design....
The shock absorber arranged to expand on a bump rather than usual compress too
I was always very fond of the single stalk setup fitted to Mercs. Up / down for indicators. Push away for main beam and pull to flash. Twist for intermittent wiper, again for regular sweep and once again for fast sweep. Push in for a single sweep and push a. It more for wash / wipe.
Cruise was on the same side too which left your right hand free for... whatever. I guess this would make even more sense in a LHD car
Whilst we're at it too, one bloody big wiper instead of two (which costs about the same as a pair of wipers to replace).
Cruise was on the same side too which left your right hand free for... whatever. I guess this would make even more sense in a LHD car
Whilst we're at it too, one bloody big wiper instead of two (which costs about the same as a pair of wipers to replace).
2CVs again- probably more quirks than a multi storey full of moderns-
To keep things simple both plugs fired simultaneously - one obviously having no effect
Removeable boot lid (in 5 seconds )- just slide it off for those long loads
Seats removeable in seconds for loads or dejeuner sur l'herbe peut etre ?
Fresh air ventilation- turn a knurled wheel to open a flap under windscreen , meshed to prevent been and wasp ingress
Clap hands wipers - even my daily driver Focus has them now but in the 70s they were achingly cool on cars such as Ferrari Dino and Alfa Spyder
To keep things simple both plugs fired simultaneously - one obviously having no effect
Removeable boot lid (in 5 seconds )- just slide it off for those long loads
Seats removeable in seconds for loads or dejeuner sur l'herbe peut etre ?
Fresh air ventilation- turn a knurled wheel to open a flap under windscreen , meshed to prevent been and wasp ingress
Clap hands wipers - even my daily driver Focus has them now but in the 70s they were achingly cool on cars such as Ferrari Dino and Alfa Spyder
wildcat45 said:
The MGF does not have a wash/wipe mode. You pull the stalk to apply water then operate the wipers yourself. Apparently it's to stop you getting wet with the roof down.
Also on the F - and I assume TF which was in production until something like 2011 - the inside of the glovebox lid has slots to store cassettes. Even in 2001 when my car was new it was an obsolete feature as it came with a CD only stereo.
My aunt had a brand new TF just weeks before MG Rover collapsed. We all found the cassette rack funny even twelve years agoAlso on the F - and I assume TF which was in production until something like 2011 - the inside of the glovebox lid has slots to store cassettes. Even in 2001 when my car was new it was an obsolete feature as it came with a CD only stereo.
Icehanger said:
How about the fact you had too fill it up with an inverted fuel nozzle and partially squeeze the handle otherwise it would just keep tripping out, felt embarrassed so many times as the pump would time out hahah
Funnily enough that's a problem that afflicts my modern day R56 Mini, not much progress in the UK car industry 
My mate had a Seat Malaga, on a 'G' plate as I recall. Quirky is the word I would use to describe it. It had many odd things about it, like the spare wheel under the bonnet but the thing that always stood out was the dashboard. It was as if the Seat designers looked at every possible switch and stalk, couldn't decide which one to use, so used one of everything. It looked like an Early Learning Centre 'my first car' effort. Rocker switch for the indicators and a slider for the wipers, if I recall correctly..........
Mr225 said:
My mate had a Seat Malaga, on a 'G' plate as I recall. Quirky is the word I would use to describe it. It had many odd things about it, like the spare wheel under the bonnet but the thing that always stood out was the dashboard. It was as if the Seat designers looked at every possible switch and stalk, couldn't decide which one to use, so used one of everything. It looked like an Early Learning Centre 'my first car' effort. Rocker switch for the indicators and a slider for the wipers, if I recall correctly..........
and before thathttp://www.mmoc.org.uk/Messageboard/viewtopic.php?...
RicksAlfas said:
HTP99 said:
PixelpeepS3 said:
Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
None matching mirrors on the W124. The passenger one also being convex. Very simple, yet very effective.
thank you.
My B8 Audi S4 didn't have a dipstick for checking the oil level, this had to be done by fulfilling certain criteria and going in through the MMI which was a ludicrous, stupid exercise resulting in technology for the sake of technology. The same supercharged V6 engine was offered elsewhere in the Audi range with a dipstick but Audi wouldn't sell me one "because it's not on the parts BOM for the S4". I never understood why they did this.
The wife's Peugeot 208 has what can only be described as a 'mood light' behind the steering wheel; it's a small blue led soft light that is totally obscured by the shirt button that Peugeot provide for steering duties and it achieves nothing that we can discern. We thought it was for eye strain during night driving but at the same time there's no easy way of turning off the screen in the centre console. Suggestions as to the purpose of this little blue light welcomed!
Edited by Orange Rocket on Tuesday 28th March 10:07
66mpg said:
Another Alfasud oddity: two bonnet release systems. Because Alfasuds had two bulkheads in the engine bay: the regular one that separated engine bay from passenger cabin and a supplementary bulkhead about a foot further forward that separated the engine from the battery, heater and brake servo and the catch was mounted on the
Is extra bulkhead. If the cable breaks you would be unable to reach the catch with tools from outside to open it. The Alfa solution was a second link: a piece of nylon line terminated in the glovebox with a ring to put your finger in. This was your get out of jail card to regain access to the engine bay to fix the cable.
Alfettas had that emergency fishing line with rubber hoop thing too.Is extra bulkhead. If the cable breaks you would be unable to reach the catch with tools from outside to open it. The Alfa solution was a second link: a piece of nylon line terminated in the glovebox with a ring to put your finger in. This was your get out of jail card to regain access to the engine bay to fix the cable.
AMGSee55 said:
Rover P6. Bolt on roof and rear wings for starters, horizontally mounted front coil springs which was to allow the fitment of a gas turbine engine (obviously). And head restraints shaped like ET's head.
Seventeen bolt on panels on the P6! The front wings on the P5 were also bolt on, when it comes to restoring these cars you often find that one wing is about half an inch longer than the other, something to do with the old tooling I'm told. You can tell a restored P5/P5B by the extra half inch gap between the stainless steel body side trim and the wrap around side lights on the corner of the wing on one side of the car.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff