Most reused parts bin component
Discussion
I spotted something when I drove my wifes new XC60 up that only fellow sad b
ds will appreciate, so I hope PH might be the right place. Anyone recognize the lumbar control switch?
Yes that's right, it's the old Escort electric window switch! This switch, along with maybe the old Vauxhall electric window adjuster pad, has to be the single longest lived and most re-used piece of internal switchgear in automotive history. If any company that was ever part of FoMoCo needed a little solitary switch for an accessory that goes up/down, back/forth or in/out for the last 30 years there seems to be a very good chance that this bad boy would be the one. Does it matter if it matches the rest of the switchgear in design and colour? Does it bks.
I think half the cars I've ever owned have featured it. Anyone else got any suggestions for the longest lived parts bin part?
ds will appreciate, so I hope PH might be the right place. Anyone recognize the lumbar control switch?Yes that's right, it's the old Escort electric window switch! This switch, along with maybe the old Vauxhall electric window adjuster pad, has to be the single longest lived and most re-used piece of internal switchgear in automotive history. If any company that was ever part of FoMoCo needed a little solitary switch for an accessory that goes up/down, back/forth or in/out for the last 30 years there seems to be a very good chance that this bad boy would be the one. Does it matter if it matches the rest of the switchgear in design and colour? Does it b
ks.I think half the cars I've ever owned have featured it. Anyone else got any suggestions for the longest lived parts bin part?
Cotty said:
Rover V8 engines
"the engine was sold by Rover to small car builders, and has appeared in a wide variety of vehicles. Rover V8s feature in some models from Morgan +8, TVR, Triumph TR8, Land Rover and MGB V8, among many others".
I guess by that sentiment 80% of the output BL ever crimped off was pretty much a collection of the same s"the engine was sold by Rover to small car builders, and has appeared in a wide variety of vehicles. Rover V8s feature in some models from Morgan +8, TVR, Triumph TR8, Land Rover and MGB V8, among many others".
tty parts bins components in a new and very badly styled box.300bhp/ton said:
The Rover V8 is and was a good engine. Compact the lightweight for it's performance. Torque as well as Horse Power output. Simple to build (once the casting issues sorted), reliable, easy to maintain. And good performance for the era it was in production.
Considering that it was in production until 2006 that's clearly not true. It had good performance for the era in which it entered production, not unreasonable power and acceptable reliability and longevity. By the 80s it was looking hopelessly uncompetitive and by the 90s it was a joke. 225bhp and 380NM or torque from a 4.6 litre V8 in a "premium" car like a RR was pitiful in 1995 when the P38 was introduced, not to mention it's astonishing thirst and desire to be completely worn out by 100,000 miles.Like most output from the BMC/Leyland/Rover monster it may have been competitive when it was introduced but it was starved of development funding and kept in production for decades past it's use by date. The Triumph 6 they developed for the SD1 would have bettered it in every metric if it hadn't been deliberately hamstrung.
Chris1255 said:
Not the only manufacturer to sweat the assets that way, and Ford were using the Kent on part of their main range, not a niche run out model like the mini:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Kent_engine#E...
Just because someone else is doing the same thing doesn't make it right https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Kent_engine#E...
That engine was truly awful in the Ka, I'd just as soon have had an A-series in it. At least Ford had the excuse that they made smashing great profits doing it, BL just did it because they were too crap to have any choice 
Edited by dme123 on Monday 6th June 17:07
996TT02 said:
These headlights have been fitted to a gazillion vehicles, and not just British ones. 
Are they always exactly the same part? I never paid much attention and just assumed they were similar looking round headlights (with the illuminating power of a candle in a dirty jar).Chebble said:
Yeah - any engine that needs potential HG issues ironing out before it's usable can hardly be called 'brilliant'.
Of course it was brilliant! It's still one of the lightest and most compact engines out there. It was hobbled by penny pinching, stty manufacturing and in some cases crap installations (Freelander) 
EuropaSman said:
Jaguar X-Type door mirrors used on the Lotus Evora Series 1.
#Those are some sort of Ford / PAG group mirror, they are the same basic design on all Jaguars, Volvos and a couple of other things. Volvo switched to them on the P2 cars in the '04 MY. Very sensible example of sharing a common part.
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