Classic Car Facts, Stats & Trivia
Discussion
Nors said:
Audi are attributed with the first production Petrol 5 cylinder in-line engine. Although it never saw production, it was Ford in the late 1930's that first tried to develop an in-line 5.
The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
That's passenger car use: I think you'll find several before that in lorries, notably the Lancia 3RO which was produced from 1938 onwards.The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
Nors said:
Audi are attributed with the first production Petrol 5 cylinder in-line engine. Although it never saw production, it was Ford in the late 1930's that first tried to develop an in-line 5.
The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
Mercedes also produced the worlds first production diesel engine - the 1936 260D (the first 5 cyl diesel engine was indeed launched in 1974 but in the Merc W114 - the W123 came a couple of years later). The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
Dapster said:
Nors said:
Audi are attributed with the first production Petrol 5 cylinder in-line engine. Although it never saw production, it was Ford in the late 1930's that first tried to develop an in-line 5.
The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
Mercedes also produced the worlds first production diesel engine - the 1936 260D (the first 5 cyl diesel engine was indeed launched in 1974 but in the Merc W114 - the W123 came a couple of years later). The first 5 cylinder Diesel was actually in a Mercedes W123 from 1974.
Neither wonder R101 crashed. Putting a locomotive diesel in an airship is not a good idea. The whole thing was beset by problems anyway, including being lengthened as initially there wasn't enough lift.
An earlier post mentioned Wolseley's building Hispano aero engines under license - this was the Viper and is supposed to be the inspiration for other OHC engines by Wolseley right up to the 6/80 of the late forties.
An earlier post mentioned Wolseley's building Hispano aero engines under license - this was the Viper and is supposed to be the inspiration for other OHC engines by Wolseley right up to the 6/80 of the late forties.
waynecyclist said:
I don't think the Morris Minor being widened is a myth.
From what I have read they were able to rejig the tooling for most parts but the bonnet and bumpers had strips added.
This is correct. I can't find an image suitable to hotlink to, but google 'Morris Minor Mosquito' to see the original prototype and note how it has very pre-war 'pinched in' tall/narrow proportions. Like the Austin A30 would in 1951. From what I have read they were able to rejig the tooling for most parts but the bonnet and bumpers had strips added.
Issigonis made his four-inch widening relatively last minute, when Morris had already tooled up and begun production of some Mosquito components, but not the body-in-white. So the bonnet had already been tooled up for, leading to the addition of the strake in the middle. The bumpers initially needed to be cut in two and fishplated. But the body could be tooled for the wider design, so there was no need to put a strake in the crown of the roof. The Minor floorpan does have two noticeable strakes either side of the transmission tunnel (two inches on each side) where the floorpan was widened, so perhaps Alec's brainwave came after the floor pressings were being produced. Or maybe they just didn't see the need to completely redraw the design for something that wouldn't be visible.
It's noticeable how much more modern the 'stance' of the Minor MM is when compared to the old-fashioned looking Mosquito, and how much better the finished product wears its Packard Clipper/Buick Super-cribbed styling because the proportions are closer to the American cars. Contrast with the original Standard Vanguard (a dumpy, clockwork-toy-car-lookalike of a 1946 Plymouth Deluxe) or the Austin A40/A70 (god knows what Dick Burzi was inspired by but it's a bit of a hodgepodge).
Dapster said:
Mercedes also produced the worlds first production diesel engine - the 1936 260D (the first 5 cyl diesel engine was indeed launched in 1974 but in the Merc W114 - the W123 came a couple of years later).
This is pedantry of the worst sort, but the Citroen Rosalie was in production in 1935 with a 1766cc four-pot diesel which was also the first production usage of Harry Ricardo's 'Comet' swirl-action precombustion chamber. But the Rosalie 10CV Gazole was only available in estate form and then as a taxi-cab saloon, so it was really sold as a commercial vehicle. The Merc 260D was just an ordinary car with a diesel engine, even if most of them ended up as taxis anyway. Citroen offered the Rosalie saloon with the diesel engine on the showroom floor, but only a couple of months after the 260D went on sale. Edited by 2xChevrons on Thursday 2nd August 09:35
silverfoxcc said:
The Surveyor said:
_Sorted_ said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
silverfoxcc said:
Re Morris Minor widening
If you look at early examples you will see where the additional four inches were put on the bonnet
I've always thought this was a myth. (All Moggies have that rib on the bonnet). Why doesn't the roof have the same thing then? If you look at early examples you will see where the additional four inches were put on the bonnet
Dixy said:
_Sorted_ said:
The original Aston Martin V8 Vantage has mucked up Ackermann. On lock, the outside front wheel skids along surface.
Sir is not using enough right peddle.Edited by _Sorted_ on Sunday 22 July 00:28
Johnspex said:
Dixy said:
_Sorted_ said:
The original Aston Martin V8 Vantage has mucked up Ackermann. On lock, the outside front wheel skids along surface.
Sir is not using enough right peddle.Edited by _Sorted_ on Sunday 22 July 00:28
Johnspex said:
Dixy said:
_Sorted_ said:
The original Aston Martin V8 Vantage has mucked up Ackermann. On lock, the outside front wheel skids along surface.
Sir is not using enough right peddle.Edited by _Sorted_ on Sunday 22 July 00:28
Edited by Yertis on Thursday 2nd August 22:22
irocfan said:
Chevy couldn't sell the Nova in Spanish speaking countries.
It was sold successfully in multiple Spanish-speaking countries You could make the comment about the Vauxhall Nova/Opel Corsa, but the reality of that is simply that Vauxhall and Opel didn't consolidate model names until the next generation of cars
Edited by Jimmy Recard on Thursday 2nd August 18:35
To use up left over short nose D-type shells, Jaguar made the XKSS. This was so they could be used in SCCA events for which the D-type was not eligible. To qualify them, Jaguar had to make at least 50 cars, so the chassis numbers started XKSS 701, 704, 707 and 710. Oh look we've already built 10 cars! Taking a leaf out of Ferrari's book that. Of course, only sixteen were finished although Jaguar due to the fire at the factory in February 1957, but now have built nine more to fill in unused but issued chassis numbers. But that's another story of chicanery.
Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff