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Mar 18, 2014 23:18:56 GMT
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The 'F' in ERF (lorry makers) stands for Foden, another lorry maker. I believe there was a split in the family and ER went off on his own to form ERF. Foden made steam lorries before belatedly turning to diesels. Eric R Foden wanted to produce the new-fangled diesel lorries but was stopped by his elders. He formed his own firm using his initials, E.R.F. in protest. This seemed to have happened a lot in the early days of motorcars. Henry Ford started the Henry Ford Company in 1901. After a year he left the company, which then was revamped and renamed after the founder of Detroit. The resulting company, Cadillac, lives on to this day under GM. After a dispute with his first car company, Olds Motor Works, Ranson E Olds started a new car company using his initials. Whilst the REO brand is most known for the band REO Speedwagon, Olds Motor Works was later renamed into Oldsmobile and then lived on to a rather more succesdful future under GM. It's sad the brand is dead now though. Have a Toronado.  Also the early 60s GM Y/Z body is, as far as I know, the only monocoque car platform that was available in a rear engined (Chevy Corvair)  And front engined (Pontiac Tempest) configuration.  |
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Mar 18, 2014 23:29:11 GMT
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The Mk1 Golf GTi wasn't the first "Hot Hatch." And was developed by the Wolfsburg team behind vw,s back and without consent in there lunch hours lol caused so much of a stir vw made it a production car and the first hot hatch as you say |
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lilbob
Part of things
Posts: 419
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Mar 18, 2014 23:43:30 GMT
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the triumph dolomite sprint was the first mass produced 16valve car
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Mar 18, 2014 23:48:53 GMT
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the triumph dolomite sprint was the first mass produced 16valve car And it was the first British saloon to have alloy wheels as standard. |
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Ferdinand Porsche stole "borrowed" the design for the VW beetle from Tatra. FTFY The Skoda Estelle was designed to be a F/F layout car but budget/government constraints did not permit the design to be finalised and pushed it into retaining the R/R layout of a bygone era (thankfully!) - hence the ridiculously high front, springs that were designed to hold the weight of an engine pushing the body into a negative rake. |
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 Irv Gordon says his 3 million mile Volvo has been crashed into 11 times. www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2014/02/the-man-for-whom-they-made-the-three-million-mile-badge/#more-730170“Accidents? Sure – these things happen. Usually when the car’s parked: I’ve had two school buses back into it, and two tow-trucks. I got hit by an Oldsmobile: I saw him coming; the guy was asleep at the wheel. The car took a beating, but I still drove it home. I never go to shopping centres, never, but this last summer I did. I parked in a quiet corner, then two kids hot-rodding in an old Honda came round and ploughed straight into the front bumper." |
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Mar 19, 2014 11:46:05 GMT
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The Capri only has the iconic reverse 'D' rear window added at the last moment The 'D' is only a reverse 'D' when looking at the right flank of the Capri.  I did not think of it like that  |
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***GARAGE CURRENTLY EMPTY***
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Mar 19, 2014 12:26:16 GMT
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The mk1 cortina'a iconic cnd rear lights were a last minute change, iirc the we're going to be triangular.
The imp whilst not truly land breaking in itself it was a combination of technology never seen together in such a small car, all alloy engine, synchro on al forward speeds, pneumatic throttle, auto choke and full independent suspension. Also the engines had racked up six hundred miles before they were anywhere near a car. Cast in Scotland, sent to Coventry for machining/ building and sent back to linwood for installation
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Mar 19, 2014 12:42:55 GMT
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The "Starion" name is claimed by Mitsubishi to be a contraction of "Star of Orion", although an urban legend wrongly claims that it was intended to be stallion, as a result of an "Engrish" mistranslation. This is unfounded, but no evidence has been presented either way: Though given the equine naming of other models in the Mitsubishi "stable" include the Colt, Lancer and Chariot, the myth has some "plausibility".
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Mar 19, 2014 13:37:30 GMT
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The Ford Zetec 16v engine was originaly named the Zeta, but Lancia already had a group of engines called Zeta so ford changed the name to avoid a law suit. The rest certainly for Lancia was history...
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Mar 19, 2014 13:47:17 GMT
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The 1982 Rover Vitesse was going to be named the Rover Rapide but Aston Martin kicked up a stink as the 'Rapide' name belonged to them...
The Rover 3500S, launched in 1972, is a bit of an interesting one... I suppose you may think (like I did since forever!) that the S stands for Sport? Well, it doesn't! It actually stands for Synchromesh as it has a manual, all-synchromesh gearbox...
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***GARAGE CURRENTLY EMPTY***
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Mar 19, 2014 13:47:41 GMT
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Ford almost signed off a coupe Escort MK1 with fast back slopped window, but management were concerned it would hit capri sales and Taunus coupe sales, so it was binned, then in the 80's Dunton styling studio has a clear out and some bright spark asked if he could keep some of the picture because they had been thrown in a skip!! along with early Fiesta styling and other pictures. He now lends them back to Ford when they want to show off their heritage.
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Porsche
West Midlands
Kev from B'ham.
Posts: 4,725 
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Mar 19, 2014 17:14:23 GMT
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The Mk1 Golf GTi wasn't the first "Hot Hatch." And was developed by the Wolfsburg team behind vw,s back and without consent in there lunch hours lol caused so much of a stir vw made it a production car and the first hot hatch as you say No, I said it wasn't the 1st hot hatch. |
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Mar 19, 2014 17:49:42 GMT
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And was developed by the Wolfsburg team behind vw,s back and without consent in there lunch hours lol caused so much of a stir vw made it a production car and the first hot hatch as you say No, I said it wasn't the 1st hot hatch. bmw 2000 touring tii? |
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,343
Club RR Member Number: 160
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Mar 19, 2014 19:01:17 GMT
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And was developed by the Wolfsburg team behind vw,s back and without consent in there lunch hours lol caused so much of a stir vw made it a production car and the first hot hatch as you say No, I said it wasn't the 1st hot hatch. Then maybe back yourself up with a fact? This a 'fun facts' thread not an 'I'm a smart  thread.' So far you haven't contributed an interesting fact |
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Porsche
West Midlands
Kev from B'ham.
Posts: 4,725
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Mar 19, 2014 19:39:43 GMT
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Haven't I? I thought I'd posted more than one interesting fact on page one?  In answer to you wanting the facts... There are many hatchback or hatch cars that have been sold as sports (hot) versions before the Mk1 VW Golf Gti. Autobianchi A112 Abarth, Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti, Simca 1100 Ti & Renault 5 Alpine were all sold before the Golf Gti. I didn't state what was the first hot hatch, as I don't know for sure which car is the first, just that the Golf wasn't. So I wasn't trying to be smart or upset anyone. Now, do you have any automotive facts to share? |
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Rich
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 6,343
Club RR Member Number: 160
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Mar 19, 2014 20:00:59 GMT
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Haven't I? I thought I'd posted more than one interesting fact on page one? In answer to you wanting the facts... There are many hatchback or hatch cars that have been sold as sports (hot) versions before the Mk1 VW Golf Gti. Autobianchi A112 Abarth, Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti, Simca 1100 Ti & Renault 5 Alpine were all sold before the Golf Gti. I didn't state what was the first hot hatch, as I don't know for sure which car is the first, just that the Golf wasn't. So I wasn't trying to be smart or upset anyone. Now, do you have any automotive facts to share? I see what you are getting at now, there were indeed a large amount of 'hot hatches' before the golf GTI set foot on the scene.  Fact? Ok, I'll play, don't want to lose face. Marcello Gandini penned both the Citroen BX and the Lamborghini Muira and Countach. |
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86mike
Part of things
Posts: 453
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Mar 19, 2014 20:09:17 GMT
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Think I'd dispute that - the Imp Californian was launched in '67 and has split-fold rear seats. I raise you the split folding rear seats in my '55 Standard Eight, how else would you get in the 'boot' Folded right up against the fronts  And just look how happy this rear seat passenger is to be surrounded by luggage  As I understood it the Scimitar was the first with "60-40" split rear seat and the first with rear wash wipe. |
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Mar 19, 2014 20:20:26 GMT
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The rover p6 was designed to run a gas turbine engine and the jag xjs was originally going to be rear engined hence the boot and flying buttresses
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Porsche
West Midlands
Kev from B'ham.
Posts: 4,725
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Mar 19, 2014 20:21:26 GMT
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Yes, and the Citroen BX was based on his unused design for the British 1977 Reliant FW11 concept and his 1979 Volvo Tundra concept car.   |
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Last Edit: Mar 19, 2014 20:23:16 GMT by Porsche
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