30psi
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,024
|
|
|
My Dad's '68 Corvette has hideaway wipers, the scuttle panel lifts out the way to reveal them (powered by vacuum). It's such a good idea that I can't work out why it's not standard on cars...
My Thunderbird is the first model of car (I believe) to have a swing away steering wheel
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 12, 2010 0:31:14 GMT by 30psi
1962 Ford Thunderbird 6.4L
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS CA18DET
1981 Datsun Bluebird SSS SR20DE
|
|
|
|
|
|
surely a40 farina was 1st uk hatch? think mk3 cortina beat avenger by a few months with crumple zones?
|
|
theres more to life than mpg & to much power is just enough.
|
|
|
|
|
Triumph Dolomite, first production 16v Don't think this is true, but they did win a Queen's Award For Industry for having a 16V engine working off a single camshaft which was much cheaper
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
think mk3 cortina beat avenger by a few months with crumple zones? Fintail Mercs had them in about 1961
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Triumph Dolomite, first production 16v Don't think this is true, but they did win a Queen's Award For Industry for having a 16V engine working off a single camshaft which was much cheaper Peugeot intruduced a twin over head cam engine with 4 valves per cylinder in 1912, a 4 cylinder. Though that was an engine for Grand Prix racing, so one might argue if it counts...
|
|
|
|
kv77
Part of things
Posts: 62
|
|
|
The 4th generation Mazda Cosmo (1990) set several firsts in Automotive history. Its 13B-REW + 20B-REW engines were the first series production twin sequential turbo systems to be offered for sale. It was way ahead of its time by being the first production car with Car Control System, a CRT colour touch-screen controlling climate control, mobile phone, GPS car navigation, NTSC TV, radio and CD-Player. The first similar systems appeared 2001 on the BMW 7-Series (iDrive).
|
|
<a href="http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=readersrides&action=display&thread=81096&page=1"> My 1975 Mazda 616</a>
|
|
skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,546
Club RR Member Number: 11
|
Ahead of their timeskinnylew
@skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member 11
|
Nov 12, 2010 14:25:12 GMT
|
Nissan Micra Super Turbo - first Compound charged (Supercharged and turbocharged) production car (Homologation specials discounted Delta S4)
|
|
|
|
EmDee
Club Retro Rides Member
Committer of Autrocities.
Posts: 5,924
Club RR Member Number: 108
|
Ahead of their timeEmDee
@emdee
Club Retro Rides Member 108
|
Nov 12, 2010 15:15:39 GMT
|
NSU Spider - First car to be powered by a rotary wankel first car with the wankel engine : beat you by over two hours Also i'd just like to essentially ruin this thread by posting this link en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_automotive_superlativesreally interesting reading, also settles the ABS argument a few pages back
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 12, 2010 15:26:12 GMT by EmDee
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2010 15:42:02 GMT
|
This thread is interesting but maybe some of the posts have evolved into being about firsts specifically. For me, ahead of their time, doesn't have to be an automotive first. I was thinking more about cars and features on cars that are surprising for the time. Knowing that a '68 car had a hideaway wipers is kinda cool. Arguing about the 1st wankel engine isn't quite so Retro Rides, being flippant. So, let's get this back on track, and alive past the Wiki wack. My 1st car, a Dolomite, had a seatbelt warning sign when you sat on the front seat without your belt on. Simple but effective. My mums 78 Allegro estate had built in Sat Nav. Oops, tiny lie spilled out there. I think these were ahead of their time - In concept at least.....
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 12, 2010 15:52:17 GMT
|
I think the R8-series Rovers were pretty innovative for their time. The range featured 3- and 5-door hatchbacks, a 4-door saloon, an estate, a convertible and a 2-door coupé all built on largely the same platform, available with n/a petrol, a turbocharged petrol or diesel engine. I can't think of many other cars around that time with quite so many options. I don't think even the equivalent range of Hondas featured an estate model, and definitely not a convertible.
|
|
1989 Peugeot 205. You know, the one that was parked in a ditch on the campsite at RRG'17... the glass is always full. but the ratio of air to water may vary.
|
|
|
Gray
Part of things
Silence isnt golden!!!
Posts: 742
|
|
Nov 12, 2010 22:17:19 GMT
|
don't think I need to say why this was way ahead of its time
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 14, 2010 19:07:14 GMT by Gray
|
|
|
|
Nov 13, 2010 10:36:38 GMT
|
Fiat Doblo series 1 the first car to be so hideously ugly it makes you want to vomit when you see one. Range Rover 1st type. The first car to combine off road abilty and proper comfort. Really suprised that it hasn't been mentioned. Also I might mention that. Oh and one of the main engineers on the project Gordon Bashford shares my surname ;D
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 17:02:25 GMT
|
surely a40 farina was 1st uk hatch? Split tailgate. So it's an Estate / Station Wagon really. Otherwise, the Hillman Imp (and others) with a 'hatch' window frame would be a hatchback too. Austin Maxi. First british Hatchback (beaten only by the renault 16) Yes Maxi was first British one-piece hatch. 1954 Citroen Traction Avant Commerciale was first European p.s. got some Princess wheels for my Maxi? Steel ones, wider than the factory Maxi items, 13" to fit a set of 185/70 on, type of thing.
|
|
'86 Alfa 6i, '83 Alfa 33 QO, '86 Honda Aerodeck
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 17:40:30 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
Kieran
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,092
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 17:57:28 GMT
|
Nov 11, 2010, 3:58pm, bent8rover wrote: Nov 11, 2010, 1:07pm, Blown_Imp wrote: Hillman imp - first production car to use a die cast ally engine block
Not AMC's 1961 Rambler Classic?
Nov 11, 2010, 3:33pm, Blown_Imp wrote: Oh an the imp was also the first car to have an all scyncro gearbox (mainly relevent on 1st)
Porsche 356 for the mid-fifties wasn't it?
Either way, neither had synchro on reverse gear. The first for that was a dull nineties US Ford
Was the Rover/Buick V8 die cast? If it was, then it probably pre dates both in it's original Buick form
Read more: retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=91924&page=3#ixzz162DxgP00 All wrong, Skoda beat everybody. Josef Polak patented pressure aluminium die casting in 1922. Skoda then later sold the technology to Renault for their 16.
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 22, 2010 17:58:44 GMT by Kieran
The Ashby Jackson fleet:-
1979 Mini Clubman 1.8 K series 1978 Skoda 110r Project 130RS K-oupe 1978 Austin Allegro 1500 SDL Estate 1984 BMW K100 Sidecar outfit 1999 Yamaha FZS 1000 Fazer 1991 Kawasaki ZXR400 race bike 2002 Kawasaki ZX9r race bike
|
|
md
Part of things
Posts: 839
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 18:51:12 GMT
|
In terms of being ahead of its time, not necessarily a first, the honda CRX del sol transtop roof deserves a mention - it still amazed people when I had one just a few years ago... imagine ho awesome it looked in 1992...
|
|
------------------------------------ ||-|| (()) ||\|| ||)) //-\\ (( || \\// || ((
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 20:09:54 GMT
|
BMW Z1. The car still looks fresher than the Z3 & Z4! Genuinely a car ahead of its time. The doors. Described as the "greatest solution to a problem that never existed" are still one of the coolest gadgets I've ever seen on a car. Peoples reactions always confirm this view The construction - zinc plated chassis/frame with continuous zinc welding for added strength, removeable thermoplastic panels clipped over the chassis (think Smart car but 16 years before....complete with the ability to change/swap colours if wanted) Bonded in composite floorpans giving a completely flat & light 'undertray' Aerodynamics - the bonnet was shaped to act as a spoiler creating a high pressure point (therefore downforce) with a concave then convex hump in the centre. Simple, effective and no need for extra spoiler/splitter. So effective but you'd hardly know it was there unless told about it/knowing where to look Aerodynamics - the flat undertray led the air to the rear exhaust silencer which is shaped as an inverted airplane wing. This created downforce as the air passed over it and through an aperture in the rear bumper. Using the idea of the exhuast silencer as a hidden spoiler kept the looks of the car clean while supposedly making it the first production car to properly create both front and rear negative lift (often quoted as being the Escort Cosworth)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 20:19:47 GMT
|
I'd love to know at what speed that actually starts working, and what quantity of downforce it generates. I'm calling marketing BS on that until data comes to fore. You can generate downforce by tying a Christmas tree to your bumper too.
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 22, 2010 21:23:22 GMT by Team Blitz
Team Blitz Ford Capri parts worldwide: Restoration, Road, or Race. Used, Repro, and NOS, ranging from scabby to perfect. Itching your Capri jones since 1979! Buy, sell, trade. www.teamblitz.com blitz@teamblitz.com
|
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2010 20:26:47 GMT
|
One of the very first cars to have all round disc brakes fitted, back in the early 60's!
|
|
Last Edit: Nov 22, 2010 20:29:01 GMT by trigger
|
|
|
|
Nov 23, 2010 17:12:33 GMT
|
All wrong, Skoda beat everybody. Josef Polak patented pressure aluminium die casting in 1922. Skoda then later sold the technology to Renault for their 16. So which Skoda or Renault production car used die cast engine blocks prior to 1961?
|
|
'86 Alfa 6i, '83 Alfa 33 QO, '86 Honda Aerodeck
|
|
|