The Morris Minor..

.. aka the Jelly Mould was a small eminently British car which appeared in 1948. It had a 918 cc which allowed for over 40 mpg and a 0 to 60 time of over 50 seconds. Despite less than fiery performance, there was a lot of room inside and the car handled surprisingly well. It also had rack and pinion steering which gave it good directional control. All controls were light and easy to use, even for novice drivers.

The photo on the right shows a nice, sedate example of the marque, the only real difference being the bright paintwork, lowered suspension oversize rims and tires, and huge V-8 plus blower.

Yes, this one would definitely blow off a Zodiac or Cresta of the period at the traffic light Grand Prix’s held around the country on a daily basis.

The ladies loved these cars. They were light and airy, good all round vision, bright cheerful colours (well some of them), light controls, ideal for transporting the kids and the shopping, and  they rarely broke down.

The photo on the left shows a nice lilac Minor, a colour that would have gone down well had it not been for a surplus of camouflage paint from WWII.

The Minor was made in a variety of styles which included 2 door saloon, Tourer (convertible), Traveller (estate), panel van, and pick-up. There was also a 4 door saloon. Needless to say, no factory made cars sported the parts as seen in the above photo.

In early life, it lost its split windscreen and grille mounted headlamps, the lamps making it to better defined front wings, and in later life, it was fitted with an 1100 cc power plant.

OK, so now to a photo of a typical Morris Minor.

These cars were tough, and not too protective in an accident. The later models had front panels made of thinner steel in a bid to take some of the shock that was previously transmitted directly to the passengers, a crumple zone of sorts.

You should be impressed by now, having seen that the Morris Minor is not just one more boring British car. There is still an ardent following and cars are restored to original condition as well as being made into hotrods and such like.

The last photo shows how it looked in standard 2 door trim, a classic design which brought cheap affordable motoring to many, including a wind in your hair convertible.

It was replaced by the criminally poor Morris Marina, already blogged by me as a British Worst. Long live the Morris Minor.

For more.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Minor

The Meriden Bonnie..

Named after the famous salt flats in the USA, not the birthplace of William The Conqueror in Normandy France, the Triumph Bonneville, a 650cc twin motorcycle, captured the hearts of many a British motorcyclist.

It wasn’t the electrics which didn’t always work when you needed them most,  or the capacity of the machine to retain oil in its vertically split crankcase, or the vibrations in the frame which made the view in the rear view mirrors somewhat blurry. 

For a stock machine, it was nicely balanced, and power delivery was even and strong. Mostly, it was fast and it looked right.

This is a stock T120, pre-unit construction. Note the separate gearbox. Improvements were made over time, the gearbox was integrated into the main engine housing,  and general frame improvements were made to make it all more rigid, and it also gained twin leading shoe front brakes, and eventually a disc brake.

As nice as the bike above is, there was a version, never made in the Meriden factory, which was a real stunner.

What you do is take the engine out of the Triumph frame, bolt it into a Norton Featherbed frame, add a nice pair of Ceriani front forks for better front wheel control, bolt on a few goodies, and you get one of these..

The tank sports the Norton name still, but this is not a Norton. It is a Triton, and an very smartly finished Triton at that. A bike like this one has seen many hours of hard work and meticulous finishing skills.

For some history on the infamous Featherbed frame, see here..

http://thevintagent.blogspot.ca/2008/12/rex-mccandless-and-featherbed-frame.html

The Bonnie went on to become a 750 in the guise of the T140, and then it all went wrong for Meriden along with the rest of the motorcycle industry. The Japanese invasion, notably the original Honda CB750 spoiled the party, introducing disc brakes, electric starters, smooth riding and vibration free mirrors, they showed the Triumphs, BSAs and Norton's for what they were.

Among others, the Bonnie was not stylish like the Italian bikes, not super smooth like the BMWs, not clumsy and ungainly like the American Harleys, not technical masterpieces like the Japanese Hondas and Suzuki's. The Bonnie was a renegade, and it delivered what it looked like it could deliver, no frills, little comfort, but as much fun as could be had on two wheels.

For more on the Triumph Bonneville, and links to al associated with this most famous of motorcycles, see here..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Bonneville_T120

Porlock – The Hill

Porlock village, population of around 1,400, is situated on the A39 between Minehead and Lynton/Lynmouth. The area is Exmoor, Lorna Doone country, wild and bleak especially in winter, and Porlock sits at the back of a cove, sheltered to some degree by a steep hill to the west It is one of the best places I have ever stayed, and I have find memories of Porlock, in particular the SparkHayes campsite which I visited many times.

Porlock is a truly great place, but the most famous feature of all is ‘The Hill’. It is the UK’s steepest ‘A’ road.

This photo shows Porlock, well, part of it, pointing in the direction of the ‘Hill’.

Driving west out of the village, you see a ‘Y’ junction and a large sign. This is your chance to ‘chicken’ out. If you go to the right, the amble is a relaxing 1 in 14 climb. Nah, go for the big one!!

As you bear left, the street narrows out, and you will get a strong whiff of burning brakes and clutches from the vehicles which have made the descent. You can still chicken out if you make a left into the area by the large house and turn around. Just beyond the house, you will already have seen a very tight and steep turn to the right. Still game for the challenge?

For many vehicles, especially the smaller ones, this is first gear stuff. The steep climb continues and there are more tight turns. After a while, it seems like the ‘hill’ is going to flatten out, and it does but ever so slightly. Porlock Hill is not just the steep beginning. There is around three miles of unrelenting climb, and as long as you can see trees and hedgerows at the side, you are not out of it.

It is only at the very top, on a clear patch of Exmoor that you can say ‘we made it’. Some might want to park up on the rough car park at the top to reflect on the journey so far, and take in the fantastic views of Exmoor coastline.

If you are intending to continue to Lynmouth and Lynton, both well worth a visit, the rollercoaster ride is only just beginning because as you know, what goes up must at some point go ‘down’

‘Down’ is Countisbury Hill, not quite as steep as Porlock Hill, but it goes on forever, and again affords fantastic views for the vehicle’s passengers. No No, you look where your are going. You can see the photos we take when we get to the bottom..

You can spend a a very pleasant day in Lynton/Lynmouth, There is a quaint harbour, a waterfall, some nice shops, and great photo opportunities. If you have a boat in tow and it is your first time here, talk to the Harbour Master about the tides. In this part of the world, when the tide goes out, it goes out out out out.

You do not want to be caught out by the tide, because when it goes out, you can see some of the large boulders that came down the gorge during the great ‘Lynmouth Floode’ in 1952. The boulders make it very difficult to get back to the completely water free harbour, and it can be a lonely wait on the water outside of the harbour as you wait for the tide to rise.

After your visit, rescue your driver from the seat where he/she has sat, white knuckled, holding on for dear life. Assure the driver that he/she has your full support for the drive back to Porlock, and that you will give notice, albeit not much maybe, before you jump from the vehicle.

And remember that life could be worse. You could be rolling out of control on Ffordd Penllech in Harlech, West Wales, or hoping to get off Hardknott Pass in Cumbria without leaving the safety of your vehicle and before winters sets in.

At this point, I would post a link to the subject. I am not going to do that. Instead, I will post a link for Exmoor. When you see how beautiful this part of the world is, you won’t worry about the hills at all..

http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/

The Last Triumph

Triumph is one of the great names in British motoring history, yet the marque failed so many times to make anything really good.

Handling was never a strong point of the TR’s,, but from the TR4, they got the IRS rear end which helped a little.  Heralds, Vitesses or Spitfires had a swinging axle rear end which when coupled with the tight steering lock made them outright dangerous in fast tight turns. The Spitfire Mk IV got a revised rear axle which improved handling greatly.

Triumph engines often let the cars down too.

1. The TR5 PI was the fastest TR in a straight line, but the PI part was unreliable and affected all Triumphs with the PI nomenclature.
2. Dolomite Sprints were fast, but had a very weak top end, leading to camshaft and valve failure
3. The ‘1500’ engine in the Spitfire could power the car to 100mph, but the three main bearing crankshaft meant that oil and filter changes were critical if you wanted to take the ‘Spit’ to 100mph often.
4. The Stag got a Triumph special V8, special in that it was two four cylinder engines, essentially welded together, possibly the worst engine ever in any Triumph. It could have had the Rover V8, but Triumph wanted to go it alone and spoiled what could have been the best Triumph ever.

And so we come to the last Triumph.

At the time, it was the most reliable mass produced car to ever roll off a British car assembly track. It started every morning which meant that for the first time, a Triumph owner did not have to live close to a Triumph dealer. In CD attire, it was very well equipped indeed. The twin carburettor 1335cc engine gave it good performance, and the handling was good too.

If the description above does not sound like a classic Triumph, it is because the car was NOT a classic Triumph. It was a rebadged Honda Ballade with just enough local content to be a ‘British’ car. The car was called the  ‘Triumph‘Acclaim’ and was the last  to ever bear the Triumph name.

The trouble is that it wasn’t a real Triumph. It didn’t look like a Triumph, and it had qualities which Triumph owners were not used to having. It was actually a good car.

This is an employee booklet for the car and makes for interesting reading..

http://www.hargreave-mawson.demon.co.uk/emphand.jpg

The Acclaim was not a sporting car in the sense that many Triumphs were, and I always got the impression that it was bought by older people. It was finally eclipsed by new Rovers, also made in collaboration with Honda, and looking a little less like Japanese cars.

I think that the last Triumph should have been a sports car, a convertible at the very least, but the Triumph Fury story says it all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Fury

If anyone is to be blamed, it has to be Triumph management. The convertible Triumphs were popular cars despite their shortcomings, but they all lacked proper development. When safety laws were introduced for convertibles, Triumph dropped them from the ranges rather than do what it would take to address the issues.

I once owned a Triumph Spitfire 1500, and apart from a 1293 Mini, it was the most fun I had ever had in an easily affordable sports car.

More on Triumphs here..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Motor_Company

The Morris Marina..

This is a Best of British failure. That it sold in numbers over almost a decade is sad testament to the undemanding nature of many car buyers at the time.

This car, other than the body, was a parts bin special. A nasty plastic interior, the worst colours imaginable, and vague steering were three attributes that it shared with other British auto nasties.

I drove a Ital shooting brake for maybe seven miles way back when. Every time that I approached a turn, I was never sure how the car would negotiate it. There were never two turns alike. It was scary.

The fact that it shared engine and suspension parts with the ubiquitous MGB did nothing for it at all. It was designed as a dreary vehicle, and it didn’t ever disappoint in that way.

Top Gear have it right. Take a look..

And yes, there really is a Morris Marina Owners Club..

So who bought a Marina? Essentially, any undemanding buyer who also didn’t like foreign imports.

Ford Escort Mk 1

Replacing the Ford Anglia, the Escort in standard trim was not exactly the most exciting car ever made, especially with the 1.1L engine. Shown is the two door model, four seats, rear wheel drive. It was cheap, cheerful and very popular. Ford released a 1.3L variant, and 1300 E and GT models which had more go in them and better interiors..

So why have I included it in Best of British? Well, Escorts were not all made equal. This simple car was just waiting to bloom, and did it ever.

See this? The Ford Escort RS2000. Still the same front grille, but now with go-faster stripes, fancy alloys and a power plant to die for. Along with RS1600’s and Mexico’s, all available as road cars, these wolves in sheep’s clothing became one of the all-time great rally cars. In go-faster trim, I think that this was/is the best looking Ford in the UK.

I believe that this was the very first European Ford, a joint venture, but it was way more popular in the UK than anywhere else, and a sheer delight to watch and hear on the RAC Rally. It showed that you didn’t need a blown and injected 7 litre power plant in a car with the proportions of a canal barge to have fun and be a real winner.

The Escort Mk 2 carried on the sporting traditions that the Mk 1 set, but after the Mk 2 came the front wheel drive versions.

The great thing about the early RS Escorts was you had the fun of high power rear drive but in a nicely controllable package, not unlike the BMW E30’s.

For more on the Escorts, take a look here…

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Escort_(Europe)

The Original Mini

This is it, the Morris Mini-Minor. At the front, a transverse 848cc engine: front wheel drive, external door hinges, sliding windows. At the back, more room that you had a right to expect, hinged rear windows, a small boot made even smaller by the inclusion of a spare wheel, fuel tank and battery.

Most importantly, it had a wheel at each corner, literally at each corner, almost zero overhang. Combined with a low centre of gravity and very direct rack and pinion steering.

Along came a guy called John Cooper, famous for making winning Formula One cars at the time. He reworked the A series engine and produced the 970cc and 997cc Mini Cooper and the 1071cc and 1275cc Cooper ‘S’. This is the car which would win the Monte Carlo Rally in 1964, ‘65 and ‘67. Anybody could go to a Mini dealer and buy either of the Coopers, and more than a few did. With a bit of preparation and a Halda meter, club rallying became a reality. To stop the Coopers, they were fitted with twin caliper disc brakes at the front.

Rallying success opened the gates for every tuning company in the country to produce ‘go faster’ bits, and trust me, they did. A standard mini could become anything you wanted it to be with cash and the time to do the work.

My experience with a Mini

I bought a Mini Clubman Estate because I liked the idea of extra space. While travelling in North Wales, I encountered a hill so steep that the Mini could not make it to the top. I vowed that on my return, the Mini would not only make it all of the way up, but that it would do it with attitude to spare.

I acquired an MG Metro engine, Stage 3 ported head, 286 cam, Maniflow manifold and exhaust system, K&N filter, Cooper S brakes, finned aluminium rear brake drums to bring the rear track in-line with the front, and Hi-Lo suspension units all round.

The result was around 80bhp at the wheels, huge torque which could get the car moving in 3rd gear, a top speed just shy of 100mph, and more fun that words can put across. It was as fast through corners as it was down straights, and first gear was only used on steep hill starts.

The combination of induction roar through the K&N and the Maniflow system underneath was magical, but not on long trips down motorways. In the country, it was just incredible.

The only trouble was in towns and cities. Power came in at over 3000rpm, and if one happened to hit that in traffic, the car would surge forwards, firmly pressing the occupants back into the racing seats.

I picked up parts from auto fairs, and performance specialists like Minisport of Padiham. I would like to make a special mention about Minisprint Engine Developments (MED) of Leicester, in particular the owner, Steve Whitton, who did a great job with the engine and setup.

Problems with all Minis

Corrosion kills them all in the end. The ‘A’ panels ahead of the doors are double skinned and always go first in the panel behind. By the time that it surfaces, you have major problems. The drains around the roof line are bad, around the headlights, as are the rear doors on the Estate versions. Corrosion underneath at the back kills the rear brake pipes, sub-frame, electric fuel pumps on earlier models, and the handbrake cables and quadrants. Rear brakes are prone to seizing, and the battery boxes in the saloons have been known to fall out while in motion.

At the end of the day

Minis are priceless despite the lack of comfort, the noise and corrosion issues. You can’t have more fun for the money, and the shape is as timeless as ever it was. If ever you get the chance, drive one. I guarantee that you will want one after the experience.

For more reading, look here.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini

BTCC

Better known as the British Touring Car Championship, it al started in 1958. The great thing about it was that the cars used for racing were cars you could see every day on the roads of Britain. There were all kinds from all over Europe. Even today, you can still see and recognize cars that you can buy in a showroom.

So, what makes BTCC special? Basically, real road cars in a regular rough and tumble for first place is what you get. Without doubt, it is the most exciting track racing you will ever see. The nearest competition as far as watchability is concerned would be the Australian Bathhurst 500.

Touring car happens in many countries, but for me, the best will always be BTCC. This website will give you some insight into Touring Car racing popularity..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touring_car_racing

Want to see BTCC in action? . Enjoy

Top Gear tribute