Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Have You Ever Heard of a _________?!!
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My brother has one of those old Crosleys in his garage. He moved it to his garage in the bed of a half ton pickup.
They were made narrow to go through the doors of the appliance stores.
Has a Waukasha (however it’s spelled) engine. The same engine that powered the refrigeration units on rail cars. Engine, trans, and differential bolted together as a unit. As the rear wheels go up and down over bumps, the engine pivots and the shift lever goes up and down too. A little disconcerting when you aren’t “in tune” to the concept.
#41 ralph124c
I always thought the NSU Prinz looked more like a Corvair. Must have been the knowledge that there was an engine in the rear of both, and they were usually very oily on the back.
By the time I owned and was driving a BMW 2002 in the early ‘70s, Service Station Attendants (now there’s a reference to extinction!) would try to open the trunk to check the oil. I would release the hood latch, then open the hood with the comment that it was not a Corvair.
Chrysler Turbines.
It hurt my feelings when I saw one of them in a museum. I remember being appropriately impressed when I saw one at a shopping mall during their first PR tour. First time I really felt like I was getting “old.” Remember the "show and tell" demonstration of the nickel balanced on edge while they started, revved, and shut off the engine?
Yes, the original prototype Crosley did have a Waukesha air-cooled engine, but for the sake of history I would like to point out that aside from that rather rare example mentioned, most Crosley cars that were manufactured had a nifty little COBRA (Copper Brazed) engine made entirely out of brazed sheet metal parts, about 120 of them, (tubing for cylinders, sheet metal for the cylinder heads) and weighing only 59 pounds less starter and generator. This was also on overhead cam engine, so the car was rather advanced for 1946. Best year was 1948, when they built 28,000 cars (Chevy built 775,000). In 1949 they put a new engine in, because electrolysis was destroying the COBRA, much to owners dismay.
This CIBA block was cast-iron, and in 1949 the CRosley became the first American car to use 4 wheel disc brakes (again unsuccessful because of a lack of weather protection on the caliper). A sportscar version of the car, called the Hotshot, became much beloved and fairly successful in small bore racing, and you still see them in vintage races today.
The company held out until 1952, the same year a company called VW continued to send a trickle of their cars to America (351 in 1951, but 31,000 by 1955).
Good idea, just not quite the right timing.
Both cars had the cast iron engine. I remember my Dad taking out the engine and having it overhauled-he just climbed inside the engine bay and lifted it out with his hands. When it came time to start it, noone knew the firing order-so we guessed it,pushed, and after a bunch of backfiring, tried something else. I remember telling them to try 1-4-3-2, I believe, and thAt worked. I learned to drive in that car-in the highschool parking lot-at age 11. My dad sold that Crosley later to a neighbor down the street, and bought his principal's "better" Crosley[for$100}who had moved up to a Fiat Roadster.Later, I noticed that the raft ferry at Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland was powered by a Crosley engine. Memories.....
Also, I saw an MGD listed somewhere recently. Never heard of it before. Was it a misprint?
The MGC is a six-cylinder version of the MGB, with some suspension and minor body modifications. When introduced in 1967 it was handled rather roughly by the automotive press as being too heavy and too slow and not a worthy successor to the Austin Healey nor a worthy competitor to the Triumph TR 250. Both a roadster and a coupe were made.
Since they are somewhat rare, one often sees some pretty unrealistic pricetags on them, but in fact the interest in them is small (though enthusiastic), and $8,000 should buy a very very nice one, about the same as a well-done MGB. They are more of a touring-type car than the more agile MGB and not a car that one can fling about as comfortably. Many parts do not interchange with an MGB and this difficulty, coupled to their rather modest value, makes restoration out of the question unless one doesn't care at all about the money invested. A collectible car for sure, but not one headed for stardom.
There have been a few other engines with integral heads; in recent years I think some F1 engines. I wonder if that holds any promise for future production, especially once electro-magnetic valve actuation gets the wrinkles worked out. No valve lash adjustments would be necessary, it seems to me. No cam.
Ugly as the bottom of my feet... but I like it.
The first time, I was looking forward to driving it con brio, but of course I wanted him to think I was Mr. Conservative. He took me aside before I left and said sincerely "Now, I know this sounds crazy, but my mechanic assures me this is very important. You gotta keep these foreign engines revved pretty high. Don't be afraid to give it plenty of gas."
I said "Uh Right. Plenty of gas. Got it."
Both were chain drive two seaters -- sweet little cars!
First time I drove one, I had to clarify the tach redline at -- seems like it was 11,500!
Drove one (the 700) around Okinawa for a while. Guess they couldn't be imported because they were chain drives.
The vertical shaft to drive the cam is called I believe Desmodronic drive (used many times in the past history of the car, and most recently by Ducati motorcycles).
I think the derivation is from the Greek, desmo---a bond or ligament, an attachment, and dromos, a straight passage into or toward something.
Vanwall dates from the 50's, and they were a sophisticated engineering firm - not hobbyists doing an explosive backyard project. I don't know whether their original engine was a collection of four 500cc manxes, bolted together and converted to desmo, but I'm skeptical.
Ducati started using desmo in the 50's and is thus the same kettle of fish.
I don't really care about desmo or Ducati or defending a particular type of valve actuation or anything. But I think you're being slippery. You seem to stake out 2 opposite opinions and switch between them in order to dispute whatever I say. If I may paraphrase you:
(You)
Pray before you start a Ducati. Desmos blow up. I knew a guy whose 1960's homemade desmo blew up.
(Me)
A Ducati is very different from a homemade Manx conversion.
(You)
A Ducati is a modern design made from moderm materials, and therefore is a different kettle of fish.
(Me)
So you're saying that your first reference to Ducatis didn't apply to Ducatis?
(You)
Lots of small engineering companies made such conversions in the 60's. Vanwall was one [suggesting that it's good way to go], and they even went so far as to link 4 converted Manxes together. Then they disappeared without a trace [suggesting that it's bad way to go].
(Me)
Is it what they used to become one of the pre-eminent F1 teams of the late 50's? Did it blow up? Did they pray? Was it made of contemporary materials?
I'm not suggesting that there's anything wrong with having no coherent point; coming here only fight and to throw your imaginary expertise around. That's what I do.
Glad Shiftright got it right from the get go. He's very perceptive. Probably where I got screwed up is when you started contradicting yourself.
I re-read #80 but I'm afraid it hasn't cleared up anything. It seems that you start out arguing that backyard desmo conversions were common, and were no worse than factory versions, and you give Vanwall as an example. But then you argue that Vanwall was neither backyard nor desmo.
It's probably the subtle nuances of your language that are the source of my confusion.
Cheerio.
Yeah. Might be British. They've been known to do odd things with fiberglass. How were the valves actuated? That's the important thing.
Did the builder give it that name because it has no superfluous equipment like top, windows, automatic starter, synchro gearbox, etc? Is it a sort of butch, militaristic, 'suffering builds character' kind of car?
Seriously, what does your guy know about it?
If yer boy's in touch with the owner, maybe he / she / it could provide some clues as to its origin. He also oughta be able to look under the hood and stuff...see what he can see. I mean, is it an ohv4-powered car or a dohc6 or a Yank V8 er wut? If it's got a VW engine in back I'd slink away discretely, as quickly as possible.
Pardon my broken English. One does what one can, wot?
does russia still make those limosines that the USSR "presidents" rode around in? seems like the name started with a 'z' or at least had a 'z' sound as the initial phoneme.
there was a kit plane years ago called a spartan, i hope that's not what the reader had an inquiring mind about.
AND does anyone know where i show look to find production numbers on Vipers and/or Prowlers? not how long, but how many per year. thanks
Trabants are, I believe, extinct as of 1991, after getting a one year run with a VW polo engine. The bodies were resin-reinforced paper mache, and anyone who restores one really should seek professional help regarding the issue of a death wish.
The Spartan, I am informed by knowledgable Town Hall visitor via e-mail, is a remanufactured car based on a 300 ZX and selling now in the neighborhood of $50K!! I didn't want to download the photo (never take downloads from a stranger!) but I am guessing it's a fiberglas creation of some sort.
As a rule, cars like this depreciate rapidly and are hard to sell, but there is a small market for things like Zimmers and Clenets and such.
You ask why I responded to your post, which you had addressed to someone else about a subject that was none of my business. The reason is that I had an opinion about your remark, and this being a *bulletin board*, I voiced it.
I am willing to concede, as you so laboriously point out, that I am utterly lacking in art, wit, linguistic skill and respect for private conversation. I also possess a hostile and obnoxious attitude, and I'm a real smarty pants to boot. These points, duly conceded and recorded, need not be mentioned again.
Survival of the fittest I guess.
There is a guy in my neighborhood that has a Hillman convertable that he exercises once in awhile. Don't see many of these!
Hey, Mr. S, Do you know the last year the Borgward was built?
Borgward was the first German car to enter production after World War II...1949....the Hansa 1500.
I had a Hillman Minx convertible for a while, just to tiner with. Couldn't give the damn thing away. Practically sale-proof. A classic case, I guess along with Borgward, of "rare" having nothing to do with "valuable". There is a pretty good though not fail-safe rule in the collectible car hobby which is "if they didn't want it then, they don't want it now."
How about the small brother of the Borgward, the Goliath? I haven't seen one of those in ages---then also--how about a Wartburg Knight--I remember a dealer selling those in Girard, OH back in the 60's--I think they were of eastern european mfg.--possibly Eastern German.