Hey, those early-mid '50s Jag sedans were neat. Beautiful leather and real wood interiors, 160 hp, good if not great handling for their day, 4-on-the-floor with good shift action, and an overall feel of real luxury, even if the exterior styling was polarizing. If only they had been reliable, they would have been a great alternative to Cadillac, Lincoln and Packard. If only...
I loved reading the Mail for Mc Cahill questions and his answers in Mechanic Illustrated every month.
I read he was loved and hated by the various car manufactures and I seem to remember hearing that three thugs from GM jumped him one night. One ended up in the hospital and the other two took off running.
When I was in my pre-driving years, I hung on his every word.
Yes, that's true. Americans would never have tolerated the abysmal lack of reliability, comfort, heat, cooling, service, etc. All this for DOUBLE the price of a Cadillac Coupe de Ville. I don't think so! AT least they could justify buying an XK120 because there was nothing American to compete with it (or even remotely related to it).
When I was a kid I would seek out old copies of Mechanix Illustrated at yard sales just to read the automotive material. McCahill had a lot of good one liners and stories, and did kind of look like a guy you wouldn't want to mess with.
My general flaw that helped sink my name Is so obvious that you'd know who I am I wore a glass hatch And was "pint" sized to match But any offspring I failed to hatch
They built me with hopes that I'd dethrone the King I looked pretty good but I just couldn't sing, I had those two seats and a V-8 to boot but I just couldn't shake my American root At 55 grand I seemed a good deal But despite my pretensions I just wasn't real.
I did the same thing. I had some OLD Mechanix Issustrated mags.
I remember one where Mc Cahill was singing the praises of the first overhead valve 6 cylinder Ford engines that came out in 1952. I think the had the same HP as the flathead V-8's. He felt they were so much better than the Chevy 6's at the time and I would have to agree.
Without the price, I was thinking of the original T-Bird.. But.. that wasn't a 2-seater, was it? Wasn't Suzanne Somers in the back seat in American Graffiti?
My general flaw that helped sink my name Is so obvious that you'd know who I am I wore a glass hatch And was "pint" sized to match But any offspring I failed to hatch
During my time I became quite a star Packed with high tech, I was a quick supercar I looked like my brother when seen from afar And I even raced from Paris to Dakar
A popular one in my family I am I flip flopped and changed my name yet again I started a niche in the early 80s My topless version was a hit with the ladies
With luxurious aspirations to the US I came My heart is Japanese, but my body ain't You'd be lucky to see one of me on the road Even though I'm not even that old Mention my name and most folks won't recall I haven't tried to comeback at all
Comments
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
I loved reading the Mail for Mc Cahill questions and his answers in Mechanic Illustrated every month.
I read he was loved and hated by the various car manufactures and I seem to remember hearing that three thugs from GM jumped him one night. One ended up in the hospital and the other two took off running.
When I was in my pre-driving years, I hung on his every word.
Shifty, I thought you may have known him.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Is so obvious that you'd know who I am
I wore a glass hatch
And was "pint" sized to match
But any offspring I failed to hatch
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I was the first to market real AC
Who Am I and When Did I Do This?
I looked pretty good but I just couldn't sing,
I had those two seats and a V-8 to boot
but I just couldn't shake my American root
At 55 grand I seemed a good deal
But despite my pretensions I just wasn't real.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I remember one where Mc Cahill was singing the praises of the first overhead valve 6 cylinder Ford engines that came out in 1952. I think the had the same HP as the flathead V-8's. He felt they were so much better than the Chevy 6's at the time and I would have to agree.
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The 55-57's have got to be the most cramped interiors ever! If you're over about 5'7, they are hard to drive.
I even went to Le Mans, but no prize did I take.
That's right. The original engine designed for that car was to be unique. Do you know why? (It wasn't used in production cars however).
My general flaw that helped sink my name
Is so obvious that you'd know who I am
I wore a glass hatch
And was "pint" sized to match
But any offspring I failed to hatch
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Packed with high tech, I was a quick supercar
I looked like my brother when seen from afar
And I even raced from Paris to Dakar
PS: Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Boy this forum slowed down to a grinding halt!!
Maybe it's everyone being overstuffed with turkeys and out shopping :shades:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
I flip flopped and changed my name yet again
I started a niche in the early 80s
My topless version was a hit with the ladies
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Maybe we're running out of cars.
More clues?
I don't get why they couldn't just keep it named Golf but whatever.... maybe it's those stupid focus groups... :confuse:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
My heart is Japanese, but my body ain't
You'd be lucky to see one of me on the road
Even though I'm not even that old
Mention my name and most folks won't recall
I haven't tried to comeback at all
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX