Old British cars were shit. Discuss.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Apart from damp starting issues, Fords were pretty durable and hard to kill. The exception was the Essex V4.

[JimH]

I've nursed a theory on this for a while now. Of course there were exceptions - the Lotus Type 14 is such a delicate flower it makes you weep and the humanity of the Mini should never be forgotten - but for the most part I would agree. The British motor industry turned out the most appalling stodge. This has always bothered me because a lot of our engineering was top hole. I find it odd that the man who spent his day job designing something like this



Should finish up for the day then walk out to the car park to climb into this



How did that happen? How could the man who worked at the bleeding edge get into that margarine and gristle? Well, and bear with me on this, I think the clue is in that picture. Take a look at this picture here.



I don't know about you but apart from the amazingness of the Multipla's design the thing that leaps out at me is the way that everyone is dressed. There is some tasty tailoring in that picture. Now look up at the man in the Gristle 8 picture. We're home to Saville Row and he's dressed like a vagrant. Another picture. I know this highlights to terrible state of the British car industry at the time but I find it memorable for another reason.



Sure, things are so bad at Allard by that point that they couldn't afford to blow the front tyre up but what draws my eye is the way that everyone is dressed. Absolutely shocking. Look at the bloke on the right. Christ a rag and bone man would reject that suit. And this is where I come to my theory. I reckon that it all comes down to understanding the importance of dressing yourself well.

Would an Italian who spends a significant proportion of him income on clothes lift up a bonnet and get his hands dirty? I reckon it is a big fat nope. As a result keeping the car running is left to the garage and if they don't expect to understand what is going on beneath the bonnet then they don't really care what is under there. That makes them more accepting of tweeky but vivacious engines in a family saloon. The scruffy Englishman would delight in rolling up his (badly made, greying) sleeves to get the old Morris through another year. To do that though they need to understand it. They want rockers not buckets to adjust. Armstrong dampers, SU carbs. Seen it, done it stuff. No surprises.

This, by the way, is all about the state of the engineering rather than the piss poor way that the car was constructed. Most countries could actually build a car properly.

I think back to my childhood and wondering why people spoke in almost terrified terms of scary technologies like Bosch fuel injection or anything built by Citroen. The phrase people loved to use was plumber's nightmare and under the bonnet was "like a nest of vipers". Perhaps if we weren't so keen to get our hands dirty for fear of ruining an expensive shirt we would have been more welcoming of progress.

[Hooli]

Yet the bloke on the left of the Italian pic appears to be wearing his dad's jacket. It's so much too big for him I'm surprised the buttons aren't under his arm or on his back.

[brandersnatch]

I've nursed a theory on this for a while now. Of course there were exceptions - the Lotus Type 14 is such a delicate flower it makes you weep and the humanity of the Mini should never be forgotten - but for the most part I would agree. The British motor industry turned out the most appalling stodge. This has always bothered me because a lot of our engineering was top hole. I find it odd that the man who spent his day job designing something like this



Should finish up for the day then walk out to the car park to climb into this



How did that happen? How could the man who worked at the bleeding edge get into that margarine and gristle? Well, and bear with me on this, I think the clue is in that picture. Take a look at this picture here.



I don't know about you but apart from the amazingness of the Multipla's design the thing that leaps out at me is the way that everyone is dressed. There is some tasty tailoring in that picture. Now look up at the man in the Gristle 8 picture. We're home to Saville Row and he's dressed like a vagrant. Another picture. I know this highlights to terrible state of the British car industry at the time but I find it memorable for another reason.



Sure, things are so bad at Allard by that point that they couldn't afford to blow the front tyre up but what draws my eye is the way that everyone is dressed. Absolutely shocking. Look at the bloke on the right. Christ a rag and bone man would reject that suit. And this is where I come to my theory. I reckon that it all comes down to understanding the importance of dressing yourself well.

Would an Italian who spends a significant proportion of him income on clothes lift up a bonnet and get his hands dirty? I reckon it is a big fat nope. As a result keeping the car running is left to the garage and if they don't expect to understand what is going on beneath the bonnet then they don't really care what is under there. That makes them more accepting of tweeky but vivacious engines in a family saloon. The scruffy Englishman would delight in rolling up his (badly made, greying) sleeves to get the old Morris through another year. To do that though they need to understand it. They want rockers not buckets to adjust. Armstrong dampers, SU carbs. Seen it, done it stuff. No surprises.

This, by the way, is all about the state of the engineering rather than the piss poor way that the car was constructed. Most countries could actually build a car properly.

I think back to my childhood and wondering why people spoke in almost terrified terms of scary technologies like Bosch fuel injection or anything built by Citroen. The phrase people loved to use was plumber's nightmare and under the bonnet was "like a nest of vipers". Perhaps if we weren't so keen to get our hands dirty for fear of ruining an expensive shirt we would have been more welcoming of progress.

Great post. Thanks.

[FatherJack]

On first glance you have a point, but I see the pictures differently

Top Picture
Family photo, pulled out of some family history site, taken by the proud father of Mr Despondant, a mid life greengrocer from Sidcup

Middle Picture
A press photo of a unexpectedly stationary Fiat, several models from an agency have been told where to stand, they do not know the names of the other models.
A fifth actor in the background is told to stand like a Mafia guy, shades on for a bit of edgyness but ends up looking more like a flasher than a Hitman.

Bottom picture
Tony From Accounts is retiring (on the right with his 25 years service badge)
Everyone is sent outside with instructions of NO Overalls!
His leaving gift is a signed copy of the photo and four bottles of Brown Ale

TLDR: Middle is a press photo

[JimH]

I thought that initially but look at the characters in the background - far into the background - they are all well dressed and I'm not sure whoever posed the image thought about it that hard.

You don't have to look too hard to find pictures of Italians who are able to dress themselves.

[SiC]

If you think those individuals in the suits are scruffy, you should see the intellectual technical workers of today that are making the real money for the British economy. Jeans, t-shirt, trainers and hoody if cold or gilet. Maybe a casual shirt if you're higher up in the chain.

Of course it'll be Levi's, Superdry, Crew, etc or maybe Patagonia if wanting to show off. All of which incidentally is far more expensive than many suits.

Certainly no suits in the office, let alone tie. In fact you'll be questioned heavily by colleagues if you're going to an interview or funeral after work.

[PhilA]

The designs are the difference between flat broke and sunny, and flat broke and Grimsby.

[Asimo]

Suits?
Never trust a man with trousers and jacket cut from the same cloth.

IMG_2972.jpeg (402.84 KiB) Viewed 130 times

[Hooli]

Does that include double denim?