We made great cars in the 50s

Post #434,282 by pwhysall 6/2/20 4:00:47 AM 6/2/20 4:00:47 AM Reply	We made great cars in the 50s Decent cars in the 60s And by the 70s it had all turned to shit.
Post #434,289 by dmcarls 6/2/20 1:56:22 PM 6/2/20 1:56:22 PM Reply	Some people noticed ... Once again, I recommend this book, now 34 years old: https://www.amazon.com/Reckoning-David-Halberstam-ebook/dp/B00AG8FZ4C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1SPCN0H0ITBEY&dchild=1&keywords=the+reckoning+david+halberstam&qid=1591119800&s=books&sprefix=the+reckoning%2Caps%2C187&sr=1-1 From the reviews: "Powerfully developing his thesis that the complacency and shortsightedness of American workers and their bosses, especially the automakers of Detroit, have led to a decline of industrial know-how so critical that Asian carmakers, particularly the Japanese, have virtually taken over the market, Halberstam tells in panoramic detail a story that is alarming in its implications...."
Post #434,295 by Andrew Grygus 6/2/20 9:21:53 PM 6/2/20 9:21:53 PM Reply	I owned quite a few English cars . . . . . from a 1948 MG TC through several Jaguars, 1954 to 1962, an MG 1100 sedan, and a Nash Metropolitan, actually an Austin A40 with an upside down bathtub shaped body. I can tell you this, what the English call "steel" is actually some sort of cheese. Everything broke, even though the parts were much heftier than on much heavier American cars. Leaf springs in particular crumbled, and front axle spindles broke early and often.
Post #434,296 by Ashton 6/2/20 10:29:35 PM 6/2/20 10:29:35 PM Reply	MG TC ...Heh Sons of (Musical-) friends engaged in restoring a BRG-colour pukka one--including assembly of wire wheels via white gloves. I drove it afterwards--very carefuly--having at least enough double-clutching chops not to clash the synchro-bereft er, Crash-box. Made endorphins, that 4-wheel scooter. 'Tis /was then The Iconic shape for all wannabe cars as so contrasted with the Lead-barges of Detroit (I also drove TDs, TR-2s etc.) Yeah too, nostalgia ain't what __ ____.
Post #434,297 by Andrew Grygus 6/3/20 1:45:51 AM 6/3/20 1:45:51 AM Reply	The TC did not have a crash box . . . . . perhaps they forgot to overhaul the transmission.
Post #434,312 by Ashton 6/3/20 2:41:57 PM 6/3/20 2:41:57 PM Reply	I drove it; didn't 'try' for lazy-shift, went as-if no synchros. (They thought it was crash-box); I defer to anyone who shifted one 'normally' as: better informed than moi. And they. Unless (some Were / earlier? some Weren't later) Do you know-fer-Shure? Sorta-sure ..they did not disassemble transmission. Kwazy Kar-lore! nearly as bad as Politics!

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