31
General Discussion / Re: First AC Cobras delivered to the US?
« on: February 12, 2019, 19:20:56 »The book on Ed Hugus and the early Cobra days is excellent.
I second that, it's very good. A little debunking in there, too.
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I second that, it's very good. A little debunking in there, too.
32
Recent ACs / Re: Bell housing threads.
« on: December 30, 2018, 21:48:01 »
Just for the record Vince, they are 7/16 UNC - a common size for US engine threads.
As an aside, I'm getting deep into my next project - an XK140 DHC - and it has UNC (also known as ANC) threads all over the place. Also the usual suspects, some BSW/BSF, BA and a few UNF, but surprised to find an English engine with UNC as the common thread. Ford (USA) used it all over the place.
Roger
As an aside, I'm getting deep into my next project - an XK140 DHC - and it has UNC (also known as ANC) threads all over the place. Also the usual suspects, some BSW/BSF, BA and a few UNF, but surprised to find an English engine with UNC as the common thread. Ford (USA) used it all over the place.
Roger
33
General Forum / Re: The Future?
« on: October 07, 2018, 13:57:47 »I take it he has never travelled on the M20, M11 and seen the constant flow of traffic at 80 plus already!!
As to 30 years time I will be long gone
The world is going mad.
Try my end of the M11, where it becomes the A14. 80? I can only dream of 80...
34
General Forum / Re: News from Essex
« on: September 30, 2018, 13:57:15 »
What a bizarre scenario. Not at all familiar to readers of this forum, I'm sure...
35
General Forum / Re: The Future?
« on: September 13, 2018, 13:52:09 »
The FBHVC will be keeping its usual close eye on any consultations or proposals that might impact on us, as ever.
A thought - if one drove one's classic onto a motorway 'illegally' in an autonomous future, what would the authorities do? If all vehicles are these environmentally damaging* electric autonomous things, I presume that would go for police vehicles too. I don't imagine they would be prepared to ram you to force a stop...
*'zero emissions' but only at the tailpipe! What about the disposal of rare earth elements, generation of electricity etc.??
A thought - if one drove one's classic onto a motorway 'illegally' in an autonomous future, what would the authorities do? If all vehicles are these environmentally damaging* electric autonomous things, I presume that would go for police vehicles too. I don't imagine they would be prepared to ram you to force a stop...
*'zero emissions' but only at the tailpipe! What about the disposal of rare earth elements, generation of electricity etc.??
36
General Forum / Re: E10 Fuel Consultation and Survey
« on: August 22, 2018, 18:59:22 »
The important thing here is the change in ethanol content.
The government consultation is regarding the introduction of E10, i.e. fuel with 10% ethanol content. A report commissioned from QinetiQ by the DfT states that E10 can cause severe failure in cast aluminium carburettor bodies.
The consultation states that if the decision to introduce E10 is taken, it is expected that 97RON (superunleaded) fuel will not continue to be available. E5, currently available as 95RON premium unleaded, will be phased out within 2 years. This means that E10 will be the only petrol available, and it seems our cars won't last long on this. The more attention we can draw to this the better!
Roger
The government consultation is regarding the introduction of E10, i.e. fuel with 10% ethanol content. A report commissioned from QinetiQ by the DfT states that E10 can cause severe failure in cast aluminium carburettor bodies.
The consultation states that if the decision to introduce E10 is taken, it is expected that 97RON (superunleaded) fuel will not continue to be available. E5, currently available as 95RON premium unleaded, will be phased out within 2 years. This means that E10 will be the only petrol available, and it seems our cars won't last long on this. The more attention we can draw to this the better!
Roger
37
General Forum / Re: E10 Fuel Consultation and Survey
« on: August 16, 2018, 15:06:59 »
Yes, please do complete it and pass it on to all your friends and colleagues who have an interest in classics. If you have any questions about the survey please contact the Federation via me or Paul Chasney. As ever, the consultation has been somewhat sprung upon us within a short timescale.
Roger
Heritage Manager
FBHVC
Roger
Heritage Manager
FBHVC
38
Ace, Aceca & Greyhound Forum / Re: Brake pipe clips
« on: July 17, 2018, 23:11:27 »
Certainly, sir!
https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/Brakes-BRK219-to-ONWARDS/CLIP-brake-pipe-to-chassis.aspx
Available at an AH3000 parts supplier near you now.
Roger
https://www.ahspares.co.uk/austin-healey/big-healey/Brakes-BRK219-to-ONWARDS/CLIP-brake-pipe-to-chassis.aspx
Available at an AH3000 parts supplier near you now.
Roger
39
General Forum / Re: Naming of Parts
« on: April 29, 2018, 23:18:13 »
I prefer 'nave plate'. I think a knave plate is something a varlet eats his dinner off...
There are so many papers and books written on historiographical method and use of language that it can make your head spin. This topic is, really, history of science - more specifically, history of engineering - and the encroaching danger of the search engine is as true here as it is with any historical discipline. As is ever the case with history, it all depends on who's doing the story telling, and why they're doing it. Without taking sides, I'd suggest there are two views to take:
Firstly, that of 'usage' rather than 'definitions' - the ahistorical pathway. It's worth noting that dictionaries do not give definitions (unless taken as dictionaries of historical record, e.g. The Oxford English Dictionary) - they record common usage. Meanings change over time - a good example is 'standard', which used to mean of high quality but now is taken as meaning of base quality. 'Hub cap' itself has, to all intents and purposes, replaced 'nave plate' as the pressing which fits over the lugs on the wheel disc itself; whereas as others have pointed out, its older and more correct engineering usage refers to the smaller metal cap that fits over the hub nut at the end of the axle. Following this path would require that modern common usage is applied, whereby the nave plate becomes the hub cap, AC's hub cap becomes the spinner and their change-speed-lever becomes the gearstick.
The second view would be to follow a more historically sympathetic pathway. Whig history (as described by Butterfield) is exemplified by 'looking back' at the past from a modern viewpoint, and from that viewpoint applying modern mores and meanings to past events and people. This can be extremely problematic*, especially in terms of terminology. To use an example from my own field of the history of medicine, if you were placed in the C17th and told someone they had Tuberculosis, they wouldn't have the first clue what you were talking about. If they told you they were suffering from Consumption, that might make more sense...
So it comes down to choice - do we follow AC's definitions of what the parts of their vehicles were called when they were made, in a way that someone in the AC design office or on the shop floor of the nineteen-fifties or sixties would understand: or do we apply modern, or what some would view as plain incorrect words to these parts? My preference would be to remain true to the designers and builders of the C20th, but that doesn't necessarily ease the process of communication.
Sorry for the history lesson, but it's really interesting when you get into it.
Roger
*e.g. the difficulties around the concept of modern-day government apologizing for slavery in the C18th, for example.
There are so many papers and books written on historiographical method and use of language that it can make your head spin. This topic is, really, history of science - more specifically, history of engineering - and the encroaching danger of the search engine is as true here as it is with any historical discipline. As is ever the case with history, it all depends on who's doing the story telling, and why they're doing it. Without taking sides, I'd suggest there are two views to take:
Firstly, that of 'usage' rather than 'definitions' - the ahistorical pathway. It's worth noting that dictionaries do not give definitions (unless taken as dictionaries of historical record, e.g. The Oxford English Dictionary) - they record common usage. Meanings change over time - a good example is 'standard', which used to mean of high quality but now is taken as meaning of base quality. 'Hub cap' itself has, to all intents and purposes, replaced 'nave plate' as the pressing which fits over the lugs on the wheel disc itself; whereas as others have pointed out, its older and more correct engineering usage refers to the smaller metal cap that fits over the hub nut at the end of the axle. Following this path would require that modern common usage is applied, whereby the nave plate becomes the hub cap, AC's hub cap becomes the spinner and their change-speed-lever becomes the gearstick.
The second view would be to follow a more historically sympathetic pathway. Whig history (as described by Butterfield) is exemplified by 'looking back' at the past from a modern viewpoint, and from that viewpoint applying modern mores and meanings to past events and people. This can be extremely problematic*, especially in terms of terminology. To use an example from my own field of the history of medicine, if you were placed in the C17th and told someone they had Tuberculosis, they wouldn't have the first clue what you were talking about. If they told you they were suffering from Consumption, that might make more sense...
So it comes down to choice - do we follow AC's definitions of what the parts of their vehicles were called when they were made, in a way that someone in the AC design office or on the shop floor of the nineteen-fifties or sixties would understand: or do we apply modern, or what some would view as plain incorrect words to these parts? My preference would be to remain true to the designers and builders of the C20th, but that doesn't necessarily ease the process of communication.
Sorry for the history lesson, but it's really interesting when you get into it.
Roger
*e.g. the difficulties around the concept of modern-day government apologizing for slavery in the C18th, for example.
40
General Forum / Re: ACtion article on AC history
« on: March 23, 2018, 09:27:18 »
Just to report back that John, Ian and I have had a very interesting series of email exchanges on the subject. John's diligent work with archive material has helped enlighten Ian (and me) on the level and depth of Vauxhall interest, and thrown up some hitherto unknown names to Ian from the Vauxhall board of the twenties. Thanks to John for this and for his most interesting articles, the next one of which I'm really looking forward to.
Roger
Roger
41
General Forum / Re: ACtion article on AC history
« on: March 21, 2018, 09:35:35 »
Does anyone have contact details for John Spencer? I've tried the members' list search facility but nothing comes up.
Thanks
Roger
Sorry, scratch that - found it in the mag.
Thanks
Roger
Sorry, scratch that - found it in the mag.
42
General Forum / Re: Goodwood 76th Members Meeting 2018
« on: March 21, 2018, 09:32:32 »Hi Ted, I'll be there as well, attending to my chums Alfa Monza. Easy to spot, it's two tone blue, not red!
Mike Frayn
Mike, is that the car that went out smoking heavily whilst doing very nicely? Shame - what was the problem?
Roger
43
General Forum / Re: ACtion article on AC history
« on: March 14, 2018, 00:02:10 »
Thanks very much to all for your help with this. I'll get in touch with John as it would be very interesting to try to understand why Vauxhall had any interest in AC. Ian Coomber can think of no reason Vauxhall might have been interested, especially as they were close to collapse themselves. The key may be in assets and in the activities of messrs Napier and Edge.
44
General Forum / ACtion article on AC history
« on: March 13, 2018, 11:47:12 »
I have foolishly disposed of my copy of a recent edition of ACtion which contained an article mentioning Vauxhall's interest in AC Cars in the twenties. The magazine seems not to be accessible online to members, so could some kind soul let me know who the author was and which edition it was in? A brief copy of the paragraph relating to Vauxhall would be helpful, too.
The reason for this request is that an old friend has recently published a book on the Vauxhall company, and on mentioning it to him he was quite interested and has come up with a few things that might be of interest. I was planning a brief mention of these in a response to the magazine. As a seasoned academic historian, I like to get my references and notes correct!
Thanks
Roger
The reason for this request is that an old friend has recently published a book on the Vauxhall company, and on mentioning it to him he was quite interested and has come up with a few things that might be of interest. I was planning a brief mention of these in a response to the magazine. As a seasoned academic historian, I like to get my references and notes correct!
Thanks
Roger
45
Vintage, PVT & 2 Litre Forum / Re: 2-4-6 at Auction
« on: March 13, 2018, 10:29:49 »Having done a quick check or two, I note according to the DVLA it is still registered as a 2056cc engine, clearly this has never been changed with the DVLA and is currently illegally registered, it is a real p[ain to retrospectively change a vehicle engine size now days, you need a VAT receipt for the engine and quite probably a check by an engineer to see if installed safely. Then of course there will be the insurance.
Why oh why such an esteemed member did not inform the DVLA of this I cannot understand.
Maybe Bonhams should be informed of this.
I'm not sure it's always a big deal nowadays, despite all the stories. Two months ago, I changed both capacity and engine number for my '68 Cooper S, just by using the 'changes' section of the V5 - it came back 5 days later, all done, no letters required, no questions asked. Similarly, last month my recently-purchased Series IIA Land Rover's last ever MOT came around, and my tester couldn't find it on the system - it turns out that in 1983 when the V5 was computerised the last digit of the chassis number was mistakenly entered as an 'L', when it is in fact a 'C' on the chassis plate. All testers since '83 had simply used the old MOT cert or V5 to enter on the computer so this error was perpetuated for over thirty years. I took a photo of the chassis plate, another photo showing the Landie including the number plate, and simply entered it in the 'changes' section with brief covering letter. 5 days later I received a new V5 with the correct chassis number, no questions, inspections or hassle. I think there are still a few humans left in Swansea...