Built Like a Cannon - Goes Like a Bullet

That would be the motto of the Royal Enfield motorcycle concern that, sadly, went defunct in the 1970s. Starting out as Enfield Manufacturing Company in 1893 as a manufacturer of bicycles, the firm licensed the "Royal" portion of its name from the crown in 1911. The firm built several models for the both the British and Imperial Russian armies during World War I and even sold models with machine guns mounted.

After the second World War, Royal Enfield motorcycles were imported tot he US badged as Indians from 1955 thorough 1959. Riders at the time thought them to be a pale imitation of the classic American bike. 

Royal Enfield found a large market in India in 1949 and by 1955, "Enfields" were being built in India to meet the demand. Originally sold to the police and military markets in India, the cheap-to-run motorcycles became an aspiration of many Indian workers. 

The British Royal Enfield concern was wound up in 1971 and the only place on earth that Enfield motorcycles were produced was India. They continued production under the Enfield name until 1995 when the rights to the Royal Enfield name were acquired by the Indian Firm.

Today, Royal Enfield motorcycles are available nearly world wide and all of them come the factory in Chennai, India. 

Check this video of a craftsman hand painting the gold pinstriping on a fuel tank at the Royal Enfield factory:



I have a strong desire to own one these 500CC single cylinder "thumpers". Wish me luck.

Classic British... Tools?

An ABINGDON girder wrench

The annual trek to Magnolia Springs to attend the St. John's Catholic Church lawn party is one that I've come to enjoy. In addition to the fine food, music and antique agricultural equipment on display, there is a fascinating display of antique tools brought by one of the parishioners. While it is only a small part of his collection, the variety of tools on display is truly astounding.

I noticed that he had a number of intriguing wrenches on display bearing names such as "ABINGDON" and "Joseph Lucas". Yep, it turns out that it is the same Abingdon and Joseph Lucas that you've heard of before.

The Abingdon on the wrench is the name of a handtool manufacturer located in Abingdon - the same Abingdon famous for building MGs for 50 years. Abingdon Engineering made a wide range of equipment including motorcycles, chains and gearboxes. At the turn of the twentieth century, the firm concentrated on hand tools exclusively. 

A Joseph Lucas girder wrench

Most British car enthusiasts know the products of Abingdon Engineering by their trade name, King Dick, from the screw jacks and other hand tools found in the tool kits of classic British cars.   

The Lucas hand tool line on the other hand, is not that well known outside the UK. The firm known to us for their automotive electrical equipment and instruments (through the Smiths brand) was a maker of small metal goods in the nineteenth century. One of their main lines was small handtools such as the Joseph Lucas girder wrench in the photo I shot at Magnolia Springs.

If you haven't been to the St. John's lawn party with the club, I suggest that you add it to your calendar next year. The tools on display make it worth the trip alone.

A Henry Manney Treasure Trove

Photo by Patrick Manney- All Rights Reserved

It's no secret that I am a huge fan of the wit and wisdom of motorsports and automotive writer Henry N. Manney, III. I've lamented in these humble scribblings of how little there was to be found on the Internet about "Our Friend", but I think I've found the mother lode.

Henry and Anne Manney's son, Patrick, has scanned and uploaded a trove of family photos to a Flicker account and I have to admit, I spent about 45 minutes going through them. Now, not all of them are of Henry the Third - most of them are of family and friends with a few letters thrown in - but they are a moving look at the Manney family's life in Southern California. 

There are numerous photos of Anne in her days as a ballerina in Paris and a lot of old carte de visites of what I assume are ancestors of the family, but the most endearing ones are of the family looking over their new home in Corona Del Mar, California.

If you were a reader of Road & Track 'back in the day' take a few minutes to check out this delightful photo collection. 

The Shape of Things to Come

TR7 Roadster

Quick - What was the best selling of the Triumph TR series cars?  Give up? It's the TR7 coupe and convertible. BL's last major effort at designing and building sports cars was such a sales success in the US that the launch in the UK was delayed while Triumph ramped up production to meet the American demand, and then had to move production from factory to factory while militant labor unions did their part to cripple the British auto industry.

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

It's a shame that we don't see more of the wedge at SABCC events and at British car shows in the region. Perhaps it's due to the low values the cars reached as they were worn out. Sports cars - in the US, anyway -  were considered to be "disposable" and as such were passed down the food chain of drivers until they were picked up off the streets where they were abandoned and sold on for scrap.

BMW Z4

The TR7 enjoys a fair parts supply so keeping one on the road should be no more of a challenge than any other contemporary British sports car. Drivers find them roomy, comfortable and not unable to keep up with modern traffic.

Hyundai Sonata

One of the most controversial aspects of the TR7 design was the crease or character line that ran from above the rear wheel to a point just behind the front wheel arch. This served to emphasize the "wedginess" of the car, making look like it was moving at 60 MPH while standing still. Many sports car Luddites saw the TR7 as anything but a traditional sports car; the first ones were coupes rolled out in fear that the US would outlaw open topped cars.

But back to that crease; the Triumph tag line "The Shape of Things to Come" was not far off the mark. Take a look at these modern cars that I've illustrated here and what seems to be the theme? Yep, creases. Harris Mann, the TR7 designer could be considered a visionary - a man ahead of his time. 

Yet Another Jubliee Year

In addition to the E Type and Midget anniversaries being celebrated this year the folks at Rolls Royce would like you to know that they also have a reason to party. The world renowned Rolls Royce radiator mascot 'Spirit of Ecstasy' is 100 years old this year. 

Radiator mascots were all the rage in the early days of motoring with special designs being commissioned with an eye to out-do other posh automobile owners. Mascots could be anything that the car's owner could dream up and that was what lead Rolls Royce to search for one that captured the essence of driving ( or rather, being driven in ) a Rolls Royce automobile. It just wouldn't do to have something vulgar on a Rolls.

Charles R. Sykes was given the task of designing the mascot that would become forever associated with the luxury marque. Sykes chose as his model one Eleanor Velasco Thornton, secretary and life long mistress of Edward Douglas-Scott Montagu. This was not the first time that Sykes sculpted a mascot using Thornton for his inspiration; he created a similar mascot for Lord Montagu earlier for his personal Rolls.

This year, Rolls Royce has created a special edition (aren't all Rollers special?) called the Centenary Collection. Along with special paint colors and a unique dashboard clock, the proud owner will have a replica statuette for the mantel or bookcase. In case the occasion is lost on your front seat passenger, the glovebox lid is inscribed with this quote from Charles Sykes:

"A graceful little goddess, the Spirit of Ecstasy, who has selected road travel as her supreme delight and alighted on the prow of a Rolls-Royce motor car to revel in the freshness of the air and the musical sound of her fluttering draperies." - Charles Sykes, 1911

It almost sounds like Eleanor has a bit of indigestion...

A Mini Guy in a Mini Shirt by a Mini

Let's go, Papa!

My sharp-eyed wife took me into a local kids clothing store so she could see what sort of bargains she could find for our brood of grandchildren. I normally go along for the ride since she is a good sport about my automotive addictions. Inside the shop she said "there's the Mini!"  THE Mini usually means the one in our garage and I knew it was safely at home. Following her, I saw that it was a boy's tee shirt with an appliqued car in the shape of a classic Mini.

What stopped me in my tracks was that it was the same seventies-tastic color scheme that our car carried - Bracken (not "poo brown", you in the back) with a white roof. It was settled  - we had to get it for our youngest grandson Grady. 

Here he is modeling his latest wardrobe addition.

Did Anyone Hear Anything About a Wedding?

My wife mentioned to me that she was watching a wedding on television this morning. All I saw was a gorgeous Aston Martin DB6 Volante. OK, I'm just kidding- I don't actually live under a rock. 

It turns out that the car belongs to Prince William's father, HRH Prince Charles and it was somewhat famously converted to run on ethanol . Other photos of the car can be found here.

Easy Method for Cleaning Light Lenses

I'm basically lazy and I'm always looking for ways to make my workload a bit lighter - even down to detailing my classic cars. Now, I'll probably be dropped from Griot's Garage mailing list, but I've got a tip for you and here it is:

Darling, are those CAR PARTS in my dishwasher?

To clean light lenses both inside and out with excellent results and minimum effort, put them in your dishwasher.

That's it. The warm water and detergent will get both plastic and glass lenses looking clear and spotless. Don't worry about the potential for etching from the detergent as it takes literally hundreds of cycles for that to appear. This method is also perfect for rehabbing old, used lenses from your parts cars, too. The folks that I've passed this on to have been impressed with their results.

My crack legal team wants me to tell you that you are on your own if you use this tip.

So there. 

Revival of the Morris Marque

See any Saturn SC2 Coupe DNA here?

Certain Chinese automotive websites are reporting that the beloved Morris marque may soon be headed for revival. While the power of Google translations is a bit limited, I've been able to glean these unbelievable tidbits:

• The current owners of the Morris name will produce a line of small, moderately priced cars and badge them Morris
• The cars will be built on old Saturn platforms that were purchased by the same firm when GM went through bankruptcy
• It is planned to sell Morrises in developing countries and in the UK where the marque name still has a fanatic following
• It is not known whether Top Gear will drop pianos on any of the new Morris vehicles

From the best I can determine from the translations:

"Spokesman Hiu Jhok Mie said 'We intend to make this fine British car name even more British by using lots of wood on the inside of the car.'"  

Look for the introduction of the new Morris marque next year sometime around April 1st followed shortly thereafter by Lord Nuffield rolling over in his grave.

When Marketers and Lawyers Clash

I love Harbor Freight Tools - I really do. I look forward to my infrequent visits because I find dozens of items that I didn't know I needed but somehow wind up in my shopping cart. Since I'm a hobbyist, the tools and other gizmos sold there meet my needs without breaking the bank.

Recently, my '76 MGB exhibited some running issues most likely caused by the fuel in the tank that dates back to October of last year. Since most motor fuel contains up to 10% ethanol, it can go stale pretty quickly. In fact according to a study or two, the fuel will become waterlogged. Now the last time I checked water is not really flammable (unless it was the Cuyahoga River of the 1960's) so it will play havoc with an internal combustion engine.

Anyway, the 'B started up just fine, but ran poorly when I drove it, especially under cornering. It was down on power for a short time and required full choke until it cleared itself of the problem. I decided that I needed to siphon the old fuel out and give it a splash of fresh.

I noticed in my Hagerty's Magazine (a nice perk for Hagerty Insurance customers) a large Harbor Freight Tools ad and one of the promoted items was a siphon pump kit with hoses and accessories. Perfect for my task of removing the old fuel from the tank.

I dropped into my local Harbor Freight Tools store in Mobile (c'mon open one on the Eastern Shore, already!) and bought the kit for the princely sum of $4.00. When I got it home, I read the fine print - the front of the package says its ideal for siphoning gas. The back side says it should not be used with flammable fluids.

Hmm. I suppose that the fuel in the tank is only semi-flammable. I wonder if Harbor Freight considered this possibility?

British Car Week 2011

Since 1997 British Car Week has been the way to for enthusiasts to bring the public's attention to our hobby and to let them know that the cars they loved many years ago are alive and well and in good hands. The genesis of British Car Week came from an article written in Road and Track by Peter Egan in which he laments the fact that he saw few classic British cars on the road. 

The first BCW was organized by word of mouth and something called an "internet bulletin board" and an "email list". Today, the organization has a top notch web site and literally dozens of clubs that participate to varying degrees. The folks that run BCW encourage all British car owners to drive their UK-built machines at least one day during the week. Even better is an organized drive where a group of cars can be seen together that will bring attention to the hobby. 

This year's British Car Week is May 28th through June 5th. I hope you will be able to show off your British pride and joy. I know I'm looking forward to it. 

One More Reason to Belong to a Car Club

Beer.

During one of our many club events the subject of good beer came up. It turns out that one of our multi-talented members is an accomplished home brewer. I didn't realize just how accomplished a brewer he is until he gave me a generously-sized bottle of his art.

Since home brewing is still a bit of gray area in Alabama law, I'll leave his identity under wraps. It wouldn't do to have an Alabama Elliot Ness kicking in his door. 

I enjoyed a truly superior stout that is as dark as any Guinness I've ever seen. "Chewy" is how I'd describe it and I can't wait for seconds! 

Thank you, my hop-scented friend!

Why I Belong to a Car Club

The old car hobby, like most other hobbies, is one best enjoyed with friends. Any activity or interest that can be shared with other like-minded people tends be one that is enjoyed more fully.


When my MGB came into my life in 1996, my younger brother (also an MGB owner) made sure that I had an application for membership for the South Alabama British Car Club. My first general membership meeting with the group verified for me that I was in with the kind of people that I wanted to know. I met machinists, lawyers, teachers, students and retired people that shared my interests and found pleasure in most of the same things I did.

At my first club event - a family picnic - I drove my tatty new (to me) MGB and I was immediately struck by how much the club members wanted to help me with it. Most of the gauges were non-functioning as were the turn signals. In a matter of minutes the three heads under the bonnet found a couple of loose wires and solved my problem. Even though the car was a bit down at its heels, it was never judged as inferior to anyone's car and it was always  welcomed as warmly as the most perfectly restored museum quality car was. 

I became active with the club, first as a member at large then progressing to activities chairman and finally a stint as president. The entire time I was surrounded by people that simply enjoyed the hobby and each others company. In fact, I've made several trips with fellow club members to non-club events just because we became fast friends. 

During my time as a club member, I've been able to help others with their projects, swap a few parts and find a bargain or two by networking with the members. I've also been the recipient of much generosity in the way of parts and advice. 


If you've got a special interest automobile, there's bound to be a local club that promotes your interests. Seek them out and become an active member.
 

Happy Valentine's Day

Love Story movie still

Those amongst us of a certain age recall what must be the original "chick flick" - Love Story. The 1970 film starred Ryan O'Neil and Ali McGraw. Oh, and an MG-TC.

In case you've never the seen the movie, let me spoil it for you: Ali McGraw's character dies, Ryan O'Neil's character says "Love means never having to say you're sorry," and then drives the MG off into the sunset.

And they lived happily ever after.

Great Britain, England, United Kingdom

Since most SABCC'ers are American, there are occasionally times when a quick geography/history lesson would come in handy. Blogger C.G.P. Grey went to great effort to educate folks such as ourselves in the nuances of such things.

Pay attention - you never know when you might see this on another pub quiz...

Pininfarina the Latest to Come Under Chinese Ownership?

As more of Europe's once-great marques find themselves under Asian ownership, it should come as no great shock that the storied Italian design house of Pininfarina may be the next to join the club. British car enthusiasts have much to thank Pininfarina for; the MGB GT, the "Farina" series of saloon cars for BMC, various Rolls Royces and the 1978 refresh of the Jaguar XJ6 to name a few.

The MGB GT proved to be quite troublesome for the designers at Abingdon. They always knew that they wanted a coupe version of the roadster but were never able get the look they wanted. In 1964 MG shipped a 'B roadster to Pininfarina to see what they could do to bring a coupe to fruition. The first step taken was to raise the windshield height which kept the finished car from looking as "squashed" as some of the earlier MG efforts appeared. They then added the kickup above the rear window, not unlike the crease on the optional factory hardtop for the roadster, which gave it a more sculpted look.

Pininfarina painted the car a light metallic green and returned it to Abingdon where it was received to near-unanimous praise. With a few very minor tweaks, the car was placed in production for the 1965 model year. As of 1998, the prototype existed in private hands, repainted silver metallic.

A news article about the possible sale to China's BAIC can be found here.
   

A New Wife, A Sports Car and an Old Photo

Last evening, when my long-suffering spouse and I were sifting through some old photos we ran across this one that I shot of her and my brother on a day trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama. We drove down there - three up - in Alan's 1971 MGB roadster. His car was British Racing Green with a tan interior and had a luggage rack on the bootlid. You'll also note the CB antenna on it too, good buddy.

This picture is about the only one of Alan's first MG that exists. Sadly, he didn't get many photos of it and the ones that were taken have been lost over time. This one was shot in the late summer of 1976, just mere months after the lady in the passenger seat married me.

Alan no longer has the car - he sold it many years ago to buy something more 'practical'. I doubt that there is a day that passes that he doesn't regret it. 

There is also of photo of me taken that same day and my hair is just as big as my brother's. How did the Missus keep her 'do looking so good? 

Merry Christmas to You and Yours

Please allow me to extend my sincerest wishes to you for a very Merry Christmas and the most prosperous of New Years. Your faithful readership keeps me at my keyboard and I am humbled that so many visitors find these simple scribblings. Thanks.

End of the Line for MG TF

Production of the two seat MG TF is set to end this year after a run (in fits and starts) over 15 years. 

MGF  (MG-Rover press photo)

The mid engine sports car was originally introduced as the MGF in 1995 and brought the MG marque back into the world of lower priced open sports cars after the end of MG RV8 production. While we never had the car here in the US, it was still on the wish list of many American MG enthusiasts. MG-Rover even sent me a packet of MGF literature by request along with a letter stating that, "regretfully the MGF is not currently available in your market."

I had the opportunity to see several MGFs during a European business trip in 2001. I was impressed with its appearance and proportion "in the flesh" so to speak. It would have made a great American market re-entry car for MG. 

Save your pennies, y'all - you'll be able to legally import a 1995 model in 2020.

Farewell, Tom Walkinshaw

Tom Walkinshaw, race driver, team owner and car constructor passed away yesterday after a long fight with cancer. He was 64.

Walkinshaw was well-known among Jaguar enthusiasts as the developer of a number of the marque's most famous competition cars. Among them, the XJ-S as raced in the UK and Australia and the XJR-9s that won LeMans in 1988 and 1990. He was also associated with the Rover marque, running a team of Rover Vitesses in the British Touring Car Championship.

Here is a video of Walkinshaw hustling an XJ-S around the awesome Mount Panorama circuit in Australia:




This is post number 300 on the blog.