Showing posts with label AMERICAN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AMERICAN. Show all posts

FORD CLASSIC

Posted By : Irfa Hudaya Sasmita 22 Comments
The Ford Consul Classic or 'Consul 315' (as the export version was known) was a mid-sized car built by Ford in the UK from 1961 to 1963. Available with two or four doors, in Standard or De Luxe versions, with floor or column gearshift. It is commonly referred to as the Ford 109E , though four such codes are possible as explained below. Obvious competitor models at the time included the Hillman Minx and Singer Gazelle from Rootes group.

Ford Classic model codes

The Classic (and related Consul Capri) had the Right Hand Drive and home market Ford code of 109E (but 110E if L.H.D.) for 1961–1962 models with 1340cc engines, or 116E (but 117E for L.H.D.) for 1962–1963 manufacture with 1500cc engines. Those codes also distinguish the gearboxes and steering components which are not greasable on later cars, so cutting first-user servicing costs. Despite all these codes the cars all looked the same throughout production 1961–1963, the visual distinctions being the number of doors, the trim & equipment level between Standard and De Luxe and their exciting choice of colours.

Concept and Development

The Classic was a quality model by Ford "suitable for the golf club car park" originally intended for introduction earlier and deletion later than actually occurred. The styling exercises were mainly undertaken in 1956 under Colin Neale. The main styling cues came straight from Dearborn, as they so often did, defining the car as a scaled down Galaxie 500, from the waist down, topped with a Lincoln Continental rooline. Other aspects of R&D followed, and it is likely a recognisably similar car could have been introduced in 1959 subject to different senior management decisions. In practice the run-away early success of Anglia (1959 on) used up most of the car manufacturing capacity at Dagenham vindicating the decision to compete against the BMC Mini. (The Halewood plant did not open until 1963.) Ford therefore entered the 1960s with the small Anglia , Popular and Prefect , the big "three graces" launched back in 1956, and NOT the mid-size market Classic.

Description

The Ford Classic was similar in appearance to the more popular Ford Anglia, featuring the same distinctive reverse-rake rear window. This feature was imported from the 1958 Lincoln Continental where it was necessitated by the design requirement for an opening (breezway) rear window. With quad headlamps and different frontal treatment it was longer, wider and so heavier than the Anglia. In fact, from the windows down the body design was a scaled down version of Ford's huge, US Galaxie 500. Inside, the separate front seats and rear bench had a standard covering of PVC but leather was available as an option. There was a choice of floor or column mounted gear change. Single or two-tone
paint schemes were offered. Several of the car's features, unusual at the time, have subsequently become mainstream such as the headlight flasher ("found on many Continental cars") and the variable speed windscreen wipers.[3] The boot or trunk capacity was exceptionally large, with a side stowed spare wheel well, and more important the huge high lift sprung lid allowed a great variety of loads to be both contemplated and packed. At 21cu.ft this was 15% larger than Zodiac mk2 and had obvious advantages for business use.
The Consul Classic was also mechanically similar to the Anglia, and used slightly larger 1340 cc and from 1962 1498 cc variants of the Ford Kent Engine. The car had front 9.5 in (241 mm) disc brakes and was fitted with a four speed gearbox: early cars provided synchromesh on the top three ratios, while the arrival of the 1498cc version coincided with the provision of synchromesh on all forward gears.[3] Suspension was independent at the front using Macpherson strut units and at the rear the
live axle used semi elliptic leaf springs. A contemporary road tester was impressed, noting that "probably the most impressive thing about the Classic is its road holding".[3]

Performance

A car tested by The Motor magazine in 1961 had a top speed of 78.4 mph (126.2 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 22.5 seconds. A fuel consumption of 35.8 miles per imperial gallon (7.89 L/100 km; 29.8 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car was a 4-door deluxe version costing £8
01 including taxes,[2] but the sticker price on a two door standard Classic with the same engine was just £745 including taxes.[3]

Replacement

The Consul Classic was replaced in 1963 by the Ford Corsair. Only 111,225 Classics and 18,716 Capris were produced (Including 2002 'GT' Versions). These are small numbers by
Ford standards, and probably indicative of the public not taking to the controversial styling.

Kenyan estate conversions

Seventeen station wagon (estate) conversions were carried out by Ford Dealership 'Hughes Limited' of Nairobi, Kenya based on the two door model. One of these vehicles made it over to the UK in 1964 and survives to this day in the South-East of England although it has not been used on the road since 2005.

Consul Capri

Based on the two door Consul Classic, and sharing its 99 inch wheelbase, this was a coupé version with a much neater roofline. The low headroom over the back seat made it more of a 2+2 but gave it a much better visual balance – the Consul Capri (335).

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THIS WEEK’S CLASSIC CAR HISTORY HIGHLIGHT – US PRESIDENT’S CARS

Posted By : Irfa Hudaya Sasmita 0 Comments

There’s been such a fuss made over this year’s presidential candidate’s cars, McCain with his fleet and Obama with his Hybrid, that we started wondering if there was any newsworthy information about what some of the past US Presidents drove while in office. We found lots of juicy tidbits.

William McKinley was the first president to take a ride in a horseless carriage. The year was 1899 and the car was a steam-powered Locomobile.

Theodore Roosevelt took a tour of Hartford Connecticut on August 22, 1902, in a purple-lined Columbia Electric Victoria making him the first President to ride in an official presidential automobile. Although Roosevelt already had served two terms as chief executive from 1901 to 1909, he decided to run again under the Independent Progressive Party. On October 14, 1912 while he was on a campaign stop, he became the first president/candidate to be shot in their car. Bleeding from the chest, Teddy continued to campaign giving a robust 90 minute speech.

William Howard Taft was the first President of the United States to ride in an official presidential limousine. Taft became a big auto enthusiast and cleared out the federal stables to make room for a garage. Taft was also the first president to ride in an official White House car. It’s reported that Taft had four official White House autos bought with funds approved by Congress - a White Steamer, a Baker Electric and two Pierce-Arrows.

Warren G. Harding was the first president who knew how to drive before being elected. Harding was also the first president to ride in an automobile during an inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in 1921 - a Packard Twin-Six.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was crippled by polio so his official presidential limo was a Ford equipped with hand controls so he could drive despite his affliction. He would also prefer to use his touring cars to deliver speeches and meet voters, rather than in his wheel chair. And like his cousin Teddy, FDR was also a victim of an assassination attempt while in his automobile.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was the first president to have a Plexiglas bubble installed on the roof of his presidential limousine. It was a 1939 Lincoln "Sunshine Special" that was also used by Harry S Truman.

John F. Kennedy’s Lincoln Continental was reported to have a removable Plexiglas bubble top in the event of inclement weather, the back seat could be raised more than 10 inches, and it was equipped with a two-way radio and a telephone. The 1961 vehicle was known to have poor cooling in the rear of the passenger cabin while the bubble top was in place, particularly in sunny weather. In order to prevent excessive heat and discomfort to the passengers, the top was often removed prior to parades, as was the case in Dallas on November 22, 1963. JFK was the last president to have an open top limousine. In fact, the Kennedy limo was re-fitted with armored plating, bulletproof glass and a permanent roof. It was used by Johnson, Nixon, Ford and Carter during their terms in office and is currently is on display at the Henry Ford Museum.

Gerald Ford was the victim of an assassination attempt on Sept. 22, 1975, while in San Francisco as he was getting into the presidential Lincoln Continental limousine.

Ronald Reagan was just about to get into the same Lincoln Continental limousine involved in Ford’s assassination attempt when he was shot by John Hinkley on March 30, 1981, as he was leaving the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. This Lincoln is the last presidential limousine to be preserved because all subsequent presidential vehicles are now being destroyed by the Secret Service for security reasons.

Bill Clinton spent most of his presidency riding around in a Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham limo, and George W. Bush used a Cadillac Deville limo. One can only imaging why the Lincoln Continental has lost its presidential appeal.

Photo-Michele Hamer

(source : http://classiccars.about.com/b/2008/10/29/this-weeks-classic-car-history-highlight-us-presidents-cars.htm)

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THE RETRO VAN

Posted By : Irfa Hudaya Sasmita 0 Comments
The Retro Van is an old abandoned customized van in the middle of the Junkyard.

It is shown to be rather comfortable for being abandoned and unused. The Eds found it in the episode "Dawn of the Eds", and it became a hideout for the Eds. They often come to this van to hide from the other neighborhood kids, particularly the Kanker Sisters. The Eds aren't the only ones to know about it, as Kevin is shown there in "Dueling Eds" and on other occasions. The van has a working horn that plays a theme from La Cucaracha, shag carpeting, stereo speakers, interior walls made from mock wood, and a water bed. The outside of the van is purple and has flame decals all over it, including a painted rear axle and a drop-shaped side window. It is also full of roaches and cobwebs. An appearance of it was made in "A Twist of Ed" where the Eds were hiding from the Kankers, and Ed and Eddy were yelling at Edd to think of a plan. At first, it can be seen with a large pile of debris and junk surrounding it, yet the area becomes slightly sparse in later appearances.

The retro van appears to be based on a 1972 GMC Vandura, which is known for being the van from The A-Team. It has appeared in many episodes.

(source : http://ed.wikia.com/wiki/The_Retro_Van)

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ARE MUSCLE CARS USED IN U.K. AS IN USA ?

Posted By : Irfa Hudaya Sasmita 0 Comments


The Americans have been making muscle cars for over 50 years, and in that time they have created some absolute legends. The Dodge Charger, Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Corvette are all household names, and for good reason- they look amazing, they are hugely fast and the sound they produce is ear-shatteringly incredible!

The whole point of American muscle cars is that they are loud and brash. If you want a poised and precise driving experience, look elsewhere. While they may not enjoy going around corners, muscle cars are devastating in a straight line. The massive V8 and V10 engines propel them to almost warp speed in no time at all.

The smell of petrol, the burning of rubber and the growl of the engine are all essential parts of the muscle car experience. The cool classic liveries that adorn all the famous cars are also a must. From Ford GT racing blue to Dodge Charger red, the colours turn some heads and hark back to the traditional era of motoring.

While classic muscle cars may be less available in the UK than stateside, there is still a good selection to choose from. After all, plenty of Britons fell in love with muscle car motoring, so you’ll certainly be able to find something. The best place to look for used muscle cars, and save a shed load of money is certainly the internet. Sites like Carsource and Teletextcars have some incredible deals, so get online and get searching!

Driving a classic muscle car is an extra special experience. The sights, smells and noises take you straight back to the golden age of American motoring when a steering wheel, a gear stick and a V10 engine were at the heart and soul of the car. So put pedal to the metal, some classic rock on the stereo and take yourself on a wild ride back in time!

(source : http://www.classicmusclecarsale.net/blog/are-muscle-cars-used-in-uk/)

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