Posted on 01/01/2009 7:54:53 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
The Brits manufactured more than a few cars with wood: Marcos sports cars used a plywood frame up until 1969, and there were probably many others prior.
Thanks for the info. Any idea why wood was used? Weight?
We should be able to arrange a grant from the Fed auto program.
Our MG-A was a Lucas basket case... beautiful, but the wiring was just awful. Our MG-B never had a problem. It surprises me how small they are when I see one these days. British racing green, wire wheels, ragtops, both. I had a turbocharged Corvair Spyder for high school, and drove a Falcon to college... a Mustang in ugly clothing - it was cheap to drive, and could carry 5 kegs plus a lookout.
That sporty but underpowered experiment led to some early 70’s Porsche powered Super Beetles (I had 3 of those), all with sunroofs. Concert halls on wheels, back in the pre-subwoofer days of Pioneer, Craig, power booster amps and, um, Mott the Hoople. After the second moron crossed the centerline and took out another one, the insurance bought number three which I sold and bought something a little more substantial in the front end. Big block. Never looked back.
Good times. I preferred two wheels eventually though, and with time, that obsession mutated to off-road, hence I’ve been driving a truck since... with a few side excursions in the later 70’s to Malibu and Corvette... small block daily drivers. Wish I had all of em stashed in a garage.
No doubt! I wish I had my 67 Cutlass back...
All the Young Dudes eh?
Definition of a Wet Dream. = A garage full of old cars with a leaky roof...
Now THAT is a cool looking car...!!!
LOL
It amazes me how these old cars keep popping up like this.
You mean like this one... http://www.snopes.com/photos/automobiles/barnfind.asp
That’s exactly what I was thinking of! :)
Wood is inexpensive, light, and quite strong. Plywood is even stronger, and molded plywood has to be drilled with metal-cutting drill bits.
With British cars, enough engine oil spray saturates the wood to keep it rot-free. ;-)
As you know, race tire rubber compounds are not made with storage in mind. In fact, three months and a single day of use is probably about the design life.
All of my track tires are DOT approved track tires—and the factory did make good on that one.
I'm going to guess you parked it immediately downwind of a sulfur plant or someone vandalized it or damaged it in an accident.
I think the Florida sun did it in. I've since bought a stainless steel wraparound cover, but don't trust old tires that aren't in regular use.
While tire technology has greatly improved since the late 70s, a tire that isn't rolled on the ground regularly is going to fail elsewhere before the tread is worn away. IMHO.
The original 1963 tires on my boat trailer are fine. They aren't kept dry, either!
'Probably not a radial. The term for those tires in the garage lingo of yesterday would be, "Maypops". ;)
Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
Well, I will humbly report back to you if that happens, but I have more than once inflated them to 70 lbs looking for any sign of separation or bulging -- none. Actually, they will be replaced soon, because I have located new stock of the old integrated hub-style wheel and these come with tires already mounted.
Of the old tires I've seen develop significant cracking there seems to be no correlation with environmental factors because all the vehicles are stored in the same place! In my experience, it seems to be the rubber compound that makes or breaks the tire over the long haul -- possibly by a factor of ten for the longer lasting tires versus the shortest.
When I was driving truck, I lived in a house that a bank owned just for the property. The rent was $50/mo. for a one bedroom. There were two one bedrooms in the upstairs, and a two bedroom apt downstairs. There was an old garage out back. One day, I climbed over the partition from one of the open stalls to see what was locked up in the one locked stall. Yep... a pristine Model A. By the time I’d finished the title search, someone had broken down the door and towed it off... I have no doubt to this day it was a government employee.
See your point about plywood. Boats made of it work fine, but my brain doesn’t always.
Thanks
Your Mother will be right over Glock. She thanked me for calling...
Have a friend that bought an old shop for his brother. the owner had locked it down for hurricane Carla (early 60s) and never came back.
It still had the old metal oil cans, still full of oil, and a wealth of Harley parts.
Ya told her I was cooking dintcha.
That’s nice Glock. I did I tell you she is bringing help?
... and they’re hungry too, huh?
Yah, I know the drill.
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