“ Then my friend's dad had a Capri 3000GXL, and being driven in that introduced me to the concept of torquey engines.”
A very appealing vehicle especially as a young child.
|
“ Then my friend's dad had a Capri 3000GXL, and being driven in that introduced me to the concept of torquey engines.” A very appealing vehicle especially as a young child.
Indeed - in hindsight, laughably low-powered by today's standards at 135bhp but quite a light car with a mile-wide spread of torque. There weren't many cars around at the time that would give you that pushed-back-in-the-seat feeling.
This period Autocar road test of a 3-litre manual gives the 0-60 as 10.3s with a 113mph top whack :-D
www.flickr.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/sets/721576.../
|
This period Autocar road test of a 3-litre manual gives the 0-60 as 10.3s with a 113mph top whack :-D
That deceives the actual performance through low gearing and slightly slow heavy shift. Its the reason you shouldn't really pay too much attention to the 0-60 time as it is an utterly meaningless figure for real life. Look at the in gear figures for a better indication of how it will feel on the road, i.e, plenty quick enough for its brakes and suspension. The top speed may look low, but that is 43mph higher than the UK legal limit, so what would the point be of giving it longer legs?, that would just lose drivability at the kind of speeds the car will actually be driven at.
|
|
>> lifelong interest in cars
I have lost interest in cars in recent years. For me car is now something that takes me to my destination reliably, safely, comfortably and without costing too much money in maintenance.
|
>> lifelong interest in cars
I have lost interest in cars in recent years. For me car is now something that takes me to my destination reliably, safely, comfortably and without costing too much money in maintenance.
I disagree slightly.
"For me car is now something that takes me to my destination reliably, safely, comfortably and without costing too much money in maintenance and is nearly 100% reliable or as close as possible"
|
I still like cars very much, but my attitude to them has shifted from them being the most desirable things in my life, to them being enabling platforms for the things I want from life.
In other words, if they can't reliably, safely and comfortably contain and shift the people and things I want with me most of the time, then no matter how otherwise nice they might be, then they're no use to me.
I probably spend more on mountain biking than cars these days. That does thrill me, and there are no cameras...
;-)
|
I still like cars very much, but my attitude to them has shifted from them being the most desirable things in my life, to them being enabling platforms for the things I want from life. In other words, if they can't reliably, safely and comfortably contain and shift the people and things I want with me most of the time, then no matter how otherwise nice they might be, then they're no use to me. I probably spend more on mountain biking than cars these days. That does thrill me, and there are no cameras... ;-)
Just curious, how many times has mountain biking been unsafe for you?
Anyone I have known who used two wheeled transport has had at least one injury accident, in one case fatal and another suffering brain injury despite wearing (and breaking) a helmet.
|
@galileo
Yes, I've "dismounted involuntarily" more times than I could possibly count or remember. We were building primitive mountain bikes for use on Scottish mountain trails from childhood nearly fifty years ago. But, it comes with the territory really. I suppose I've always had a bit of a penchant for more extreme activities. Horse riding, skiing, windsurfing and so on. Fortunately, my wife is similarly, if not more so inclined. Maybe it's not wise, but it is fun. What else are you supposed to do at the weekend anyway?
Heh Ho eh?
No pain no gain etc.
;-)
|
|
|
|
I still like cars very much, but my attitude to them has shifted from them being the most desirable things in my life, to them being enabling platforms for the things I want from life.
In other words, if they can't reliably, safely and comfortably contain and shift the people and things I want with me most of the time, then no matter how otherwise nice they might be, then they're no use to me.
I probably spend more on mountain biking than cars these days. That does thrill me, and there are no cameras...
;-)
I get that. I find modern cars soulless and that’s only likely to worsen via electrification. They’re appliances. Efficient, quick and safe but dull to look at and drive. There’s no feel, no fun, no manual gearbox. I also like my mountain biking, it’s what kept me sane over the last year or so between Covid and personal illness. Getting out on the bike exploring has kept my mind occupied especially here in Ayrshire which has some glorious off-road cycling routes and some very interesting old industrial sites worth a visit, the old ICI site at Ardeer in particular. I’ve covered every metre of the place and have a comprehensive photo collection of this and much of Ayrshire’s old mining industrial sites. My bike however is next to valueless, though it was pricey when I bought it in 2003. It’s been the most reliable vehicle I’ve ever owned. It is in need of an update though.
Edited by SLO76 on 21/08/2021 at 20:31
|
|
<< Ayrshire ... has some glorious off-road cycling routes and some very interesting old industrial sites worth a visit, the old ICI site at Ardeer in particular. >>
Interesting you should mention Ardeer. As a one-time ICI man I visited that site in 1971, when I was briefly in the Safety business. Spent a few hours watching some explosions - it used to be Nobel Explosives Ltd I think.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have lost interest in cars in recent years. For me car is now something that takes me to my destination reliably, safely, comfortably and without costing too much money in maintenance.
I know what you mean. Cars have become too complex to work on, too uninspiring and clumsy to look at, and have no 'character', for want of a better word.
|
|
|
|
That deceives the actual performance through low gearing and slightly slow heavy shift. Its the reason you shouldn't really pay too much attention to the 0-60 time as it is an utterly meaningless figure for real life. Look at the in gear figures for a better indication of how it will feel on the road, i.e, plenty quick enough for its brakes and suspension. The top speed may look low, but that is 43mph higher than the UK legal limit, so what would the point be of giving it longer legs?, that would just lose drivability at the kind of speeds the car will actually be driven at.
Very true, although while it's got decent in-gear shove (especially compared to other cars of the early 70s) it's no fireball.
I do agree that a top speed of much more than 100mph is more or less useless for UK roads, although a tall top ratio is useful for motorway cruising. Laycock overdrive, anyone?
|
|
|
|
Indeed - in hindsight, laughably low-powered by today's standards at 135bhp but quite a light car with a mile-wide spread of torque. There weren't many cars around at the time that would give you that pushed-back-in-the-seat feeling.
This period Autocar road test of a 3-litre manual gives the 0-60 as 10.3s
And of course it would be just as quick now. The point being that today's cars are pointlessly powerful. Every preening middle manager thinks he (it's usually a he, but not exclusively) needs at least 250bhp. I might have been one myself when I applied for the Legacy turbo as a company car, although I prefer to think I was just a car enthusiast.
The car that made the biggest impression on me at the time, 40 years ago, was a 1600 Golf GTI with about 110bhp. I had never driven anything like it and it would still have the performance I want. In fact my 'toy' MX-5 1.5 fulfils that criterion quite well - with a bit more power and, incredibly, about 180Kg more weight despite being light by today's standards.
|
A Bugatti Veyron couldn't have got me down the M5 and into Somerset yesterday any quicker or indeed more slowly, than my lowly 180bhp diesel estate did.
Utter bedlam. At first, I reserved most of my ire for anyone with a caravan or motorhome, then, after a while, it extended to anyone with a top box. Then I began to dislike anyone with so much luggage that they couldn't see out of the back of their wobbling SUV.
The trucks became increasingly hateful in time, the vans more so, and well, let's not start on those with pick ups.
Once onto the rural Somerset section, it then became apparent that everyone with a tractor had conferred and decided to come out and jam up all the roads that were being used by this innocent party from Cheshire who was just trying to get somewhere to do some work.
Every pensioner with a walking frame had rallied round to ensure that every zebra crossing was obstructed for as long as possible, and of course every wide vehicle was out, deliberately being used to grind every narrow stretch to a complete halt while other wide vehicles intentionally and mean spiritedly went the other way so that they could only pass each other at a snails pace.
Ultimately, I hated them all.
|
|
I hope your windscreen wipers were working ok, needing to remove all that red mist from your vision! :-)
|
|
|
|
|
|
