I must have missed something - who is this celebrated GRowler?
Makes me think - now we've had favourite cars, best / worst design features etc. what about most memorable, inimitable motoring noises - growly or otherwise?
Anyone old enough will remember, for example -
- Morris Minor 1000 (for some reason, not the 803) on the overrun
- first gear in one of the Austin Counties - Devon, Hampshire etc
- the two-stroke diesel Commer lorry of the 50's.
Newer cars seem less memorable - perhaps you can think of more recent sounds. The Subaru flat-four perhaps.
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While having a guided tour of the Newport Pagnell factory, having a V8 Vantage burble past us at low speed as it got driven out of the workshop.
Thay engine sounds incredible enough to start with, but when you're inside and it's echoing off the walls and roof too.
Breathtaking.
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I must have missed something - who is this celebrated GRowler?
One of our esteemed overseas contributors. He's back in the UK for a few days and hopes to be able to arrange a meet for those interested.
No Dosh - Backroom Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk
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Flat-fours are nice (usually - I'm not wild about Beetle noises) - I've had an Alfasud and a GS, and my grandfather had a Jowett Javelin!
I'd also put in a word for the old Audi 5-cylinder Quattro. I have a later and less powerful 5-cylinder Audi that also sounds very musical to me.
Nearly all V8's sound good (apart from the flat-crank ones, such as Lotus's) and most V-twin bike engines. Even my parallel twin Suzuki sounds presentable - it whiffles at low revs (anything below 5000) and howls all the way from 7 to 11...
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The burble of a Volvo 5-cylinder 20valve.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Alfa Romeo 3 litre v6, a classic engine and one of the best sounding ever. The quad cam 24v they have been using recently is pretty impressive too.
teabelly
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My old Reliant Regal after the exhaust fell off. Sounded like a flight of B52's on the way to Kwik Fit, even the superbikes leaving the grid at Brands years later didn't compare.
Magic.
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You can't beat a 1920's superchaged Bentley for the definitive car growly noise.
Speaking of B52's - I was at Farnborough on Tuesday where the B52H Stratofortress was to give a 5 minute display having flown from America and was then to fly straight back.
We all waited in anticipation as we could see said B52 in the far distance. To much consternation from the announcer he proceeded to give his fly past over Blackbushe airfield 5 miles away.....
Definitive growly noises full stop?
Take your pick of the Boeing F/A 18 F , Eurofighter or Tornado or possibly the Saab Gripen ( which has got to be the fastest machine powered by Volvo engines)
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"To much consternation from the announcer he proceeded to give his fly past over Blackbushe airfield 5 miles away..... "
Good job he wasnt on a bombing run, would have given the stall holders a shock. And we wonder why the yanks have so many friendly fire incidents.!
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"To much consternation from the announcer he proceeded to give his fly past over Blackbushe airfield 5 miles away..... " Good job he wasnt on a bombing run, would have given the stall holders a shock. And we wonder why the yanks have so many friendly fire incidents.!
Might have livened the car aution up a bit though.
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Took the 7 (TR) for a blast last night down to deliver some bits to Paddock Wood. Down through the lanes with the hood down the Rover lump sounded wonderful, hasn't got a huge amount of silencing so B loud! Now beginning to free up as it gets run in. Needs a rolling Road session to find the missing BHP though.
Another awesome engine was a highly tuned 1800 K Series Rover in a Caterham 7 a few years ago. On a rolling road at 9,000+RPM was on the threshold of pain, but amazing. Around 260BHP if I remember right!
Years ago used to go to Hillclimb meetings and stand next to Cosworth DFV F1 lumps fire up.
Also model aero engines in the days before silencing, 2.5cc, 18,000RPM!
Probably the reason I'm partially deaf now I suppose.
Jim
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Field Marshall tractor, with semi-diesel engine.
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Espada III beat me to it! I love the engine note of our 5 cylinder 20 valve V70 2.4T. Just like a Quattro when working hard, and with a lovely off beat burble at tickover. Even Dad's 2.4 and Bro's D5 have the same basic quality, courtesy of five pots.
However, nothing I have actually owned compares to my 600cc sportsbike howling up to 13,000RPM, nano second gear change, then the same all over again. Even with a road legal, not race, exhaust, it is truly fantastic.
The best of all though was not from a car that I have owned, much though I would love to. It was the engine note during my (now two, and hoping for a third!) runs in a McLaren Mercedes SLR. Not just truly fanastic, but awesome. Deep chested V8 bass rumble, with supercharger scream. There might as well be a Merlin under the bonnet, though I don't know one that'll happily take 8,000RPM! Makes TVRs and Porsches sound mundane.
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"I don't know one that'll happily take 8,000RPM"
I remember reading about a Packard-built Merlin that someone put into a Mustang funny car (drag racer), the point being that the engine had come from a Mustang aeroplane. Anyway, suitably re-worked and running on methanol, it could manage 7000rpm and must have sounded amazing. I think it was a bit heavy on tyres...
Actually, almost anything at a drag strip is worth hearing. The big nitro-fuelled V8's are earth-shaking.
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"Field Marshall tractor"
Isn't that the famous 4-litre single? Not sure I'd want to drive the thing (too many fillings)!
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Subaru flat four or six, wonderful sound, quite unlike any straight or V engine.
StarGazer
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"Subaru flat four or six"
Didn't know they did a six. What car is it in?
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JBJ,
The Outback 3.0 H6.
Rather a nice car! But engine is only 20mm longer than the flat 4 so in theory it will fit into any of the Subaru enginebays.
StarGazer
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..."Subaru flat four or six"
...Didn't know they did a six. What car is it in?
In the UK market at least, some Legacy models.
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"Subaru flat six"
Ooh, I want one! Poor man's Porsche... :-)
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The clatter of a Pug XU diesel??
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Strange no-one's mentioned the Merlin.
Off-topic perhaps, although I seem to recall someone did fit one in a car!
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...Strange no-one's mentioned the Merlin.
It's not a car engine, but I did. Read above!
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Hehe: you'd never get away with it in UK: Harley Twin Cam 88 1450 cc with Vance and Hines Straightshots open pipes and no mufflers ...especially when there's 20 or so of 'em in a group.
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Mainly negative
the bags of nails under the bonnet of my F reg company Fiesta - the '83-'89 one
the horrific whine of the MG Metro two doors from my parents when i was much younger. The woman driver used to drive around the estate in first only...
Rover V8 (3.5 Buick one) - lovely sound
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I've been out to play this evening in a Didge Viper GTS, 8000cc V10 sounds beautifully smooth
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I read often, only post occasionally
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