Old British cars in oz?

[nstg8a]

Was there ever a lot of British cars in oz?

Stuff like the old chevettes, marina, avengers. Etc etc.

I realise there was a lot of escorts and the odd capris, but. Don't know about others?

Basically I'm chasing one of these

[JG66ME]

Last small UK "old" General Motors car was the Vauxhall Viva that morphed into the Torana and then the Torana became an all Australian car. The Chevette size car was the Izuzu based Gemini.

[csv8]

There was Austin, Morris, Humber, Hillman, Wolsey, Jaguar, Bentley, Rover, Rolls Royce, and possibly more...

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by JG66ME

Last small UK "old" General Motors car was the Vauxhall Viva that morphed into the Torana and then the Torana became an all Australian car. The Chevette size car was the Izuzu based Gemini.

Ahh so the Chevette was never bought in because they chose the Gemini?

[kevino]

Try NZ if you want english cars of that vintage.
Chevette -sold in nz not Oz
Hillman Avenger-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Allegro-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Princess-sold in Nz not Oz
Morris Marina -sold in both
Nz switched to Jap cars a bit slower than Oz.

[Silver Ghia]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Was there ever a lot of British cars in oz?

Stuff like the old chevettes, marina, avengers. Etc etc.

I realise there was a lot of escorts and the odd capris, but. Don't know about others?

Basically I'm chasing one of these

image

Sure was, in the 1950's and '60's there were probably more British cars here in Australia than from anywhere else. Including many British cars that were assembled in Australia like Morris. Also Ford Consuls, Zephyr, Anglias etc.

Cars from Japan or other Asian countries were almost non existent, with Japanese cars starting to come here in the mid 1960's.

[nstg8a]

Originally Posted by kevino

Try NZ if you want english cars of that vintage.
Chevette -sold in nz not Oz
Hillman Avenger-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Allegro-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Princess-sold in Nz not Oz
Morris Marina -sold in both
Nz switched to Jap cars a bit slower than Oz.

Yeah I'm from NZ, that's why I kinda like the old unreliable pieces of poo lol, growing up dad had a lot of old British stuff, some cool, some definitely not.

Worst was easily the leyland princess.... But had a few cool ones like vauxhall victors, twin carb avengers, had a Chevette like the one I pictured that he first put a 1800 viva motor in, then a 2.3 cf Bedford motor in. Kinda why I want one now, to build one in his memory.

Might have to look at importing one I guess.

[russellw]

Sadly, we did see the Marina here in various guises all of which had one thing in common - they were evil handling devices at the best of times. That we chose to almost double the power output using the same I6 that would later go on to provide more than adequate 6 cylinder power for the much larger P76 only proves that we were crazy.

Still see the odd one around but they should be shot on sight.

Cheers
Russ

[TC200six]

British cars were like the Japanese cars of later times. There is a massive following of Morris Minors in Brisbane atleast. Then there were the later FWD BMC cars like the Austin 1100 and the larger 1800. I see the odd one around.

Don't forget the Moke

[nstg8a]

Lol I checked out a moke at a local dodgy cheapie yard before I went on holiday, but 8k seemed somewhat excessive, no matter how cool it is.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by russellw

Sadly, we did see the Marina here in various guises all of which had one thing in common - they were evil handling devices at the best of times.

Especially on a dirt road! That they were designed by Issigonis who also designed the Mini amazes me. I had one briefly and I appreciate it for the fact that it gave me a good education in skid correction!

Somebody in Nowra is driving a Mark 1 Austin 1800 as a daily driver. It's in beautiful condition, nearly 50 years old.

When we call them "British" cars we have to remember that since the late 1950s they were being manufactured in Australia with up to 97% Australian content. Does anyone do that much Australian content now? There were also some brilliant designs ahead of their time - the front wheel drives and the P76 in particular. Reliability and build quality were another issue unfortunately (the latter the same with Ford and Holden at the time), that's where the Japs got a foothold.

[nstg8a]

It was always the electrics that seemed dodgy on dads cars when I was growing up, and they all seemed to smell like burnt oil lol

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

It was always the electrics that seemed dodgy on dads cars when I was growing up,

Made by Lucas, a UK company jokingly referred to by British motoring afficionados as "the prince of darkness". Also Australian content, there was a Lucas plant next to the BMC factory at Waterloo.

I also forget to mention there was a lot of Australian design input in these cars (almost totally with the P76) as the British models were never quite appropriate to Australian conditions. Like the Falcon and Territory, they showed what Australian engineering talent could do. But let down by the manufacturing side. All gone now, like most Australian industry.

[jpd80]

Actually, for a long time electricity was considered to have physical form - smoke.
All thanks to Lucas electricals leaking the stuff everywhere..

[Marquis]

Cortina's are tops

[TC200six]

I've been inside a 1962 Morris Major, it was an interesting car and all, except you could hardly get the brakes to work. You stand on the peddle and it would just gradually come to a stop.

Those Australian BMC cars seemed to have used straw carpet underlay too.

[Vincenzo]

Originally Posted by nstg8a

Basically I'm chasing one of these[/URL]

Is that a Sunbeam Talbot. If so I would give my (R) gonad for a works prepared one. Hang on, forget it, I did that to get my BMW 635

Cheers Vincenzo

[RSgerry]

Originally Posted by Vincenzo

Is that a Sunbeam Talbot. If so I would give my (R) gonad for a works prepared one. Hang on, forget it, I did that to get my BMW 635

Cheers Vincenzo

that one is a Vauxhall Chevette. nice looking too, but the Sunbeam Talbot to have is the Lotus powered version. very rare and desirable, also fast.

[pottery beige]

Zephyrs rock

[xrystl]

Back in the mid sixties I worked for the BMC dealer in Perth who sold a plethora of misery to the unsuspecting public , many a new car had to go into the workshop for repairs before being delivered to the customer , with " Prince of darkness" electrics it was quite an event to actually have a new car that didn't need some kind of coaxing to have all the electrics working , pretty much the same with everything else that came out of England back in those days (except the Mini and its derivatives) , remember the Austin Freeway which was BMCs answer to the Holden and Falcon (designed in England for Australian conditions) I don't think there was on one of those which survived an Australian summer and the only people who bought them were the 10 pound Poms , Standard Motor Company had the Vanguard , Mayflower and Triumph oddities which were pretty tough , the Vanguard from the 50s was like a Fergie tractor in different clothes ; at the dealership where I worked if there was rain coming all the MGs had to go under cover as they all leaked from new : I had a friend in those day and he worked at the "Routes group" dealership which had a conglomeration of British and French cars like Humber , Hillman , Riley , Singer and Simca and a few others and they were dreadfully unreliable with engineering and design that went back to the pre war era .
In the sixties Morris was also badged as an Austin or Riley and as a Wolseley (Wolseley was more upmarket ) and apart from the Morris the Aussies just weren't buying and the end of the British car industry was just around the corner but not before we got the dreadful Morris Marina and Austin Kimberly with the death knell being the Leyland P76

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by TC200six

I've been inside a 1962 Morris Major, it was an interesting car and all, except you could hardly get the brakes to work. You stand on the peddle and it would just gradually come to a stop.

Don't forget the Holdens, Falcons and their ilk at that time and for some years after had, not only no brakes, but no steering (at least of barge-like quality)! At BMC it all changed very quickly after the Morris major. Within 3 or 4 years their cars were getting rack and pinion steering, boosted disk brakes, pressure-limiting valves to limit lock-up, radial ply tyres, all market-leading stuff. It's the manufacturing quality and components that let them down.

[Burnout]

Took these on Friday night:

[GCRXR6]

Ahh the Austin A90 Six Westminster Saloon.... Had a hide like a tank. A mate of mine in an AP5 Valiant collided with my old mans Austin. The old man drove home and the Valiant was almost a write off.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by kevino

Try NZ if you want english cars of that vintage.
Chevette -sold in nz not Oz
Hillman Avenger-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Allegro-sold in Nz not Oz
Austin Princess-sold in Nz not OzMorris Marina -sold in both
Nz switched to Jap cars a bit slower than Oz.

Actually the Princess was sold here and there were quite a few on the Sydney northern beach suburbs. They were toted as the poor man's Rolls Royce as the engines were connected to RR in some way.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by xrystl

Back in the mid sixties I worked for the BMC dealer in Perth who sold a plethora of misery to the unsuspecting public , many a new car had to go into the workshop for repairs before being delivered to the customer , with " Prince of darkness" electrics it was quite an event to actually have a new car that didn't need some kind of coaxing to have all the electrics working , pretty much the same with everything else that came out of England back in those days (except the Mini and its derivatives) , remember the Austin Freeway which was BMCs answer to the Holden and Falcon (designed in England for Australian conditions) I don't think there was on one of those which survived an Australian summer and the only people who bought them were the 10 pound Poms , Standard Motor Company had the Vanguard , Mayflower and Triumph oddities which were pretty tough , the Vanguard from the 50s was like a Fergie tractor in different clothes ; at the dealership where I worked if there was rain coming all the MGs had to go under cover as they all leaked from new : I had a friend in those day and he worked at the "Routes group" dealership which had a conglomeration of British and French cars like Humber , Hillman , Riley , Singer and Simca and a few others and they were dreadfully unreliable with engineering and design that went back to the pre war era .
In the sixties Morris was also badged as an Austin or Riley and as a Wolseley (Wolseley was more upmarket ) and apart from the Morris the Aussies just weren't buying and the end of the British car industry was just around the corner but not before we got the dreadful Morris Marina and Austin Kimberly with the death knell being the Leyland P76

Agree with all that except those 4 cylinder Simcas were very popular and seemingly reliable. There were a lot of them racing on the circuits and Laurie Oxenford was the man to go to to get them to go fast. Laurie retired to the Gold Coast and passed away here some years ago.

[new2ford]

Originally Posted by GCRXR6

Ahh the Austin A90 Six Westminster Saloon.... Had a hide like a tank. A mate of mine in an AP5 Valiant collided with my old mans Austin. The old man drove home and the Valiant was almost a write off.

You had me puzzled for a moment until it occurred to me you might have been referring to the photo above. No, actually this is the A95 (not A90):


http://www.classicandperformancecar....re.php?id=3705

[79FordEsky]

Also hillmans were here

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by pottery beige

Zephyrs rock

image

You have got that right.

[GCRXR6]

Originally Posted by new2ford

You had me puzzled for a moment until it occurred to me you might have been referring to the photo above. No, actually this is the A95 (not A90):

image
http://www.classicandperformancecar....re.php?id=3705

Nope .. I meant the A90 Six Westminster . Built 1954. A95 came next I believe ... little difference though.

[RSgerry]

The Princess and the Allegro were truly sights to behold. I grew up in London in the 70's and these things were everywhere. Two of the ugliest cars ever spawned.