Author Topic: Memories & Comments Of The Motor Industry In Birmingham  (Read 1088 times)

Andy Capp

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Memories & Comments Of The Motor Industry In Birmingham
« on: November 15, 2008, 04:30:54 PM »
HI ALL
DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR MEMORIES THE MOTOR INDUSTRY. MY UNCLE BOUGHT A NEW AUSTIN ATLANTIC IN ABOUT 1947 OR 1948. THE DESIZN WAS VERY FUTURISTIC AT THE TIME. WE FELT LIKE FLASH GORDON WHEN WE HAD A RIDE IN IT.
ANDY CAPP

Andy Capp

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Re: Memories & Comments Of The Motor Industry In Birmingham
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2008, 04:50:59 PM »
The Austin Atlantic.
Andy Capp

tramp

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Re: Memories & Comments Of The Motor Industry In Birmingham
« Reply #2 on: November 15, 2008, 06:11:11 PM »
Andy,

A lovely looking car, designed and built for export to the US, hence the name. It also broke a few records.  Austin came up with some good models in the late 40s & 50s, and developed them futher for a short while. (the Sheerline & Princess were literal non-starters for the most part). Cars like the Devon, Somerset ( 2dr Dorset), then the Cambridge and Westminster, as well as the little A30, later A35.  At that time you'd never have thought it would die - but like much of UK industry it failed to maintain modernisation and the independence of colonies in Africa and Asia in the early 60s meant those markets looked further afield and by 1970 the Japs were moving into them in a big way, as the Germans had from the early 60s. All that said, the best car in Africa was the Peugot, esp 404.

jasper14

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Re: Memories & Comments Of The Motor Industry In Birmingham
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2008, 07:21:03 AM »

  1939 Dad just back from Turkey after 3 years.Bought a Morris 8

AEA 217, bright Red, he named her   "the Bug" when anything went

wrong he added   er on............She was a lovely little car and I can
remember Dad polishing her any time he had off.course petrol being
rationed we could,nt go joy riding but he was allowed to use her to go
to work.He was working with Donald Bailey the Bridge inventor at the time.


 

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