28 replies to this topic

[DeanP]

British engineers are still as good as any you'll find anywhere. Look at Formula 1, most teams are UK based because that's where the best engineers are located.

I agree, it is just a pity British engineers have to go and work for foreign organisations to achieve something. Perhaps it may change now with the government pushing for "made in Britain", I won't hold my breathe though as the conservatives have never liked linking themselves to anything industrial.

[mab01uk]

As a change from the many Mini books available there is an interesting new book just out on the story of Alec Issigonis's BMC 1100 range.
The Story of the BMC 1100
http://www.the1100cl...bookdetails.php

The book’s co-author said: “The Morris 1100 was loved by many people and during the 1960s and early 70s it was the best-selling car in Britain for a full eight years – outselling even the Mini.
“In 1969 alone, 2,790 1100s were rolling out of the Cowley factory each week, and being shipped around the country and abroad."
“It took 13 per cent of the new car market share in that time and everywhere you looked you would see one. They were great-looking cars.”
“The book is full of data and interesting facts and photos, but it also has a fascinating collection of interviews with former Morris workers, ranging from developers and designers to engineers and those who actually built and tested the 1100.”
* The Story of the BMC 1100, priced £25 (ISBN: 978-1-84549-539-8)
http://www.oxfordmai...noured_in_book/

Edited by mab01uk, 13 June 2012 - 10:45 PM.

[Cooperman]

It was, indeed, an excellent car and when it got some power with the MG1300 it really went well. Of course, it rusted, but so did the competitors products. The 1100/1300 was a real success story.
What a pity it was all thrown away.

[mk1leg]

The 1100/1300 represented a great range of family cars. In particular the MG1300 went really well. I had a friend who had one and we used to do a 'car-share' scheme with each of us using his car on alternate days. The MG was great and very economical compared to the Cortina GT I had back then.
One has to wonder how BMC/BLMC/Austin-Rover/Rover subsequently got it all so wrong and threw away their market share by a combination of bad management and stupid unions.
Very sad really.

It was not BMC-Austin it was Red Robo trade unionist leader......he took Austin-leyland down with all the strikes in the 70s.....he made all the workers on the production lines leave or forget to or put on parts of cars on certain modles like marina, maxi ect the only model they did nor sabotarge was the beloved mini it never stopped production during these strikes...........

[jamesmpi]

Don't forget though that some of strikes were done deliberately by the management in order to manage volume output! Now I'm not saying they caused ALL the strikes. I hate what the unions did to the UK car industry, but having worked in the car industry for the last 10 years I have had the pleasure of speaking to many people who have worked in it for 40+ years who have told me some very funny stories about what went on.....

Someone once said that during the dark days when the uk motor industry was going down faster than the titanic, sales were very low. So to avoid sending people home at the companies expense the management sent round the rumour that they were going to take 10 minutes off their tea break. Soon the cries went out "out brothers out" and the whole factory went on strike.....simples

[Brams96]

The move Made In Dagenham is a perfect example of how the Unions worked in those days. Yes the movie is about womans pay rights but the union rep & ford's british management are portrayed as incompenant fools. 'That's the way we do it because that's the way things have always been done' mentality & if anything this country runs on tradition. Typical upper managemnent ruining things for everyone else (just like the government!)

[mininuts]

Always loved the 1100/1300 and liked the fact that it was so closely related to the mini.

Just acquired this Japanese book that equally features both the mini and ADO16. Seems the Japs are as fanatical about ADO16's as they are about minis.

Here's the cover and a couple of pages

[Brams96]

My dad actually swapped the 850 auto for a Princess 1300 in his 1965 Mk1 mini, which I then used to go to high school in. Loved that car!

[minimarco]

This thread is a great read.
It also reminds me of this song.

Facing the world ain't easy when there isn't anything going
Standing at the corner waiting watching time go by
Will I go to work today or shall I bide my time
'because when I see that union man walking down the street
He's the man who decides if I live or I die, if I starve, or I eat
Then he walks up to me and the sun begins to shine
Then he walks right past and I know that I've got to get back in the line
Now I think of what my mamma told me
She always said that it would never ever work out
But all I want to do is make some money
And bring you home some wine
For I don't ever want you to see me
Standing in that line
'Cause that union man's got such a hold over me
He's the man who decides if I live or I die, if I starve, or I eat
Then he walks up to me and the sun begins to shine
Then he walks right past and I know that I've got to get back in the line

Edit: maybe this alternate will work, but it's The Kinks' Get back in line.

Edited by minimarco, 14 June 2012 - 09:01 PM.

[Brams96]

Sorry that link doesn't work in this country.

Edit: that one works now

Edited by Brams96, 15 June 2012 - 01:04 AM.

[Cooperman]

On the subject of unions & management, at BMC/BLMC, et al, both were at their worst. Ford management was very astute. When there was a problem with the metallic paint process, due to a major mistake in paint-process design & planning, the 'govenor' at Ford asked how long the line would be stopped to put it right. He was told it would be 2 to 3 week. "OK" he said, "get them all out on strike". So a shop steward was subjected to disciplinary procedure for a 'presumed' industrial offence and the whole work force walked out. When the paint process was OK the company merely apologised to the shop stweard, paid him full salary as compensation and the work force, who did not get paid during their strike, walked back in. Very shrewd management which saved Ford a fortune. The paint shop was put right at no cost to Ford by the sub-contractors.

[Stevie W]

I had 3 of these amazing cars, a MkI, MkII and MkIII.
Learnt to drive and passed my test in the MkI, absolutely brilliant car which was ahead of its time.

As others have said, the fighting between unions and management took its toll on the build quality and paint finish etc. and the MkI was the best model and the later ones got progressively worse!

I think there was also cost cutting exercises going on with the later models with poorer quality interiors.......

Brilliant cars though......still want one to add to my BL collection.....a nice MkI or early MkII with a strip speedo.....or a Wolsely/MG/Riley 1300!!!!

Edited by Stevie W, 16 June 2012 - 06:26 AM.

[mab01uk]

Brilliant cars though......still want one to add to my BL collection.....a nice MkI or early MkII with a strip speedo.....or a Wolsely/MG/Riley 1300!!!!

Agreed........but hurry if you want one as considering the numbers built there are not that many left, even of the more common badge engineered variants, due to rust issues and it taking far longer than the Mini to become appreciated as an important British classic car worth preserving.

Practical Classics Magazine - Endangered Species:
Wolseley 1100
only 25 left on UK Roads !

Edited by mab01uk, 16 June 2012 - 09:15 AM.

[govig]

They're getting expensive too. A very nice 1300GT went for £5k on ebay a month or two back.