"Berang" (berang)
02/22/2018 at 04:31 • Filed to: None
3
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"Berang" (berang)
02/22/2018 at 04:31 • Filed to: None | 3
| 17 |
It’s a very convoluted family history, but yes, in a very tortured way, the Jeep is related to the Austin 7.
AuthiCooper1300
> Berang
02/22/2018 at 05:46 |
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What happened to American Bantam is one of the saddest (and most unfair) episodes in automotive history.
ranwhenparked
> Berang
02/22/2018 at 07:05 |
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And that’s how BMW and Nissan got on Jeep’s family tree.
Party-vi
> Berang
02/22/2018 at 08:13 |
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In that Karl Probst’s design used mostly Austin 7 parts for the BRC, and then Willys/Ford got their hands on the BRC design and made it better.
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AuthiCooper1300
> Party-vi
02/22/2018 at 08:27 |
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And Bantam promptly got edged out - for as we know
no good deed ever goes unpunished.
punkgoose17
> Berang
02/22/2018 at 08:48 |
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I feel bad for the Cord that was in the junkyard that they got the front wheel drive parts from.
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Party-vi
> AuthiCooper1300
02/22/2018 at 09:56 |
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Bantam was given a contract for design and then determined not to have the capacity to maintain production. Plus, while they did build all the vehicles for the RFP, they were more expensive than Willys-Overland and they didn’t meet the weight requirement. Plus, they had a poo engine.
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AuthiCooper1300
> Party-vi
02/22/2018 at 10:19 |
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As far as I remember nobody ever met the official weight requirements* (which were gradually moved up, I suppose to avoid embarrassment to all parties, the DoD procurement body included); granted, being such a small company American Bantam did not have the capacity/resources to do large series on their own but why weren’t they allowed (or “invited”) to manufacture a clone of the Willys MB, together with Ford? (the Go-Devil engine was better, no question there.)
Being left just to produce trailers sounds extremely harsh.
*I have always wondered if the 80s Citroën Méhari 4x4 would actually get a pass in that respect, I should check the figures.
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Party-vi
> AuthiCooper1300
02/22/2018 at 10:24 |
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Correct, and they were moved up because 1,300lb was ridiculous.
Probably due to Ford being so large at the time, and they were paid more than Willys per unit as well.
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AuthiCooper1300
> Party-vi
02/22/2018 at 10:28 |
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Then my point about the whole shebang being a sad and unjust affair can stand?
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Party-vi
> AuthiCooper1300
02/22/2018 at 10:55 |
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I don’t think it was unjust, but it was sad.
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Berang
> Party-vi
02/23/2018 at 06:39 |
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I think the unjust part is that Bantam rushed like hell to produce something, and produced something, when the bigger companies didn’t/couldn’t, but then got cut out of the picture.
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Berang
> AuthiCooper1300
02/23/2018 at 06:40 |
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You know, I think the original 2-stroke Suzuki Jimny was under 1300lbs.
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AuthiCooper1300
> Berang
02/23/2018 at 07:30 |
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Interesting idea, hadn’t thought of that. Just checked the Méhari curb weights and the 4x4 version is a whopping
720
kilos, which makes a stark contrast to the 555 kilos of the 1980 regular two-wheel-drive version (which was also used by the French military).
However, I’d suppose the old Jimny was closer in size to the M422 Mighty Mite and certainly not as long as a Méhari?
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AuthiCooper1300
> Berang
02/23/2018 at 07:32 |
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(OT) By the way - did you check out the Lumax light eBay link I sent you last week? (Or perhaps it was two weeks ago, cannot remember now.)
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Berang
> AuthiCooper1300
02/23/2018 at 07:40 |
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I don’t think I ever saw it.
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AuthiCooper1300
> Berang
02/23/2018 at 07:52 |
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AuthiCooper1300
> AuthiCooper1300
02/23/2018 at 07:53 |
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Posted on Feb 7 as a comment to your “Vintage Kinbys”