"Josh G" (kerbhopping)
05/04/2015 at 12:22 • Filed to: None
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"Josh G" (kerbhopping)
05/04/2015 at 12:22 • Filed to: None | 2
| 10 |
Way back when, R&T were known for their ruthless criticism of the American automotive industry as seen here by the last paragraph in the first review of the 1964 Mustang. They were likely just peeved the mid engine, v4 powered Mustang I didn’t go anywhere.
We were disappointed, though, because the Mustang was so little different (except in appearance) from the typical American sedan. It seemed to us that Ford designers had a chance with the Mustang to genuinely improve the breed and introduce untold numbers of American drivers to the driving pleasures they’ve never before experienced. Instead, they simply built all the familiar characteristics for which the typical American sedan has been cursed so long, into a sporty looking package.
R&T 1964
For Sweden
> Josh G
05/04/2015 at 12:28 |
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Were they also angry that it didn’t come as a wagon?
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Josh G
> For Sweden
05/04/2015 at 12:32 |
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Believe it or not they took several issues of the magazine to prescribe the design for the ultimate American sports sedan. They went so far as to include dimensions on drawings and technical specifications from wheelbase to firing order. Ironically it was a rear engine air-cooled six cylinder, basically a Corvair. It was designed to be a wagon, sports sedan, and sports car platform.
Some might say R&T in those days was proto oppo.
RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Josh G
05/04/2015 at 12:34 |
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Counterpoint: the V4-powered Mustang I would have been an expensive bridge too far for the common man, with serious issues standing in the way of V8 versions - the power and light weight that (if from pedestrian roots) made the pony car the icon of a generation. The Corvette never was really “affordable” on that level. Ford conducted experiments with IRS-powered Mustangs at the time and found improvement in ride quality but little in performance. It should be remarked that compacts on the market were not the “typical American sedan” so very much, and “driving pleasures” bleh bleh above and beyond “familiar characteristics” perhaps just weren’t valued by the consumer?
‘60s R&T: noted to have heads firmly up rectum in wanting an American fiberglass Alfa/Saab Sonett/something that nobody would buy.
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Josh G
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/04/2015 at 12:45 |
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Great footnote, and agreed R&T had some serious love for some oddly bonkers cars. Their obsession with fiberglass and the home built sports car is confusing. I will keep posting these oddities if people enjoy.... otherwise why have this R&T collection.
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RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
> Josh G
05/04/2015 at 12:58 |
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I read the metric article too, and while the John Birch Society nut didn’t have a point, I regard cheerleading for the metric system as Clearly Superior enough to adopt as a pet cause and not shut the fuck up about to be something borne of a serious and fundamental fuckwittery and inability to process the differences between theory and practice on any level. That, in essence (theory vs. practice disconnect) may be playing into their lack of realism on the Mustang.
R&T’s response there is deeply WTF: “No, because we talked to somebody in the US chemical industry working in Venezuela and he likes metric”. THE HELL?
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Josh G
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/04/2015 at 13:05 |
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In the early 2000’s a friend was buying an old Honda F2 and as we were removing the plate we noticed he swapped the hardware for standard. Inquiring as to why he let out a vitriolic rant which had us scratching our heads, maybe the metric system slept with his wife.. I believe it was my first time seeing a blinding paradigm in action. The dude did give him his spare helmet so we know he wasn’t a loon, but still.
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Josh G
> RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/04/2015 at 13:06 |
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Also I will keep this archival stuff up if people find it interesting.
LongbowMkII
> Josh G
05/04/2015 at 13:40 |
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Requesting articles on a fiberglass oddball; Lotus Europa. The shop manual is a bit dry.
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Josh G
> LongbowMkII
05/04/2015 at 16:31 |
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I will keep a lookout.
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LongbowMkII
> Josh G
05/04/2015 at 16:42 |
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Thanks, it'd be interesting to see opinions from the period.