Automotive bull5hit facts thread

[62 Austin]

In I964, someone with a new Jag XKE desperately needed to get across the Nenana River in Nenana, Alaska. No highway bridge at the time, just a ferry in summer and drive-across-the-ice in winter. In the fall, before the ice was thick enough to support a car, the crossing was closed. On this day...the ice was maybe 3 inches thick...and the driver stated that if he was going fast enough "It was impossible for the ice to break faster than he could drive over it in his Jaguar."

 

He took down the barricade, went back up the hill, and came  barreling down it at a speed somewhere between 60 and 100, figuring he'd make it across the 400-foot-wide river before it even had time to crack. It was an admirable experiment in physics, but Confucius might have said "Cheaper to buy train ticket from Fairbanks to Nenana than to buy new Jag."

 

This is a Real Rural Legend. The "E" is still in 30 feet of water if anyone's interested. 

[Taff]

The new Vauxhall Adam was named following an employee competition & prize draw at their Ellesmere Port plant. Managers were greatly relieved at the name, as during rehersals, the names "Tintagel" & "Cadwalader" were both drawn out

[62 Austin]

I have heard that there is some commonality between the front door of a BMW Isetta and someone's refrigerator door. Though I think the windscreen wiper and some tendency towards transparency were mods.

[inconsistant]

The Vauxhall Cavalier was named after the management's attitude to naming new models.

[alf892]

Conrad's Rover thread just reminded me of this little known fact.......

 

Radio receiving equipment fitted to many older British cars will not play foreign music. In addition sets older than 1980 will not play anything recorded after 31/12/80.

 

Some visionary manufacturers did built in a limp feature (revolutionary in the period).............you know when this is in operation because the radio will only play golf and cricket broadcasts

[Andrew353w]

When Terry Waite was released from captivity his Austin Ambassador had been standing in the airport car-park for several years, but after a jump-start it ran perfectly. The airport car parking firm were persuaded to write off the overstay fee for the car-park as they did not want any negative publicity.

 

This is confirmed by all Heathrow employees and TV footage at the time. If you ever see the TV news broadcast of Terry Waite's return to the U.K. he makes a short speech from a hastily assembled podium at Heathrow Airport. Just before he starts to speak an official leans forward and whispers something in his ear, after which Mr. Waite appears to stumble, before regaining control. The offical was a car park manager & he had just told Mr. Waite the cost of his 3 year stay in the short term car park at Terminal 4, which was only marginally larger than the recent Greek bail-out deal.

 

 

(This thread is making my life a happier one-long may it run!)

[castros_bro]

Prince Philip drives his own Routemaster round London.

[warren t claim]

Prince Philip drives his own Routemaster round London.

So does Hugh Laurie.

[LC Torana]

So does Hugh Laurie.

Of course!

 

He started out as a London bus driver, didn't he?

[DSdriver]

Management drafted in some strike-breaking scabs from Ricardo to do a shift on the T line at weekends.  There was a piece about it on World In Action.

They were lured in to work believing that they were going to be on permanent T break.

[warren t claim]

The Rover K Series engine was designed by a young Rik Mayall as part of a Blue Peter competition to find a way to power Joey Deacons wheelchair.

[Taff]

Due to the width of it's 305/30 ZR 20 rear tyres, the Ferrari 488GTB only has a ground pressure of 2 pounds per square inch.

 

This means it is technically possible to drive the car over your hand without causing injury.

[Vince70]

The Rover K Series engine was designed by a young Rik Mayall as part of a Blue Peter competition to find a way to power Joey Deacons wheelchair.

Posted Today, 11:24 AM

And I think the oil that got chucked into the blue-peter pond came from that k series engine as Rik wanted to find out if he could find a more efficient way of mixing Oil and water together but nothing has come close to the K series yet at doing the job..

[Christine]

Land Rovers don't rust as they're made from aluminium

[John F]

Posted Today, 11:24 AM

And I think the oil that got chucked into the blue-peter pond came from that k series engine as Rik wanted to find out if he could find a more efficient way of mixing Oil and water together but nothing has come close to the K series yet at doing the job..

 

He could've chucked Joey in...

[martc]

A Jeep CJ-5 with really big tires will not float. Please do not ask me how I know this.

 

Does this mean that Jeep CJ5's with really big tyres do float?

[Christine]

You can't die driving a 2011 Audi A4 ..or amazingly, a Kia Sorento of the same year .

Fact..

 

You can't commit suicide by leaving an engine running in a closed space with unleaded petrol .

[LC Torana]

Export versions of the original sidevalve Morris Minor MM had chain drive.

[warren t claim]

LHD versions of French cars are better built because the line workers make a point of sabotaging RHD examples because the French hate us.

[DSdriver]

LHD versions of French cars are better built because the line workers make a point of sabotaging RHD examples because the French hate us.

I think you'll  find that is actually true.

[Taff]

Richard Hammond was killed in a dragster crash while filming Top Gear in 2006. Since then, he has "appeared" in several episodes of TG by clever use of unseen out-cuts, CGI & body doubles

[rml2345]

The producer that Jeremy Clarkson allegedly punched was actually himself. He's now quit being Clarkson full time to focus on a new role of being Alan Titchmarsh.

[inconsistant]

The idea for the Range Rover originally came from fitting a bigger capacity fuel tank to a Land Rover.

[Christine]

Driving a secondhand car home with a perished cambelt is ok , IF , you immediately turn off the ignition to stop the engine when it snaps. Or dip the clutch quickly.

[inconsistant]

Tinted and un-tinted glass taste very slightly different.

[Christine]

Knackered antifreeze tastes salty , fresh antifreeze is sweet

[chaseracer]

Due to the width of it's 305/30 ZR 20 rear tyres, the Ferrari 488GTB only has a ground pressure of 2 pounds per square inch.

 

This means it is technically possible to drive the car over your hand without causing injury.

 

Your experience may be altered by wheelspin.  E&OE, T&Cs apply...

[Christine]

Automatics CAN be bump started BUT only by towing over 15mph in N and selecting P whilst at the same time turning on the ignition ..

[castros_bro]

To recondition  an engine all you need to do is hone the bores by mixing valve grinding paste with some old engine oil and pour into the engine then drive a few thousand kilometers. The more smoke it produces the better as this is the burnt on crud inside the engine being cleared out.

[LC Torana]

Coca-Cola was nicknamed "Coke" because the phosphoric acid was good for de-coking engines.