Yank stuff imported to U.K in 70s

[sierraman]

Further from the thread on Giles chapmans book, what US cars were imported officially to the UK in the 70s esp stuff converted to RHD?

[Split_Pin]

His book, A to Z of cars of the 1970s is the perfect answer 😀

[AMC Rebel]

AMC sold Rebels, Ambassadors, Classics, Pacers and Jeeps (they owned Jeep at the time) in RHD.  They also sold AMXs and Javelins (I think there were some RHD Javelins) and even Matadors offered in LHD.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/62726314@N07/28126251465/in/photolist-JRqoE6-nfkQCa-p198pU-8DJyz9-7AruWz-8Y52P4-nfVWRx-qw46UU-fd12XC-a3qdcw-booMck-7KNaHj-fNtq6S-aBTqde-a9P6QL-9Gruyp-aEFTJ7-qYeX2t-kTDpSv-aBWd5A-nfVZpF-7HPAAN-ijcSuM-booMhK-7SjcQZ-aBW2tE-a3bEG9-duQK9k-a38tLZ-6AzMCg-ak1DSY-7JN77z-a3aRMG-a5usD3-aAnbYK-jFa3DY-a3buWS-853eAa-7KJt78-aeqdGV-aBTtD2-fcZScG-e4Sfqu-fd1ijU-a38UUi-a3n9ai-fcKxgp-3TzHpD-piZQFv-jXdQqx

 

 

GM (Chevy and Pontiac) sold stuff in RHD in the 50s and 60s, not so sure about the 70s.  

 

For another book I recommend Steve Miles' various (vols 1-5) "Over Here" with photos of all the Yank motors he spotted - mainly in the 60s - but a surprising number of RHD.

 

Ford sold RHD mustangs here - this one in 1977 -

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/81018118@N02/15464408050/in/photolist-pyx8K1-p198q5-nRJ7EM-dPuGGx-pB2jYi-pyx8Du-qgnkDn-qWP5sg-qXgLFR-qgMkJs-rcMkAi-eLFUfJ-dqzJs7-ptPJVX-qkQXGz-fcZWxL-fd1rRw-fd19YG-o961W6-oxr5h5-npYizM-fcZTdL-qZ6UQh-e6tMVY-qnrZhb-aCWLWb-oeHXc1-rcWc68-rhm8QA-e7roTU-r17sjZ-k9Wv4N-qXaLDj-fcKQdc-oxr3mb-qgVfd8-fd1guA-fcZUrC-ekbgoX-oM53xU-oK4Ujs-p198py-6AEJLm-HLyBif-fq2oQC-fd1aB1-9zntXK-nH3WRf-rk13hd-nvP5Dj

[Asimo]

There was some sort of Chrysler, Valiant maybe?, but they might have been Australian.

Seniors at Chrysler in Coventry (where I worked briefly) drove them, if they were too important for Chrysler 180s.

I think Firebird and Camaro were officially sold here, they weren't that unusual, even my brother in law had one (Firebird). Always LHD.

 

Weren't Ford A series trucks US built?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Further to AMCRebel's post, I remember seeing RHD Ambassadors, usually in top spec Brougham flavour around in London in the late 70's early 80's.

 

I'm sure you could get Caprices and Sevilles in RHD too.

The famous 'Best Car in the World ' Giant Test featured a Seville and from memory it wasn't ridiculed either.

Unlike the GBU verdict of the Coupe Deville , which was only ever lhd, " As flash as a rat with a gold tooth"

How come I can remember that nearly 40 years on but can't remember any Shakespeare?

 

Chrysler sold Valiants etc , but they of course came from a Land Downunder.

 

Lendrum and Hartman rings a bell as the GM importer.

Blazers were available for a short time and I remember an Autocar test in about 78.

Jeep sold fullsize Cherokees,Grand Cherokees, Wagoneers and Pickups alongside CJs from about 77, I got brochures for all the range from The Royal Welsh show that year.

 

Sorry for random memories.

[AMC Rebel]

Wikipedia says the A series was a UK concoction - but who knows?

 

There are RHD Camaros - but I think they were Australian.

[406V6]

I recall seeing third gen Mustangs in right hand drive. These would be the original T or V reg.

[AMC Rebel]

Another source is the Motor Show review the various papers published each year in those days -

 

eg http://picclick.co.uk/Daily-Mail-Motor-Show-Review-1972-142129105516.html

 

I remember pouring over these as a kid and being amazed at some of the engine sizes of the US offerings.

 

Edit - flip me people are asking a fortune for these!!

[Matt]

I'm sure that my neighbour told me that his late brother had a RHD 1974 or '75 Chevy Impala while on service in Germany. He's got a photo of it parked in a garage that must only be a couple if inches wider than the car on both sides. He must have climbed out the window and crawled along the hood to get out. If I remember correctly the Haynes museum bought it after his brother passed away.

[mercrocker]

Lendrum & Hartman were the place to go for GM imports.   They usually had a stand at the Motor Show with some multi-line brochures.    Back in the early 1960s, regular US stuff like Galaxies and Impalas were big bucks over here - priced at Bentley (read Middlesex semi-detached....) levels. 

 

Most of these seemed to be LHD but I know of 1960/61 full size Fords that were built in Canada and came over RHD.    Think this arose because of pre-EU Commonwealth tariff preferences (which also applied to Oz stuff of course) but the final price to the buyer didn't seem to be any lower!  

 

Sportier/smaller stuff like Corvettes, Mussies and the like were quite actively marketed here, local dealerships round my way seemed to have the odd pony car as a showroom star for a few weeks (probably as long as they took to sell) 

 

There was an abortive attempt by Chrysler/Rootes to import the Aussie Valiants in RHD as a replacement for the big Humbers in 1967.   One of our local land-owners had a wagon version in suitably English dark brown livery with black vinyl roof (Premium, possibly) and a neat factory roof rack.   He didn't have it long and it was soon replaced by an Austin 3 Litre - there should be another category for Aristo-Shite!    

 

Seen a fair amount of right hooker stuff about, but time has diluted the original ratio of them owing to Australian re-imports (RHD compulsory there) and Japanese market Caddies etc.   

 

I once borrowed a Seville with an almost unbelievable chain drive RHD conversion - Have to say it didn't make any difference to the feel!

[trigger]

Ford were big into, not just Yank but Aussie stuff too.

 

 

[AMC Rebel]

As I have mentioned numerous times on here - RHD AMC Pacers were chain driven (steering) - the steering gear remained on the left and there was a chain behind the dash.

[Spottedlaurel]

"Ford Cars" range brochures from the late '70s would often show a selection of US/Australian models that could be obtained through specialist dealers in their network.

 

There were also ad's for the various American makes in the back pages of old Motor/Autocar mag's.

 

Here's a rather sad AMC that was RHD and appears to have been sold new in the UK:

 

1971 AMC Rambler Station Wagon (5.9) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Round my way in East Anglia it would have been difficult to tell the difference between what was sold here new from the stuff the American serviceman bought over with them.

[AMC Rebel]

Same car, pre scrappers

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/45904802@N08/4411403602/in/photolist-7HPAAN-ijcSuM-booMhK-7SjcQZ-aBW2tE-jXdUvM-am8Up1-a3bEG9-duQK9k-a38tLZ-6AzMCg-r92Loi-ak1DSY-7JN77z-a3aRMG-a5usD3-69KKDg-aAnbYK-jFa3DY-a3buWS-853eAa-jXdMGB-7KJt78-aeqdGV-aBTtD2-fcZScG-e4Sfqu-fd1ijU-a38UUi-a3n9ai-fcKxgp-3TzHpD-qZRX3S-fNtp5G-r31AjP-r2TrUW-e4Sev1-qZRWDq-ePEPfN-khHwLy-jXdQqx-am8XsN-6AE4HC-7aPTmu-8V3eeR-iosxAR-a3nfvH-6f9HHj-47vpaj-7KJARR

 

[AMC Rebel]

BTW if anyone happens across one of those RHD AMC wagons, I'd like one. I have tried to buy two in the last 20 years without any joy.  Last one I saw advertised was asking 8k which I thought a bit salty...

[NorfolkNWeigh]

That picture in the scrapyard seems to show a cage, but it doesn't seem to have been bangered, maybe used in a stunt for a film or telly?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

At first I thought this might be it, in Supergirl, filmed at Pinewood in 84 ( note the stickers trying to hide the RHD W108) Unfortunately those 2 Transits make the picture with the pink flash at least 1986.

[Barry Cade]

I was an apprentice at reekie motors in Cupar, they were an AMC and Jeep dealership in the 70s. There were still some advertising banners and books when i worked there...wish I'd grabbed them as they were probably thrown in the skip when they closed.

[Squire_Dawson]

Wow, what happened to the AMC wagon? Such a fall from grace. The 1930s were the best times for Yank cars in this country as they were very keenly priced and offered a lot more than British 8 and 10hp saloons, as you can imagine. I have an old Car Mechanics magazine with a feature on US cars so I'll dig it out.

[dugong]

Warwick Wright in London sold RHD A body Plymouth Barracudas direct from the factory. 

[DodgeRover]

Have seen a factory RHD Chevy Bronco? or Jimmy and also a factor US Chrysler 4x4 wagon in RHD, also seen the chain drive lhd->RHD conversions...

 

You could order Aussie Fords and Chryslers here but not Holdens (as far as I know). Surprising numbers have survived but some models are being exported back to Aus as they are worth more there.

PS I'm looking for an Aussie Charger...

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Further to AMCRebel's post, I remember seeing RHD Ambassadors, usually in top spec Brougham flavour around in London in the late 70's early 80's.

 

I'm sure you could get Caprices and Sevilles in RHD too.

The famous 'Best Car in the World ' Giant Test featured a Seville and from memory it wasn't ridiculed either.

Unlike the GBU verdict of the Coupe Deville , which was only ever lhd, " As flash as a rat with a gold tooth"

How come I can remember that nearly 40 years on but can't remember any Shakespeare?

 

Chrysler sold Valiants etc , but they of course came from a Land Downunder.

 

Lendrum and Hartman rings a bell as the GM importer.

Blazers were available for a short time and I remember an Autocar test in about 78.

Jeep sold fullsize Cherokees,Grand Cherokees, Wagoneers and Pickups alongside CJs from about 77, I got brochures for all the range from The Royal Welsh show that year.

 

Sorry for random memories.

 

Lendrum & Hartman imported the Cadillac Seville (which I remember as being quite well regarded at the time too) and the Chevrolet Caprice Classic both of which were available in RHD. The also imported the Fleetwood Brougham but that was LHD only. I remember the Chevrolet Blazer being imported - presumably also by Lendrum & Hartman since thye held the GM franchise in the UK from way-back. The full size Jeeps Cherokee/Cherokee Chiefs were sold in RHD and LHD for quite a long time into the 1980s and seemed to sell quite well - there were quite a few of them about, at least where I lived.

 

The Australian built Ford LTD was (IIRC) only sold at certain Ford dealerships - one of which was Quicks for Ford in Manchester. I remember they had a pale blue one with grey leather seats - very like the one in trigger's link - in their showroom in early 1982. They must have had a bit of trouble selling it at the £17,000-odd they were listed at, since this one the salesman let slip, could be had for Granada 2.8 Ghia money. I PLEADED with my dad to get it. He bought a Granada!

 

I have a 1978 Motor road test of a Lendrum and Hartman Caprice Classic somewhere, I can scan it and post it up if anyone is interested.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

I'm pretty sure there is a Flickr set of photos of cars being serviced or prepared at Lendrum and Hartman's workshop in the 1960s - and IIRC some earlier photos of Buick and Cadillacs being sold there. IIRC, the wokshop photos include Pontiacs and even a Lincoln Continental. I will have a look for it later.

[mercrocker]

At first I thought this might be it, in Supergirl, filmed at Pinewood in 84 ( note the stickers trying to hide the RHD W108) Unfortunately those 2 Transits make the picture with the pink flash at least 1986.image.jpeg

 

That looks to be a Matador, rather than Ambassador wagon, too...

[mercrocker]

I was an apprentice at reekie motors in Cupar, they were an AMC and Jeep dealership in the 70s. There were still some advertising banners and books when i worked there...wish I'd grabbed them as they were probably thrown in the skip when they closed.

 

My first job was in an Opel dealership - They had applied for, but never taken up, an AMC/Jeep franchise too.   The limited amount of literature they had definitely went in the skip - along with, for some reason, a box of Mk 4 Cortina launch leaflets.   I managed one of each but couldn't see the point of taking home any more!

[Louise2cv]

Warwick Wright in London sold RHD A body Plymouth Barracudas direct from the factory.

 

 

Yep, was just looking for my pic of a ted one of these that knocks about the local shows. Factory RHD, can't remember if it was specifically for here or if it was something to do with models made for South Africa.

[doobietoo]

I owned a Chrysler Ch in the mid 80s found it in a somerset scrapyard with a busted windscreen ( luckily found one god knows where from can't remember where it came from now ) It was a 1971 4 door saloon model imported by Chrysler from Aus and fitted with a 5.9 V8 went well but about 15 to the gallon more info on imported Chryslers here ... http://www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk/aussie-chry.html

[dugong]

The Australian built Ford LTD was (IIRC) only sold at certain Ford dealerships - one of which was Quicks for Ford in Manchester. I remember they had a pale blue one with grey leather seats - very like the one in trigger's link - in their showroom in early 1982. They must have had a bit of trouble selling it at the £17,000-odd they were listed at, since this one the salesman let slip, could be had for Granada 2.8 Ghia money. I PLEADED with my dad to get it. He bought a Granada!

WHAT?! I didn't know Quicks supplied Australian Fords!

 

If we're on about Yank stuff in Manchester we must discuss Bauer Millett. Saw my first Allante on Deansgate in the late 'Eighties as a little lad; it must have come from there.

 

Yep, was just looking for my pic of a ted one of these that knocks about the local shows. Factory RHD, can't remember if it was specifically for here or if it was something to do with models made for South Africa.

There's one that appeared up at the Northern Bygones Rally a little while ago. I thought it was South African but the owner put me right. 

WW 'Cudas all seem to be of a similar spec / colour as well.

 

 

 

I also want to take issue with the tedious fanbois who claim RHD factory built cars like that WW Barracuda 'aren't proper Yanks.' Yeah, having a more usable American car with a steering wheel on the right side of the road for the country you live in is a right pain in the arse, isn't it? Delightful people like that would put me off joining any Colonial car club right off the bat. Vehicles like that WW Barrcuda were designed and engineered by the people who built the LHD home market cars - they're hardly butchering them with Sturmey Archer cast-offs in a shed.

 

Go back to your line dancing class in Burnley and speaking in a faux-down home accent. Nothing inauthentic about that at all.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Bauer Millett had all sorts of exotica - not just American cars though they had an impressive array of Yanks! I remember walking past their window on Deansgate in the 80s and spotting a Panther deVille of all things! It is the only time I have ever seen one!

[danthecapriman]

Interesting thread.

 

I know about the AMC's. Ford Mustangs were available, a colleague has a 1970 RHD one with the chain driven conversion.

Chevy Impala and Caprice were definitely available. A guy I used to work with had a RHD Caprice (was a 79 model I think) but he only had it as he was a banger racer!

 

I've heard that certain Chrysler/Rootes dealers would special order most US Chrysler models from the US, brand new for UK customers. I have seen a pic from the early 70's of a Rootes dealership with an Imperial on the forecourt but it was LHD from memory so I don't think they did the chain drive style conversion.

 

I've also seen a pic of a late 60's Plymouth Fury, imported new as a trial car for motorway police work. It had UK plates, but I've no idea if it was RHD or not. They also did the same thing with imported (from Europe as we never got them here) Granada mk1 2 door saloons, I think a small batch were delivered for evaluation but no orders for more were ever made.