A little time capsule came into my life today
At my local State beach is a small RV park area. There is a table at the
host site that is a used magazine exchange place. I check it whenever
I'm looking for a magazine to read. Today I found a little bit of the
past: March 1976 Road & Track, April, May and August 1968 issues of
Sports Car Graphic.
What a different world with lots of adds for British cars, Alfas and them
pesky Porches. British sports cars were mentioned on almost every page.
It's sad that the British auto employees were just about to try to kill
their industry by sabotaging build quality and the winners of Monty
Python's upper class twit competition were being hired to set direction
for British Leyland.
Full page adds by MG Mitten. I wonder whatever happened to them? And the
full colour page adverts from Fiberfab. And those third page LUCAS fog
and driving lamp adverts. Highlighting the new LLR6 and FT6 lamps.
In the April '68 issue is a hill climb article that has a picture of a
women drivers in the Woman's class. They didn't have helmets on. I
guess racing without a helmet was the feminine thing to do.
There was an announcement that BMC and British Leyland were merging. It
speculated that some of the marque names will probably disappear but had
no ideas which.
And there was the article on Fords new Escort which will spearhead Ford's
1968 Rally programme.
The Triumph Support Programme has changed.
R.W. "Kas" Kastner has announced Triumph support for winners of SCCA
races has changed. With six cars in five classes, Triumph will not award
money to TR3 which compete against GT6s in E Production. GT250 winners
will get $150, second place $100, GT6 winners will get $100 and second
place gets $75, Spitfire Mk III winners get $75, second place $50, TR4/A
winners get $75 and Spitfire MK I & II winners get $50.
Gulf Oil Corporation fill field Three prototype Mirage Fords and two
GT40s for the 1969 race season.
May 1968:
2 page add for the MG line up! "The Great Escape Cars"
Recognizing the upcoming large market for gas turbine powered cars and
trucks in the 1970s, The British Leyland Group has reorganized it's
Turbine facilities to better equip it for the the new turbine vehicle
market"
Side by side road tests of the new MGC and the TR250!
"Anyone who has been waiting for an MGC because he wants the latest thing
in British Motor holdings hairy sports cars should rush off at once to
his friendly neighborhood dealer and snatch up one of the Austin Healey
3000s" They decided that the MGC was more of a sports touring car than a
sports car.
They decided that the TR six cylinder engine was a little heavy for the
suspension but would handle quite well with a number of suspension mods.
The thought the gearing was all wrong for the engine causing an "alarming
lack of acceleration when dropping into third gear" And indeed their
test specs showed the TR250 out accelerating the MGC then suddenly acting
like it hit a brick wall. Zero to 60 in 9.9 sec, Zero to 70 in 13.4
seconds. Zero to 80 in 38.6 seconds, Zero to 90 in 55.4 sec.
There was an article bout the new Austin America. "Look out
Volkswagen...There's an Austin in your future"
Group 6 Triumph has a new prototype Triumph-250-K! There is a picture of
the prototype in full street form including side market lamps. It uses
the new Triumph six cylinder engine and a TR250 frame. This looks like a
Triumph of the future.
Donald Healey Motor Company is returning to Le Mans with a Healey Climax
type SR Group 6 sports prototype. Coventry Climax is lending him a 240
HP 2 liter V8 engine to power it.
August 1968
In the motoring year 2000 What will it be like? A long article
speculating on the future. The only things that came close were
computer controlled components and the high use of plastic for body
parts. Did you know that by 2000 we will all be communicating with
phones that show a real time 3D image of the person you will be talking
to that is indistinguishable to the eye from a real person in front of
you.
What's this rumor about a new W-12 engine being developed for production
by Jaguar? I wonder if there is any truth in it? How will the new
Leyland conglomerate react?
Dan Gurney says winners go with Bell
An article on the new 1968 MGB. They still like it!
March 1976 Road and Track
A big article going into the D-Type Jag in detail.
Looks like the new Ferrari 308 GTB is a worthy successor to the 246 Dino.
Should I send in the subscription coupon? 1 year of Road and Track for
$8.99.
A single full page MG add and a single half page TR7 add. Where is all
the British car stuff?? Where are all the British sport car pictures?
Oh here in the article on Bargain Classics. They are saying that prices
are rising and it is time to invest in bargain classics.
Austin Healey 3000s, a junker for $100 and restored for $3500
XK 120, 140, 150 Jags $3500 to $5000
Early E-type roadsters for under $2000
MGTCs for about $3500, A nice mid sixties MGB for $1500. Same price for
near perfect MGAs.
Morgans, $2500 in poor condition to $5500 in top shape
Porsche 356 speedsters for around $2500
GT350 Cobra mustang for $3500 to $5000
TR3s are up to $3000 for a good example.
The article says that prices have been shooting up but if you don't get
into these classics soon you will be paying a lot more. Guess I got my
$350 Land Rover and $1000 TR3A at the right time!
Looks like there is a new S-Type Jag with a new V12. Wonder what
happened to the W12 they were working on? Wonder what happened to all
those turbine cars British Leyland
reorg'ed to ramp up on?
MG Mitten is up to a 2 page add! I wonder what ever happened to them?
Oooo! Porsche has a new 924 out! Front engine what a change!
Lucas unveiled a new electric car at the London Motor show. It may be
the London cab of the future.
Memories... just sitting there on the table for free. Open me up and
return to the time when the British Roadster was everywhere and the
British Sports car was, well if not king at least strong in the mix.
Well as Peter Brock wrote" The TR3 is the way to go for those who want to
know what sport cars are all about"
TeriAnn Wakeman If you send me direct mail, please
Santa Cruz, California start the subject line with TW -
twakeman@cruzers.com I will be sure to read the message
http://www.cruzers.com/~twakeman
"How can life grant us the boon of living..unless we dare"
Amelia Earhart 1898-1937
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