Hi people
I thought that the following may interest the list - it's an E-Mail from
Robert Grounds, an Englishman working in the USA at the time the Roadster
made it's impact on the US market, hailing the demise of the British sports
car industry.
Rob
<A HREF="http://www.datsun.org/fairlady/";>The Classic Fairlady Roadster
Register</A>
<<Hello Rob -
I was at the National Exhibition Centre earlier this month, helping on the
Historic Rally Car Register stand, and as I was looking at the other
displays, I saw your lovely Datsun Fairlady.
Seeing your car bought back memories of the first time I saw these cars back
in 1967 when I worked for a Buick dealer in Rochester, upper NY state.
I used to regularly visit the MG / Austin Healey dealer in the town, 'cos I
found the US cars rather boring, and I was always sure to see a car that was
more to my liking at the MG / AH dealer. The Boss kept asking me to leave the
Buick dealer and go to work for him, 'cos an English person working there
would have been an asset to him. Unfortunately, my visa only allowed me to
work for the Buick dealer.
On one of my visits to see what he had in stock, he said 'Come and look at
these things'. We went through to the back of the dealership and there were
about 4 Datsun sports cars. He said he had been approached to stock these
'Japanese MGBs' but doubted if they would catch on.
The next time I went to visit him, the Datsuns were in the showroom, and the
2 MGB's and the one Big Healey he had in stock at the time were out back. '
What's going on?' I enquired.
He replied
' I can supply a red / blue / silver / white / Datsun with radio and heater
already fitted in 7 days at a very attractive price. If you want an MGB /
Midget or Austin Healey you must have what I've got in stock or wait until my
next shipment, and I'm not sure when that will be '
In Rochester there are just 2 seasons - From October to April there is heavy
snow. From April to October the sun shines all the time and it's hot. So who
wants to wait for their drop top sports car when the American culture is ' I
want it now '
The rest is history.
It was so nice to see your car which has such historical significance. Yet it
was sad to be reminded of my personal experience of the self destruction of
the British car industry.
Regards
Robert Grounds>>
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