SOL Vocabulary
Updated July, 1997
Terms Unique to SOL'ers
SOL
Scion(s) of Lucas (sometimes S... Out of Luck) (Includes both Sisters
of Lucas, and Sons of Lucas)
Scion
n. A descendant or heir.
LBC
Little British Car, Little British Convertible, Large British Car, etc.
PO
The Previous Owner of your car.
DPO
Dreaded Previous Owner (because of the hacks they always seem to have made
on your car.)
The Prince of Darkness
Lucas, Lucas electrics, etc.
BPSL
British (Phlegm Sucking) Leyland. A term of, er, endearment, referring
to the things they did to destroy the British Sports Car quality, designs
and market (With thanks to Scott Fisher)
OSOTP
Other Side of the Pond. (Across the Ocean)
SWORK
Swearing While Working, a common practice.
VIQ
Vehicle In Question
Wanker
Someone who hacks at their car. Sometimes clueless.
British <=> American Automotive Translations
British term American term
----------------- -------------
accumulator battery
actuator switch or servo
Artic articulated lorry = "tractor-trailer"
baulk ring synchro ring
bonnet hood
boot trunk
bulkhead firewall
choke tube venturi
core plug freeze plug
crocodile clip alligator clip
crosshead Phillips
crown wheel ring gear
cubby box glove box or glove compartment
damper shock absorber
drive shaft half shaft or axle shaft
drop-head coupe convertible version of 2 door coupe
dumpy screwdriver short screwdriver
dynamo generator
earth ground
estate station wagon
fascia dashboard
fixed-head coupe 2 door coupe
frogeye bugeye
Gallon (Imperial) 5 US Quarts
gearbox transmission
gudgeon pin wrist pin
hood convertible top
jointing compound gasket sealant
lorry truck
mole wrench Vice grips
monocoque unibody
MOT DOT
Ministry of Transport Department of Transportation
nave plate hubcap
nose front of car
paraffin kerosene
pinking knocking or pinging
prop shaft drive shaft
petrol gasoline
prise pry
proud above or raised
quarterlight vent window
rev counter tachometer
ring gear flywheel gear, or starter gear
roadster car that only comes in a convertible style
roundabout rotary, traffic circle
RoStyle type of steel wheel (as opposed to wire)
saloon 2 or 4 door sedan
scuttle cowl
side curtains removable side windows
silencer muffler
sill rocker panel
Shooting Brake station wagon
spanner wrench
split pin cotter pin
spring washer lock washer
squab part of seat
suction advance vacuum advance
sump oil pan
thrust bearing throwout bearing
tickover idle
top gear high gear
torch flashlight
trunnion sliding or rotating joint (suspension)
Tyre tire
wheel nut lug nut
whitworth Brtish thread measuring standard
windscreen windshield
wing fender
Common Auto Abbreviations
Abbreviation Meaning
------------ -------
AC (e.g. AC Cobra) Auto Carrier
ARG Austin Rover Group
BL British Leyland
BLMC British Leyland Motor Corporation
BMC British Motor Corporation
BSF British Standard Fine (Thread system)
BSW British Standard Whitworth (Thread system)
BFH Big F...... Hammer, AKA: "Bashing Tool"
(big, heavy hammer used "persuading" stuck parts, etc.)
CD (refers to carbs) constant depression
DB (e.g. Aston-Martin DB6) David Brown
M.G. Derived from Morris Garage(s)
NOS New, Old Stock parts (as opposed to a recent copy)
PI petrol injection
SS Swallow Sidecars
SU Skinners Union (Carbs and Fuel pumps)
TVR TreVoR (Wilkinson), the founder of TVR
ZS Zenith-Stromberg (Carbs)
Some Common Net Abbreviations
AKA
Also Known As (alias)
BTW or OBTW
By The Way, or Oh, By the Way...
FLAMES ON/OFF
start/end of major gripe or insult
IMO
In My Opinion
IMHO
In My Humble Opinion
ROM
Rough Order of Magnitude (size, weight, usually cost, effort)
RTM
Read The Manual
RTFM
Read The (Fun, Foolish, F.....) Manual
SWAG
Scientific WAG (at least one reason for the guess exists)
WAG
Wild-Assed Guess
TTFN
Ta Ta For Now, AKA: "Bye for now"
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