tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post4684548410286884169..comments2024-03-29T10:51:27.752+13:00Comments on Not PC: Let Ford fail [updated]Peter Cresswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-85121344945839702782008-11-20T15:53:00.000+13:002008-11-20T15:53:00.000+13:00Clunking Fist said: I can't say I drove them hard....Clunking Fist said: I can't say I drove them hard...as most were rentals.<BR/><BR/>I think the correct phrase should be "I drove them like I stole them, as they were rentals". That's what rentals are for isn't it? Maybe it's just me - I drive like a man.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-34629995927409602192008-11-20T14:27:00.000+13:002008-11-20T14:27:00.000+13:00As LGM says, [Government] must get out of the way ...As LGM says, [Government] must get out of the way and stop molesting industry. Since they will inevitably continue to both molest <I>and</I> be incredibly stupid, that would truly make them a bunch of dozey fuckers, wouldn't it?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-77646401922300329912008-11-20T14:15:00.000+13:002008-11-20T14:15:00.000+13:00Um, BMC didn't fail because it had innovative desi...Um, BMC didn't fail because it had innovative designs and pushed the envelope. It failed because it was strangled by the unions and then nationalised.<BR/><BR/>Ford et all have already been strangled by the unions. Now they're going for the quinella.Peter Cresswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-48568273222463890612008-11-20T14:02:00.000+13:002008-11-20T14:02:00.000+13:00As you say LGM, Ford built basic conventionally en...As you say LGM, Ford built basic conventionally engineered cars in the '60s and '70s in Britain. BMC didn't. They had innovative designs and pushed the envelope. And they ended up in the toilet. Ford has now taken the place of BMC, and the Japanese have taken the place of Ford - building boring cars well. I think we can predict what will happen next.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-70898424988142571092008-11-20T13:00:00.000+13:002008-11-20T13:00:00.000+13:00Yeah, but are you a Holden or a Ford man?:^)Awesom...Yeah, but are you a Holden or a Ford man?<BR/><BR/>:^)<BR/>Awesome.<BR/>I can't say I drove them hard (other than my cousin's Cortina), as most were rentals.Clunking Fisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020166717482531977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-9174644123460611562008-11-20T07:14:00.000+13:002008-11-20T07:14:00.000+13:00Clunking FistRe CortinaThey didn't drive properly ...Clunking Fist<BR/><BR/>Re Cortina<BR/>They didn't drive properly and could have been a lot better. The Cortina had a flawed rear suspension design. In essence the problem was poor geometry. It ruined the handling and the feel. It limited roadholding as well (bumps could cause the rear to loose traction or "skip" sideways). Rear steer was present. Feels terrible. Stodgy. <BR/><BR/>As the car was built down to a price and parts were inherited from other models and previous iterations, the problem was left in production. The trouble was that the common Brit by and large knew no better. The Poms were well used to mass market cars being terrible- many were far worse than the Cortina. The bet was that the person who'd buy a Cortina was far more intersted in accessories and features and paint schemes and perception, rather than how the car drove. That bet was a safe one. Cortinas were a huge sales success. <BR/><BR/>Interestingly the Cortina's flaw is simple eough to remedy on an individual basis (it would have required a not insignificant investment to introduce it to a transfer line though). What is required is to install a Panhard rod across the rear suspension, set to give a lower roll centre. Then one of the top trailing arms should be removed. The trick is to know which one to leave out and why. It's not a difficult modification to undertake, and not difficult to work out the geometry to achieve a surprisingly impressive result. <BR/><BR/>Since those times Ford had a suspension expert (Parry-Jones) take up the reigns for Europe. He demanded that Fords drive and handle well. Originally the benchmark was the Peugeot 205GTi. Several were instrumented and tested to death in order to discover how the did what they did. Some other class leading vehicles were also tested and analysed as well. Parry-Jones influence has been carried over to all European Ford built cars. Some of them are excellent.<BR/><BR/>Re F100<BR/>This truck skips around at the rear and is uncomfortable to control on a bumpy or unsealed road. It was designed as a truck and is not really any good as a passenger vehicle. Much of the controllability problem on bumpy surfaces (and truck-like feel) can be alleviated by altering the mounting position of the rear dampers. They need to be set up to apply more control in axle roll. Move them as far outboard as possible. Truck designers generally don't do this because they don't think such matters as handling and ride are important. They just don't much know about such matters. They are into other things.<BR/><BR/>Re Falcon<BR/>The E-series XR cars, in particular the XR6, are good. If you get a chance to drive new Falcon I'd recommend you try one. The XR6T is a BMW M5 competitor at a fraction of the price. The whole range of Falcons work well. Good cars. Shame the styling is so conservative.<BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>Car design is very interesting. So is development. The stories behind each development program really should be told. Then you'd know why your car is as it is. Trouble is, it is not allowed for many of the stories to be told. Pity. <BR/><BR/> <BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-58743324488695904022008-11-17T13:35:00.000+13:002008-11-17T13:35:00.000+13:00I owned a Euro model Escort overseas, but mostly r...I owned a Euro model Escort overseas, but mostly rentals. Why, do you think I'm talking through me pooper?<BR/><BR/>Driven:<BR/>F100 truck - nuff said, but it was fun<BR/>Falcon - (prob fairmont) rental<BR/>LTD - borrowed<BR/>Focus - a couple of times as rentals<BR/>Cortina - the last model run, was prob 3 yr old when I drove it, so not really fair to judge, but it was a shit drive<BR/>Ka - rental, handled well (shame about the spare parts prices, I'm told)<BR/>Mondeos - rentalClunking Fisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020166717482531977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-54594684667731752282008-11-17T13:21:00.000+13:002008-11-17T13:21:00.000+13:00CFWhich Ford motor vehicles have you actually driv...CF<BR/><BR/>Which Ford motor vehicles have you actually driven?<BR/><BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-15278151494997889592008-11-17T13:02:00.000+13:002008-11-17T13:02:00.000+13:00Like a lot of simple tribalism, there will be some...Like a lot of simple tribalism, there will be some underlying, but obscure reason. Maybe because I like the colour blue?<BR/>I guess it's a bit like some people (lindsay Perigos Ma & Da come to mind) who are "for" labour becuase of a vague belief "like, they're for the poor people n that".<BR/>It's not something I generally subscribe to (tribalism) and of course I don't let it govern my real-world behaviour (I drive sensible, reliable Japanese vehcles), but it's there nonetheless. "Go figure" as some would say (that dfinately needs to go on Mr PC's list).Clunking Fisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020166717482531977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-53423153189324568712008-11-16T08:50:00.000+13:002008-11-16T08:50:00.000+13:00CFHow can you be a "Ford man" when you don't own a...CF<BR/><BR/>How can you be a "Ford man" when you don't own a Ford and you do not intend to own one again?<BR/><BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-5978478003935276992008-11-15T15:43:00.000+13:002008-11-15T15:43:00.000+13:00I'm a "Ford man"! I even owned one once. It was a ...I'm a "Ford man"! I even owned one once. It was a piece of crap and I'll never do it again, but still I'm a ford man. Like United Airlines, these beasts (GM, Frod) should be put out of our misery.Clunking Fisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18020166717482531977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-36698581818359623042008-11-14T13:21:00.000+13:002008-11-14T13:21:00.000+13:00The destruction of the US car industry giants has ...The destruction of the US car industry giants has been proceeding for some years now. It's like watching a slow motion train wreck. Now the wreck is getting closer to the ending. The locomotive is off the tracks and the carriages are about to follow!<BR/><BR/>The troubles of the US car industry are government derived. Over decades the US Federal and State governments have imposed regulation upon regulation onto GM, Ford and Chrysler. Every aspect of how they must operate their businesses, what products they are allowed to build and who they employ is regulated. Just think on that for a moment. Every activity is controlled, right from product design detail to employee superannuation and healthcare. <BR/><BR/>The response to this nightmare has been that many of the brightest engineers and product development people have left the US car industry or even the US itself. After all, what innovate clever person wants to spend his or her time toiling away their best years, subject to a maze of arbitrary and often senseless regulation? What a painful existence. Similarly the management of these once great companies now mainly comprises of time servers and cronies. Perks and benefits, corner offices and superannuation have become more important to them than the business of making cars and trucks. Cynicism rules. Why give a shit about product anyway? Now there is only one option they see. Government's got to do somethning about it. In a sense theiy are correct. The government does have to do something. It must get out of the way and stop molesting industry. <BR/><BR/><BR/><BR/>LGMAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-42384405277690766662008-11-14T10:51:00.000+13:002008-11-14T10:51:00.000+13:00"It will" is different to "it should.""It will" is different to "it should."Peter Cresswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10699845031503699181noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11906042.post-17990911141892016992008-11-14T10:36:00.000+13:002008-11-14T10:36:00.000+13:00At intrade you can the big 3 bailout contract for ...At intrade you can the big 3 bailout contract for $ 0.92. I.e. a 92% probability it will happen.<BR/><BR/>And it will.Berend de Boerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11433622686361556089noreply@blogger.com