Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) +8 ancestor

This old Buick Special (also the Pontiac Tempest and Oldsmobile F-85) of 1961 seems to be the ancestor of the +8 trad engine.



It was the first appearence of the 3.5 V8.



The building costs and the wrong cooling fluid made GM decide to stop production.
Rover saw the potential of the engine and convinced GM to hand over the plans and in 1967 it was first used in the Rover P5.
And the rest is history, as they say.

A number of American cars of that period were totally OTT but I feel that model Buick is very clean cut.

Unlike American cars now which with a few exceptions are bland and boring.

As would seem to be Euroboxes too Hawki...?

Which is why we drive Morgans.

Yes I would agree. I currently run a 13 year old Mondeo which is totally boring but practical. Trouble is I can’t think of anything that really gets me interest enough to make me want to change...except possibly a new plus 4 but that wouldn’t replace the Mondeo.

When the industry was driven by Human designers its output mirrored Human traits .... cars could be awful, awkward, loveable, wonderful and even occasionally sublime. ... Now CAD rules the roost, with very few exceptions, cars are 'samey', bland and efficiently unlovable.

Yep, they're way better in any practical way .... but who falls in love with a 2020 car in spite of its faults and will have a 40 year relationship with it ?

Unlovable 'white goods' not soul-stirring chariots.

K

I maybe going off track a little but I still prefer cars with boots or trunks as our friends across the pond would say.