Hi:
A couple of years back I met a retired Rootes engineer who had worked
on engines, cooling systems, etc. He said that the testing was
primative by todays standards. Mostly consisted of putting in the
largest core possible, blocking off rad rows until the cars boiled,
adding a row or two and then going for production. He worked in the
late 50s - early 60s but could not remember working on Alpine/TIGERs.
He said most of the engineering was cost based . . . 5 quid saved
times a run of 7000+ was a lot of bucks. Fan shrouds were an example
he used. He said: "We knew how to build better shrouds but when they
were all formed from metal it was too expensive to make a full
surround shroud. Use of plastic in todays cars has changed that."
I only repeat what he said at the time and do not know if these were
valid comments or not.
He was a crusty old coot though, I invited him to come out to our All
British Motor Meet and meet one of the chaps that had worked for
Triumph. He replied: "No thankyou. I didn't like those blokes back
then and I don't suppose I should like them any better now." Old
rivalries die hard I guess.
Godspeed
Jc
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