I'd love to read that, but it's only available on Amazon.com in the Kindle
version for $215!!!!!! Not in the Seattle library either. I'm glad Amazon
thought it was worth converting, but this is ridiculous.
http://tinyurl.com/5u4g8b
Any ideas on how to borrow a copy?
Stuart
'65 MGB
-----Original Message-----
From: mgs-bounces+macgroup=comcast.net@autox.team.net
[mailto:mgs-bounces+macgroup=comcast.net@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Jack
Feldman
Sent: Sunday, July 27, 2008 2:29 AM
To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: [Mgs] In Memoriam - Lord Stokes (Dan DiBiase)
If you want an insight on how British arrogance killed their auto industry
try
Whisler, * The End of the Road:The Rise and Fall of Ausin-Healy,MG and
Triumph Sports Cars* (University of Illinois Press). It uses those cars as
examples of why the Brits wasted the opportunities they had. Austin Motors
taught the Japanese auto industry to make cars. That is why some older
Japanese cars had versions of SU carburetors.
One problem was that Austin and Morris were self made men and suspicious of
anyone else's judgment. Folks who showed up with a mechanical engineering
degree were quickly shown the door. That meant that invoation was no
accepted. The author says that the home grown designers could modify, but
not create. That is why the 74 1/2 Mg wasn't re designed, but had those
bumpers raised and pasted on without concern about the effect on handling.
In one incident, Austin was told that a particular model was not ready to be
sent to the showrooms. He said to send them anyway and let the customers
find the problems. Any wonder why sales plummeted?
The article on Lord Stokes mentions strikes. The book makes it clear that
when the Shop Stewards ran the factory things went smoothly. When
know-it-all managers insisted on taking over the function, they caused most
of the problems because, not being trained, they didn't understand the labor
requirements and looked down on the lowly worker.
As an academic study it sometimes is hard reading, but still a fascinating
glimpse into why there are no British mass produced cars today. Would you
buy a car from a manufacturer named Tata?
Jack
Mgs@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/mgs
http://www.team.net/archive
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