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The number of British Car events seems to grow each successive summer. I’ve attended ‘Brits-in-the Park’ show & shine event at Lindsay, will visit the Rolls Royce (& Bentley) Owners Club national meet at Markham. Later it’s Brits-onthe-Lake at Port Perry, the Shaw Vintage Festival at Niagara-on-the-Lake and
perhaps a drive in Dufferin County Escarpment area with Westenders Paul & Jan Dullaert. An experience not to be missed is the horse jumping event at Halton Place on September 5th and BSCCoC is invited to show our cars and enjoy some of the close-up action. The ‘CarTunes’ show & shine picnic at Simcoe, (near Lake Erie), on Sept 11th is a great family event and of course British Car day is at Bronte Park on Sept 19th. Take a look at the BSCCoC website, (thanks Dave W) for the next event you can attend.
This year is the 40th Anniversary of the launch of the Triumph Stag. This 2997 cc (182.9 cu in) over-square, V8 sports-car develops approx. 145 bhp and 170 lb/ ft torque. The 1970 hardtop version weighed-in at 2980 lbs with 10.4 second performance for 0 to 60 mph. Top speed was 112 mph with the manual/overdrive unit being 4 mph faster. A total of 25,939 cars were manufactured between 1970 and 1977 with 1/3rd of these exported and therefore probably LHD. BSCCoC member Tony Fox has co-authored a book about the Stag which is a good read for those thinking about ownership.
It’s also the 40th Anniversary of Rolls Royce plc announcing bankruptcy. The ‘official’ nationalization of Rolls Royce plc by the Conservative government of Edward (Ted) Heath did not take place until February 1971, a move said to be of strategic importance and in the national interest. Usually it’s the Labour Party that nationalizes a private company whereas the Conservatives laud the benefits of private enterprise and ownership. This however is the exception and it’s a tribute to Ted Heath that commonsense prevailed at this difficult time. The ‘gutter’ press loudly proclaimed that Rolls Royce was overpopulated with engineers, this being the prime cause for lack of financial acumen and the bankruptcy. Surely those sensationalist comments by the Daily ‘Rags’ caused RR co-founder and the great engineer Sir Henry Royce, to turn in his grave.
Another notable British car celebrating its launch 40 years ago is the Range Rover. North America did not get this luxury off-road vehicle until 1987, probably due to all production being absorbed by European and Middle East customers.
Finally, did you know the Jaguar nameplate first adorned a British car in 1935? That’s 75 years ago and if you have $110,000 burning a hole in your pocket, try buying the limited edition XKR175 being launched at Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. to celebrate 75 years of Jaguar manufacture. For those of us a tad financially challenged, enjoy the annual depreciation!
See you at Bronte British Car Day
Andy Procktor aprocktor@hotmail.com
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