Re: The famous racing A40 "Zoey" goes to auction!
Posted: 21 Apr 2021 09:34
Interestingly, exactly the same opinion was expressed by two very elderly (but still sharp!) ex-Longbridge employees when they visited our Club stand at the NEC one year. They cheerfully admitted that the line inspectors would regularly pass cars (not necessarily A40s) with "minor" faults like slight discrepancies in wheelbase (but not track) and even panel fit. Doors used to present problems; usual fix was for a fitter to be summoned, armed with two wedges of hardwood, who would position them at suitable places, open the window, grasp the top of the door and physically bend the pressing into better shape!
At this particular show, "Ausy", Stoney's fearsome Mk1 took pride of place and the old boys fell upon the car with huge delight. Ironically they were very interested in the leading edge of the bonnet which, on Stoney's example, was quite rusty. They said that the designers feared that the strengthening panel welded below the front lip would create a vortex as - especially - cold wet air entering the hot engine bay would curl up and around that panel and probably create condensation. But of course the cars were brand new and so there were no rusty examples. Hence their happiness at seeing just what 60 years on the road had actually done to Ausy.
We lives, we learns . . .
At this particular show, "Ausy", Stoney's fearsome Mk1 took pride of place and the old boys fell upon the car with huge delight. Ironically they were very interested in the leading edge of the bonnet which, on Stoney's example, was quite rusty. They said that the designers feared that the strengthening panel welded below the front lip would create a vortex as - especially - cold wet air entering the hot engine bay would curl up and around that panel and probably create condensation. But of course the cars were brand new and so there were no rusty examples. Hence their happiness at seeing just what 60 years on the road had actually done to Ausy.
We lives, we learns . . .
