Superbird

[clutch-monkey]

rofl nota has a P76 leyland i hope for you that everything i've heard about them is not entirely true

[nota]

Can you give some dimensions which equates the massivley open rear deck the folding seat would give the Force 7 versus the comparably sized boot without in the P76 ? I thought Force 7 was an adaptation, it sounds fairly major

An adaptation yes, but after seeing one I can't recall a larger modern-era hatchback, or with more sizable interior. [Edit: maybe Citroen XM?]

Here you go

(nb: remember these cubic measurements of Force 7 coupe are taken using this 'modern' system, not the 'old' or traditional figures I have been quoting. I imagine the Force 7 'new' figure of 35.7 would be calculated from glasshouse-downwards only, as headroom in coupe is sedan-excellent - see pic #4)

"Even with the rear seat in an upright position the luggage space was impressive. Leyland quoted the boot space at 13.17 cubic feet with the seat up, compared to the vast boot of the P76, which was rated at 19.7 cubic feet. With the seat down the Force 7V had a huge 35.69 cubic feet capacity, almost twice the space of the P76.

Apart from a high sill, over which luggage had to be lifted, the rear compartment of the Force 7V was completely practical. With the seat up it measured 1143 mm from the back of the seat to the rear sill, 1486 mm wide and 1130 mm between the wheel arches. However, with the seat down in was a staggering 1981 mm long. Minimum height of the compartment —from floor to ceiling—was 711 mm."

[nota]

rofl nota has a P76 leyland i hope for you that everything i've heard about them is not entirely true

Thya are all that .. and more!

A 'P' memory: I recall driving my 1st P76 (a very tired V8 4speed, ex-Federal Police chaser) back to Canberra from the Bathurst races late on Sunday nite. The starter was n/w due to overheating from the extractors. Then the clutch cable snapped - no starter & no clutch disengagement! So I could not stop the car to pull over, without being unable to get it going again. By this stage I'd had more than a few beers and REALLY needed to 'syphon the python' but was still 200 long km from home. As the miles ticked by my need became more urgent and me more frantic as I began to realise that I was truly trapped in a motoring hell-hole. It was about then I started eyeing off the all-vinyl upholstery ..

Yep, you guessed it

[henk4]

Speaking of odd, what is so "odd" about a '49 Cadillac, a '66 Chevrolet or a Camaro Z-28, all of which are in your Oddball corner?

Read the introduction to the corner and you will understand why they are in there.....

[henk4]

An adaptation yes, but after seeing one I can't recall a larger modern-era hatchback, or with more sizable interior. [Edit: maybe Citroen XM?]

certainly in break form, with lengthened chassis. The selflevelling suspension would also allow its full use in terms of weight (with a sizeable margin )

[Matra et Alpine]

Found some old Ford numbers.
I also thought the Vauxhall Crest worthy of comparison, but can't find numbers in any mags. We'll see what turns up in some others for comparison

1960s "compact" Ford Cortina Mk1 had a 20cu ft boot !

1966 Ford Zodiac/Zephyr sales literature said "Four-wheel independent suspension eliminates rear axle intrusion, providing a deep, wide, spare-free boot with no unusable corners. The boot holds six people's luggage with ease"
Can't find a size for the early version, but the later was reduced down to 14 cu ft, I'd guess the earlier one slightly above the Mk 1 Cortina. Any Ford Zephyr fans out there ??
The rakish estate was 29 cu ft with 62 ft^3 with the rear seat folded down. WOnder if Ford Australi did anything with that platform the way the Force 7 was taken off the P76 ?? Nota ?? THa later Zodiac was 42.7 ahd 82 respectively. BUT it was a much more typical estate squared-off rear end to the normal salloon platform.

The 70s Ford Capri ( the only real comparison with the Force 7 ) was 22.6 cu ft. By then though Ford had reduced the Cortina boot to 12 cu ft !!!!

[nota]

Vague memories of seeing an AU 'Wheels' magazine pic of Cortina Mk2, an overhead pic featuring its boot, where I think the caption claimed "a class-leading 21-point-something cu/ft

I readily admit to being a Zephyr fan. Though of advanced design, the Mk1 was too weak for Oz. But the locally-built Mk2 was a good car allround, popular and a very solid unit indeed. Unfortunately Ford AU dropped the Zephyr brand here shortly after Mk3 intro (the 'slant-fin', a really excellent & attractive car) to concentrate on then-dowdy Falcon instead. Though rare-ish, Mk3s became a bit of a cult car downunder. It seemed like almost all Mk3s ended up with 289 V8 conversions as did some Mk2s. Mk4s are extremely rare here

Btw for trivia I've heard that the central reason why Ford AU opted for local Falcon manufacture & development over the ostensibly superior Zephyr was that, whilst both cars then featured similar sized engines, the Zephyr donk was already at it potential capacity limit but the Falcon engine could accomodate further increases - which it eventually did, up to 4.1 litres. Otherwise, we'd all be catching Scorpio taxis!

I briefly owned a '61 or '62 Zephyr Mk2 back in the early 1970s. She was white with one of those spray-on vinyl roofs that were a popular, if hideous, aftermarket mod at the time. No rust, a good & straight car with sidepipe exhaust but unfortunately it featured a gloomy and really badly done all-black interior (inc headlining) that was pressure-packed on by the previous owner, who I was told was a Skinhead (ie: ex-gang car)

With 3 weeks registration (road tax) left the dealer sold it to me for the princely sum of $32, my entire dole cheque. After the rego ran out I sold its large truck-sized battery for $20, the headers, sidepipe & muffler for another $15. Then three mates & I took it to a 500 acre outer-suburban bush block which had trailbike tracks weaving through the trees. I recall following this startled biker at high speed as we bounced off gumtrees and over rocks. Like I said, a VERY solid machine. After a couplke of hours of blissful enjoyment we eventually became bogged (in a giant blackberry bush I'd tried to launch through) the obvious next step was the 'brick on the accelerator in neutral' trick. Approx 45 minutes later it still revving its head off, refusing to blow, so we departed & left it blaring away in the bush. Such were the days

Regards platform development, Zephyr Mk2 got the factory ute treatment as did late '50s Vauxhall whose 'half moon tail-light' model (Cresta or Velox?) ute was also a terrific thing, much better than Holdens of the day. To this day I have a yen to own one of those fat & luxurious 'pregnant style' Crestas with the gorgeously trisected back window, the PBX or whatever model it was

For reminisces, Matra might be interested in wading through this excellent Oz Zephyr site. It's worth a tour through! Among many things it has info on New Zealand's unique version of Mk2 Zephyr wagon - until recent years the Dominion was like a time-warp capsule for old Pommy car lovers
http://www.users.onaustralia.com.au/DANART/index2.htm

Those extra-solid Mk2 utes are apparently worth big money these days
http://www.rent-a-shed.bigpondhostin...ot_4/lot_4.htm

[nota]

Back on Superbird topic, the pretty road-registered French racer #45 (pictured halfway down this page) seems to be a catalogued model, obviously predates the Dodge, yet wears a very familiar looking rear spoiler

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/panhard-...anhard-10.html

[Matra et Alpine]

Back on Superbird topic, the pretty road-registered French racer #45 (pictured halfway down this page) seems to be a catalogued model, obviously predates the Dodge, yet wears a very familiar looking rear spoiler

http://www.citroenet.org.uk/panhard-...anhard-10.html

There's no wing on it.
At the time almost all the French le Mans efficiency racers were sporting VERY large fins, but none with wings like the superbird's addition.

[MOPAR KICKS ASS]

and there is nothing wrong with the wings of the superbird's or the daytona's wing so why don't you people drop it stop talking about the trunk space or how many people the trunk of the superbird or daytona can hold. So drop it alright

[Matra et Alpine]

and there is nothing wrong with the wings of the superbird's or the daytona's wing so why don't you people drop it stop talking about the trunk space or how many people the trunk of the superbird or daytona can hold. So drop it alright

Let's explain the internet.


If you don't want to you don't read it.

OK, now feck off

[MOPAR KICKS ASS]

hey Matra et alpine wut do you think gives you the right to tell people like me that I don't know a singal thing about mopars or superbrids fro that matter? oh and this big exspresion am geting from your typeing means you hate mopar you hate superbirds and daytonas. You have no right no matter if it's the internet or out in the real wolrd to tell me

Let's explain the internet. If you don't want to don't read it ok now feck off

is those your own words Matra et Alpine?

[Matra et Alpine]

Mopar you wrote an idiotic and stupid post and made the mistake of clicking on the Post button

I never said you don't know a single thing about the cars.
You confuse clarifying errors or omissions with "hate".
I have no rights, just as you have none either.

Nope, Father Jack is responsible for "feck"
But I DID type them, or is the internet still a little confusing for you ????

[MOPAR KICKS ASS]

No it just that you are some one that I have no clue if you are a real car historein or a real world race car driver that's wut I don't get about you

[MOPAR KICKS ASS]

and that's all am gonna say about you Matra et Alpine sorry if I got your scottish anger up