58 replies to this topic

[mariner]

This is a bit off- topic but as nearly every racing paddock of the 60's and 70's had them I think it's still racing nostalgia.

VW have just announced the end of VW campervan production in Brasil at the end of 2013.

I didnt even realise it was stil in production, now with a water cooled engine

http://www.autocar.c...lkswagen-camper

63 years is an amazing production run.It is roughly half the life of the entire history of cars!

Of course the Lotus/Caterham 7 is close at about 56 years so some designs are true classics

I was never a VW or Camper nut but do remember glass fibering the front engine mounting onto the chassis of one once to get it back on the road - I was young at the time!

[D-Type]

Hmmm

Toyota Corolla - although admittedly the only common component between the first and last was the name
Ford Transit - ditto
Willys Jeep

Anything from Eastern Europe (Tatra, GAZ truck), whatever

And if you use number made instead of number of years made you'll get a different answer

Edited by D-Type, 29 October 2012 - 20:50.

[arttidesco]

The Type 2 (T2c) with tall roof has been in production in Brazil since the early '90's and the late bay high light T2b and early bay low light T2a date back to '71 and late 1967 respectively so the vehicle being built in Brazil could arguably be said to go back 45 years through three generations on more or less the same platform.

The Corolla name goes back to '66 while the Transit and Jeep names go back to '53 and '41 respectively.

Not sure what similarities there are between a '41 Willy's Jeep and current Jeep Wrangler in terms of components and interchangeability.

Love to know if anything from Eastern Europe compares I suspect there is a Chinese version of a GAZ something that dates back to a similar period as the Willy's Jeep.

[nicanary]

Is the Mahindra Jeep still being built, and is it based on the original design ?

[Bloggsworth]

Land Rover 80 & 110 - The 80 has been in continuous production in, I believe, the same factory, since 1948.

[arttidesco]

Land Rover 80 & 110 - The 80 has been in continuous production in, I believe, the same factory, since 1948.

One year older than the original Type 2 (T1) then

[Vitesse2]

The Hindustan Ambassador is still in production. A tarted-up 1956 Morris Oxford III in all but name.

[BRG]

In terms of a basically unchanged design from beginning to end, doesn't the Citroen 2CV count?

[Tim Murray]

What about the VW Beetle itself - 1938 to 2003?

[AAGR]

One year older than the original Type 2 (T1) then

No no, not the Land Rover - different chassis, different suspensions, different engines, different bodies. Except for ther badge, not a single component, I would be fairly sure, is shared between 1948 and 2013. In fact different everything, so surely it doesn't count.

AAGR

[arttidesco]

In terms of a basically unchanged design from beginning to end, doesn't the Citroen 2CV count?

Went through two different generations of design before the third generation went on the market in 1948 production ceased in 1990, so 'only' 42 years ;)

Edited by arttidesco, 29 October 2012 - 21:17.

[arttidesco]

What about the VW Beetle itself - 1938 to 2003?

VW only counts production from 1945 in it's 21,529,464 Beetles built

[Lee Nicolle]

The VW camper/Kombi of today shares no parts or even more than a basic resemblance of the old ones. Yes it is a rear engined vehicle but that is where the similarity ends.
The Landrover is the same, As is the Jeep, And for that matter the Landcruiser.
The Hindustan, based on the Morris Isis is closer to the original of probably all of them and I doubt much interchanges even on that timewarp.
The Beetle while similar in appearance and had some parts interchangeability [as it actually does with an older Porsche!!] is really a total evolution with different suspension, bigger engines, stronger transaxles, different wheels etc etc. Once again a timewarp and only for third world countrys.
The early Falcon which was sold in Sth America for decades and the humble Datsun 1200 ute that was sold in some markets until at least 2007 probably are the least changed. Both went for over 30 years largely unchanged. By that I mean the same basic engine style, same basic panel package, same basic suspension package. Both of which beat any VW by decades!

[nicanary]

The Hindustan Ambassador is still in production. A tarted-up 1956 Morris Oxford III in all but name.

Isn't it powered by a Nissan engine these days?

[Ray Bell]

Where does the Tatra stand in all of this?

I'm sure they were in production pre-war and went a long time after the war...

[Vitesse2]

Isn't it powered by a Nissan engine these days?

Isuzu.

Although on the subject of engines, the BMC A-series was in continual production from 1952 to 2000.

[Ray Bell]

And when did the AC engine start and finish?

An infinite and interesting subject...

[Wirra]

On a TNF theme.

Here, at Osterreichring, is the ex Dutch Telecom (?) kombi I drove to most of the '81 European GPs. Fantastic memories.

Edited by Wirra, 29 October 2012 - 23:33.

[arttidesco]

While I was at Paderborn University in the early 1980's I used to hire this Type 2 (T2b) Bulli from friends to go on excursions all over the place.

[arttidesco]

Not an obvious choice for a competition vehicle but that does not stop Maddog having fun at the Drag Strip with his Type 2 (T2a)

[AAGR]

And when did the AC engine start and finish?

An infinite and interesting subject...

1919 to 1963-ish, I think.

Please correct me if I am wrong ....

AAGR

[Allan Lupton]

And when did the AC engine start and finish?
An infinite and interesting subject...

1919 to 1963-ish, I think.
Please correct me if I am wrong ....
AAGR

Whilst that's near enough, some would say that they are still in production here!

[stuartbrs]

The original Mini had a pretty good run..

[AAGR]

Now .... what about motor cycles ?

To quote Manuel from Fawlty Towers : 'I know nothing ....'

[AAGR]

Oh, and by the way - Jaguar's XK engine first appeared in 1948, and was still being made for special proprietary projects into the 1990s.

[Sharman]

Whilst that's near enough, some would say that they are still in production here!

Wouldn't it be fun to do a full race engine and frighten the Ace Bristols.

[Duc-Man]

What about the Morgan 4/4? It was introduced in 1936.
I know there where different series with different engines and one big facelift. Apart from that how much of the original design is still left?

[Ray Bell]

Possibilities there are:

Scuttle and screen
Rear axle
Front suspension

[alansart]

Not an obvious choice for a competition vehicle but that does not stop Maddog having fun at the Drag Strip with his Type 2 (T2a)

Ex Super Vee racer Ronnie Grant used a flat back VW Kombi to transport his racers to the circuits. I was at Zolder in 1982 when he turned up for the Euro FF2000 round with his Delta on the back. I never saw how he got it on and off the flat back but it must have been interesting to watch

[arttidesco]

Possibilities there are:

Scuttle and screen
Rear axle
Front suspension

I thought it was a well known fact that Morgan has secured a supply of rear axles from the antipodes, not sure where the original 4-4 rear axle came from a UK Ford of Triumph perhaps.

Edited by arttidesco, 30 October 2012 - 18:49.

[BRG]

Apparently the Lada Riva (as in FIAT 124 clone) has finally gone out of production. That's 42 years since it started in 1980. Would it be cheating to add in the FIAT years?

[D-Type]

Now .... what about motor cycles ?

To quote Manuel from Fawlty Towers : 'I know nothing ....'

Likewise. According to Wikipedia the 'step through' Honda 50 claims to be the most produced motor vehicle in history.

But having been introduced in 1958, it is beaten in the longevity stakes by the Vespa and Lambretta scooters and presumably by the Royal Enfield motorcycles produced in Britain and India.

Over to those who do know what they are talking about.

Edited by D-Type, 30 October 2012 - 21:30.

[Geoff E]

That's 42 years since it started in 1980.

[Sharman]

Apparently the Lada Riva (as in FIAT 124 clone) has finally gone out of production. That's 42 years since it started in 1980. Would it be cheating to add in the FIAT years?

....and they complain that modern exams are dumbed down!!! !970 is closer to the mark but the arithmetic is still below par. See me after class for extra tuition

[alansart]

Apparently the Lada Riva (as in FIAT 124 clone) has finally gone out of production. That's 42 years since it started in 1980. Would it be cheating to add in the FIAT years?

My first car was a Fiat 124. M reg so that's around a 1974 model. A cracking little car before Lada got hold of it.

[Lee Nicolle]

I thought it was a well known fact that Morgan has secured a supply of rear axles from the antipodes, not sure where the original 4-4 rear axle came from a UK Ford of Triumph perhaps.

That is a Spicer/ BTR/ Borgwarner unit. I do love the drums and heavy hub adapters so they can use wire flywheels increasing unsprung weight by about 20lbs a corner!! Ah, 1940s engineeering practices!!

[arttidesco]

Ex Super Vee racer Ronnie Grant used a flat back VW Kombi to transport his racers to the circuits. I was at Zolder in 1982 when he turned up for the Euro FF2000 round with his Delta on the back. I never saw how he got it on and off the flat back but it must have been interesting to watch

Presumably the same way as Peter Lovely got his Lotus 49 of his flat bed Dub using long ramps stored under the car.

Edited by arttidesco, 31 October 2012 - 00:01.

[Allan Lupton]

I thought it was a well known fact that Morgan has secured a supply of rear axles from the antipodes, not sure where the original 4-4 rear axle came from a UK Ford of Triumph perhaps.

The pre-war 4/4 would probably have had an ENV axle as did many British cars which used bought-out components. Triumph used ENV and Ford only had torque-tube drive axles until the much later 100E.
Post-war the Vanguard-engined +4 had a Salisbury axle, again like many others. Heavy old thing that, never mind the wire wheels that Lee doesn't like.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by arttidesco
I thought it was a well known fact that Morgan has secured a supply of rear axles from the antipodes, not sure where the original 4-4 rear axle came from a UK Ford of Triumph perhaps.

The good old Borg-Warner 78 rear end...

A Morgan certainly shouldn't feel out of place in Australia, then!

Are they using the 25-spline or 28-spline axles?

[arttidesco]

Mini comes in at 41 years 1959 to 2000

Fiat 124 1966 - 74
Siberian spec Lada Zhiguli 1970-1988
Riva 1980 - 2012

46 years all three models combined

Dad taught me to drive in a '73 124 Special T IIRC assembled from a CKD in Zambia.

I'll ask about the original Morgan rear axle when I next visit the factory Allan

[AAGR]

OK, but now, what about the longest car model name - i.e. the same family, but in several different (and consecutive) technical generations ?

My opening bid would be for the Chevrolet Corvette, launched in 1953 - and that name will reach its 60th anniversary next year.

No wonder it is the highest-selling two-seater sports car of all time ....

AAGR

Edited by AAGR, 31 October 2012 - 09:33.

[Peter Leversedge]

The Ford F100 was built for a long time............

[Vitesse2]

Morgan 4/4? First introduced 1936, although obviously they didn't build any from 1940-45 and there was a gap from March 1951 to September 1955 between Series I and Series II. I make that 60 or 61 years of (more or less) continual production under the one model name.

[ensign14]

OK, but now, what about the longest car model name - i.e. the same family, but in several different (and consecutive) technical generations ?

SS Jaguar?

[Tim Murray]

Mercédès

[BRG]

....and they complain that modern exams are dumbed down!!! !970 is closer to the mark but the arithmetic is still below par. See me after class for extra tuition

Oops, that's what comes of counting on your fingers after a few drinks.

[Lee Nicolle]

The Ford F100 was built for a long time............

Still advailable in some markets I believe, replaced by the F150 [Not a ferrari F1!]in most though ofcourse The big brother F250 has been around as long, as the F350 also.

[Duc-Man]

The Nissan Skyline name has a history that goes back to 1957.
Mitsubishi introduced the name Colt in 1962.
Lincoln Continental starting in 1939.

There are surely more cars we don't even think about.

[RCH]

My first car was a Fiat 124. M reg so that's around a 1974 model. A cracking little car before Lada got hold of it.

Oi, don't do down the Lada! Mine gave me 2 seasons of great fun in the Lada Challenge. Tough as old boots, standard shell did need a bit of welding but only after several rough forestry events. Handling? maybe an aquired taste but predictable even if it did wag its tail on the exit of every bend. As an absolutely standard 1200 it would outrun my co-driver's All Aggro 1300. The brakes were great never had any problems on standard pads and linings even though they threw away the Fiat rear discs. It would rev like mad, was a better starter than my new Mk.V Cortina company car. It had a wonderful heater and even a starting handle! What's not like?

[Duc-Man]