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Re: [VintageLambo] Re: Inventions

Zak McGregor

On Tue, 27 May 2003 06:01:16 -0000 "Alan S. Watkins" wrote: > What are the *inventions* that go with all those Italian names you"re > citing?Where"s the techological novelty to match the inventions and > concepts embedded in cars like Lotus Elite (bonded fiberglass > chassis) and Elan (chapman strut, sheet metal backbone, ), Jaguare XK- > E (semi-monocoque), Austin Mini (transverse FWD, hydrolastic > suspension), Jensen FF (full-time FWD),Citroen DS (hydraulic > everything),etc etc etc.? When I run my mind over the history of > Italian cars I see a lot of leaf springs, drum brakes and solid axles. Well for a start that"s "full-time 4wd", and as others have pointed out, they were not there first. A short list of Lancia"s innovations: - first to position gear lever inside the body - first V engine - first independent suspension - first integral body I"m n ot sure which Italian cars your mind is running over, but firms like Alfa Romeo and Fiat have had common or garden family cars with all-round disc brakes, twin cam engines, and 5 speed gearboxes when most if not all equivalent British cars (1963-) had live rears with leaf springs, drum brakes, 4 speed gearboxes and wheezed along with pushrod valves. The Fiat 125 was so well packaged and was such a development in that regard that no other than LKJ Setright - a Brit mind you - rates it as being more innovative than the Mini. > And, no, styling must *not* be considered invention.To say it is as > an excuse for including the Cisitalia is simply changing the > subject. And arguing that the Italians lead in that arena is > shooting fish in a barrell. Well I will defend that one design as being so revolutionary that i is indeed in my opinion invention. It provided the impetus for a complete paradigm shift for designers. > Tucker.Hmmm, several brilliant answers to questions nobody asked. OK I was fishing there. > Variable valve timing?You sure Porsche doesn"t get the points for > that one? Porsche gets points only for nicking ideas off brilliant Czech engineers - Hans Ledwinka. Ciao Zak -- ======================================================================== http://www.carfolio.com/Searchable database of 10 000+ car specs ======================================================================== Get A Free Psychic Reading! Your Online Answer To Life"s Important Questions. http://us.click.yahoo.com/Lj3uPC/Me7FAA/CNxFAA/9jLplB/TM Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to