Shortly after production began, however, design flaws became apparent. Although the car was big and heavy, it used a relatively small Austin A55 1.5 litre engine, which limited performance. The A55 also provided the transmission and suspension. Another problem was that the rear wheels were shrouded by body panels and a rear wheel could not be removed (for puncture repair for example) without dropping its axle..... Production of up to 10,000 cars a year was talked about but as few as ten complete cars were produced during the six months before production ceased. After the factory closed, the unused parts were dumped into the local lake, Lough Muckno.
August is practically here! Don't forget to head to beautiful Sheboygan for their annual Brat Days celebration. The first video tells the schedule for two years ago, but I can't imagine it will be too different in 2013, although on the other hand, it's their big 60th anniversary!
Plus, as you can see in the second video, they even feature sexy pole dancing!
In 1939, Kent Knowlton of Randsburg, CA, assembled a curious meal of petrified food for his amusement and that of others.
We have a record that it was still being exhibited a year later. Then, the "Original Rock Dinner" vanishes from history--until this very year!
An article on the "ghost town" of Randsburg features what appears to be a photo of the petrified food, nearly 75 years after its debut. I'd recognize that "cauliflower" anywhere!
In the Pays bigouden region of France, women traditionally wear a distinctive phallic-shaped headdress named a coiffe.
Apparently they keep it on all the time, even while driving. Provided they have a sunroof in their car.
But from what I understand, only a handful of women still maintain the tradition. Most of them just put the thing on for the benefit of tourists. Read more about the Bigoudène here and here.
Category: Regionalism, Success & Failure, 1950's, 1960's, Europe, Cars