That Spider is really slick, Pascal. Yum!
Very pretty car. A bit reminiscent of another iconic German car, the legendary Karmann Ghia, but with more of an Italian flair (a la Alfa Romeo). Slick like you said.That Spider is really slick, Pascal. Yum!
Miatas don't backfire.
Youse people may have never seen one of these before, but those Wankel equipped marvel of the 60's (NSU) were very popular in the streets of my childhood hometown:
image hosting over 5mb
I liked them because they sounded different. lol
It was one of weaknesses of the "12A" motor, poor fuel atomization/distribution due to the rotating combustion chamber so incomplete combustion at high revs.
And those suckers could hit 7000 no problem. 9000 redline!! :victorious:
Just to note re. a previous post here: Gibson's ownership by Norlin wasn't the sharp dividing line folks often portray it to be. One half of Norlin was Arnold Berlin, son of long-time Chicago Musical Instruments president M.H. Berlin. (CMI bought Gibson in 1944, arguably saving it from bankruptcy.) In 1969 CMI became part of Ecuadorian Company Limited, a brewing company run by a college friend of Arnold Berlin named Norton Stevens. CMI remained a division within ECL (renamed Norlin at some point after 1970) 'til 1974, when the latter company was reorganized.
There's no question that cost-cutting hurt Gibson's overall quality level during the ECL/Norlin period, but my own experience with early/mid 1970s instruments makes me suspect Norlin's bad rep is as much due to Juszkiewicz-era marketeering schtick as anything else. It's easier to sell a "Return to Former Glory!" tale when you make the period prior to your arrival look as bad as you can.
My reaction to Gibson's Chapter 11 filing is basically whatever. There are loads of used Gibsons out there…
-Dave-
Don't think I knew about that one!Even Citroen tried the rotary engine (bi-rotor Wankel) on the GS, but despite a much better performance than its 4 cylinders counter parts, the 70's oil crisis put these rotating gas guzzlers to death.
Interesting read here with pics of the bi-rotor:
http://www.citroencarclub.org.uk/drupal/node/35
Even Citroen tried the rotary engine (bi-rotor Wankel) on the GS, but despite a much better performance than its 4 cylinders counter parts, the 70's oil crisis put these rotating gas guzzlers to death.
Interesting read here with pics of the bi-rotor:
http://www.citroencarclub.org.uk/drupal/node/35
ah!... for some reason I developed an instantaneous hatred of the GS, as soon as I saw the first one. Based on looks only of course, because as it was the case with the DS and the magic of Citroen hydro-pneumatic suspension, it proved to be one of these "more-comfy-than-your-sofa-recliner" car to ride in (as I remember the rare few trips taken in one of my uncle's GS)... but definitely ranking high up on the scale of French cars ugliness. And the French know a thing or two about designing ugly cars. LMAOGood catch. I had a GS when I was a bit younger, bought it used and the engine died after just a few months of driving it. Wasn't a wankel though, just a piece of junk. Otherwise a fun car while it lasted.
I was afraid I was going to have to concede that point but then I remembered these:And the French know a thing or two about designing ugly cars. LMAO
Thanks, Quantum - 16 posts later and we are back on topic. For now...
walrus
Thanks, Quantum - 16 posts later and we are back on topic. For now...
walrus
HAH !!! That did not last long . . .
Oh... you WILL concede!
Oh no I won't!:
(Hah! Was keeping that one in reserve!)
:hororr:N.S.U
Cream
Driving in my car, smoking my cigar,
The only time I'm happy's when I play my guitar.
Singing in my yacht, what a lot I got,
Happiness is something that just cannot be bought.
I've been in and I'm out, I've been up and down,
I don't want to go until I've been all around.
What's it all about, anyone in doubt,
I don't want to go until I've found it all out.
Songwriters: Jack Bruce
N.S.U lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
And speaking of classic Gibsons this shot'd be about period correct for that tune getting played on tour:
But the rotor apex seals (the rotary equivalent of piston rings) were always the Achilles' heel on early rotarys (you'd be hard put to get more than 30,000 miles on 'em and that'd be execeptional) until Mazda finally found the fix.
Why're they so much fun?
Because the torque curve isn't bell-shaped on a rotary, it just stays flat after about 2500 RPM....they never run out of breath, just ignition timing when the spark can't keep up.... :glee:
And I always loved those first-gen wheels: