Leylines 72 - leylandp76.com · As we have every year since 2001, the Canberra and Districts...

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Leylines Leylines Leylines Leylines 72727272Canberra and Districts Leyland P76 Club Newsletter December 2008

Next Meeting: Next Meeting: Next Meeting: Next Meeting: Club Christmas DinnerClub Christmas DinnerClub Christmas DinnerClub Christmas Dinner

Weston Creek Labor ClubWeston Creek Labor ClubWeston Creek Labor ClubWeston Creek Labor ClubTuesday 2 DecemberTuesday 2 DecemberTuesday 2 DecemberTuesday 2 December

From From From From 7.007.007.007.00pm !!!!!pm !!!!!pm !!!!!pm !!!!!

Photo: Wheels 2006

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Leylines December 2008

Editor's NoteEditor's NoteEditor's NoteEditor's Note

I haven’t heard anything from our esteemed President this month, so at this stage, I guess I’ll just have to publish and be damned... Fortunately, Damo has stepped up to the breach with a number of items. Thanks Damo, your contributions are much appreciated.

As you will see, Damo made it to Marques in the Park as the Club’s sole representative. I also was there, although for a couple of reasons I took my Renault 16. The first, and most important, was that one of the Renault club members ( and fellow Renault 16 driver) went to some trouble to set up a celebration for the 40th Anniversary of the release of the R16 in Australia, including baking a cake in the shape of the R16TS logo and I felt that he should be supported. The second reason was that it was a miserable day, and I figured (correctly) that the ground would be a bit sloppy. The chocolate brown and somewhat decrepit 16 was better suited to get dirty, rather than the clean P76. The number of cars displayed was certainly down on previous years, but there still were some interesting vehicles there. See Damo’s report.

I’m waiting with interest to get my copy of Gavin Farmer’s new book on the P76. Gavin rang me on Saturday morning to say that it was about to go into the mail, but at the time of writing (Monday evening), it hasn’t arrived. Not surprising I guess, seeing that it is coming from South Australia.

I’ve included an interesting article by former BMC/Leyland employee, Roger Foy, on a wide-bodied Austin Freeway. To get his permission to publish, I gave him a call. Certainly one of the unusual and very pleasant aspects of P76 ownership is being able to talk directly to people who were involved in the development and production of our favourite vehicle all those years ago.

This month’s meeting is our Christmas get-together at the Labor Club. I look forward to seeing everyone there. Perhaps the Treasurer will open the coffers again this year to subsidise our celebrations?

See you all on Tuesday

Col

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Marques in the Park 2008Marques in the Park 2008Marques in the Park 2008Marques in the Park 2008Damien HaasDamien HaasDamien HaasDamien Haas

As we have every year since 2001, the Canberra and Districts Leyland P76 Owners Club

made an appearance at the annual Marques in the Park car show. This year was the 7th

annual event, and it was a cold, wet, windy and dreary day. This had a significant impact on attendance numbers. I was the only Leyland P76 there. I think the other club members are still waiting at that other Shell service station.

So in the absence of a nice Leyland group shot, or any interesting gossip to disseminate, I will present a short photographic essay of my wandering around the rainy Marques in the Parks 2008.

Featured here is a 1974 Bitter Apricot Super V8 4Spd. Just behind my car and to the right is the oldest existing Tasmanian racing car. It uses a 1938 Ford chassis and has carried a variety of engines over the years. Interestingly, when I examined it closely I was surprised to see it is on full road registration. It was the first car in Tasmania to break 100 mph, and held a variety of speed records (way back when).

There were many Fords and Holdens on display, naturally. So I wont show any of the garden-variety cars. This one I really liked. I don’t know what sort of Ford this is. It’s bigger than a Capri, but smaller than a Falcon Coupe. It has no badges on it except on the rear panel between the taillights where it says FORD. It’s a nice looking car. (This one took my eye, too. I think that it might be a Mustang from the early 1970s, but I’d be happy to be corrected. Ed)

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This interesting Mini based car is a ‘Midas’, a total body replacement for a Mini. Designed in the UK and made from fibreglass. The body isn’t painted, that’s the gelcoat colour. The owner found the car after it had been through several owners, none of whom had managed to complete it. He spent several months getting it to a condition that he was able to register it, and then had a nightmare experience with the ACT registration people. One of the things he had to fit to the 1970 running gear was a catalytic converter. The car came p to my waist it was that low. It didn’t look homebuilt at all. I like it. I doubt that I’d fit in it though - too umm tall….

I believe this is a Durant from 1928 or 1929. That colour looks like it came from the Leyland paint catalogue of 1973.


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At the last meeting there was much discussion regarding the ‘Tic Toc Tach’. While this tachometer does not feature a clock, it intriguingly lives on the bonnet of a 351 Mustang. Much like the modern doof doof brigade cars. I don’t think too many Leyland P76 owners would want to rev their V8’s to 6 Grand, as the pointer on this tachometer indicates.

Hopefully the club can make a better showing at next years Marques in the Park. A flyer circulated in the Shannon’s bag upon arrival indicated that this may have been the last year the event was free, and that the venue may be shifted. I hope neither is the case.

For SaleFor SaleFor SaleFor Sale

6 cylinder P76 Power Train

One Borg Warner type 35 auto transmission, propeller shaft and rear axle assembly.

I only ever drove this vehicle about 10 km before removing the 6 cylinder bits many years ago and all seemed well then. Phone Bryce 02 6254 5062 or 0411 093 695. Best offer.


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Leylands from the pastLeylands from the pastLeylands from the pastLeylands from the pastDamien HaasnDamien HaasnDamien HaasnDamien Haasn

A friend of mine has an XB Falcon GS sedan, which he is restoring from bare metal and fitting with NOS parts. The full deal. This particular car was owned by Sir Jack Brabham and ordered through Brabhams dealership, and has all the appropriate paper work etc. Owning a Falcon myself, I thought I would travel over to Hoppers Crossing to visit ‘All Fords’ a specialist Ford restoration shop, where my mates’ car is in a million pieces. While chatting to the owner Tony, I mentioned I was a P76 owner. His eyes lit up and a wad of photos was produced.

Tony it appears was no always a dedicated Ford man, and dabbed with other cars at one stage. This is his P76 V8 Super auto. The spoiler was handmade from steel, and the bumpers narrowed 2 inches.

The engine was left stock except for the addition of extractors, a Holley Carburettor and twin

exhaust. He shaved the heads but left everything internal stock. He doesn’t recall what the wheels were.


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Tony got rid of the Leyland in the early 80’s but has very fond memories of it. He said that even with the minimal engine mods he had performed, it could keep up with 351 Falcons without a problem, due to the car being so light and the engine so responsive. Now he runs an engineering business and ‘All Fords’ a Ford restoration business in Hoppers Crossing. I wonder if this car still survives ?


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Lord Stokes – an obituary Damien HaasDamien HaasDamien HaasDamien Haas

When Leyland P76 owners defend the integrity of their car from the great unwashed, who still insist (thanks to persistent and ongoing negative media propaganda) that the P76 was the car that sent Leyland Australia broke, they can easily point to British Leyland (BL) as the culprit. Lord Stokes was the head of BL when the decision to close Leyland Australia’s manufacturing capability, and sell all the assets to the Australian Government, was made.

In 1968, the then Sir Donald Stokes, who died in July this year aged 94, was given a key role in trying to turn round the ailing British car industry. He had just become chief executive of British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC), the flagship company created from Leyland Motors and British Motor Holdings (BMH)


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This marriage was not one made in heaven. The Labour government of the day had already nationalized most of the failing British car industry and formed BLMC. Leyland was a profitable company, which had started to expand from its solid history in buses and trucks, to incorporate passenger car manufacturing with the acquisition of Standard and Triumph in the early 1960’s. The idea was quite simple: merge Leyland and BLMC and let the competent management of Leyland turn around the fortunes of the merged entity.

It didn’t work. The British car industry faced enormous challenges and was uncompetitive with foreign imports. There were too many factories, spread all over Britain, building too many cars for too few buyers. The designs were old fashioned; the factories were falling down and using outdated and exhausted equipment. The biggest problem by far was industrial relations. This last factor was further complicated by a Labour government in debt to the union movement for its existence, and a desire to maintain jobs in the British car industry at any cost. The Labour government made many directions to the board of BL that interfered with plans to improve the business and make it competitive with imports.

By 1970, the merged Leyland/BLMC produced fewer cars than when they were separate companies back in 1967. This was due to government interference, high production costs, falling sales, unappealing designs and rolling strikes halting production.

In 1974 the company was close to collapse. In June/July 1974 Lord Stokes sought a one hundred million pound injection of capital from the British Government to stave off the inevitable. This was when the decision to close Leyland Australia was made. With the parent company bleeding to death financially, money was needed as soon as possible. Leyland Australia was closed, the assets sold and the money went back to England to temporarily save BL.

Lord Stokes remained with BL, finally leaving the board in 1979. By then BL's market share was down to 20%.

Indian, Chinese and German companies now own the remains of BMC and British Leyland. Many marques no longer exist. Lord Stokes once said that he had been like a man walking quickly in front of a steamroller. Eventually the steamroller caught up.

Second wife Patricia and son Michael survive him.

Donald Gresham Stokes, Lord Stokes of Leyland, industrialist, born March 22 1914; died July 21 2008

Further information on Lord Stokes and his work at BL can be found at:

http://www.aronline.co.uk/index.htm?stokesf.htm

A more detailed obituary is also online at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jul/22/automotive.past


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The Wide Body Austin Freeway - The Wide Body Austin Freeway - The Wide Body Austin Freeway - The Wide Body Austin Freeway - BMC History BMC History BMC History BMC History

revisitedrevisitedrevisitedrevisited

The UK-sourced, Farina-styled BMC cars of the early 1960s, the Austin A60 and Freeway, Morris Oxford, and Wolseley 15/60 and 24/80 had narrow gutted bodies. They were not wide enough to appeal to the local market where they were competing with the Holden, Ford Falcon and Chrysler Valiant.

It was probably a reaction to this problem that led BMC/BLMC/Leyland to make the P76 body as wide as it was. Roger Foy, who worked in the BMC Experimental area has written an entertaining article about a wide-bodied version of the Austin Freeway produced as a one-off in the Zetland factory. He has kindly allowed us to reproduce the article in Leylines. The story appears on an Austin Freeway related website, which contains more interesting background to the Freeway for those interested in BMC history. Seehttp://www.bluestreaksix.com

The Wide-bodied Freeway (that never was) by Roger Foy

This is not a trick photo!! Eight people in the YDR9 car. Front Seat, L to R: Fred (Draughtsman);

Beulah Ryan; Ron Meares; unknown young lady. Rear Seat: Alex Churches; Mazel Brennan; Ken

Bates; Sally Maroney.

BMC Australian Engineering Department always recognized that the Farina-styled body of the ADO9 range of cars (Austin A60, Wolseley 15/60, Morris Oxford V, etc.) from which ADO40 (Austin Freeway and Wolseley 24/80) was developed, suffered from a lack of width when compared to their Australian competitors, as the following table shows:

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i(Note: YDR9 was Experimentalese for Wider AD09)

The reason for the narrow width of ADO9/40 probably lies as much in the car’s A50/A55 ancestry as to narrow domestic garages and driveways found in much of urban UK . In many cases, they were put in at the side of the house to accommodate a motor-cycle and side-car. In a round table discussion one day, probably in about January 1961, Chief Engineer Bill Serjeantson was lamenting the lack of width in these cars and remarked that it was a pity that we could not split the car down the middle and add about 5 inches into it. Experimental Manufacturing Engineer Reg Redfern, who was in on the discussion said “OK, we can do that”. Bill gave the go ahead thinking that perhaps a body shell centre section might be cut down the middle to illustrate the point never dreaming that Reg would take him literally. Little did he know that within no more than ten days, Reg and his band of skilled tradesmen as well as with unofficial co-operation and advice from Mechanical Engineer John Hamilton and Body Engineer Graham Hardy, produced a Complete Driveable Motor Car, substantially to ADO40 specification! (I think Bill Serjeantson must have been on holiday for part or all of the time that this was under way, otherwise he must surely have noticed that nothing else was being done!)

Dimension

(inches)

ADO40 YDO9 Holden FB Falcon Valiant

Overall width 63.5 68.5 60.03 69.96 70.5

Shoulder Front

Room

50.75 55.75 52 55.25 54

Shoulder Rear

Room

50.75 55.75 52 55.25 54.12

Hip Front

Room

55.12 60.12 57 57 56.75

Hip Rear

Room

55.12 60.12 58 56.25 56.87

Kerb weight

(lbs)

2572 2780 2478 2481 2590

ADO9 and YDR9 side by side. Visibly the extra 5 inches makes an extraordinary difference. Photograph is taken in

Experimental yard in front of the Truck Shop. Perhaps this is the way Farina intended it to be.

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And what a remarkable job it was. They took a complete ADO9 body, (don’t ask where they got it from) and cut it down the centre from one end to the other, including the bonnet and boot lid, and added approximately 5” into the width. Certain areas such as the dash were redesigned to improve the strength and the Heater was moved to a position inside the car. The windscreen and backlight were genuine toughened glass. How Reg got such things done in such a short space of time by an outside supplier remains a mystery.

On the mechanical side, it appears that the front cross-member was extended on both sides, outboard of the engine mountings, as these appear to be in their original locations. The engine used was an early UK origin 2 7/8” bore prototype, which had come in one of the prototype cars, and was no longer needed. The gearbox was a manual 3-speed. Be-cause of the difficulty in extending the rear-axle housing and axles, they used an Inde-pendent Rear Wheel Suspension (I.R.W.S.) assembly that had been salvaged from a prototype car designated as ADO25. (This was in fact a D.O.1115 (Morris Major II) which had been built with I. R. W.S in UK for assessment, by UK and us. But that is another sto-ry, and another Car That Never Was.) This arrangement used fabricated trailing arms with the final-drive mounted in a sub-frame to the underfloor. Springing was by laminated tor-sion bars. (To illustrate the involvement of other senior people in the YDR9 project, Reg Fulford and I still remember John Hamilton berating his assistant Dolphie Leu because he had made an error in calculating the rate of the new torsion bar springs!) Final drive as-sembly was of A-series origin and was 3.9 to 1 ratio as was ADO25. Fortuitously, this was also the final drive ratio adopted for ADO40. Wheel size was 14 inch, as ADO40.

The engine compartment. Note that the original heater platform has been boxed in with the heater now inside the body,

thus giving a much tidier appearance to the engine bay.

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When the car was completed, a number of company people, particularly from Body Tool-ing and Press-shop areas were invited to view it and asked to express their opinion on the feasibility of such a project. It was generally agreed that it could be done, and that such a thing had been done before with the Morris Minor. (Apparently, only weeks before the Morris Minor MM was due for production, Alec Issigonis decided that it was too narrow, and added 4 inches to the width. It was said that this was the reason that an MM had a two-piece bumper bar with a filler piece in the centre. Production quantities of one-piece narrow bars had already been received into store, and rather than chuck them away, they were reworked by cutting them in half and adding the filler.)

Finally, Bill Serjeantson (RWS) decided that it was time to invite Bill Abbott, at that time Director of Engineering and Manufacturing, who had probably been away on holiday, down to have a look, thinking that Abbott (RLA) would be very interested in what had been done in such a short time, and might at least treat the whole thing as a serious possibility for future development. Alas, it was not to be. RLA, normally a placid bloke who always showed an interest in all things engineering, took one look at it, and ordered that it be cut up forthwith! He took RWS to task for wasting Company resources, and generally gave all concerned a huge tongue-lashing. Even people who had known RLA for many years had never seen him so angry, in fact, had never seen him angry. What caused RLA’s unchar-acteristic outburst? Did he know something we didn’t? Was he having a bad day? Was it because a seemingly major project was being done without his approval? Possibly it was a combination of all these things. (In 1992, in response to a question from author Gavin Farmer, relating to this project, RLA had this to say: “A styling exercise only to show sort of body space we needed in a big car. It was not a runner.” Even after 30 years RLA never found out what had been done, but obviously still remembered the incident.)

Nevertheless, John Hamilton decided that, as he had not been advised officially that the project had been cancelled, he and Dolphie Leu would proceed with their plan to road-test the car that night, which they did, probably accompanied by Ken Bates, Experimental Workshop Foreman. John was anxious to try out the effect of I.R.W.S. on a larger car. (It is interesting that 40 years on I.R.W.S. is only now being offered by our competitors.) Next day, cutting-up commenced.

Rear end view. Again not a trick photo, although it's not known what lens was used by Jimmy

Zammitt. Note that Morris Oxford V tail lamps were used which incorporated reversing lights

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Fortunately, the day before this drama, I had Jimmy Zammitt, the Company Photographer come down and take pictures of the car, little thinking that these would be the only tangible evidence that the car ever existed. If nothing else, the car did show how important it is for a manufacturer to get the dimensions right, and what a big difference can be made by just a few inches.

Six people in YDR9 car. Front seat, L to R: Beulah Ryan; Fred (Draughtsman); unknown girl. Rear Seat: Alex

Churches; Mazel Brennan; Ken Bates. Note the abundance of shoulder room.

What problems would we have encountered? First of all, we probably would have had a weight penalty of about 8%, which would have given a kerb weight of approx. 2780 lbs., an increase of about 210 lbs. Already ADO40 was heavier than both Holden and Falcon by about 100 lbs., our performance advantage only being gained by superior engine pow-er. A proportional increase in engine power with the as yet to be introduced B6 engine would have been seen to be difficult. A weight reduction program on the body could have been undertaken, but would have required a lot of development work to ensure that body durability was not compromised. (Cracking in the dash area had already been noted on ADO9 and ADO40.) In the market-place, it would have given us a sales advantage over all of our competitors, but with our limited resources, could we have done it in the 12 months available? RLA’s decision was probably right, but it would have been nice to have been able to show UK what could have been done.

(Article written as well as photos supplied by Roger Foy who worked in the BMC Experimental

Department from 1957 to 1974.)

http://www.bluestreaksix.com

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On Board Diagnostics… On Board Diagnostics… On Board Diagnostics… On Board Diagnostics… AlexAlexAlexAlex

Now this is not particularly P76 related but it is car related…

I recently purchased a scan tool for use with my new Jeep.

The ScanGauge II is a 3 in 1 Automotive Computer interface for 1996 and onwards Jeeps and MANY other cars (that are OBDII Compliant) - Offering

· Trip Computer

· Digital Gauges

· Scan Tool

Trip Computers The ScanGauge II automatically tracks and stores data on 4 basis - Today, Previous Day, Current Trip and Tank. It provides:

· Maximum Speed

· Average Speed

· Maximum Coolant Temperature

· Maximum RPM

· Driving Time

· Driving Distance

· Fuel Used

· Trip Fuel Economy

· Distance to Empty

· Time to Empty

· Fuel to Empty

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Digital Gauges The ScanGauge II can display up to 4 of 12 possible gauges at one time. The units of measure can be displayed in metric or imperial and the rate of update can be increased or decreased. The gauges are:

· Fuel Economy

· Fuel Rate

· Battery Voltage

· Coolant Temperature

· Intake Air Temperature

· Engine Speed (RPM)

· Vehicle speed (MPH)

· Manifold Pressure (not available on some vehicles)

· Engine Load

· Throttle Position

· Ignition Timing

· Open/Closed Loop

Scan ToolProvides the following functionality:

· Reads Trouble Codes

· Reads conditions that set the Trouble Code

· Clears Trouble Codes

· Turns off "Check Engine" light

· Tells you when vehicle is "Ready" to pass OBDII testing

· Make and store up to 10 rewritable special codes to send to the vehicle computer

This versatile tool is a simple plug-in and requires NO additional wiring (not even for power). It installs in seconds and can be moved between vehicles easily (although it will retain some information).

……That was the sales blurb, in reality it works on most cars built after 2002, it wont work on my wife’s 2001 AU Fairmont, but it does work on a 2002 XR6T.

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OBDII stands for On Board Diagnostics and the 2 obviously means series two, not as well. It is interesting to see just how much real time data flows about between the various computers and display units in a modern car.

It is intriguing to see how long my car actually takes to reach normal operating water temperature of 93 deg C. Sometimes it’s at least 10 mins. It takes several minutes to get above 40 deg C. Yes old Alfas from the early 70’s had a green lamp that told you much the same thing as does a temp gauge on the dash. But when you can watch it go from 14 to 93 deg in single steps its far more involving.

Then there is the intake air temp, all the more exciting in a turbo charged car, because as anyone who has ever pumped up a tyre with a hand pump will know, compressing air makes it hot. So when you blast off from the traffic lights on Hindmarsh and Mugga Lane the MAP Manifold Absolute Pressure goes from 16.5 psi to 36 psi, or 20 pounds of boost. The intake air rapidly go’s from about 5 deg above ambient to about 75 deg C.

Or watching the cents per kilometre go from about 2 to over 100 cents per kilometre at the same time.

Never leave it on engine load or the kids will figure out what is does and want you to drive everywhere at 100% throttle.

It would have been handy back in the days when Pete still lived at home. Even with his assurances he drove my car normally, and just went into the city for dinner with some mates the car said differently, and the fuel consumption went from 11L/100km to upwards of 15. But this did not tell the full story.

Armed with my forensic dobber the Scan tool I could look at the log from the day before and see the average as well as the incriminating maximum speed/rpm as well as distance and average economy for the specific day.

Then it would have been back to the big orange limo for Pete and his mates!Attention all Club Members

Under Bonnet KitsUnder Bonnet KitsUnder Bonnet KitsUnder Bonnet KitsAs there were several enquiries from club members at the Geelong National Easter meet Nigel Bray will be undertaking a run on under bonnet insulation kits. Nigel will be starting them in approx. 4-6 weeks and would like to know numbers required from individuals and clubs. We will advise all clubs on the new prices when available. It will be more economical to send them bulk to one address so orders through your club would be preferred.

IPlease direct all further enquiries to Geoff Cutting Ph (08) 82703799 or Email [email protected].

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Contact the Canberra and Districts Leyland P76 Club

Mailing address: PO Box 6306 Kingston ACT 2604

Online address:

Yahoo group: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/p76act

Club Office Holders:

President Alex Shoobridge Ph 02 6293 9373Vice Pres & Registrar Geoff Thomas Ph 02 6262 4006Treasurer Bryce French Ph 02 6254 5062Secretary Paul Hanley Ph 02 6231 2748Public Officer Damien Haas Ph 02 6259 9447Spares Damien Haas Ph 02 6259 9447Editor Col Gardner Ph 02 6254 5177


Leylines 72 - leylandp76.com · As we have every year since 2001, the Canberra and Districts...

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