Jaguar XK140, 1955

Jaguar XK140, 1955

The Jaguar XK140 is a sports car manufactured by Jaguar between 1954 and 1957, the successor to Jaguar's highly successful XK120. Upgrades included better brakes, rack and pinion steering, increased suspension travel and modern tube type shock absorbers instead of the older lever arm design.

The Jaguar XK140 was introduced in late 1954 and sold as a 1955 model. The primary visual change was the more substantial front and rear bumpers, with large overriders. Another new feature was modern flashing turn signals, operated by a separate switch on the dash. The twin amber lights positioned above the front bumper helped to distinguish the XK140 - until XK120 owners started installing the same equipment.

Front grille size stayed the same but became a one piece cast unit with fewer, thicker vertical slats. The Jaguar badge was fitted to the grille itself, rather than being mounted between the grille and hood/bonnet as on the XK120. A chrome trim strip extended back over the bonnet and at the rear continued down the centre of the boot (trunk) lid, where it contained a red shield with the words 'Winner Le Mans 1951-3' inscribed in gold.

The interior was improved for taller drivers with an addition of 3 inches (76 mm) of legroom, as a result of relocating the engine, firewall and dash forward. The new arrangement left no room for the XK120 battery compartment, and the single battery was now located low down inside the wing on the inlet side, making it almost impossible to replace.

The Jaguar XK140 continued to feature the famous Jaguar XK engine with the Special Equipment modifications from the XK120 as standard, increasing the specified power by 10 bhp to 190 bhp (142 kW) gross at 5500 rpm. The special C-Type cylinder head was also carried through from the XK120 catalogue as an option, specified at 210 bhp (157 kW) gross at 5750 rpm.

A car fitted with the C-type cylinder head, 2-inch sandcast H8 carburettors, heavier front torsion bars and twin exhaust pipes was known in the UK as an XK140 SE. In North America it was popularly called an XK-140 MC.

In 1956, the XK140 was the first Jaguar sports car to be offered with an automatic transmission. As with the XK120, the availability of wire wheels and dual exhausts were options although most cars imported into the United States had wire wheels. Cars with disc wheels continued to be offered with fender skirts (spats) closing the rear wheel arch.

The Jaguar XK140 was available in three body styles. The OTS (Open Two Seater) roadster had a light canvas top assembly that when lowered fitted behind the seats and thus completely disappeared inside the body. The interior of the OTS was trimmed in leather and leatherette, including the dash. Like the XK120 Roadster, the Jaguar XK140 OTS had removable canvas and plastic side curtains on light alloy doors, and either a long or short tonneau cover to keep the cockpit dry with the top down.

As well as real wind-up windows, the DHC (Drop Head Coupe) had a permanently-mounted padded soft top that when lowered sat above and outside the body of the car. it also had a fixed windscreen (unlike the removable windscreen of the OTS). The DHC had a very elegant walnut-veneered dash and door cappings, as did the FHC (Fixed Head Coupe). As a gesture to practicality, a jump seat was added to both coupe models. The FHC's windscreen was mounted further forward, giving it considerably more interior space than the DHC.

Buick Jay Lenos Roadmaster, 1955

Buick Jay Lenos Roadmaster, 1955

 

 

The origins of the Roadmaster name date to 1936 when Buick renamed its entire model line-up to celebrate the engineering improvements and design advancements over their 1935 models. Buick's Series 40 model range became the Special, the Buick Century took the place of the Series 60 and the Series 90 — Buick's largest and most luxurious vehicles — became the Limited. Buick's Series 80 became the Roadmaster.

Roadmasters produced between 1936 and 1958 were built on Buick's longest wheelbase and shared its basic structure with senior Oldsmobiles. Between 1946 and 1957, the Roadmaster was Buick's premium and best appointed model, and was offered in sedan, coupe, convertible and station wagon bodystyles between 1936 and 1948. In 1949 a hardtop coupe, designated "Riviera" joined the model line up; a four-door hardtop joined the model range in 1956.

The 1953 Buick Roadmaster station wagon, Model 79-R, was the last wood-bodied station wagon mass-produced in the United States. Its body was a product of Iona Manufacturing which built all Buick station wagon bodies between 1946 and 1964. Priced at US$4,031, the wagon was second in price to the Buick Skylark. Only 670 of these final woody wagons were produced for 1953.

In 1959 Buick again introduced a model range that represented a significant shift in its body design, and the Roadmaster name was replaced by the Electra name.

Bentley S1, 1955

Bentley S1, 1955

The Bentley S1 was a luxury car produced by Bentley Motors Limited from 1955 through 1959. It marked Bentley parent, Rolls-Royce, reducing the differences between their Bentley and Roll-Royce models, with the S1 differing only in its radiator design and badging from the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud I.

The models shared the 4.9 L (4887 cc/298 in³) straight-6 engine, with this being the last vehicle to use this engine. The bore was 95.25 mm (3.7 in) and the stroke was 114.3 mm (4.5 in). Twin SU carburetors were fitted, with upgraded models from 1957. A 4-speed automatic transmission was standard, with a 4-speed manual available as an option. Two wheelbases were produced: 123 in (3124 mm) and, from 1957, 127 in (3226 mm).

A somewhat sportier coachbuilt-only S1 Continental was introduced six months later.

Production
S1: 3072 (145 with coachbuilt bodies)
S1 long wheelbase: 35 (12 with coachbuilt bodies)
S1 Continental: 431

BMW Isetta, 1955

BMW Isetta, 1955

BMW made the Isetta its own. They redesigned the powerplant around a more reliable BMW one-cylinder, four-stroke, 247 cc motorcycle engine making 13 hp. Though the major elements of the Italian design remained intact, BMW re-engineered much of the car, so much so that none of the parts between a BMW Isetta Moto Coupe and an Iso Isetta are interchangeable. The first BMW Isetta appeared in April, 1955.

BMW Isetta 250
While it retained the "Bubble Window" styling, it differed from the Italian model in that its headlamps were fixed separately to the sides of the bodywork and it carried the BMW badge below the windscreen. The car was also redesigned to take a modified version of the 250 cc 4-stroke engine from the BMW R25/3 motorcycle and the front suspension was changed. The single-cylinder generated 12 hp at 5800 rpm. The crankcase and cylinder were made of cast iron, the cylinder head of aluminium. However, the head was rotated by 180 degrees compared with the motorcycle engine. The twin-bearing crankshaft was also different in the Isetta power unit, being larger and featuring reinforced bearings. One of the reasons for this was the heavy Dynastart unit which combined the dynamo and self-starter. The fuel mixture was provided by a Bing sliding throttle side draft motorcycle carburettor. In addition to further changes of detail, the BMW engineers enlarged the sump for installation in the car and cooled the engine by means of a radial fan and shrouded ducting.

The power train from the four-speed gearbox to the two rear wheels was also unusual: fixed to the gearbox output drive was something called a Hardy disc, which was a cardan joint made of rubber. On the other side of it was a cardan shaft, and finally a second Hardy disc, which in turn was located at the entrance to a chain case. A duplex chain running in an oil bath led finally to a rigid shaft, at each end of which were the two rear wheels.

In Germany the Isetta could even be driven with a motorcycle licence. The top speed of the Isetta 250 was rated as 85 km/h.

The first BMW Isetta rolled off the line in April of 1955 and in the next eight months, some 10,000 of the "bubblecars" were produced.
BMW Isetta 300
In October 1956 the Isetta Moto Coupe DeLuxe (sliding-window Isetta) was introduced. The bubble windows were replaced by longer, sliding side windows. The engineers had enlarged the single cylinder to a 72 mm bore and 73 mm stroke, which gave a displacement of exactly 298 cc, and at the same time they raised the compression ratio from 6.8 to 7.0:1. In this way the engine now generated 13 hp (10 kW) at 5200 rpm, and the torque rose to 18.4 N·m at 4600 rpm. The maximum speed remained at 85 km/h, yet there was a marked increase in flexibility, chiefly noticeable on gradients.

In addition to the quest for better performance, there was another reason for the change: it was then still possible to drive the 250 cc Isetta with the old Class IV driving licence. Quite a number of Isettas were lovingly maintained by their owners for years and even decades, precisely because they possessed no other licence. On the other hand, from 1956 onwards, first-time drivers had to pass the test for Class III if they wanted to drive a car. True, the Class IV licence continued to be issued, but it was only valid for small motorcycles.
A second, similar reason for fitting the larger engine was the prevailing tax regime. The 250 cc engine did not take full advantage of the tax class, which then went up to 300 cc.

BMW Isetta 600
The BMW 600 was intended as an enlarged Isetta three-wheeler with more power and a more conventional four-wheel configuration.

The front end of the 600 was virtually unchanged from the Isetta, but the 600's wheelbase was stretched to accommodate four seats. A conventional rear axle was added. BMW introduced the semi-trailing arm independent suspension on the 600. This suspension would be used on almost every new model for the next four decades. Because of extra size and weight, the 600 had a more powerful engine than the Isetta. The 600 had the 582 cc twin engine from the R67 motorcycle. Top speed was 64 mph.

In two years only 34,000 600s were produced, partly due to price competition with the entry-level VW Beetle. In the late 1950s consumers wanted cars that looked like cars, and they had lost interest in economy models. Sales of the 600 were, however, aided by the energy crisis of 1956–1957.

In May 1962 BMW ceased production of the Isetta. A total of 161,728 units had been built.

Ford Thunderbird

Ford Thunderbird, 1955

The Ford Thunderbird is a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. It entered production for the 1955 model year as a 2-seater sporty car; unlike the superficially similar (and slightly earlier) Chevrolet Corvette, the Thunderbird was never sold as a full-blown sports car. Ford described it as a personal luxury car, a description which named a new market segment. In 1958, the Thunderbird gained a second row of seats for greater practicality. Succeeding generations became larger and more luxurious, until the line was downsized in 1977 and again in 1980. Sales were good until the 1990s, when large 2-door coupes became unpopular; production ceased after 1997. In 2002, a revived 2-seat model was launched, was available through the end of the 2005 model year.

Genesis
Three men are generally credited with creating the original Thunderbird: Lewis D. Crusoe, a retired GM executive lured out of retirement by Henry Ford II; George Walker, chief stylist and a Ford vice-president; and Frank Hershey, a Ford designer. Crusoe and Walker met in France in October 1951. Walking in the Grand Palais in Paris, Crusoe pointed at a sports car and asked Walker, 'Why can’t we have something like that?'

Walker promptly telephoned Ford's HQ in Dearborn and told designer Frank Hershey about the idea. Hershey took the idea and began working on the vehicle. The concept was for a two-passenger open car, with a target weight of 2525 lb (1145 kg), an Interceptor V8 engine and a top speed of over 100 mph (160 km/h). Crusoe saw a painted clay model on May 18, 1953, which corresponded closely to the final car; he gave the car the go-ahead in September after comparing it with current European trends.

Unlike the Corvette, the Thunderbird was never a full-blown sporting vehicle; Ford's description was personal luxury car, and the company essentially created this market segment.

Naming
There was some difficulty in naming the car, with suggestions ranging from the exotic to the ridiculous (Hep Cat, Beaver, Detroiter, Runabout, Arcturus, Savile, El Tigre, and Coronado were submitted among the 5,000 suggestions). One serious suggestion was Whizzer. Crusoe offered a $250 suit to anyone who could come up with a better name.

Stylist Alden "Gib" Giberson submitted Thunderbird as part of a list. Giberson never claimed his prize, settling for a $95 suit and an extra pair of trousers from Saks Fifth Avenue.

According to Palm Springs Life magazine, the car's final name came not from the Native American symbol as one might expect, but from an ultra-exclusive housing tract in what would later be incorporated as Rancho Mirage, California: Thunderbird Heights.

1955-1957 "Classic Birds" or "Little Birds"

The car was shown at the first postwar Detroit Auto Show on February 20, 1954. The first production car came off the line on September 9, 1954. It went on sale on October 22, 1954) as a 1955 model, and sold briskly; 3,500 orders were placed in the first ten days of sale. Ford had only projected building 10,000; eventual 1955 sales were 16,155.

As standard, the 1955 Thunderbird included a removable fiberglass top; a fabric convertible top was an option, although commonly specified. The only engine option was a 292 Y-block V8. The exhausts exited through twin "bullets" above the rear bumper, as was the fashion.

For the 1956 model, Ford made some changes. To give more trunk space, the spare wheel was mounted outside, Continental-style; the exhausts were moved to the ends of the bumper. Air vents were added behind the front wheels to improve cabin ventilation. To improve rear-quarter visibility with the removable hardtop in place, "porthole" windows were made available as a no-cost option. An optional 312 Y-block V8 was made available for those that wanted more performance.

1956 sales were 15,631, the lowest of all three 2-seater Thunderbird model years.

For 1957, a more radical restyle was performed. The front bumper was reshaped, with heavier sides, "bullets" at the ends of the grille, and the section below the grille dropping down. The grille was larger. The tailfins were made larger, more pointed, and canted outward; larger round tail-lights were fitted. The spare wheel moved inside the trunk again, which had been redesigned to allow it to be mounted vertically and take up less space. The side "Thunderbird" script moved from the fins to the front fenders. The styling was so influential, the later British Anglia bore an uncanny resemblance to it. The Corsair was heavily influenced by the later "Bullet bird" of 1961-63.

Engine options increased, because Ford went racing with the Thunderbird that year. As well as the standard 292 and 312 engines, versions of the 312 were produced in higher states of tune, and even a few McCulloch supercharged versions, rated at 300 and 340 hp respectively.

1957 sales were 21,380, including three extra months of production because the 1958 models were late.