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Re: [Healeys] get a load of this one..

To: HealeyRick <healeyrik@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] get a load of this one..
From: Chris Dimmock <austin.healey@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, 21 Feb 2016 13:28:59 +1100
Cc: Ahealey help <healeys@autox.team.net>, i erbs <eyera3000@gmail.com>
Delivered-to: mharc@autox.team.net
Delivered-to: healeys@autox.team.net
References: <xkf2jg27rs7ifprp0p2450c8.1455506860222@email.android.com> <BLU436-SMTP2061DD5A9813E509E494537A9A10@phx.gbl> <CABXhz897MNu4Pb_+1TTHkfx7F3jpkGun4i9d_Bc=N2DCAZoZGA@mail.gmail.com> <CAGfzsZf6=-usmqz0zvGf27zZcr15PQwGwqSp_vewoEfwSfYqag@mail.gmail.com>
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I think it's a bit more complicated.=20
Austin and Morris internal rivalries eventually killed the BMC C series engi=
ne. The C series should have continued development along the Healey Westlake=
 Rally path, alloy head etc (the path Datsun went down with the Z cars and s=
edan engines) Instead, BMC committed to the financial disaster that was the M=
GC 3 litre, and then distracted itself with the 4 litre RR engine.
See http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/mg-cars/mgb/engines-c-series/ for a=
 great overview.=20
So the engine strategy was going down the toilet....
Meanwhile, Ralph Nader destroyed the body / chassis designs & aesthetics and=
 effectively threatened sales into the largest single export market without a=
 huge redesign.=20
I think by the time the British Leyland Merger  came along, Austin was just a=
ll too hard....=20
Best
Chris=20
Sent from my iPhone

> On 21 Feb 2016, at 12:25 PM, HealeyRick <healeyrik@gmail.com> wrote:
>=20
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but it was nasty old BL that killed the Healey ra=
ther than the safety and emission requirements.  =46rom what I've read, the H=
ealey 4000 would have met the US requirements for 1968 (http://www.ewilkins.=
com/wilko/ah4000.htm) but it was the decision to badge engineer the MGC in f=
avor of a new Healey that was the death knell.  MGBs managed to soldier on f=
or several years after 1967 with the same chrome bumpers.  That's not to say=
 the Healey that we know and love could've soldiered on forever in light of m=
ore stringent US standards, just that I don't think they were the immediate c=
ause of death.
>=20
> Happy Healeying,
> Rick Neville
>=20
>> On Sat, Feb 20, 2016 at 1:43 AM, i erbs <eyera3000@gmail.com> wrote:
>> US smog and bumper height regulations.
>>=20
>> Mr. Ira Erbs
>> Portland,OR
>>=20
>>> On Feb 20, 2016 2:35 AM, "J. Armour" <sebring3000@bigpond.com> wrote:
>>> Can someone remind me why Healeys were not able to be sold in the USA? D=
id this issue of 'safety regulation' ( obviously for our own good so we were=
 not all killed ) not start out in California?
>>> Am I being politically incorrect or just stating history
>>> Joe
>>>=20

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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto"><div>I think it's a bit more complicated.&n=
bsp;</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">Austin and Morris internal rivalrie=
s eventually killed the BMC C series engine. The C series should have contin=
ued development along the Healey Westlake Rally path, alloy head etc (the pa=
th Datsun went down with the Z cars and sedan engines) Instead, BMC committe=
d to the financial disaster that was the MGC 3 litre, and then distracted it=
self with the 4 litre RR engine.</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">See&nbs=
p;<a href=3D"http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/mg-cars/mgb/engines-c-seri=
es/">http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/cars/mg-cars/mgb/engines-c-series/</a> f=
or a great overview.&nbsp;</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">So the engine=
 strategy was going down the toilet....</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">=
Meanwhile, Ralph Nader destroyed the body / chassis designs &amp; aesthetics=
 and effectively threatened sales into the largest single export market with=
out a huge redesign.&nbsp;</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">I think by th=
e time the British Leyland Merger &nbsp;came along, Austin was just all too h=
ard....&nbsp;<br>Best</div><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature">Chris&nbsp;<br>Sen=
t from my iPhone</div><div><br>On 21 Feb 2016, at 12:25 PM, HealeyRick &lt;<=
a href=3D"mailto:healeyrik@gmail.com";>healeyrik@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br>=
<br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">Correct me if I'm wrong=
, but it was nasty old BL that killed the Healey rather than the safety and e=
mission requirements.&nbsp; =46rom what I've read, the Healey 4000 would hav=
e met the US requirements for 1968 (<a href=3D"http://www.ewilkins.com/wilko=
/ah4000.htm">http://www.ewilkins.com/wilko/ah4000.htm</a>) but it was the de=
cision to badge engineer the MGC in favor of a new Healey that was the death=
 knell.&nbsp; MGBs managed to soldier on for several years after 1967 with t=
he same chrome bumpers.&nbsp; That's not to say the Healey that we know and l=
ove could've soldiered on forever in light of more stringent US standards, j=
ust that I don't think they were the immediate cause of death.<div><br></div=
><div>Happy Healeying,</div><div>Rick Neville</div></div><div class=3D"gmail=
_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, Feb 20, 2016 at 1:43 AM, i er=
bs <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:eyera3000@gmail.com"; target=3D"_b=
lank">eyera3000@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmai=
l_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:=
1ex"><p dir=3D"ltr">US smog and bumper height regulations.</p>
<p dir=3D"ltr">Mr. Ira Erbs<br>
Portland,OR</p>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Feb 20, 2016 2:35 AM, "J. Armour" &lt;<a href=3D=
"mailto:sebring3000@bigpond.com"; target=3D"_blank">sebring3000@bigpond.com</=
a>&gt; wrote:<br type=3D"attribution"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl=
e=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div sty=
le=3D"word-wrap:break-word;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-size:14px;font-family:Calib=
ri,sans-serif"><div>Can someone remind me why Healeys were not able to be so=
ld in the USA? Did this issue of 'safety regulation' ( obviously for our own=
 good so we were not all killed ) not start out in California?</div><div>Am I=
 being politically incorrect or just stating history</div><div>Joe</div><div=
><br></div></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></=
body></html>=

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