For Brit car lovers, BMC history

[Dwain G.]

https://youtu.be/FR5Dq9TDxoE

[Stude Shoo-wop!]

Extremely interesting this was. I was fascinated by how slow the assembly lines appeared to be moving. Maybe it’s just for show?

[wittsend]

Interesting to see the dock workers and assembly workers wearing "driving caps" , ties and what look like suit jackets. Also, Anglia's and Nash Metropolitian's going down parralel lines. I wonder if there is a similar video for Rootes Group as I have a Sunbeam Tiger.

[Hallabutt]

Thanks for sharing. How things would change for BMC, in the succeeding decade!

[jnormanh]

Interesting to see the dock workers and assembly workers wearing "driving caps" , ties and what look like suit jackets. Also, Anglia's and Nash Metropolitian's going down parralel lines. I wonder if there is a similar video for Rootes Group as I have a Sunbeam Tiger.

Probably not. Although the basic Alpine body shell was produced off the same assembly line, "Tigerizing" was done by Jenson and was low volume-no assembly line.

[Skip Lackie]

Interesting to see the dock workers and assembly workers wearing "driving caps" , ties and what look like suit jackets. Also, Anglia's and Nash Metropolitian's going down parralel lines. I wonder if there is a similar video for Rootes Group as I have a Sunbeam Tiger.

I spent some time working in the UK during the early 1960s, and noticed the same thing. Nearly all men, no matter what their job, wore a tie and jacket, sometimes with a grease and dirt-stained apron over it. The clothes were often frayed, but decorum had to be maintained.

[8E45E]

Thanks for sharing. How things would change for BMC, in the succeeding decade!

It sure did!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRyN4XhJ_ms

Craig

[BobPalma]

Interesting, Dwain; thanks.

(When Studebaker quit using the engine green enamel, did they sell the remainder to BMC? Note the engine colors at around 18:00! ) BP

[Dwain G.]

Interesting to see the dock workers and assembly workers wearing "driving caps" , ties and what look like suit jackets. Also, Anglia's and Nash Metropolitian's going down parralel lines. I wonder if there is a similar video for Rootes Group as I have a Sunbeam Tiger.

I was working for an import car shop when they acquired the Sunbeam & Simca dealership. We'll have to talk Tigers sometime.

[Dwain G.]

Yeah Bob, that green was similar, and they used a lot of it. A lot of maroon engines too.

[stall]

In my checkered past I owned MGs, Austin Healy"s and Hillmans ; they were all wonderful cars to drive but terrible cars to own. I think as collector cars they would be fun but I got tired of taking a tool kit with me whenever I went to the store for a quart of milk.

[JRoberts]

In my past I owned two BMC vehicles an Austin-Healy Sprite and an Elva Courier. I also owned a Triumph TR3, not a BMC product is still was a typical English sports car. As much trouble as these three gave me I would love to own each one of them again. Lots of fun to drive.

[spokejr]

Interesting to see the dock workers and assembly workers wearing "driving caps" , ties and what look like suit jackets. Also, Anglia's and Nash Metropolitian's going down parralel lines. I wonder if there is a similar video for Rootes Group as I have a Sunbeam Tiger.

I promise you this, Austin/BMC never built an Anglia. The "Angle-box" was a Ford. What you saw being run along the line next to Metropolitans was the Austin Westminster, https://www.google.com/search?q=aust...-hNK_t8Z0AP_M:

[wittsend]

I promise you this, Austin/BMC never built an Anglia. The "Angle-box" was a Ford. What you saw being run along the line next to Metropolitans was the Austin Westminster, https://www.google.com/search?q=aust...-hNK_t8Z0AP_M:

Logically that makes sense and I stand corrected - regarding the Anglia. However, the Austin Westminster you refer to was not the car I mistook as the Anglia. The one I referred to was right here https://youtu.be/FR5Dq9TDxoE?t=1118 (pause immediately). From all accounts it is an Austin but it seems a Cambridge, not a Westminster. http://auto-zer.com/photo/austin-cam...9/default.html There does appear a Westminster a few seconds after the Cambridge appears in the video and perhaps that is what you saw.

-----

Regarding the Sunbeam Tiger; Shelby is often credited with the conversion. And while it was done at Shelby's shop overwhelmingly the work was done by a man named George Boskoff. The Tiger club had Boskoff speak at their annual meeting in the early 2000's. With my background in TV Production we made a video that tells the true story of the Tiger development - from the guy that actually did it. BTW, Boskoff's daughter Sylvia is married to John Morton of the Datsun BRE racing fame. She is also the author of the book "The Stainless Steel Carrot" https://www.amazon.com/Stainless-Ste.../dp/1888978155 .

[spokejr]

Logically that makes sense and I stand corrected - regarding the Anglia. However, the Austin Westminster you refer to was not the car I mistook as the Anglia. The one I referred to was right here https://youtu.be/FR5Dq9TDxoE?t=1118 (pause immediately). From all accounts it is an Austin but it seems a Cambridge, not a Westminster. http://auto-zer.com/photo/austin-cam...9/default.html There does appear a Westminster a few seconds after the Cambridge appears in the video and perhaps that is what you saw.

Agreed, they have a familial look but are definitely different when compared, especially on the grill and turnsignal details.