Culture|Garage

You know, the Brits really got it right in the ’70s. Japanese manufacturers were primarily focused on economy in their cars. Here in the states, American manufacturers were building barges and burly pickups (punctuated occasionally by a couple of small cars). The British, however, were slapping (almost literally) together interesting little roadsters, coupes and sedans, reminiscent of those popular in the early ’60s.

Although not every car made in England was a hit, the choices were numerous, as you could have your choice of several different makes or models; the Triumph TR 6, the Lotus Europa, the Jensen-Healey 5, and even the last of the E-Types, among others. Sure, the electrics would almost always go wrong, and the engineering was sometimes outdated in the worst way, but you can’t argue with the concept-fun, cheap (to buy, not so much to maintain) and attractive, these cars kept the flame alive for many car enthusiasts in the dark days of the O.G. gas crisis.

So the question this week is pretty straightforward. It deals not with quality assurance or technical sophistication, but with the human aspect-what makes one love these machines. Peter Egan, a retired mechanic, writer and frequent contributor to Road & Track, believes that deep down, even the most grizzled of car enthusiasts buy vehicles not necessarily based on facts and figures, but rather what tugs at the heartstrings, picking a car much like one picks a dog from the pound. In short, we buy the cars we buy because we like the idea of them, we like the way they look-sometimes because we like the way we look in them. So it is in this spirit I ask this week: what British car of the ’70s would you want to own?

For me, it doesn’t get any better than the Jaguar E-Type. The shape is second to none, and if I could get my hands on one with the heavy V-12 and a drop-head configuration, I’d snap it up in a hurry. Although it may seem a little overdone compared to its 6-cylinder bretheren, it still has the sort of looks, sound and even engine that remind one of a Spitfire. I’d have it in gray, silver, cream or green-the sort of colors (or colours) that, while restrained, merely compliment the bodywork, rather than overpowering it. But enough about my choice, what say you?

via: The Marque of Insanity, midlifeclassics.com, heritageclassics.com, 15psi.com

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