Ferrari Mailing List: Car babble, little Ferrari content

[Rick Lindsay (richardolindsay]

Hello Friends,

In response to a Volvo-friend's comments about the history of motorcars, specifically the P1800, I began to ponder. How did my cars come about? Here are a few of my thoughts.

I'm sure all the early designers and engineers reviewed one another's work. Its not unlike my industry (oil and gas exploration) where we exchange ideas at the trade shows, conferences and workshops, plus study one anothers papers. In fact, that technical and artistic exchange is a fascinating facet of our hobby.

In paleontology there are concepts called; divergent evolution, parallel evolution and convergent evolution. In each case, the evolutionary changes are driven by environment. Where am I going with this? The processes apply equally well to the automobile industry. Let me explain. 

One of the most interesting times in the automotive industry is the 1930s. That is a period of 'divergent evolution'. Lots of makers inventing lots of mechanical systems. The goal, as it has always been, was to survive, but without a 'how to' manual. To that end each maker strived individually to be the best. Specifically, this was a time when Fords pumped oil to bearings but Chevrolet sprayed it toward the undersides of the pistons where it 'rained' down on the journals spinning in their bearings. At a whopping 2800 rpm 'red line', both worked okay.

By the late '40s, and almost certainly influenced by the war, our favorite industry entered into a period of dog-eat-dog growth. Most systems had evolved to a standard. For example, pressure oiled bearings, down draft carburation, hydraulic brakes. This was a period of 'parallel evolution' where each maker responded to the environment (almost) independently. Witness the impact of the supersonic jet age on Ford's designs, and the wings on the rear or the '59-'60 Chevrolets.

By the early '70s external pressures, or the environment, began applying influence across the industry. No longer were makers driven by market share alone. Now Big Brother began inforcing design changes like 5mph bumpers and emissions limitations. As these pressures continued, fuel economy standards and mandated safety systems began to shape cars into jelly bean shapes and within, crash structures, safety belts and airbags evolved. This is the era of 'convergent evolution'. The external forces caused designs and systems toward one another. To survive, the maker's designs, both cosmetic and mechanical, had to converge. Another word for this is 'boring'.

This last era is exactly how my wife likes it. Decisions are easy because they're all the same. In many cases the automobile had evolved into a 'major appliance'. As such, it should function flawlessly when needed and after completing its task, remain out of sight.

Fortunately there are examples counter to the mainstream. Sadly ( or perhaps fortunately? ), they are usually limited by the environmental pressures leaving them short-lived, low-production numbers, and/or both. And those are the cars we car guys tend to love. Yes there are those who enjoy nothing more than a high-production number Camaro or Challenger. And while those cars are pretty, they're jelly beans in fancy dress.

I like the quirky cars - and I don't believe I am alone here. Witness my first cars and my current little collection, grown over the past 20 years.

First car:
1931 Ford Model A pickup.

Other cars, in my youth:
Fiat 850 Spyder, Triumph TR6, a plethora of Corvairs

Current cars:
Toyota Highlander - Nancy's major appliance. A product of convergent evolution (the mid-size SUV).

Porsche Cayman - My daily appliance,  if fun. A product of convergent evolution if retaining the appearance of parallel evolution (the 911 lineage).

Ferrari Testarosa - Limited production exotic super car. An exception to the evolutionary trend, challenging the jelly bean designs and its fuel efficient contemporaries, resulting in low production numbers and a short life.

Ferrari 308GTB - Limited production exotic. See above.

Volvo 1800ES - Limited production sport wagon. Last of a beautiful line of cars that while similar in scope to the MGB, TR6 and Fiat 124, it carved a unique notch in the sports car market. It was a parallel evolutionary product in the two seat sports car species. And later, an evolutionary exotic, and therefore short lived, 2+2 sport wagon.

Jaguar E-Type 2+2 - Last of the E-Type line. Big, heavy and resplendent with cylinders. Again, another effort at the end of a production run, to meet the demands of a changing market ( changing environmental pressure).

R-R Silver Shadow - Throwback to a earlier day when style and class trumped youth and innovation. This car is an example of the species where parallel evolution shaped the design and mechanicals. After the Shadow, external environmental pressures required convergent evolution, changes to conform to safety and emissions standards, or extinction.

Triumph TR3b - Last of the affordable, old-school classic, open two-seaters (excluding the slightly more modern MGA, MGB, and subsequent Triumph designs, etc.) until the MX-5 revitalized the open car market's interest. 

MG TD - Earlier open two-seater, intended for the post-war U.S. market. This car, primarily designed before the war, was at the juncture of late '30s divergent evolution and '50s parallel evolution with much of the '40s necessarily omitted. Strange beast.

So yes, my rambling words would be a bit off topic if spoken to the Volvo guy, except for framing the P1800 against its predecessors,  contemporaries and successors. My words today expose how a pondering mind wanders on a lazy Sunday. Now, back to the garage!

-rick