Project Solihull

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 02 Nov 2013 10:46

Whilst this promotional brochure was published before TR7 production was moved to Solihull, it may be of interest to those with a late build TR7.

More recent versions of this sort of publication are not found in the UK today as we no longer build anything, not even Nuclear Power stations.

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 02 Nov 2013 12:31

Actually not true. Top Gear did a show on mobile stuff Made in Britain. More cars made in Britain now than ever before. It was on Youtube but was removed because of copy write I'm sure.

Found it. Watch it before it's gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmcmqTAu6b8

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 02 Nov 2013 12:42

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Century Gothic, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by FI Spyder</i>

Actually not true. Top Gear did a show on mobile stuff Made in Britain. More cars made in Britain now than ever before. <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Which would be true if the factories weren't non-UK owned. In general they are just 'screwdriver' factories that bolt prebuilt items together. What people fail to note is that although we make a lot of cars, the 'balance of payments' in cars is still negative - we have to import all the really expensive stuff (engines, etc.) and so add little real value as a result.

prlee · Postby **prlee** » 02 Nov 2013 13:19

I am not up to date, don't Ford do any engine and transmission work in the UK anymore, and has Ricardo gone too?

What about Hams Hall, Gaydon, Bridgend, all gone too.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - some restoration in progress.

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 02 Nov 2013 18:05

That was the abbreviated version I saw before. Going from memory without viewing it again one out every three or four world Fords are made in Britain. The Bugatti Veyron transmission is made in Britain. With companies being world wide their home office location is becoming less and less important.

Americans bemoan the end of manufacturing in the USA as well, yet in a documentary of same they had a map of USA with bar graphs across the nation of the amount of manufacturing being done twenty years (or whatever time frame it was) and today and the amount of manufacturing was twice what it was. It's just they use less manpower to do it. Sign of the times and the advancement of manufacturing techniques.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

jeffremj · Postby **jeffremj** » 02 Nov 2013 20:35

I believe Ford is still the biggest selling brand in the UK but, as they have no UK car plants, the balance of payments on this is very negative even though the Dagenham plant makes lots of diesel engines (which are imported back at a higher price level - in a car!). I think all the Japanese power trains are imported. The Bentley engines are big VWs (e.g the W engines). Rolls Royce uses BMW engines. Vauxhall (GM) engines are also probably imported from Germany.

The only saving grace is that the Solihull plant is still going - which brings us back to the beginning.

supercass · Postby **supercass** » 03 Nov 2013 10:39

Yes, you're not really comparing like with like. When Rover collapsed iirc there were more jobs lost in the supplying industries in the U.K. then in the plant itself. I remember as a child going into a B.L. dealership with my Dad and the technicians at the service counter were in a state of outrage having discovered that the windscreen washer pump on a Morris Ital was made in Japan. That was very much the ethos and expectation at the time, the entire content of the car was sourced in the U.K. and there were numerous U.K. industries supplying U.K. manufacturers. I wouldn't go as far as to say that now we just bolt imported bits together in every case, but it may well be close. supercass

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 03 Nov 2013 12:51

These days parts aren't made in just one country but sourced across the world just like any Airbus or Boeing airplane were parts/assemblies are made in different plants around the world and assembled in one plant although in the case of automobiles assembled in many plants around the world. Of course it's more complex than that all encompassing statement because of local rules, emission standards etc. My nephew who goes over to Europe on business several times a year says it always amazes him that in this day and age how the same model car in Europe will have more HP and better gas mileage than in the US.

- - -TR7 Spider - - - 1978 Spitfire- - - - 1976 Spitfire - - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

prlee · Postby **prlee** » 03 Nov 2013 19:33

Having an assembly plant is not a big deal, maintaining the design and manufacture of the high value parts is. Hence my reference to Ricardo and Ford. This is what the UK needs to maintain.

I have worked in UK manufacturing for over 30 years, always with world leading engineering companies 99per cent UK owned and with 90 percent export. Currently our largest customer is China.

Most electronic parts are sourced globally, pcb assemblies are in house or UK sourced, fabricated parts are also UK sourced.

Things aren't so bad.

Pete
1981 Carmelian Red 2 litre DHC.
Polybush, KYB shocks, electric fan, electric windows and electronic ignition roller bearing struts and anti-dive kit - otherwise standard
1979 Pageant Blue Spitfire 1500 - some restoration in progress.

Anonymous

Project Solihull

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