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June 2004 Issue
 
ARTICLE
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British Sports Cars
By Rob McLellan
 
 

If the 1946 MG TC introduced Americans to the British sports car, the 1970 Datsun 240Z brought the era to a close. The years between were British magic as a wide variety of inexpensive to expensive toys were produced, changing the back roads of America into amateur race tracks for small, wire wheel cars driven by "Stirling Moss" wannabees with tweed sports coats and British country caps. Drifting through corners at great speed, Americans had a new auto sport.

Author John Freeman, in 1955, stated, "A sports car is an automobile intended primarily to be driven. In this sense it differs from the family car, which is to be ridden."

 
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Most Americans simply ignored these little cars. Some wives tolerated their husbands's new lover, while others tried to become involved.
 
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The end of World War II began a surge of exports by the British to the U.S. to help pay off some of their war debt. G.I.'s returning home were lured by the sporty machines and their low cost.

Sports car clubs began initially popping up in New England and California and spread throughout the U.S. The Sports Car Club of America introduced club sports car racing and, as Air Force bases closed after the end of the war, runways were converted to race tracks.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s British sports cars dominated sports car events. Beginning in the early 1970s the British had difficulty adapting to U.S. pollution requirements, new bumper and safety laws, inflation and England's union wage and pension demands. Most makes ceased to exist, but the clubs live on as the cars are restored.

Concours and tours are increasingly popular and collectors seek information from McLellan's Automotive History which provides sales brochures, out-of-print books and technical information. With the help of literature, restorations are authentic.

Learn more about British sports cars at McLellan's Automotive History, www.McLellansAutomotive.com.

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Credit: Cartoons by Russell Brockbank
 
 
 
The Automotive Chronicles, June 2004
 
 
 
 
 
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