chazmo
Super Moderator
That Spider is really slick, Pascal. Yum!
Gibson files for Chapter 11......
- Thread starter mike1100
- Start date
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
Very pretty car. A bit reminiscent of another iconic German car, the legendary Karmann Ghia, but with more of an Italian flair (a la Alfa Romeo). Slick like you said.
txbumper57
Enlightened Member
My drummer's did regularly with a rev and hold for a few seconds at about 5000 RPM's and then let off of the throttle. Sounded like a high powered rifle going off, LOL! Then again there were more than a few mods done to it so it was far from stock.
My brother's first car was a 1980 Ford Fiesta which was basically a Ford Branded VW Rabbit or at least it looked very much like one. That car you could make backfire on command with the same rev/hold/ and let off setup but it sounded like a howitzer going off. My old man used to love taking it to the grocery store and making it backfire where the folks were walking out of the store. He would get the biggest kick out of that thing going off and it would really piss a few folks off in the process, LOL.
TX
adorshki
Reverential Member
Youse people may have never seen one of these before, but those Wankel equipped marvel of the 60's (NSU) were very popular in the streets of my childhood hometown:
image hosting over 5mb
I liked them because they sounded different. lol
N.S.U
Cream
Driving in my car, smoking my cigar,
The only time I'm happy's when I play my guitar.
Singing in my yacht, what a lot I got,
Happiness is something that just cannot be bought.
I've been in and I'm out, I've been up and down,
I don't want to go until I've been all around.
What's it all about, anyone in doubt,
I don't want to go until I've found it all out.
Songwriters: Jack Bruce
N.S.U lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
And speaking of classic Gibsons this shot'd be about period correct for that tune getting played on tour:
But the rotor apex seals (the rotary equivalent of piston rings) were always the Achilles' heel on early rotarys (you'd be hard put to get more than 30,000 miles on 'em and that'd be execeptional) until Mazda finally found the fix.
Why're they so much fun?
Because the torque curve isn't bell-shaped on a rotary, it just stays flat after about 2500 RPM....they never run out of breath, just ignition timing when the spark can't keep up.... :glee:
And I always loved those first-gen wheels:
Last edited:
adorshki
Reverential Member
Gotta correct my own post here, those 12-A's redlined at "only" 7000. I don't think I ever actually touched it, in fact I only rarely even grabbed 4500 or 5000, just 'cause I wanted to baby the motor. (I was the second owner)
Note correct placement of tach directly in center of cluster, another great design element:
And for all BMW's noise about ergonomics, that car was much more ergonomically well-thought-out than my '01 325i.
With a nice 5th gear OD ratio freeway cruise at 80 only needed about 2300, I think.
It was those RX-8's that were designed for 9000
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
Even Citroen tried the rotary engine (bi-rotor Wankel) on the GS, but despite a much better performance than its 4 cylinders counter parts, the 70's oil crisis put these rotating gas guzzlers to death.
Interesting read here with pics of the bi-rotor:
http://www.citroencarclub.org.uk/drupal/node/35
Interesting read here with pics of the bi-rotor:
http://www.citroencarclub.org.uk/drupal/node/35
Quantum Strummer
Senior Member
Just to note re. a previous post here: Gibson's ownership by Norlin wasn't the sharp dividing line folks often portray it to be. One half of Norlin was Arnold Berlin, son of long-time Chicago Musical Instruments president M.H. Berlin. (CMI bought Gibson in 1944, arguably saving it from bankruptcy.) In 1969 CMI became part of Ecuadorian Company Limited, a brewing company run by a college friend of Arnold Berlin named Norton Stevens. CMI remained a division within ECL (renamed Norlin at some point after 1970) 'til 1974, when the latter company was reorganized.
There's no question that cost-cutting hurt Gibson's overall quality level during the ECL/Norlin period, but my own experience with early/mid 1970s instruments makes me suspect Norlin's bad rep is as much due to Juszkiewicz-era marketeering schtick as anything else. It's easier to sell a "Return to Former Glory!" tale when you make the period prior to your arrival look as bad as you can.
My reaction to Gibson's Chapter 11 filing is basically whatever. There are loads of used Gibsons out there…
-Dave-
There's no question that cost-cutting hurt Gibson's overall quality level during the ECL/Norlin period, but my own experience with early/mid 1970s instruments makes me suspect Norlin's bad rep is as much due to Juszkiewicz-era marketeering schtick as anything else. It's easier to sell a "Return to Former Glory!" tale when you make the period prior to your arrival look as bad as you can.
My reaction to Gibson's Chapter 11 filing is basically whatever. There are loads of used Gibsons out there…
-Dave-
Just to note re. a previous post here: Gibson's ownership by Norlin wasn't the sharp dividing line folks often portray it to be. One half of Norlin was Arnold Berlin, son of long-time Chicago Musical Instruments president M.H. Berlin. (CMI bought Gibson in 1944, arguably saving it from bankruptcy.) In 1969 CMI became part of Ecuadorian Company Limited, a brewing company run by a college friend of Arnold Berlin named Norton Stevens. CMI remained a division within ECL (renamed Norlin at some point after 1970) 'til 1974, when the latter company was reorganized.
There's no question that cost-cutting hurt Gibson's overall quality level during the ECL/Norlin period, but my own experience with early/mid 1970s instruments makes me suspect Norlin's bad rep is as much due to Juszkiewicz-era marketeering schtick as anything else. It's easier to sell a "Return to Former Glory!" tale when you make the period prior to your arrival look as bad as you can.
My reaction to Gibson's Chapter 11 filing is basically whatever. There are loads of used Gibsons out there…
-Dave-
Thanks, Quantum - 16 posts later and we are back on topic. For now...
walrus
adorshki
Reverential Member
Don't think I knew about that one!
GM even had a development license and the original Corvair was slated to get one, but they couldn't get past the reliability and fuel consumption thing even in '59 when gas cost wasn't even a consideration here in the US, so they went with the flat 6 instead.
And wound up needing twice the displacement to achieve similar power(!).
Gibson didn't get widespread recognition for their flat-top 6's until much later. :tongue-new:
Last edited:
merlin6666
Senior Member
Good catch. I had a GS when I was a bit younger, bought it used and the engine died after just a few months of driving it. Wasn't a wankel though, just a piece of junk. Otherwise a fun car while it lasted.
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
ah!... for some reason I developed an instantaneous hatred of the GS, as soon as I saw the first one. Based on looks only of course, because as it was the case with the DS and the magic of Citroen hydro-pneumatic suspension, it proved to be one of these "more-comfy-than-your-sofa-recliner" car to ride in (as I remember the rare few trips taken in one of my uncle's GS)... but definitely ranking high up on the scale of French cars ugliness. And the French know a thing or two about designing ugly cars. LMAO
Yeah Quantum, plenty used Gibson's to catch on the market. For generations to come!
adorshki
Reverential Member
I was afraid I was going to have to concede that point but then I remembered these:
Fortunately our national pride and supremacy in all things automotive remains intact.
:tongue-new:
Nuuska
Enlightened Member
chazmo
Super Moderator
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
adorshki
Reverential Member
"Long Long Long"-the Beatles.
Oops, wrong thread!
:stupid:
How about an "Ugliest Gibson guitar" veer?:
adorshki
Reverential Member
bluesypicky
Enlightened Member
Oh no I won't!:
(Hah! Was keeping that one in reserve!)
Touché. That was plain scary.
Prince of Darkness
Senior Member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2018
- Messages
- 3,517
- Reaction score
- 9,372
- Location
- Boddam, North East Scotland.
- Guild Total
- 2
:hororr:N.S.U
Cream
Driving in my car, smoking my cigar,
The only time I'm happy's when I play my guitar.
Singing in my yacht, what a lot I got,
Happiness is something that just cannot be bought.
I've been in and I'm out, I've been up and down,
I don't want to go until I've been all around.
What's it all about, anyone in doubt,
I don't want to go until I've found it all out.
Songwriters: Jack Bruce
N.S.U lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc
And speaking of classic Gibsons this shot'd be about period correct for that tune getting played on tour:
But the rotor apex seals (the rotary equivalent of piston rings) were always the Achilles' heel on early rotarys (you'd be hard put to get more than 30,000 miles on 'em and that'd be execeptional) until Mazda finally found the fix.
Why're they so much fun?
Because the torque curve isn't bell-shaped on a rotary, it just stays flat after about 2500 RPM....they never run out of breath, just ignition timing when the spark can't keep up.... :glee:
And I always loved those first-gen wheels:
Funnily enough, the N.S.U. in the song did not refer to the car, but to Non-specific Urethritis. :hororr:
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=18104