cutting a v grove in iron

We're surrounded by long forgotten origins. Anyone got a 'GT' car? It stands for Gran Turismo, or Grand Tour.

In the 18th Century young British Aristocrats did the Grand Tour of Europe on reaching the age of majority. A rite of passage requiring huge wealth, and completed the liberal education of the ruling classes. Top people only, no oiks. Went badly downhill after railways made travel cheap and easy, and even Americans started doing it. Standards crashed after that.

Now Gran Turismo is a Video Game, and GT is a chromed plastic badge on the back of a slightly up-rated motor car. My father-in-law's Ford Cortina GT never went further east than Bicester.

Dave

Hi, years ago in my old job, some of the old boys who had served during WW2, said that the Jeep got its name because it was made with Just Enough Essential Parts. I was inclined to think they were kidding me along, but it did seem to make some sense, as a lot of them were in use then, and the Yanks may well have just said that to our boys, but I still don't really know if it was true.

Regards Nick.

The WW2 Jeep was an excellent military utility vehicle but it inflicted an inglorious war wound called Jeep Bottom on its users.

To quote Wikipedia on Pilonidal Disease: 'The condition was widespread in the United States Army during World War II. The condition was termed "Jeep seat" or "Jeep riders' disease", because a large portion of people who were being hospitalized for it rode in Jeeps, and prolonged rides in the bumpy vehicles were believed to have caused the condition due to irritation and pressure on the coccyx.'

I often think re-enactors should recreate the military experience accurately. Plenty of mud, a week sleeping in a trench full of January slush, long periods of boredom between bursts of extreme fear, the catheter treatment for venereal disease, gas-mask training, and of course, 200 miles cross-country on an unpadded steel seat with only a patch of canvas to keep the rain out, average speed 8mph. An excellent way to spend the weekend. I'd pay to watch!

Dave

Edited By SillyOldDuffer on 20/06/2023 21:13:53

Yes Nigel, easy job for a Shaper but a slot in the bottom of the groove does help 

As for Gran Turismo (whilst we are topic drifting) - I think driving my 3 litre Alfa 166 to Italy in 2010 probably qualified the car as a GT. From Metz (on the second day) it was a seven hour drive over the Alps and we arrived on the other side at Lake Orta still fresh as a daisy. A wonderful touring car and I still miss her.

It was the Alfa factory's 100th birthday but unfortunately the workers were on strike. We got to the factory to find the entrance blocked and crowds of Alfa workers and Carainieri pushing each other around in the road outside. We had a large 'Alfa 100' badge in the front window, which someone noticed. A shout went up and suddenly the crowd parted and we were waved through into the car park! One of those days you always remember.

Regards,

IanT

Edited By IanT on 20/06/2023 21:53:51