What ever Happened to Street Machines?

When Jupiter was a boy, every last Saturday of the month, he used to jump on the number 188 London Bus to go see the Chelsea Cruise. This happening was a vibrant collection of modified cars (customized was the word used back then), classic American cars (Yanks), and ‘bikes. During the seventies and eighties, the US car scene was particularly appealing to a certain kind of Brit. Many lower middle class, or skilled working class, people embraced the culture, because it seemed more fun and egalitarian compared to the effete and snobby World of hillclimbs and sports-car clubs. The products of this enthusiasm had a particularly local twist. The resulting ‘Street Machines’ were a kind of pastiche of custom, street rod and local styles, and they even had a magazine more or less devoted to them.

 

A typical British street machine would have the following elements:

The right body, and stance

Street Machines were typically smaller cars, with the Ford Pop being the iconic model for this treatment. Despite their elderly appearance, these little cars were sold new in Britain right up until 1959, meaning there were still plenty around in the seventies and eighties. Plenty of other cars got the look as well. Stance was important, front wheels were typically 13”, rears 15” with balooney tires, and there was usually a pronounced rake. Forget English reserve, loud and bright was the look, with metal-flake and pearl

paint being common, and murals in the early days.

Rover V8

Other engines were used, Ford ‘Essex’ V6s, often with a supercharger, and of course the occasional small block chevy or other US V8s. But it was the local Rover V8 3.5L that was the iconic motor of the day. And for good reason: the all alloy construction meant they were often lighter than the 4-pots they replaced, and the compact dimensions allowed them to slot into small engine bays nicely. The fact that the Rover engine was very similar to the Oldsmobile 215 cid on which it was based
meant that some speed parts could be imported from the US. A Holley 4-barrel, ported heads, and a mild cam could easily push the power from 160-bhp to 200 plus, enough for a bit of fun in such light cars. After that, blowers, nitrous, and race tuning could

be had for those who could afford it.

Jag IRS

Many a rusted out Jaguar donated it’s independent rear end to a Street Machine. They were strong enough to take the power of a healthy Rover or small block, and they also looked the business. The deal was to chrome or polish almost everything and then cut away the car’s rear valance to let the whole World see. It was great see at night, the spinning chrome axles glinting in the lights. It would be nice to see such machinery in motion on today’s modded cars.

Independent Front End

Of course, if you’ve gone to the trouble of putting an IRS into a body-on-frame car, that it makes sense to do the same at the front. Triumph Herald and Vauxhall Viva suspensions did the trick. 

So that was the almost forgotten World of British Street Machines, now so rare it’s even difficult to find pictures of them. I don’t know what they were like to drive, I expect the handling was a bit weird. But with light-weight, all-round disc brakes, and all round independent suspension, they were probably better than the average hot-rod. Jupiter remembers reading a review of the scene by a visiting US Hot Rod journalist, who remarked on the relative sophistication of drive-trains and all alloy engines. Sure, there was some junk around back then, but then there is a lot now to the world of modding. The British Street Machine is probably worth recording in the history of car culture.