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jcz(at)chello.at
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 Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 1:59 am Post subject: AW: [kitfox] Re: Re: EJ 22 |
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Hi, Paul, Mike, and all other old friends,
Indeed, this thread just forces me to join in once more! I was a journalist
for many decades, specialized in work for the automobile press, and I think
I can put some light on this affair. Yes, of course Subaru's history
publications do glorify their greatness - all firms in Japan's industry do
the same when it comes to relating their history. But of course they do not
spend a syllable on the fact that during these times, back then shortly
after World War II, Japan's industry in general owed its comet-like rise in
great parts to the fact that they unashamedly copied whatever they could
find from European manufacturers. Just do a little research on cameras,
optics, machinery, automobiles, aircraft, etc., etc.! 
In the particular case of Fuji/Subaru and their four-cylinder
horizontally-opposed engine line this was nothing more than a blunt copy of
the German Lloyd (later Borgward) Arabella engine, first introduced in 1959.
Literally everybody in the European motoring scene knew everything about it
when the first "boxer" engined model from Subaru appeared! A search in the
Internet will enable anybody to find numerous details on this story. Here is
just one link that makes it quite clear:
http://www.borgward.org.uk/brief_history_marques.htm
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com
[mailto:owner-kitfox-list-server(at)matronics.com] Im Auftrag von Paul Franz
Gesendet: Sonntag, 23. November 2008 04:51
An: kitfox-list(at)matronics.com
Betreff: [kitfox] Re: Re: EJ 22
On Sat, November 22, 2008 6:49 pm, Michael Gibbs wrote:
| Quote: |
--> <MichaelGibbs(at)cox.net>
The EA 81 has, perhaps, a more direct lineage from the original
aircraft engines. There have been a number of derivatives since then.
|
Here's some authoritative history:
The Origins of Fuji Heavy Industries: Subaru’s Parent
Today, the name Subaru is synonymous with the car brand’s current slogan;
“The Beauty of All Wheel Drive.” Yet one might be surprised to find out that
Subaru’s roots trace back to Fuji Heavy Industries predecessor, Nakajima
Aircraft. Nakajima, the man who founded the company that bore his name,
caught news of the Wright Brothers successful first flight while he was
enrolled in the Japanese navy and soon thereafter became involved in
building airplanes for his country’s military. Eventually, Nakajima left the
military to found Nakajima Aircraft Co, Ltd, which would eventually become
Japan’s primary aircraft manufacturer.
However, once World War II had ended and aircraft production could no longer
continue, the company was faced with a predicament. The name was changed to
Fuji Sangyo Co. and a new focus was begun in an effort to use their aircraft
technologies in other fields.
Fuji Sangyo soon entered small markets that eventually led it to the
automotive business. However in 1950, a corporate credit rearrangement law
forced Fuji Sangyo to split into 12 separate companies including Fuji Heavy
Industries Ltd. Over a period of two years, various investors merged to form
the currently known Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI).FHI’s First Car & The
Beginning of Subaru
As FHI was trying to expand their market’s and utilize their experience in
the aircraft field, they created their first prototype car which was
announced in February 1954, the P-1. The car featured the first monocoque
body manufactured in Japan.
Kenji Kita, FHI’s first president, was adamant that “Japanese cars should
have Japanese names” and was very passionate about this in regards to this
prototype P-1.
While Kita had looked for idea’s to name the car, he settled on a name he
had been secretly wanting: Subaru.
Subaru is a star cluster in the Taurus constellation that are familiar to
some as the Pleiades. The star cluster is most noticeable by the six star
pattern, also known as mustura-boshi, which can be found represented in
today’s Subaru logo.
Now that Kenji Kita had established a name, the P-1 was officially called
the Subaru 1500. While this car represented FHI (and now Subaru’s) move into
the automotive segment, they failed to maintain sales due to insufficient
funding and sales network.
Read more here:
<http://www.subdriven.com/news/publish/Features/article_237.shtml>
--
Paul A. Franz
Aircraft/Engine/Prop - Merlin GT N14UW/Rotax 914/NSI CAP Bellevue WA
425.241.1618 Cell
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paul(at)eucleides.com
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 8:45 am Post subject: AW: [kitfox] Re: Re: EJ 22 |
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On Sun, November 23, 2008 1:58 am, Johannes Czernin wrote:
| Quote: |
Hi, Paul, Mike, and all other old friends,
|
Hi Johannes, it's been a long time since I've seen your name on this list.
| Quote: |
Indeed, this thread just forces me to join in once more! I was a journalist
for many decades, specialized in work for the automobile press, and I think
I can put some light on this affair. Yes, of course Subaru's history
publications do glorify their greatness - all firms in Japan's industry do
the same when it comes to relating their history. But of course they do not
spend a syllable on the fact that during these times, back then shortly
after World War II, Japan's industry in general owed its comet-like rise in
great parts to the fact that they unashamedly copied whatever they could
find from European manufacturers. Just do a little research on cameras,
optics, machinery, automobiles, aircraft, etc., etc.!
|
You're so right on this. It was happening much later too. In 1967, I bought a Datsun
1600 Sports Car. I noticed among other things the carbs were a copy of the English SU
carb, but much better quality. At the time they weren't getting the materials
selections very good then yet. For example the bronze speedometer drive gear in
transmission was not the correct alloy so it wore out once every 18 to 20 thousand
miles. They copied it in size so closely that replacing the worm gear on the tail
shaft and the speedo drive gear from a Triumph, solved the problem. Parts surprisingly
were interchangeable.
| Quote: |
In the particular case of Fuji/Subaru and their four-cylinder
horizontally-opposed engine line this was nothing more than a blunt copy of
the German Lloyd (later Borgward) Arabella engine, first introduced in 1959.
Literally everybody in the European motoring scene knew everything about it
when the first "boxer" engined model from Subaru appeared! A search in the
Internet will enable anybody to find numerous details on this story. Here is
just one link that makes it quite clear:
http://www.borgward.org.uk/brief_history_marques.htm
|
Good contribution there.
Manufacturers tend to overstate their credentials. This is common today too. For
example, I read on the Jabiru web site about their 2200 series engine. They claim:
1) Has the weight of a Rotax 582, with the power of a Rotax 912 all at 3300 rpm.
This could be true, but those words are coming from their marketing department and not
from engineering.
--
Paul A. Franz
Aircraft/Engine/Prop - Merlin GT/Rotax 914/NSI CAP
Bellevue WA
425.241.1618 Cell
| | - The Matronics Kitfox-List Email Forum - | | | Use the List Feature Navigator to browse the many List utilities available such as the Email Subscriptions page, Archive Search & Download, 7-Day Browse, Chat, FAQ, Photoshare, and much more:
http://www.matronics.com/Navigator?Kitfox-List |
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