From: Jack (milveh@sbcglobal.net)
Date: Mon Nov 15 2004 - 16:25:25 PST
Some here might not appreciate good ol Yankee
ingenuity that causes us to install a 2" exhaust and
tail pipe where once a meager 1 5/8 pipe stood or an
electronic ignition system to replace unreliable
breaker points, however such replacements barely
affect historic accuracy, as they were official
upgrades and work a darn sight better than the
original.
When it comes to improvising and/or upgrading the holy
bejeezus out of factory stock vehicles, Americans are
hands down the worlds best at such sacrilege. Case in
point gun trucks in Iraq.
Americans have never let such reverence for "stock"
stand in the way of a good idea.
Now the British on the other hand are quite concerned
about doing it by the book. Their rigid adherence to
time tested means and methods have often been their
salvation while others less disciplined have ventured
off into a world of complications by failure to follow
instructions...most of the time anyway!
This reminds me of an incident with the British in
February, 1942, Gen. Wavell failed to issue heavy
weapons to the defenders of Singapore because they
hadn't been properly trained, despite the imminent
advance of the Japanese.
No doubt this was much appreciated by the Japanese
invaders who sacked warehouses full of the new unfired
weapons and ammo after they defeated the defenders.
Japanese were outnumbered 2 to 1 and they were
breaking the all rules of conventional thinking by
coming down thru the jungles of Malaysia to attack
Fortress Singapore from the rear, hardly cricket, eh?
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