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Oct 19, 2004 | 10:10 PM

rangersvt04

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From: On A Ship, MI

why?

when and why did the car makers go from the cubic inch displacement(302) to liters(5.0L)?

Oct 19, 2004 | 10:14 PM

biggieou

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From: Ravenna/Athens

Back in the 70's sometime. But what sounds better 100 cubic inches or 1.9 liters(Just made it up, dont burn me cause its wrong).

Oct 19, 2004 | 10:14 PM

77hiboyboy

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probably because of the import influence and their metric BS. I really don't have a clue why. Downsizing motors, don't want them to sound downsized??

Oct 19, 2004 | 10:58 PM

pfogle

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From: Oak Harbor, OH

The main reason is the fact that they export the cars, metric is the world standard, not american. So when a brit comes up and asks what engine do you have? He is expecting a response of "A 5 litre" not "A 302".... Same for many other countries

Oct 19, 2004 | 11:01 PM

BigF350

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From: Melbourne, Aus

I still use inches, feet, gallons, despite the imperial system being abondoned in about 74 here...

Oct 19, 2004 | 11:36 PM

Torque1st

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I like the metric system, but then I grew up learning about it in school and using it in science and engineering classes. Personally I wish we would have converted totally back in the 70's.

Oct 19, 2004 | 11:38 PM

85e150

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Yup, it was the first wave in the effort to convert to metric. My theory is it failed as everyone here knows what a mile is, but is disappointed by the length of a kilometer.

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Oct 20, 2004 | 03:30 AM

Mike W

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From: Central Kali

Don't get me started on this topic.

Oct 20, 2004 | 03:40 AM

#10

truckertaz

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From: Eastern Iowa Soon Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike W

Don't get me started on this topic.

Looking for the start button

Oct 20, 2004 | 01:42 PM

#11

dono

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Back in the day, I raced my Triumph motorcycle in the forty inch class. If someone had said "650cc's", I would have said, "Say what?". Funny thing was, my BSA Gold Star was run in the 500cc class.
Dono

Last edited by dono; Oct 20, 2004 at 01:44 PM.

Oct 20, 2004 | 01:51 PM

#12

JamesF250

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From: Austin, Texas

Quote:

Originally Posted by 85e150six4mtod

Yup, it was the first wave in the effort to convert to metric. My theory is it failed as everyone here knows what a mile is, but is disappointed by the length of a kilometer.

It really depends on what's being measured. 15.24 centimeters sounds better than 6 inches.