Today Lord Cockburn concludes the story of his remarkable role in Australia’s manufacturing industry and in our warm relationship with Japan

Postwar Developments
From our experience gained an with the assistance of Sr William Hartnett and Sir Alec Issigonis, we developed the first mass produced, family sized submersible, amphibious car, ‘the Dullard’.  This model the Dullard, Mk 2 was unveiled at the Earls Court 1946 Motor Show and caused quite a stir.  Lord Nuffield put it into production and it featured some very innovative design features.

Description 3  You talk of infrastructure, well post war infrastructure was pretty basic and the concept did away with the requirement for bridges and major highways.  Simple design, robust construction, this three quarter litre side valve Austin engine, powered this five ton submersible, a little underpowered on land, but submerged, and  underwater it was anything than underpowered. Nicknamed the ‘Dark Mermaid’, (‘Lucas Electrics’),  It sported an optional surrey top, crank start,  and radically,  heating and proper brass catches on the portholes. All was standard on the deluxe Princess Margaritte model. Cocktail cabinet and Keith Miller look alike being optional.  Other Optional extras incorporated important safety devices, air, and non stick bakerlite fittings. We had a winning combination!!

Sales were quite impressive until we got wind that the Japanese were at it again,

The Japanese response: The Akagi
At the Fukuoka Nuclear and car parts industry summit of 1954 they released the Akagi. We were dumbfounded! It looked almost identical to the Dullard, but incorporated technological refinement we just couldn’t compete with; variable speed headlights, adjustable induction cooling vanes, the ‘Shitsu-Hendra’ hybrid engine and a light alloy body. Most notable the rubber seals worked under pressure and the Hitachi electricals completely outclassed our non performing Lucas equipment. Critically whereas we had the old immersion crank start mechanism, theirs was entirely electric. We were engulfed in a Tsunami of cheaper, more reliable Imports. In  1955, they exported worldwide the ‘Shinano’, then 56, the ‘Zuikaki’, then 57, the ‘Fuso’, 58, the ‘Yamato’, and finally in 59- 60 the ‘Shokaku’ and the sportier ‘Nippon Denso’. To compound our problems, their marketing department exported all the models year in year out with catchy and attractive brands that won instant appeal to the upwardly mobile.  The ‘Akagi’, being sold in the Commonwealth as the  ‘Wodewick’, the ‘Shinano’, being the ‘Wonald’, the ‘Weginald’, ‘Wowick’, and finally in 1960 the ‘Denso’ was marketed as the ‘Cedric’.

Desperate to re-capture market share we thought cunningly we’d beat them at their own game  and secretively acquired their new model runabout for 1961, the rocket assisted Ohka (or cheery bosom).  We worked round the clock and unveiled the ‘Ocker’, designed specifically for the Australian market, and hoped for a rush of export orders and contracts.

The Ocker was a lightweight submersible with an upgraded triumph herald twin carburetor power system incorporating all the latest advances in stability control, pure amphibian potential, and auxillary seating for children and incorporating a renewal of the separate control and command systems as pioneered with Peta and Tony. As you can see there the wife seat is at the rear in a soundproofed compartment, whilst the husband has the option of an extendable steering mechanism, cruise control and drive systems…

Sadly the ‘Ocker’ was not the success we anticipated it to be, being totally outclassed by the japanese and their clever device to appeal to the emerging womens’ market, with their distinctively designed ‘A-Sheila’, and their more compact ‘Scrubber’.

Since then, motor industries have declined in Australia, I was engaged in the 70’s to assist Leyland with the tooling of the P76, and was proud to be given the first model off the ramp, which Lady Cockburn drives it to this day.

I was asked subject to my submarine expertise to assist in the development of the Collins Class, and now full circle you may say I am engaged by the federal government to work with the japanese government on the next purchase of submarines.  All of this for later, and much is cabinet in confidence, suffice to say I have this much to say, have we learnt much in all these years of design, development and improvisation.??  I think the answer is obvious…the collapse of the car industry, the lack of incentive for thinking, the axing of the science minister, it points to one thing – Australia the clever country??

Indeed we are  we are working on a new vehicle with nuclear Fusion, satellite guidance and Mag-lev transportation capability and I think it will be a great success, and the name chosen to lead Australian manufacturing out of the doldrums, something catchy, something inspired and something that goes to the heart of our Anzac spirit of camaraderie and egalitarianism, from our manufacturing plant in Burnie: ‘The Lambie’!!!

Combining feminine curves and masculine aggression with an absence of overwrought styling, minimal, compact and head turning. It’s explosive potential will create a new trend in motoring, and importantly keep Australia on the crest of the R& D wave.

And why, it’s a hybrid!!! Cutting edge technology, and comes courtesy by current research from the Minerals Council a coal burning gassification plant at the rear.

I present to you the the future of Australian manufacturing ‘The Lambie’!!!