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British <=> American Automotive Translations……

Useful for Americans coming to the UK and thinking about purchasing a car!!!

British <=> American Automotive Translations

British term                American term
-----------------           -------------
accumulator                 battery
actuator                    switch or servo
Artic                       articulated lorry = "tractor-trailer"
baulk ring                  synchro ring
bonnet                      hood
boot                        trunk
bulkhead                    firewall
choke tube                  venturi
core plug                   freeze plug
crocodile clip              alligator clip
crosshead                   Phillips
crown wheel                 ring gear
cubby box                   glove box or glove compartment
damper                      shock absorber
drive shaft                 half shaft or axle shaft
drop-head coupe             convertible version of 2 door coupe
dumpy screwdriver           short screwdriver
dynamo                      generator
earth                       ground
estate                      station wagon
fascia                      dashboard
fixed-head coupe            2 door coupe
frogeye                     bugeye
Gallon  (Imperial)          5 US Quarts
gearbox                     transmission
gudgeon pin                 wrist pin
hood                        convertible top
jointing compound           gasket sealant
lorry                       truck
mole wrench                 Vice grips
monocoque                   unibody
MOT                         DOT
Ministry of Transport       Department of Transportation
nave plate                  hubcap
nose                        front of car
paraffin                    kerosene
pinking                     knocking or pinging
prop shaft                  drive shaft
petrol                      gasoline
prise                       pry
proud                       above or raised
quarterlight                vent window
rev counter                 tachometer
ring gear                   flywheel gear, or starter gear
roadster                    car that only comes in a convertible style
roundabout                  rotary, traffic circle
RoStyle                     type of steel wheel (as opposed to wire)
saloon                      2 or 4 door sedan
scuttle                     cowl
side curtains               removable side windows
silencer                    muffler
sill                        rocker panel
Shooting Brake              station wagon
spanner                     wrench
split pin                   cotter pin
spring washer               lock washer
squab                       part of seat
suction advance             vacuum advance
sump                        oil pan
thrust bearing              throwout bearing
tickover                    idle
top gear                    high gear
torch                       flashlight
trunnion                    sliding or rotating joint (suspension)
Tyre                        tire
wheel nut                   lug nut
whitworth                   Brtish thread measuring standard
windscreen                  windshield
wing                        fender