Thanks aerobat and Shaggy for the replies.
Although in danger of wondering off-topic for the thread, it's good to see that the physics 'hold true', and that auto engines did indeed suffer.
May well be the reason that my first car (Mk 1 Escort) had trouble some mornings - and I always put it down to flooding ?
Like the Triumph ref aerobat. I learned to drive in a Dolomite, and my brother had, at the time, a Triumph 2.5 PI (fuel injection) with a switch on the gearstick for 'overdrive' (5th gear to the younger ones).
Ahh - the nostalgia
cue Mr Clarkson......