Discussion
I don't usually have the radio on in the morning, but it was tuned to Radio 2 by the local dealer yesterday, and came on automatically when I started up.
Chris Evans was clearly flagging off some classic car owners on a run to Monaco - presumably some sort of charity "jolly" to coincide with the GP weekend. However - one car was supposedly a 1977 Mercedes-Benz SL "PAGODA" and another one, a heinous crime this, a "1967" Jaguar XKSS. Presumably unsold after the Browns Lane fire for a further 10 years.........
Add to this his penchant for paying millions for classic Ferraris which he then paints white - I despair. How much of a true enthusiast is this fella? Is he just a very keen ingenue, someone who is very naive about the facts concerning our hobby? Or a poseur? I've heard he's a really nice guy, but do we want the public to be misinformed in this manner?
I'm a member of Autopuzzles. Pedantry is a prerequisite............
Chris Evans was clearly flagging off some classic car owners on a run to Monaco - presumably some sort of charity "jolly" to coincide with the GP weekend. However - one car was supposedly a 1977 Mercedes-Benz SL "PAGODA" and another one, a heinous crime this, a "1967" Jaguar XKSS. Presumably unsold after the Browns Lane fire for a further 10 years.........
Add to this his penchant for paying millions for classic Ferraris which he then paints white - I despair. How much of a true enthusiast is this fella? Is he just a very keen ingenue, someone who is very naive about the facts concerning our hobby? Or a poseur? I've heard he's a really nice guy, but do we want the public to be misinformed in this manner?
I'm a member of Autopuzzles. Pedantry is a prerequisite............
If you like pedantry, have a look at the Jay Leno You Tube video of him driving the Steve McQueen XKSS. The "alloy block" and plenty of others to cringe about.
ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 21st May 15:27
lowdrag said:
If you like pedantry, have a look at the Jay Leno You Tube video of him driving the Steve McQueen XKSS. The "alloy block" and plenty of others to cringe about.
ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
It's an acquired taste. Not for the faint-hearted or those without 24 hours to spare.ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 21st May 15:27
I saw a short item on the lunchtime TV news, and there was an XKSS in view. So it was either a genuine car from 1957 or a replica based on a 1967 Jag of some type.
lowdrag said:
If you like pedantry, have a look at the Jay Leno You Tube video of him driving the Steve McQueen XKSS. The "alloy block" and plenty of others to cringe about.
ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
Well I know the last owner of XKSS701 had an alloy block engine sitting there too, the original was more valuable so he'd bought a C&G alloy one to use when not needing to be FIA compliant. Don't think I ever saw it in the car mind.ETA I'd forgotten about Autopuzzles. I used to write articles there some years back but for some forgotten reason I haven't been there in quite a while. Perhaps I should.
Edited by lowdrag on Thursday 21st May 15:27
nicanary said:
It's an acquired taste. Not for the faint-hearted or those without 24 hours to spare.
I saw a short item on the lunchtime TV news, and there was an XKSS in view. So it was either a genuine car from 1957 or a replica based on a 1967 Jag of some type.
He owns a Lynx XKSS replica so it could be that one.I saw a short item on the lunchtime TV news, and there was an XKSS in view. So it was either a genuine car from 1957 or a replica based on a 1967 Jag of some type.
The guy has done a lot of good - treats the cars like they should be treated and thats driven and even tracked not left to languish as showpieces in a garage. He even lets others drive them us mere plebs..... ? whats not to like.
Hes not anal about the detail - just a lover of ferarri and so what if he paints them he likes white and who are we to judge, or are we all just green ?
Let the guy get on with it. hes doing no body any harm afterall
Hes not anal about the detail - just a lover of ferarri and so what if he paints them he likes white and who are we to judge, or are we all just green ?
Let the guy get on with it. hes doing no body any harm afterall
I had a bad day yesterday. One of those days when I was just a sullen curmudgeon for long periods, and nobody was my friend. I have days like that - rather akin to Churchill's "black dog".
Looking back, I have no idea why I started the post in the first place. Just a juvenile "oooh he's got something wrong" I suppose. Certainly not enough to post a personal put-down. No doubt some junior production assistant prepared the notes he read from, but I was disappointed he didn't immediately notice something wrong and correct it as he spoke. Trivial, I know.
My unreserved apologies to all PH members, and to Chris himself, as I understand he visits these pages from time to time.
PS Chris - you paid waaaayyyy too much for the Coburn California - I'll take it off your hands for a couple of grand.
My coat was collected and carried some considerable time ago.........
Looking back, I have no idea why I started the post in the first place. Just a juvenile "oooh he's got something wrong" I suppose. Certainly not enough to post a personal put-down. No doubt some junior production assistant prepared the notes he read from, but I was disappointed he didn't immediately notice something wrong and correct it as he spoke. Trivial, I know.
My unreserved apologies to all PH members, and to Chris himself, as I understand he visits these pages from time to time.
PS Chris - you paid waaaayyyy too much for the Coburn California - I'll take it off your hands for a couple of grand.
My coat was collected and carried some considerable time ago.........
I have know someone who has quite a mouthwatering collection of three or four cars, none of which he knows anything about. He has lots of money and loves beautiful things, so he buys cars he thinks are beautiful, drives them around for a bit then moves them on. He really knows NOTHING about cars - he even refers to them as "the red one", "the big silver convertible" and so on. It's surprising what this approach does to a collection - he had a boat tail Alfa spider and when I showed him a picture of an SZ suggesting that was what his next Alfa should be, he spat his beer out!!
EXKAY120 said:
I know of someone very similar, who has over 300 priceless classics, and just buys then coz he can !...knows nothing about them, just some of the most fabulous cars i've ever seen, all parked up in pristine condition, row by row, they get better every time i see them...
But does he driver or are they dead?Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff