Variable Valve Timings - Chris Harris
Discussion
Good read, got through it in a couple of evenings. Followed Harris (metaphorically!) for years so it was interesting to see the story behind stuff like drivers republic and the drive channel which I was a paying subber to!
The tidbit about the “whisky files” was interesting too, used to listen in on that in lockdown.
The tidbit about the “whisky files” was interesting too, used to listen in on that in lockdown.
john_1983 said:
Enjoyed it too, but it would have been nice if he'd touched a little more on some of the cars he's owned - his 599, FF etc weren't mentioned. I was thinking it would have been nice to have an insight into long-term ownership, what was good/bad etc
He does seem very private with that and I think it is a bit of a shame, although I can definitely understand it in many ways though. I thoroughly enjoyed following his ownership experiences/write ups/videos of his brand new white E92 M3 years ago in Autocar Magazine for example. He is a very knowledgeable chap with cars, so it would be nice to get his opinions on his own stuff I agree.
wolfracesonic said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I've just started reading it and I'm gripped already. It was the What Car? magazine stats at the back in the early 80's that got me obsessed with performance figures too. I'm still as obsessed with performance stats of cars even at the age of 50 now as well.
£83,122.00.£7,800 is the other one that always sticks in my mind.
cerb4.5lee said:
john_1983 said:
Enjoyed it too, but it would have been nice if he'd touched a little more on some of the cars he's owned - his 599, FF etc weren't mentioned. I was thinking it would have been nice to have an insight into long-term ownership, what was good/bad etc
He does seem very private with that and I think it is a bit of a shame, although I can definitely understand it in many ways though. I thoroughly enjoyed following his ownership experiences/write ups/videos of his brand new white E92 M3 years ago in Autocar Magazine for example. He is a very knowledgeable chap with cars, so it would be nice to get his opinions on his own stuff I agree.
Talked about his French stuff, the 512TR, M5(s), etc.
trails said:
5lab said:
It's included in Spotify if you pay for your Spotify account. Listened on the way home from the ring a few weeks back, a good listen
Doesn't appear to be now; they are trying to charge me £15 despite having a Premium account 
Muzzer79 said:
He did an interview with Jonny Smith on Johnny's YouTube channel some time ago going through his garages, as well as some of his career.
Talked about his French stuff, the 512TR, M5(s), etc.
Not a huge fan, specifically of his writing style, but also the constant showboating/skids stuff is tedious. But his interview with Jonny Smith was illuminating and increased the level of respect I have for him.Talked about his French stuff, the 512TR, M5(s), etc.
Thanks for the heads up OP, I wasn't aware of this book and I quite like Chris Harris he comes across well and we seem to have a similar taste in cars.
The video he did with Jonny Smith was great but my favourite was the Pirelli tyre test where Markku Alen, Juha Kankkunen and Paolo Andreucci throw some Lancia's around an Italian hillside road with Chris in the passenger seat and scare him a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXgWWNJVdYA
The video he did with Jonny Smith was great but my favourite was the Pirelli tyre test where Markku Alen, Juha Kankkunen and Paolo Andreucci throw some Lancia's around an Italian hillside road with Chris in the passenger seat and scare him a bit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXgWWNJVdYA
Muzzer79 said:
He did an interview with Jonny Smith on Johnny's YouTube channel some time ago going through his garages, aswell as some of his career.
Talked about his French stuff, the 512TR, M5(s), etc.
I remember this Johnny Smith/CarPervert video catching my attention too when it came out - a great and revealing insight into this world we’ve all bought into. Talked about his French stuff, the 512TR, M5(s), etc.
I was already a fan of Harris having always flicked to his column first thing when I used to be an evo magazine subscriber, and seeking out more of his content in the YouTube era. Some of the videos he’s done with Neil Carey are absolutely and unequivocally the best motoring content out there, ever.
Completely understand and sympathise with him having to then transition into “someone else’s bath water” as he puts it, moving to the TG circus and the vacuum left behind by JC/RH/JM, especially also having to deal with old ginger pubes to begin with. IIRC I think it was Harris who summed it up on the aforementioned Johnny Smith sit down - the difference between a car geek who genuinely loves the detail, stats, and nuances about them vs someone who just collects “things” because he has a s
t tonne of money already was abundantly clear. You only have to watch TG post-Evans while Matt LeBlanc was still there, where LeBlanc would do random skits on diggers and other machinery that genuinely interested him - these were probably the most watchable elements of TG in the last decade or so IMO. Have just read VVT in a couple of days and really enjoyed it. Harris remains someone I’d love to have a beer with.
Would wholeheartedly recommend the book to anyone else who is even remotely interested in cars, consumed different elements of the motoring press of the 90’s and on, and can also blindly recite various 0-60 times and other stats. We are kindred spirits.
jet_noise said:
It's quite succinct isn't it?
Read in a day, well worth the 80p library reserve fee
An enjoyable journey, not without some fairly deep potholes. There's a lot of stuff laid bare and yet much still hidden.
It certainly isn't an autobiography - most of his family life is off limits- and the book is described as a memoir . It's an enjoyable enough read and I finished the book still wondering whether the author has hidden depths - or shallows. Is his life really all cars , is everything seen through that prism as he puts it ? I've met a few monomaniacs - hi fi buffs , shots , anglers , musos , golfers and car folk- who seem unaware of much outside their interest , and consequently have very little to say to civilians . Read in a day, well worth the 80p library reserve fee
An enjoyable journey, not without some fairly deep potholes. There's a lot of stuff laid bare and yet much still hidden.
coppice said:
It certainly isn't an autobiography - most of his family life is off limits- and the book is described as a memoir . It's an enjoyable enough read and I finished the book still wondering whether the author has hidden depths - or shallows. Is his life really all cars , is everything seen through that prism as he puts it ? I've met a few monomaniacs - hi fi buffs , shots , anglers , musos , golfers and car folk- who seem unaware of much outside their interest , and consequently have very little to say to civilians .
I thought the same but came to the conclusion he’s simply left all the car stuff for a follow up if this one does well…Coming soon, the new book by Chris Harris “My life in cars”!
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