James May's Cars of the People

[MartG]

ta22gt said:

Escort3500 said:

I enjoyed it as I did the last series. The bit with the Japanese and American guys being driven around was a bit too long but otherwise it was well put together. The S3 E Type was a sorry successor to the earlier versions, it never worked for me. Also, I seem to remember that the twin cam Celica was an altogether better car than the 2-litre GT that featured, though I might be wrong on this.

The 2000 GT is also a twin-cam. Both have very similar performance, (sub 9 second 0-60 - in the mid 1970's) and equipment; twin-cam, 5-speed, LSD, live axle, terrible steering box etc In the end which is the better car seems to be decided by which look you prefer....

In the UK the Mk1 Celicas were available in ST or GT form - the 1.6 ST Coupes used the 2T-B dual downdraught carb pushrod engine while the GT had the DOHC 2T-G with dual Mikuni-Solex sidedraught carbs. Power figures are a grey area as they were originally quoted in JIS BHP - some sources seem to take that as being the same as DIN but in reality they are different - 2T-B JIS figure of 100bhp is roughly equivalent to 86bhp DIN.

The Liftbacks sold in the UK had the 18R 2.0 pushrod engine in the ST model while the GT got the 18R-G DOHC. Other markets got other engines like the 2.2 cars sold in the US.

[Kitchski]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Excellent programme. I just wish May would smarten himself up a bit. A haircut and learn to use an iron. You're on telly ffs, I don't expect a dj and a waxed moustache, but at least make a bit of fking effort.

I think America's Next Top Model might be more up your ally!

[nicanary]

He knocked the Vanden Plas a bit much. Personally I think it looks better than the Austin version. It appealed to a certain clientele.

I don't see the point in comparing the finished product to the design sketch of Harris Mann. These sketches are always a tad over the top - just look at some of the 2016 designs, with massive rims and flattened roofs to make them look more sporty. They can't actually be made like that, or people wouldn't be able to get in.

My dad had an Allegro estate in a really garish yellow. Not his fault, it was a company car.

[Ali Chappussy]

nicanary said:

My dad had an Allegro estate in a really garish yellow. Not his fault, it was a company car.

Wow, there's bad luck and then there's bad luck!

[nicanary]

Ali Chappussy said:

nicanary said:

My dad had an Allegro estate in a really garish yellow. Not his fault, it was a company car.

Wow, there's bad luck and then there's bad luck!

I don't think it's a colour he would have chosen. I suspect that his company's buyer got it offered at cost just to get rid of it from the compound. Their previous offerings had been staid but acceptable Rootes Group cars.

[TwigtheWonderkid]

Kitchski said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Excellent programme. I just wish May would smarten himself up a bit. A haircut and learn to use an iron. You're on telly ffs, I don't expect a dj and a waxed moustache, but at least make a bit of fking effort.

I think America's Next Top Model might be more up your ally!

Why? Because I expect a tv presenter to comb their hair and iron their shirt and trousers. Am I really making unreasonable demands?

[Vocal Minority]

I don't really give a crap.

So that's one vote in each camp.

Where do we go from here?

[marshalla]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Why? Because I expect a tv presenter to comb their hair and iron their shirt and trousers. Am I really making unreasonable demands?

I trust you've signed the petition to get newsreaders back into evening dress, complete with trousers even though we can't see them through the desk ?

[Cupramax]

Vocal Minority said:

Where do we go from here?

Is it down to the lake i fear?

[Ali_T]

nicanary said:

He knocked the Vanden Plas a bit much. Personally I think it looks better than the Austin version. It appealed to a certain clientele.

Terry Scott?

[checkmate91]

nicanary said:

He knocked the Vanden Plas a bit much. Personally I think it looks better than the Austin version. It appealed to a certain clientele.

But it was badge-engineering at it's worst. Like Ghia at Ford ("all the usual Ghia refinements") it had a hollow ring about it. An Allegro, Princess, Cortina or Granada with velour trim and a "wooden" dash wasn't exactly coach-built and thus the premium applied to these products was an insult to VDP, MPW and others that delivered in the earlier part of the 20th century

[Funkycoldribena]

Cupramax said:

Vocal Minority said:

Where do we go from here?

Is it down to the lake i fear?

+1

[Kitchski]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Why? Because I expect a tv presenter to comb their hair and iron their shirt and trousers. Am I really making unreasonable demands?

Because you care how somebody on TV looks. Isn't that a bit weird? If he was presenting a show on fashion, or make-up, or how to look nice, then yeah I could understand it. But he's presenting a show about cars. Who gives a fk what he looks like?!

[ClockworkCupcake]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Why? Because I expect a tv presenter to comb their hair and iron their shirt and trousers. Am I really making unreasonable demands?

You must have really loathed Scrapheap Challenge then.

[Halmyre]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Kitchski said:

TwigtheWonderkid said:

Excellent programme. I just wish May would smarten himself up a bit. A haircut and learn to use an iron. You're on telly ffs, I don't expect a dj and a waxed moustache, but at least make a bit of fking effort.

I think America's Next Top Model might be more up your ally!

Why? Because I expect a tv presenter to comb their hair and iron their shirt and trousers. Am I really making unreasonable demands?

Absolutely. A chap shouldn't have to iron his own shirt and trousers, dammit.

[BrabusMog]

Cracking show, really enjoyed it. What day was it actually on? I hope it's not too long until the next one!

[ajprice]

9pm Sunday

[The Don of Croy]

An enjoyable show, but I'd take issue with a few of his summations...

The venerable Datsun 204/260Z did eventually morph into the bloated and uncompetitive 280Z in the seventies, whereby a contemporary Capri 2.8 or Alfa GTV would be a match (but maybe not for reliability). IIRC...

The US car makers had a whale of a time supplying the frankly enormous US market, without needing to spread their wings further - unlike pretty much all other 'advanced' car countries. Until their complacency did bite them in the bum.

As for his wardrobe, I too would like him to be 'dressed' by somebody who can hide his gut bulge without requiring the full DJ with spats. Some well cut threads (bolstering valuable UK trade) would not go amiss. I don't care about the hair - he's fortunate to have enough to bother with.

[ClockworkCupcake]

Personally I find his scruffy look to be rather endearing, and is consistent with his laid-back presenting style. But each to their own.

[Janluke]

I enjoyed the show and like his style mainly because the cars/history/story/guests all take centre stage and he's just there glueing it all together.

BTW the story of the Chinese guy murdered in Detroit was true and an interesting story in itself

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Vincent_Ch...