RE: 'Open Season': PH Goes Topless For Winter

RE: 'Open Season': PH Goes Topless For Winter

Friday 3rd December 2010

'Open Season': PH Goes Topless For Winter

Show support for a great British tradition - freeze your n*ts off with us!



You can't guarantee much about a British winter, but there is one thing you can usually rely on. The occasional sighting of that special breed of sporting gentleman (and yes, lady) who refuse to let the threat of frostbitten extremities spoil their enthusiasm for a bit of open-air motoring.

You see, some people live for the chance to frolic topless in the snow, and that includes us. But while PH techie Mr Will seems set on alarming visitors with his naked torso in the office car park, this year the rest of us are going to do it differently. To that end we're declaring 'Open Season' here at PH, and for the next couple of months you'll find us totally committed to supporting that great British tradition of convertible winter motoring.

So what does 'Open Season' mean exactly? Well, that's a very good question, because in the equally grand tradition of PH there'll be a bit of 'making it up as we go along'.

What we can tell you for now, is that we're rounding up all the cabriolets we can get our hands on to drive over the next two months, and we're going to drive them all rooflessly and with a smile on our faces - or else. There's a caveat of course, because faced by sufficient threat of damage by precipitation, or indeed threat of separation and/or significant loss of privileges from our most important passengers, it would be foolish to battle against the odds. But we think you get the picture.

And talking of pictures, that's where you come in. We want to feel your love for topless winter motoring too, so we hope you'll be posting pictures and details of your own madcap exploits in the PH forum thread started by this article. And why would you do that? Because there might be prizes...

To set the Open Season ball rolling, we've blagged our first pair of convertibles already, so look out for more words of wisdom (or foolishness) soon on that sporty staple the Porsche Boxster and Ariel's rather more extremist Atom. (Brrr!) Not to mention the funky Fiat Abarth 500C into which the PH team huddled for shared bodily warmth during a snowstorm the other day. (An experience which has already tested the limit of human endurance, I can tell you...)

If we were setting out to prove anything, it would be that the British weather can throw nothing at us that a bit of the old Dunkirk spirit can't overcome. But we're not, we're just up for it. Tally-ho!

Author
Discussion

danishMrB

Original Poster:

13 posts

167 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Sounds like you may be a little bored in your warm ph office. How about using your land rover for doing some heroic rescuing and meals on wheels?

Edited by danishMrB on Friday 3rd December 11:22

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Bored? Never, but while Will enjoys towing stranded cars with the Defender (he actually did) we'll be driving roof down smile

porcupineprince

623 posts

185 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
That 500 looks great lowered wink

Cock Womble 7

29,908 posts

229 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
It goes without saying that this venture has my full support.

cstrachan

92 posts

167 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
One from the Dukes pass in Scotland last year. Hat, gloves and thick socks sorted!


Stuart

11,635 posts

250 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Cock Womble 7 said:
It goes without saying that this venture has my full support.
Good lad. Get some pics up then.

AndySpecD

436 posts

186 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Sadly I don't have a convertible frown but I would be happy to drive the Atom if you're short on drivers smile

Mr_Sukebe

373 posts

207 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I did Wales (North to South) on Xmas day 3 years ago in my MX5 with the roof down. Have to say that the fog was...not warm.

The right solution was a flying jacket from Aviation leathercraft, which makes my goretex jackets feel cold.

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
No snow, but roof off in fog and drizzle a few weeks ago smile


Cock Womble 7

29,908 posts

229 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Stuart said:
Cock Womble 7 said:
It goes without saying that this venture has my full support.
Good lad. Get some pics up then.



ccr32

1,964 posts

217 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I'll try and get in on a bit of this action at the weekend, permission from SWMBO permitting...!

LukeBird

17,170 posts

208 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Other than the last two days where my car hasn't moved due to snow, I have had my roof down all of the time! biggrin
When it was snowing and I blasted down the M27 was good fun!

Stuart

11,635 posts

250 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
danishMrB said:
a little bored
Bored? Bored? How very dare you. We've been planning this for weeks! Have you any idea how long it takes to blag submit a carefully worded request for a manufacturer press car?!

Plus, we suffer for our art here at PH towers. It was bloody freezing on that roof, I had to stand uncomfortably close to Mr Will and Garlick, and then Chris shut my fingers in the door.

Harumph.



wink

Shmee

7,565 posts

212 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Nice cruise around in the V8V top down last night, and again into work this morning; will try and upload a photo later! Put the seat heaters on full; the warm air blasting from in front and the gloves on! biggrin

Lordbenny

8,570 posts

218 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
So, who's who in the car, names to faces please? wink

Garlick

40,601 posts

239 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Lordbenny said:
So, who's who in the car, names to faces please? wink
Back row L-R: Stuart & RacingPete
Middle row L-R: Mr Will, Me & Riggers
Driving seat: Chris-R

irodger

1,112 posts

217 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
Boo and hiss! My Roadster's just went SORN frown

Roll on January!

adycav

7,615 posts

216 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I had my sunroof open today, does that count?

bob1179

14,107 posts

208 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I'm away at the moment, but I've been looking forward to one of those bright, clear, crisp cold winter days when I get back so I too can drop my top and drive around with the roof down. I'll do it as soon as I get home in a couple of weeks.

smile

C2james

4,685 posts

164 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I could join in on this but I would have to cut the roof off my C2, and that isn't the most practical thing to do in the world, although does sound quite like fun.