New users: Please register in the usual way and then send an email to jasper(at)jasperfforde.com with your username, and write something 'Ffordesque' so we know you are a real reader, and not some idiot trying to flood the forum with dodgy Nike and Gucci gear. Thank you - Jasper
I would like to know how Jasper got his interest in cars. He obviously has a wide knowledge of makes which are unfamilliar to most people now but has also demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of what makes them go, and also what makes them go wrong as in the Pendine Sands Bluebird crash in Well of Lost Plots.
As a founder member of the Made in Coventry Motoring Association, we would indeed welcome Jasper as an honorary member.
Hi there Made in Coventry. Welcome. Help yourself to pie.
A small point, though. Wasn't it J.G. Parry-Thomas' Babs that crashed on Pendine Sands? i thought Malcolm Campbell's runs were succesful, but am willing to learn more!
P.S. The minced beef and onion pie is rather nice, as is the apple and cinnamon, if you want something sweeter.
The pie was super. Indeed it was Parry-Thomas who crashed Babs at Pendine and the car was buried where it lay until recently but he wasn't trying to out-do Mr Frog was he?
Was that a challenge for food professionals with the pasty, or some other sort of challenge. Leek and Banana there are possibilities there, not sure as what . . .
I work for a large automotive parts seller, and happily admit to no knowledge of things car related. I do enjoy Top Gear though!
Is Top Gear car related now? When did it change format. I thought that was just a jolly good wheeze and a first class venue for putting right all of the wrongs done by the PC brigade.
Did you know that the classic car business is worth over £3 billion per year to the UK and employs over 26,000 people? Armed with this information you can never admit to having no knowledge of things car related ever again!
I keep two on the road, a 1959 Armstrong Siddeley and a 1947 Wolseley Police car. It is not difficult to get the parts, the research and finding solutions to problems is rewarding and you often make contact with very nice people. However, the classic car fraternity falls into two loose categories, those with cravats and those without, I consider myself to be part of the latter.
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'We're all mad here. I'm mad, you're mad." [said the Cat.]
"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.
"You must be," said the Cat, "Or you wouldn't have come here."
- Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland
remembers of 16 cars owned 13 have reached 100,000 miles (160000km) without much trouble - another two became impacted upon scenery with resultant damage to bunyip, final one was stol;en and never recovered.
Remembers when working fo BL dealer in Fulam in 1980 hears old gent came in and tell staff his 1959 Rover 105 had reached 90,000 miles and hearing all the congrats of brits in office. Looked at kiwi boss lady and she shook head, commenting that 21 years to reach 90000 miles is what hearses do in antipodes.
Opines that while Oz cars may be larger and more expensive than overseas motor vehicles (and I would, never buy a Holden again after the sh*t treatment received from their dealers and 'customer service' people Commodores are good cars) I would rather travel in Falcon/Commodore than imported models for belting around Oz.
I'd like to see Clarkson in F6 Falcon Typhoon (or whatever its called these days)