The Classic Car Show.

[GHT]

There's a new program on channel five tonight, at seven o'clock. It's called The Classic Car Show, how original.
Hosted by Quentin Willsen & Jodie Kidd. It's the start of a series. Who will be watching?

[rich.]

jodie kidd, she knows a bit about cars, that other fellow tends to irritate me a little..i might have a lookie... meanwhile im happy with car sos on 4 at lunchtime

[JPB]

Count Quentula must have a very short memory if he thinks he's forgiven for a) his offensive comments about the Standard 8 (ditchwater), the Allegro (not for clever people), the Maxi (awful), the BMW E21 range (also awful) and Berwick Upon Tweed (it's not in Berwickshire you greasy headed twunt..) & b) his slavering endorsement of Eng*ne R*sto*e all over the press! I might take a look on couchtuner.eu later but the initial showing clashes with an old Top Gear episode on 7.
Words in italics are what he said, factual statement about Berwick is mine.

Am I the only person to think it odd that Willson and Monty Burns are never seen together?

[rich.]

i put up with the first minute, now watching news about mr hollonde, less annoying than mr wilson although useless..

[JPB]

I gave up at around about the moment when the ground opened up in the famous Brooklands banking and the presenters descended into some form of vault. The show is clearly little more than a constant advertisement for the sponsor, a dealer in secondhand watches that cost stupid amounts of money, which would probably buy, maintain, insure and fuel most of the practical classic cars for a year.

Though that brief glimpse was most unlike me as I prefer as a rule to look at a show the whole way to the bitter end before commenting on it but honestly; apart from the blue mini and the hint of an early Range Rover it looks as though the entire thing is going to feature esoteric ponce metal that's about as practical as underpants made from spinach leaves, and about as desirable to many of the grass roots enthusiasts that keep our weird hobby alive.
Mmm.. Spinach and mozarella microwaved-grilled sandwich needed, be right back.

[TerryG]

You had me at range rover. i'll have to find some clips on-line minimising my exposure to mr engine restore so I can see the car.

[rich.]

john, have you thought of joining the diplomatic services?

[GHT]

Count Quentula must have a very short memory if he thinks he's forgiven for a) his offensive comments about the Standard 8 (ditchwater), the Allegro (not for clever people), the Maxi (awful).

Since owning a classic car, it didn't take me long to know that it is very easy to upset the sensitivities of the owners of certain models that didn't get the best of press when they were new. Willsen's comments are new to me, (when were they quoted?) Have to say though, that the Mini I bought brand new, in the early seventies, for my wife, was, what's a word that won't upset Mini owners? Disappointing.

She drove that car for three years, sorry, she and the road tester at the garage, drove that car for three years. In the end the only way to recoup some of the initial outlay was to trade it in for another BL car. I bought her a brand new Allegro. (She's never forgiven me.) Sorry, this Allegro was not of the square steering wheel variety, but it had all the other attributes of a seventies BL car, most notably, rust. She had it for a year, well, she shared it with the garage for a year. Now you would think that I had learned a painful lesson by now, but no, I traded it in for a brand new Maxi.

That car was such a catalogue of disasters that I could fill this page, and more, suffice to say: It cost, at the time about £3600, that was in 1978. We couldn't get more than a hundred pounds for it in 1983, until the Peugeot dealer offered us £400 in exchange for a brand new Rancho.

So with the Allegro rusting off it's wheels within a year, the Mini being a disappointment and the Maxi a disaster, perhaps Willsen had heard of my misfortune in quoting that Allegros are not for clever people. You would have thought that I had learned something about BL.

Thought the program was bland, egoistic presenters always turn such programs into The Quentin Willsen show. For the same reason I haven't watched Top Gear for years, or that annoying prat on Wheeler Dealers, much rather watch: Chasing Classic Cars on Quest.

Can I just say, if you own any of the models that I mentioned, good for you, I do hope you get more enjoyment from your car than I ever did. My moan is not about your choice, more about how BL and my own incompetence, kept me poor throughout the 70's.

[JPB]

No, Rich, funnily enough they never returned the phone calls.

OK, so a plain, almost ugly man (Teasy weasy's 21st century cousin from the 1 show) doing a positive, genuinely enthusiastic and well researched piece on the TR7 came along in the 3rd part of the show, therefore all is well with the world and I'm now of the opinion that - if you can ignore Quentula's oily screen persona - this show isn't actually too bad at all. That said, we did have to sit through more gratuitous references to the show's sponsor, with associated shots of Willson's secondhand, Seiko 5-based Rolex replica, before we got to the TR7 but there may yet be hope and that is why we don't jump to conclusions about a TV show, film or LP without considering the work as a whole . Even though I would still enjoy punching QW right in the tender spot.

when were they quoted?

Yesterday at twenty past six. But Willson said these things in various episodes of the last series of his classic car show, some 15 years ago IIRC.

[rich.]

in my family we had a lot of minis, marinas, & allegros they did what it said on the tin cheap & cheerful motoring. repairs were done at home.. my first allegro was mint when bought but abused by and used as a van & thrashed within an inch of its life.. many fond memories of the car
as for the show, i saw a bit but i couldnt put up with mr wilson.. id rather watch top gear as there was no star trek