The King is dead, long live the King

So, the saga of KNoB (the Carlist trackday Porsche 924S) is over. The first serious buyer spent 20 minute looking the car over, and then took it away leaving a small pile of cash.

An expensive lesson for all.

Now looking for a late, low miles Golf Mk3 Gti 16v with leather and air. Interested applications to the usual address.

SS7

Wiper Fetish

Now I know this sounds a bit anorakish, but I’ve always had a bit of a thing about the way 911’s windscreen wipers move. There’s a beauty and purpose and precision about the way they slash from side to side, especially on the fast speed, that is unique to the brand.

It always reminds me of the big Porsche 935’s racing in the rain at Le Mans in the 80’s.

SS7

Knife Crime, then and now

I was reading an Enid Blyton tale to young SS2.0 at the weekend. It was called 'Treasure Island', and was about those bad boys the Famous Five. I suppose Enid wrote this in the 30's.

Anyway the four homies (aged I guess between 11 and 15) and the dog are given parental permission to spend a night on an island.

In their possession, they had pocket knives, a sheaf knife, an axe and matches (amongst other things), but no Mack 10 as far as I can tell. Even in my youth in the late 60's, a pocket knife was something that I used to carry around. However I used it for whittling, cutting string and general boy scout stuff. At no point did I think of sticking it into someone for offending my fragile sense of self-worth.

One cannot help noting that our attitudes to kids and knives have changed. Or at least the perception; total number of knife deaths in my county in 2006 was zero.

SS7

A Modern Morality tale

A bloke posts on a well known forum complaining about his (female) flatmate, who works in bar and brings home different bloke every night for horizontal folk dancing that keeps him awake. She also has other annoying habits to do with possessions.

Other posters tell him to get rid of the flatmate. The bloke posts pics of his easy-on-the-eye flatmate, taken from her website and adds suitable epithets. Lots of posters lech after the female. The female then appears on the thread with threats of violence. Bloke not looking forward to going back to his flat. There follows a fracas at home, and the bloke moves out.

Another modern morality tale brought to you by Pistonheads.

Gratuitous 968 Pics

Collection Day...

A Silverstone track day


PS: Chasing clones at the Nurburgring



Oversteer hero! (Or how to drive when the rears have gone off...)

Sunnies

A few years ago I had to travel to Australia on business. Leaving the UK in a grey, cold, wet November, it was difficult to remember what decent weather felt like, so as I emerge squinting like a new-born kitten into the bright Sydney sunshine I realised I had not brought sunglasses with me.

The first opportunity I had, and it was off to the local sunglasses ("sunnies" in the local vernacular) emporium for some cheap jobs to last the 10 days or so I was there. Blame the glorious southern hemisphere's summers day, the jetlag, or the charming company I was enjoying, but rather bewilderingly I walked out with the most expensive pair on the shop.

Four years later, I'm convinced I had actually chosen the best sunglasses know to man, made with love by a company I'd not heard of until then. They were effortlessly comfortable, had superb optics, wieighed 11 grammes and even suited the SS7 facial features.

So imagine how I felt when last weekend, 4 years later, I lost them while messing about off 'our' beach in the kayak. Young SS3.5 managed to tip me out, and as I clutched the paddle I felft the glasses slide off my face and into 6 feet of water.

Attempts to find them proved futile, especially with the tide coming in, and although I returned a couple of times to search the foreshore later in the evening, I returned to work the next day knowing they were lost for good, and wondering where I was going to find £160 for a replacement pair.

I got a phone call from SS3.5 at around lunchtime. The family had gone down to the beach at low tide "just to see", and within 2 minutes he had found my Maui Jims, apparently none the worse for 20 hours immersion in the English channel!

Hurrah!

Tyre Kickers Welcome

Old Smokey's for Sale

Alas that time has come when we must be parted. One careful owner* and literally never raced or rallied.

SS7
*I don't know about all the others