Jump to content

Has that Septic at Icon Derelicts gone too far now?


Felly Magic

Recommended Posts

As a completely random aside, in The Bridge, Iain Banks spends rather a lot of time explaining in detail fantasising about how the main character he'd customise a Mk2 (I think) Jag, which then gets destroyed on the titular structure. Actually, that's kind of a spoiler. Sorry, as you were.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jay is officially the head of the more money than brains club, and he won't touch anything Ward builds, because he can tell from 500 yards they aren't up to scratch, and his own workshop can build better for much cheaper, Ward is a slick salesman that is a certainty, but what he produces is frankly poor in execution, his addiction to the LS engine is so severe it is unreal, it's not the best engine by a long shot, it's cheap, which is why he uses it so often. A far better subject for a crass hot rod would have been a Bentley, as they were much more caddish cars with a sporting flavour. His client base will vanish unless he actually moves with the times, but he seems to be stuck in a loop, there is a finite number of people who will buy stuff like this, so eventually he will end up going bang,he has a huge stockpile of cars in his yard, which to all intents and purposes is dead money, because a customer has to want that specific car, which he will no doubt lean on potential clients to buy, and as the cars just sit outside in the open, they are just going to deteriorate further, meaning much more work. For wealthy folk on the west coast of America, where the internal combustion engine is rapidly becoming the enemy, he really could do with looking at electric propulsion, buying up crashed Teslas could be a viable option, even the idiot Brewer and the tall not mechanic electrified a Maserati for not a lot of dollars really, and electric powered VWs are big business in California now too. I don't think Ward is thinking towards the future, just the 'here & now', and how to exploit the rich and stupid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does it help that Icon has already done an electric VW?  http://www.icon4x4.com/derelict/pastprojects/33

 

I get that the car wasn't to your taste, fair enough, I liked it, as did some others but, it would be odd if we all liked the same thing.

 

The LS is a very popular engine swap because it is plentiful, relatively cheap, reliable, the aftermarket support is huge, it's easy to upgrade and the bolt on performance goodies are everywhere.  It has been referred to as the modern equivalent of the SBC - I like the LS and I have a plan to get hold of one at some point and maybe swap it into my 1994 Wrangler... or not.

 

I don't know that the cars left outside will deteriorate as quickly as if they were left outside in the UK - the shop is based in Van Nuys where the weather is pretty dry year round - I mean, it's October 24 today and it was 103 where I am FFS.  I am willing to bet it hit well over 110 where Icon is located.

 

I did get the impression that Ward was less of a builder and, more of a "concept"/sales guy.

 

I understand that you didn't like the Rolls but, to each their own...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jay is officially the head of the more money than brains club, and he won't touch anything Ward builds, because he can tell from 500 yards they aren't up to scratch, and his own workshop can build better for much cheaper, Ward is a slick salesman that is a certainty, but what he produces is frankly poor in execution, his addiction to the LS engine is so severe it is unreal, it's not the best engine by a long shot, it's cheap, which is why he uses it so often. A far better subject for a crass hot rod would have been a Bentley, as they were much more caddish cars with a sporting flavour. His client base will vanish unless he actually moves with the times, but he seems to be stuck in a loop, there is a finite number of people who will buy stuff like this, so eventually he will end up going bang,he has a huge stockpile of cars in his yard, which to all intents and purposes is dead money, because a customer has to want that specific car, which he will no doubt lean on potential clients to buy, and as the cars just sit outside in the open, they are just going to deteriorate further, meaning much more work. For wealthy folk on the west coast of America, where the internal combustion engine is rapidly becoming the enemy, he really could do with looking at electric propulsion, buying up crashed Teslas could be a viable option, even the idiot Brewer and the tall not mechanic electrified a Maserati for not a lot of dollars really, and electric powered VWs are big business in California now too. I don't think Ward is thinking towards the future, just the 'here & now', and how to exploit the rich and stupid.

 

At least you’re not bitter about it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only person reading this who really doesn't give a fuck?

Nope me too, I don't see how anyone could sustain such anger about something that doesn't personally affect them. It's almost like Mr Ward has crossed the pond and directly pissed on Mr Magics chips.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're better off sticking to straight-up restos though. The skills that place has are insane.

 

Yep.

 

My eight digit lottery win would fund a Tudor white pre HE XJ-S with red leather. Built from a rust free US import, it'd have a 6.0 V12, 5 speed manual and all the suspension/brake upgrades yet retaining the Kent wheels and the original refinement. It'd probably cost £150'000+ but I wouldn't give a shit. It'd be the perfect car.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its the Silver Spirit, rollered black, with a Cummins 6BT and vertical exhaust stack protruding through the bonnet that does it for me.

 

T'is a Bentley that one

 

Creaming moment at 0:32

 

I wonder if this effort will anger in equal measure though.  It is a home-brew Blighty effort from Harrogate way

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Jay is officially the head of the more money than brains club, and he won't touch anything Ward builds, because he can tell from 500 yards they aren't up to scratch, and his own workshop can build better for much cheaper, Ward is a slick salesman that is a certainty, but what he produces is frankly poor in execution, his addiction to the LS engine is so severe it is unreal, it's not the best engine by a long shot, it's cheap, which is why he uses it so often. A far better subject for a crass hot rod would have been a Bentley, as they were much more caddish cars with a sporting flavour. His client base will vanish unless he actually moves with the times, but he seems to be stuck in a loop, there is a finite number of people who will buy stuff like this, so eventually he will end up going bang,he has a huge stockpile of cars in his yard, which to all intents and purposes is dead money, because a customer has to want that specific car, which he will no doubt lean on potential clients to buy, and as the cars just sit outside in the open, they are just going to deteriorate further, meaning much more work. For wealthy folk on the west coast of America, where the internal combustion engine is rapidly becoming the enemy, he really could do with looking at electric propulsion, buying up crashed Teslas could be a viable option, even the idiot Brewer and the tall not mechanic electrified a Maserati for not a lot of dollars really, and electric powered VWs are big business in California now too. I don't think Ward is thinking towards the future, just the 'here & now', and how to exploit the rich and stupid.

 

 Hi, Broadly speaking, you've just described how Rolls Royce was at the start. Rolls was the slick saleman and Royce was the perfection led engineer.

 

 Colin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What else do you want to do with these shit heaps?

Apart from ovaling them?

 

 

I don't mind a nice Mark II, Warwick grey 3.4 m/od on steels with red leather.  S Type less Morse, Mark I is very pretty.

 

But I hate they way they are fawned over as a 'lovely old British classic'. As new cars they were badly made tosh - the 300SE Heckflosse is a better idea, and far cooler.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't mind a nice Mark II, Warwick grey 3.4 m/od on steels with red leather.  S Type less Morse, Mark I is very pretty.

 

But I hate they way they are fawned over as a 'lovely old British classic'. As new cars they were badly made tosh - the 300SE Heckflosse is a better idea, and far cooler.

 

Back in the day, they were cheap for what they were, so no wonder they weren't as hardy as a Merc. I'm an S-Type man myself though, just because I'm drawn to stuff that looks odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I genuinely have only read one or two posts on this thread and have no friggin idea what's going on but can we just agree that some people are cunts or something and get back to posting pictures of old Citroëns.

 

Autoshite is a load of shitposting, cunningly disguised as a bunch of blokes posting pictures ot Talbot Solaras.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

The design brief on that Rolls Royce was for the vehicle to annoy the Rolls Royce Classic Club people.

 

 

You know when people on the telly say "It's the Rolls-Royce of...........Insert name of any object....."  I always laugh and see the irony.

 

The person on the TV has just perpetuated the myth, that comes with the brand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...