Heroes and Villains

[RoadworkUK]

You a Jalopnik regular?

 

Not a regular as such, but I do browse there from time to time. Good site.

 

Same here. It was better when Murilee Martin was a contributor, though.

 

And Jonny Liebermann was on board. 'Tis true. I'm a regular at the breakaway faction that is Hooniverse, though. Rust-MyEnemy be my handle. Can't remember why.

[Station]

Villain:

 

 

For getting away with making odd looking BMW's.

 

Hero:

 

 

For getting away with making odd looking BMW's, and:

 

 

Nice!

[Quintus]

I'd have to go with Setright too. A true eccentric. There can't be many people who gave up a career in law to become a motoring journalist.

[jonathan_dyane]

Walter Kaaden, hero.

 

German rocket scientist who after WW2 ended up working in the IFA/MZ racing department. With his rocket knowledge he did wonderful things to two stroke engines using disc valves and exhausts shaped to use resonance to increase power which made MZ unbeatable in their class.

 

Ernst Degner, villain.

 

Racer for MZ, defected to Japan with both parts and plans which he brought to Suzuki. The Japanese tended to win after that...

[Pete-M]

 

Hans Ledwinka. Genial looking Genius. Like a human interpretation of the early Volvo 740 badge.

[Cavcraft]

Heroes: Dugald Clerk, the Scottish fella who (according to Wiki) invented the two stroke engine, and Japanese motorcycle makers in the 1970s for bringing us stuff like H1/KH/GT/RD 'bikes.

[RedSparrow]

Hero - Harris Mann

 

Designer of the TR7, Allegro and Princess, all ground breaking British designs, sadly all watered down by BL accountants.

[Rod/b]

More like watered down by production engineers who had to turn Mann's styling exercises into designs that could be built on a production line and still turn a profit. But, still.

[chaseracer]

The AllAggro was compromised by the need to use the A-series with the cogs in the sump. And the heater out of the 1954 Morris Oxford, or something equally limiting. So the bean-counters may not be entirely blameless...

[Shep Shepherd]

Another hero of mine, namely Major Ivan Hirst of the REME, who was responsible for reviving Volkswagen after WW2:

 

 

Rumour has it that when Major Hirst ever wanted a new car, Volkswagen (who never forgot his efforts) would give him one for free

[Timewaster]

The AllAggro was compromised by the need to use the A-series with the cogs in the sump. And the heater out of the 1954 Morris Oxford, or something equally limiting. So the bean-counters may not be entirely blameless...

 

I always thought it was the 1500 and 1750 units (B series? not sure) that meant the bonnet line had to be taller, and the whole thing went from sleek to podgy.

Anyway we are drifting into the myths thread, back to the heros and villans.

 

Peter Wheeler, took TVR from unloved old wedges into a new era of power and curves.

 

Nikolai Smolenski, who fucked it up.

[Lankytim]

The Allegro styling went from stylish to shit because the design necessitated the use of the E series engine and marina heaterbox.

[Pete-M]

 

VILLAIN

 

Richard Brunstrum. Singlehandedly destroyed Rallying and cost the Welsh Tourist Board a minimum of £15m a year by targetting motorists, rallying, and anything else he could think of that was easy money for North Wales Dibble. A pox upon him, preferably untreatable.

 

I went from visiting Wales two or three times a month to two or three times a year because of this wanker. It simply wasn't worth going as there were coppers hiding in every bush with speed guns. In perfectly safe places.

 

When I worked in car hire in Chester all the locals who'd visited Wales had points for speeding, even 60 yr old little grey haired ladies had been nicked by him. Wales was simply off limits if you were a driver.

 

If there's anyone on here who's gonna say "Don't speed then", STFU. Denbigh moors was down to 30 mph in bits because of him wanting easy money. It was a 70 previously.

[Cavcraft]

/\

 

Agreed. A complete turd of a bloke who put speeding above everything else it seemed. Also surely if they really wanted to stop speeding they'd wear high vis jackets and make their presence far more obvious. Not hide in horseboxes or behind hedges.

[Gompo]

 

We're going to have to wait a while to see if this one's a hero or villain.. Dany Bahar, currently shaking up Lotus.

 

Already a villain to many (and to me to some extent) unfortunately I'm not sure if there's any other way Lotus can go.

[Formula Autos]

Heroes and villains in one:

 

#1:Chris Evans

 

Hero for buying this ex James Coburn Ferrari at auction

 

Then, in one fell swoop becoming a villainous nob for painting it white, to match all his other Ferraris

 

#2: Lord Lew Grade

 

A hero for enabling the production of countless ITC serials in the '60s and early '70s (Danger Man, Man in a Suitcase, Department S, The Champions, The Saint, The Protectors, The Persuaders!, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), et al) which have proved to be perfect chod and exotica spotting viewing for us 'shiters.

As an example, here's a still from Man in a Suitcase, where the hero, McGill, drove a light green Imp.

 

Lord Grade was also a villain though, as an unfortunately large amount of vehicles (usually a white Mk 2 Jag, driven by criminal types) were destroyed during these programmes*.

 

*or so it seemed, the same footage of one white Jag going over a cliff was used many times, so maybe he's not that bad, on reflection.

[lancashireclamper]

Wasn't it usually the same white Jag plunging off a cliff and bursting into flames used in almost every programme though?

Seem to recall the same white FD Victor (RXD 996F) being driven by Mike Pratt aka Jeff Randall turning up in Department S a few times, none of this switching number plate shennanigins to confuse the dedicated viewer, just drive the thing off one set onto the other, assuming of course the sets were actually different.

Anyway, the man who brought the muppets to the UK HAS to be a hero, no question, if you don't believe me just try watching this!

[eddyramrod]

Department S did use a white Ventora, RXD 997F, which I think appeared in R&H at least once. It hasn't been repeated enough for me to confirm sightings of the Victor though, sorry. Is it available as a boxed set?

[warren t claim]

Department S did use a white Ventora, RXD 997F, which I think appeared in R&H at least once. It hasn't been repeated enough for me to confirm sightings of the Victor though, sorry. Is it available as a boxed set?

 

Two white FD's, a Victor and a Ventora appear in the opening of McVicar. Don't know the reg numbers though.

[barrett]

Wasn't it usually the same white Jag plunging off a cliff and bursting into flames used in almost every programme though?

 

Indeed. Great for impressing* people with your ability to foresee the future, every time a white Mk1 or Mk2 Jag appears on any ITC show casually state "That's going off a cliff in a minute"

[Justin Case]

Hero - Giorgio Giugiaro for being the greatest car designer of the 20th century. Just look at his CV, Alfa Giulia GT (while still at Bertone), Alfasud, Golf Mark 1, Lancia Delta, original Panda, not to mention such Autoshite favourites as the Morris Ital, Hyundai Pony and Stellar, Renault 19, Daewoo Legenza and Lotus Esprit:

 

http://jyanet.com/cap/1998/0213fe3.htm

 

Is genius too strong a word?

 

NO!

[gricer]

The Vauxhalls in R&HD came from the Vauxhall press fleet.

 

In one episone, R&H are chased (in Victor RXD966F) by the villains (in Ventora VXD967F). What a coincidence!

 

Actually this happened to me once, on holiday in Italy. We'd hired an Autobianchi Y10 (livin' the dream etc) and parked it next to another one - which had the consecutive reg.

 

This wasn't in the rental car park, in case you were wondering. It was in a small town many miles from where we'd hired it. Got pic somewhere...

[scooters]

Michelotti for designing the Triumph Herald with the frowning eyebrows and then subsequently making EVERY car he then designed share the same frowning eyebrows...

 

his portfolio:

 

Lancia Aprilia

Maserati 53/54/3500 GT and 5000 GT

Alpine

BMW 02

SS1 Scimitar

Daf 44

Standard Vangaurd

Herald

Spitfire

TR 2000

TR 1300

Dolly

Stag (yeah I know - but it's not his fault they are driven by twunts)

GT6TR4

 

Harry Webster, chief design engineer of Triumph who stopped off at Michelotti's gaff in Italy when on a family holiday and in the space of 5 hours the penned the Herald - leaving his wife and kids to sit in the car whilst he did! Now THAT is how a shitter treats the family!

[chaseracer]

Wasn't it usually the same white Jag plunging off a cliff and bursting into flames used in almost every programme though?

 

Indeed. Great for impressing* people with your ability to foresee the future, every time a white Mk1 or Mk2 Jag appears on any ITC show casually state "That's going off a cliff in a minute"

Even made it into 'Father Ted'...

[CIH]

/\

 

Agreed. A complete turd of a bloke who put speeding above everything else it seemed. Also surely if they really wanted to stop speeding they'd wear high vis jackets and make their presence far more obvious. Not hide in horseboxes or behind hedges.

 

and then playing the gay card to duck any criticisms...

[Station]

/\

 

Agreed. A complete turd of a bloke who put speeding above everything else it seemed. Also surely if they really wanted to stop speeding they'd wear high vis jackets and make their presence far more obvious. Not hide in horseboxes or behind hedges.

 

Saying the county of Denbighshire had had no road fatalities in a year two weeks after I watched police put a blanket over some they had just dragged from a car (in Denbighshire). He's a massive cunt, and probably a bit responsible for the robotic, over-zealous traffic police you get in this area.

[Gompo]

Then, in one fell swoop becoming a villainous nob for painting it white, to match all his other Ferraris

 

 

..You sure he's had it painted? I thought it was the only one he kept in its original colour.

[Formula Autos]

I think you're right Gompo - I can't find any pictures of it painted white.

Luckily, he seems to have re-considered.

 

Don't get me wrong. Even painted white, I wouldn't kick it off my driveway. I just thought it would have been a shame if the patina and history had been destroyed in this way. Old cars become a part of history, with a tale to tell. Painting all your cars the same colour, so that they all match, just seems odd to me.

 

Still, his cars, his money, and all that ......

 

Imagine if Mr Bo11ox or Nigel Bickle painted all their cars either brown or beige though*.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Actually, that might be Autoshite nirvana.

[Gompo]

Just to add, wasnt really trying to stick up for 'Evans or owt. He generally comes off as a nice guy but I find him very annoying on the radio. I'm usually one for keeping things original, too.

 

While I've not seen an F40 in white (in the flesh), I think it's one of the last colours I'd have one resprayed.

[Amazo]

Onto a CAR magazine hero of mine:

 

Russell Bulgin (1959-2002)

 

 

'He worked for many of the world's leading magazines including Evo, Car, Autocar, Cars and Car Conversions, Motor Sport and also newspapers such as the Daily Telegraph. He was a close personal friend of racing driver Ayrton Senna and his interview with the Brazilian racer is highly regarded.'

 

 

'His writing style was inimitable, from Performance Car, via Evo, Car and Autocar.

The guy even made the thought of running an Nissan Micra Automatic on long term test sound (vaguely!) appealing, yet could capture the details of the almost fetishistic desire to set lap records on Gran Turismo 3, and all cover all bases in between and still find time to poke fun at the seating position of most Nova drivers.'

Bulgin died in 2002 after a battle with lymphatic cancer.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/2717206/A-good-man.html

 

I would recommend the book Bulgin: The Very Best of Russell Bulgin 1959-2002 to any petrolhead; a cracking read.