Kick Those Shoes Off and Relax. It's the Delta 2017 Tea Break

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Did you see my vids of the "pop group" that play around our area in Mojacar, I wonder where they got the name from

As I recall I've seen one or two of them before.

This time was your Tetbury video and then a lot of links to other people's stuff like (indeed mostly) the "Look at Life" films.

I thought it was interesting that they have somehow been selected as likely being of interest - presumably there are some hidden Googlesque secrets about the AI that creates such apparently unconnected connections.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by bauble

Ah, maybe but that was before speed limits, try it today.

Strange, isn't it, that now with shopping hatches having almost E-type levels of performance the road systems are, once again, at the point they were in the 50s before motorways in terms of queues and congestion.

However now, rather than talking about how they might be improved and expanded for the benefit of a more mobile general populace and manufacturing base we have people who take the opposite view. They talk about restricting the use and development of individual transport options that take people directly from where they are to where they wish to go in favour of using "public" transport that rarely offers the same degree of utility on a day to day basis.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by grantp

now with shopping hatches having almost E-type levels of performance .

Most half decent shopping cars can actually out perform most or all of those sports cars from the 60/70s I remember taking a Golf turbo diesel out in the rain for a test that would get wheelspin in just about every one of it's 6 gears up hill !
I have always maintained that I could have won a race in the 60s with most modern standard road cars !!!

[delta]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Iain Rowley your cheque is in the post for starring in the Goodwood "Happy" film !

Cheers Gordon.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Most half decent shopping cars can actually out perform most or all of those sports cars from the 60/70s I remember taking a Golf turbo diesel out in the rain for a test that would get wheelspin in just about every one of it's 6 gears up hill !
I have always maintained that I could have won a race in the 60s with most modern standard road cars !!!

I spent a lot of time in the early 70 in a 1.3ltr Escort van on the M1. It would just about cruise at 70 without feeling overworked. 75 was flat out - just under 80 with a tail wind and downhill. No doubt others could find more speed but realistically that was about it.

Not much traffic on the M1 most of the time - could go miles without being passed by anything or passing much.

But that was 40+ years ago.

Back 40 years from there takes us to 1930.

Is the difference from 1930 to 1975 much less than 1975 to 2017 in relative terms?

I suspect it might be.

[Gerard C]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I have always maintained that I could have won a race in the 60s with most modern standard road cars !!!

Youre probably right, Gordon. Had a bad experience with a 911 GTS 11 challenged by a 206 fitted with slicks and good suspensions at Magny.

[John Elwin]

Since it seems to be nostalgia day & we are harking back to 40 years ago, can you believe that it was 40 years ago today that the Schlumpf Collection was seized (if that's right word) by the workers?

How time flies, & I still haven't been to visit. Mind you, I drove past the Duxford Museum on a regular basis, each time thinking I must visit. When I finally did so, I was astounded to find it had been open for 25 years! We then went twice in a fortnight...

[Gerard C]

You can visit Mulhouse Cité de l'automobile any time till French people will seize it because it belongs to … French state! So, you, me and "some" others paying taxes! They told me they planed to exhibit some cars at Magny during historic GP. If you were thinking about den Hartogh (biggest private Ford Cars collection in the world), its too late!
How was Anvers and who won the concours d'élégance?

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

You can visit Mulhouse Cité de l'automobile any time till French people will seize it because it belongs to … French state! So, you, me and "some" others paying taxes! They told me they planed to exhibit some cars at Magny during historic GP. If you were thinking about den Hartogh (biggest private Ford Cars collection in the world), its too late!
How was Anvers and who won the concours d'élégance?

Anvers was very enjoyable. A lot of nice cars but we struggled a bit to find anything really stand out as 'Best in Show' but we eventually chose a rather lovely green Mercedes 300 Cabriolet - even though it was a rental car! If I tell you we gave the Youngtimer class to a Volvo... It was a 240 Turbo that had been superbly restored by a private owner rather than a restoration business & we felt he deserved some sort of recognition for the 40,000 euros he had spent!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Youre probably right, Gordon. Had a bad experience with a 911 GTS 11 challenged by a 206 fitted with slicks and good suspensions at Magny.

Handling and brakes are a major contribution to driving faster without going over the "edge", leaf spring suspension and 1 inch wide drum brakes that were the norm didn't exactly fill you with confidence.
I had to MOT an Austin 7 and had a drive up the road to remind me what they were like, they used to steer all over the place and the brakes would just "slow you down" when applied and you had to anticipate where it would stop when pulling up to road junctions !
That said there is no way you could "doze off" behind the wheel unlike todays luxury vehicles fitted with things like heaters

[Mike Harte]

If you like watching card tricks, then you will probably enjoy this: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ ... RWX4?rel=0

[bauble]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

If you like watching card tricks, then you will probably enjoy this: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/ ... RWX4?rel=0

And if you don't like watching card tricks, you could always think of something amusing to post here.

[Gerard C]

Robert, dunno if this can be amusing to you but at least I try. Do you know why our great champion Maurice Trintignant was nicknamed Petoulet? It refers to petoule which means "bunny poop" in a patois of south France.
By the way, are you sure that London is the center of univers? We've been told by a Catalan it is located right in the middle… of Perpignan train station!

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Robert, dunno if this can be amusing to you but at least I try. Do you know why our great champion Maurice Trintignant was nicknamed Petoulet? It refers to petoule which means "bunny poop" in a patois of south France.
By the way, are you sure that London is the center of univers? We've been told by a Catalan it is located right in the middle… of Perpignan train station!

You're both wrong - Norfolk is irrefutably the centre of the universe, there is even a race team called 'Hub of the Universe Racing' to prove it!

Gerard, you may be amused by a postcard I bought here. It is titled 'The French view of the world' - it has a picture of the globe with only France showing on it.

[GORDON STREETER]

I thought the centre of the UK was the Triumph Motorcycle factory in Meriden ?

[John Elwin]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I thought the centre of the UK was the Triumph Motorcycle factory in Meriden ?

Of course, just for the UK that may well be true, but for the entire universe...

[grantp]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I thought the centre of the UK was the Triumph Motorcycle factory in Meriden ?

It depends on what the measurement is I think.

Furthest point in England from the sea (in any direction iirc) is, if memory serves, Ashby-de-la-Zouch or somewhere very close by.

With a name like that it may well be up for something related to recognition in France as well.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

You're both wrong - Norfolk is irrefutably the centre of the universe, there is even a race team called 'Hub of the Universe Racing' to prove it!

While John is correct......

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

I thought the centre of the UK was the Triumph Motorcycle factory in Meriden ?

....the centre of the UK for Ducati owners is Bologna!

[Gerard C]

Anyway, you - again - prove that the center of universal sens of humor is British. Whether you're travelling or not its stronger than you! Something even the Chinese won't copy!!
Yes grant, I saw this name when searching something. In France when we refer to "right in the middle of nowhere" we invent towns with funny names like Pétahouschnock or Tafraoute les Roubloutes!
John, from your explanation I … got the picture!
C'on robert, at some time there had a close relationship between Amédée Gordini, Jean Behra, Maurice Trintignant and Juan Manuel Fangio.

[Gerard C]

Mike, how do you know that? Are you a biker too? Yep there's nothing like a Ducati engine. There is something magical in their engines which is directly related to your brain. At the very moment you turn the key, you're done! Well, when the thing deigns to start !!!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by Gerard C

Mike, how do you know that? Are you a biker too? Yep there's nothing like a Ducati engine. There is something magical in their engines which is directly related to your brain. At the very moment you turn the key, you're done! Well, when the thing deigns to start !!!

I've got a modest S4 Monster, that have had since 2001 when purchased new from the local dealer- who went bust a couple of years later! Red of course, and titanium Termignonis.......

[Gerard C]

Wahoo the best engine ever. With their bloody Vé doué you can give power to anything, just adjust camshafts and ignition to the needs. The Monster is practical because of the saddle heigh. OK, in general you have to cope with a funny steering… But what an engine!
We use to have power restrictions here, what is the maximum output allowed in UK?

[bauble]

Cher Gerard, I knew that Maurice had the nickname Petoulet, and I believe it refers to his retirement from his first race after the War. Apparently he had hidden his Bugatti in a barn to save it from .... well you know who, and failed to properly clean the fuel tank prior to the race, during which rat droppings caused a blockage in the fuel line leading to his retirement. Thereafter he was known as Ratsh*t. Maybe the 'Bunny Poop' sobriquet was used to avoid upsetting the polite Café Society of La Belle Francais?

In early ages drivers often had nicknames bestowed upon them;

The Abruzzi Robber

La Papillon.

The Pampas Bull

Jack O'Malley.

Would it not be fun to come up with a few for today's 'Stars'

Answers on a postcard to ........

Aurevoir.

Robert

[bauble]

Originally Posted by grantp

It depends on what the measurement is I think.

Furthest point in England from the sea (in any direction iirc) is, if memory serves, Ashby-de-la-Zouch or somewhere very close by.

With a name like that it may well be up for something related to recognition in France as well.

Here in Bedfordshire Dunstable is known to be the furthest point from the sea, although in a Vauxhall Astra it does not seem very far.

[bauble]

The Centre of The Universe?

I consider that it is situated where ever I happen to be at the time.