Blipped the engine...

[Paul Franssen]

I'd just left home 5 minutes earlier, going to a restaurant with my son (wife's at the beach wiff tha otha' one), so we go onto the freeway to the city, when outta three-quarters behind the left shoulder comes a pitch black guess 1967 or '8 Mustang with a young dude at the wheel cruising by on my left, blipping the engine... I admiringly turned my head (I'd seen the car in my left fender mirror) (admiringly for reasons of the CAR, not the guy!) to have a good look at that ...rare.. (over here in small Belgium) classic automobile...jet black with racing stripes...mmm. My son says "bet that car is faster than yours", which I politely put to doubt (I think chances are my Carrera beats the cojones outta that...maybe even a 6-cylinder 'Stang. Given my 3.2 liter had driven, by that time, about 5 miles since leaving home, I did not wish to take up any challenges, so we carefully and respectfully slid by one another a few times (giving me ample opportunity of smelling the foul oil-burning exhaust of the 'Stangs undoubtedly very tired engine) exchanging greetings and then he drove offa the right hand exit to his unknown destination...nice car.
So, you see, over here that kind of car is exudes great vintage character, and a common appreciation for "historic" automobiles, a great feeling.

[Bob's Flat-Six]

Interesting peek into your world Paul. A Cool car is even Cooler in some parts of the world. Some people might only get to see them on TV or at the movies.
I wonder what you would have thought about an AC Cobra ROARING by. One passed me the other day so I can still hear it.

Sometimes a cool car leaves an impression that last's a lifetime. I like seeing those kid's in the back seat of the mini van that rubber neck my car and I wonder what they are thinking ?
It's Probably "Get me out of here"

[Luke Hudson]

In the UK with petrol costing the equivalent of USD2.40 a gallon, we don't see to many American gas guzzlers around either, and a Mustang or old Corvette is definately a headturner.

Some cars have a certain presence, a "WOW" factor, most modern cars seem to have lost it (supercars excepted)

There seems to be a few new affordable cars that are getting design right though, namely Lotus and TVR, so there is hope!.

I hear you can't get TVR's in the states? That's a shame, a TVR is only thing that could tempt me away from my Porsche at the moment, and I'm sure all the hard core racers on this BB would love to get thier hands on sub 4second 0-60 car to tweek!

This all reminds me of a recent experience on the motorway.

I had just entered the motorway where I live and drove slowly to warm up the engine. Then I saw a Jaguar E-type catching up from behind. A silver V12 Coupe in mint condition. A beautiful car. The driver slowed down when he was right beside me and I looked over. He then nodded and smiled at me and gave me the thumbs up sign. I responded while admireing his beautiful classic car with 4 exhaust pipes.

After this we followed eachother changing places once in a while to get different views of eachothers cars. 2 silver classics - what a sight

It's nice to know that the "brotherhood" of classic sports cars goes beoynd the brand name.

[ted]

Originally posted by Bob's Flat-Six
Interesting peek into your world Paul. A Cool car is even Cooler in some parts of the world. Some people might only get to see them on TV or at the movies.

[Bob's Flat-Six]

Pretty funny Ted,The Elephant part was the best. I'm sure stuff like that really happens too. The Dream can be mighty strong.

[TMH]

I'm amazed! Having an elephant sit on your hood changes a vehicle from RHD to LHD!

Funny though, thanks.

Tom

[wrx paul]

Originally posted by Luke Hudson
I hear you can't get TVR's in the states? That's a shame, a TVR is only thing that could tempt me away from my Porsche at the moment, and I'm sure all the hard core racers on this BB would love to get thier hands on sub 4second 0-60 car to tweek!

I think you can get them over here, I've seen a few in New Jersey. My old man and I are ex-pats so of course he thinks english cars are the best. He wanted me to find him a decent TVR he can swap his E-type for but I talked him outta it.
When I was looking I think we can only get ones made before the year that airbags were made law. Still would be nice to blow by some tool in his viper with a nice Cerebera and have them thinking "What the hell was that?"

[Paul Franssen]

Hey Ted, that's a hilarious video...so "India"!!! I've been a few times to that "subcontinent" (but it was 10 years ago) and in those times, these old Tata cars (actually Morris Minors!)were just about the only cars there, everywhere. Average through-the-desert speeds about 40 km per hour (over a distance of 400 km in Gujarat...). Another world, indeed.
Luke, our "commercial director" (not to say "my boss" - I ain't got no bosses ) has just sold his TVR Tuscan for a 996 turbo. The TVR was a spectacular car, very fast, but if it wasn't the clutch exploding, it'd be the electronics, and next week something else...sorry. So he bought a nearly new Porsche. Drove one day, then it wouldn't start any more. Porsche fixed that in the meanwhile, but...kudoos Greg, my dear dear friend (can I have a ride in your car????)

[Deeks]

Ahhh.. I love TVRs too. It makes me happy that there's still a small and independent British sports car manufacturer out there designing and building beautiful sports cars from the ground up.
I think it's pretty amazing that TVR build their own engines, design their own interiors and come up with such beautiful designs. And they are doing so wel too.

I wonder what you would have thought about an AC Cobra ROARING by

In fact AC Cobras (or at least replicas) are probably the most "common" pieces of V8 beef seen on the streets in the UK. To see/hear an old 'Vette or a mustang is a real aural treat (not many V8s on the streets out here).

[smarjoram]

When I went to Le Mans 4 out of the 5 cars I saw broken down were TVR's. They do look and sound good though. It's just a pity that they seem to cut corners in a few simple areas. Apparently they're prone to the chassis rotting because it's not galvanised. Honestly, how much would it cost to do that?

[rick-l]

Originally posted by Luke Hudson
In the UK with petrol costing the equivalent of USD2.40 a gallon,

That's not that much more than I'm paying. Premium is $1.90 in the cheap midwest. I thought gas in the UK was like $4 per gallon.

[wrx paul]

Originally posted by rick-l
That's not that much more than I'm paying. Premium is $1.90 in the cheap midwest. I thought gas in the UK was like $4 per gallon.

Gas in the UK is more like 4.50 and up. For some reason they always put the price up over there and it never, ever drops.
As for your cheap midwest. I pay about 1.43 for 92, and in Jersey they have to pump it for you. Really wish they didn't though, every time I try to do it myself they yell at me but I'm sick of them squeezing that last few cents in to run down the side of my car.