A lively discussion unfolds as hosts Johnny Smith and Richard Porter dive into the cultural phenomenon of K-Pop, particularly its influence on their kids. They humorously compare their experiences with children's music to classic films like 'The Sound of Music.' The conversation shifts to the Dodge Demon, exploring its history and the playful idea of K-Pop demon hunters. They also discuss various automotive topics, including a Lotus Exige auction and a Renault Sport Clio Trophy, while sharing personal anecdotes and insights about car culture and restoration projects.
Jonny has the wrong of the stick about a recent movie sensation. Also in this episode, Sabrina Carpenter’s single entendres, scratching the Sound of Music soundtrack, two more treats from the PistonHeads auctions, the MAN badge and other car company lions, three interesting books for car people, and an update on the progress of Richard’s MG Metro Turbo.
"...it a try at MintMobile.com slash switch. Up front Cayman of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per..."
The Porsche Cayman is a sporty car that is fun to drive and looks great. It's a smaller and less expensive option compared to other Porsche models, making it a popular choice for those who want a sporty feel without breaking the bank.
The Porsche Cayman is a mid-engine sports car known for its exceptional handling and performance. It represents a more affordable entry into the Porsche lineup while still offering a thrilling driving experience. It's often discussed for its balance of luxury and sportiness.
"...when I heard demon, I keep thinking about dodges. Yeah, keep thinking about the dodged demon because the dodged demons been around a long time. I think since the 70s and the current dodged demon or the one just gone by, is the like, ridiculously powerful challenger, isn't it?"
The Dodge Demon is a very powerful car that is part of the Dodge Challenger lineup. It's famous for being one of the fastest cars you can buy, with a lot of horsepower and special features for racing.
The Dodge Demon is a high-performance version of the Dodge Challenger, known for its extreme power and speed. It was introduced in 2017 and is celebrated for being one of the most powerful muscle cars ever produced, featuring a supercharged V8 engine.
"... just gone by, is the like, ridiculously powerful challenger, isn't it? Whenever I think of that car, I just t..."
The Dodge Challenger is a big, powerful car that looks like something out of a movie. It's designed for speed and has a lot of horsepower, making it exciting to drive for those who love fast cars.
The Dodge Challenger is a classic American muscle car that is known for its powerful engine options and retro styling. It has become a symbol of performance and nostalgia, often discussed for its impressive horsepower and performance capabilities. The Challenger appeals to enthusiasts who appreciate raw power and a bold design.
"I have the supercharger just rising and falling. Not on the real one. I just sort of watch videos of them and they're noisy in a fun sort of way."
A supercharger is a machine that helps a car's engine get more air, which makes the car go faster. It's like giving the engine a boost to make it stronger.
A supercharger is a device that forces more air into the engine's combustion chamber, allowing for more fuel to be burned and thus increasing the engine's power output. It's commonly used in performance cars to enhance acceleration and overall performance.
"...ckwards and go through crowds and hedges like the Mustang people do? And they..."
The Ford Mustang is a classic American car known for being fast and stylish. It's been around for a long time and is loved by many people for its cool looks and powerful engine.
The Ford Mustang is an iconic American muscle car that has been in production since the 1960s. It is celebrated for its performance, distinctive design, and cultural significance, often representing freedom and rebellion. The Mustang is frequently discussed for its various trims and powerful engine options.
"I've just looked this up about the Dodge Dart and Demon. It seems that in 1971 the Dodge marketing department was being run by Sabrina Carpenter because what happened?"
The Dodge Dart is a small car made by Dodge that was sold in the 1960s and 70s. It was a popular choice for people who wanted an affordable and reliable vehicle.
The Dodge Dart is a compact car that was produced by Dodge from 1960 to 1976. It was known for its affordability and was popular among buyers looking for a practical vehicle.
"... The Dodge gained a version of Plymouth's popular valiant based fast back duster, which was to be named the..."
The Plymouth Valiant is an older, reliable car that many families used to drive. It's known for being affordable and practical, making it a good choice for everyday use.
The Plymouth Valiant is a compact car that was produced in the 1960s and 1970s, known for its reliability and affordability. It played a significant role in the American automotive market as a practical family car. The Valiant is often discussed for its classic design and historical importance.
"The Dodge gained a version of Plymouth's popular valiant based fast back duster, which was to be named the Beaver."
A fastback is a type of car where the back of the roof slopes down towards the trunk. It makes the car look more sporty and aerodynamic.
A fastback is a car design where the roofline slopes down to the rear of the vehicle, creating a streamlined appearance. This style is often associated with sporty or performance-oriented cars.
"but quite recently Dodge were doing the charger with the SCAT pack as well,"
The SCAT Pack is a special package for some Dodge cars that makes them faster and more fun to drive. It includes better engines and other improvements.
The SCAT Pack is a performance package offered by Dodge for the Charger and Challenger models, featuring enhancements like a more powerful engine and upgraded suspension. It is designed for enthusiasts looking for a sportier driving experience.
"but quite recently Dodge were doing the charger with the SCAT pack as well,"
The Dodge Charger is a large car that looks sporty and is known for being fast. It comes in different versions, some of which are designed for better performance.
The Dodge Charger is a full-size sedan known for its powerful performance and muscular styling. It has gained popularity for its various performance trims, including the SCAT Pack.
"As people might know, this podcast is sponsored by our friends at piston heads who now offer online auctions as well as their comprehensive classified section..."
PistonHeads is a website where you can buy and sell cars. They also have auctions where people can bid on cars they want to buy.
PistonHeads is an online platform that specializes in automotive classifieds and auctions, catering to car enthusiasts and buyers. They offer a variety of services including online car auctions, which allow users to bid on vehicles.
"There's no Dodge Dart demons that I can find. No, sadly not."
The Dodge Dart Demon is a special version of the Dodge Dart that is designed for performance. It has a more powerful engine and sporty features, but it's not easy to find because only a few were made.
The Dodge Dart Demon is a high-performance variant of the Dodge Dart, known for its powerful engine and sporty features. It was produced in limited numbers, making it a sought-after model among enthusiasts.
"There was a lovely Lotus Exige which is in a live auction at the moment, which I think falls into your favourite category of cosmetically imperfect but mechanically excellent cars."
The Lotus Exige is a small, lightweight sports car that is very good at handling and going fast. It's designed for driving on tracks and is known for being fun to drive.
The Lotus Exige is a lightweight sports car known for its exceptional handling and performance. It features a mid-engine layout and is often praised for its track capabilities.
"...een this car on the pistonhead stand. It's a 2006 Renault Sport Cleotrophie. Oh."
The Renault Sport Spider is a small, lightweight sports car that is really fun to drive. It has a unique look and is known for being quick and nimble on the road.
The Renault Sport Spider is a lightweight sports car known for its unique design and agile handling. It was produced in the 1990s and is often celebrated for its driving experience and performance. The Sport Spider is frequently discussed among enthusiasts for its rarity and distinctiveness.
"...this car on the pistonhead stand. It's a 2006 Renault Sport Clio Trophy. Oh. I think the best hot hatchback ever in terms of the year fun."
The Renault Sport Clio Trophy is a special version of the Clio car that is designed for sporty driving. It's known for being a lot of fun to drive, especially for those who enjoy fast cars.
The Renault Sport Clio Trophy is a high-performance version of the Clio, known for its sporty handling and fun driving experience. It is often celebrated as one of the best hot hatchbacks of its time, combining practicality with performance.
"Yes, they were unique to this version of the Cleo, and they just added this extra level of sublime brilliance to the way that it drove."
Sacks dampers are special parts that help make a car ride smoother and handle better. They control how the car's suspension moves, especially when going over bumps or turns.
Sacks dampers are a type of suspension component designed to improve ride quality and handling by controlling the movement of the vehicle's suspension. They are known for their performance characteristics, often used in high-end or performance-oriented vehicles.
"...front and rear dampers, as well as front bump stops, front springs and other spares. So this is there to be used."
Front springs are parts of a car's suspension that help hold up the front of the car and make the ride smoother by absorbing bumps. They keep the car at the right height and help it handle better.
Front springs are part of a vehicle's suspension system that support the weight of the front end of the car and absorb shocks from the road. They help maintain proper ride height and contribute to the overall handling and comfort of the vehicle.
"...front and rear dampers, as well as front bump stops, front springs and other spares. So this is there to be used."
Bump stops are parts that help protect a car's suspension by stopping it from moving too far down. They soften the impact when the suspension is fully compressed, which helps avoid damage.
Bump stops are rubber or foam components that limit the travel of a suspension system when it compresses fully. They prevent metal-to-metal contact, which can cause damage to the suspension and improve ride quality by cushioning the impact when the suspension reaches its maximum compression.
"This is a 2001 Ferrari 360 Modena convertible or spider manual, we have the Spanish gearbox."
The Ferrari 360 Modena is a high-performance sports car made by Ferrari. It has a powerful engine and is designed for speed and style, making it a favorite among car enthusiasts.
The Ferrari 360 Modena is a mid-engine sports car produced by Ferrari from 1999 to 2005. It is known for its sleek design and impressive performance, featuring a 3.6-liter V8 engine that produces 400 horsepower.
"Am I right in thinking that the 360 was the first of the F1 gearboxes"
An F1 gearbox is a special type of transmission that lets drivers change gears quickly without using a clutch pedal. It's designed for racing and was used in the Ferrari 360 to make it faster and more fun to drive.
The F1 gearbox refers to a type of semi-automatic transmission used in Formula 1 racing, which allows for faster gear changes without a clutch pedal. The Ferrari 360 was one of the first road cars to feature this technology, enhancing performance and driving experience.
"...it's obviously a mid-engined V8, 3.6. The car is for sale in..."
A V8 engine has eight cylinders arranged in a V shape. It's known for producing a lot of power and is often found in sports cars and trucks.
A V8 engine is an eight-cylinder engine arranged in a V configuration. This design provides a good balance of power and smoothness, making it popular in performance and luxury vehicles.
"...it's obviously a mid-engined V8, 3.6. The car is for sale in..."
In a mid-engined car, the engine is placed in the middle of the car rather than at the front or back. This helps the car handle better when driving fast.
A mid-engined car has its engine located between the front and rear axles, which helps improve weight distribution and handling. This layout is common in sports cars and supercars.
"...mid-engined V8, 3.6. The car is for sale in..."
'3.6' means the engine can hold 3.6 liters of air and fuel. Bigger numbers usually mean more power, so a 3.6-liter engine is relatively powerful.
The '3.6' typically refers to the engine displacement of 3.6 liters. Engine displacement is the total volume of all the cylinders in an engine and is often used to indicate the size and power potential of the engine.
"But a service in April 2023, the timing belts were done."
Timing belts are important parts of a car's engine. They help keep everything working together properly, so the engine runs smoothly.
Timing belts are crucial components in an engine that synchronize the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft. They ensure that the engine's valves open and close at the correct times during each cylinder's intake and exhaust strokes.
"And the ball joints were done at the same time, which was 24,400 miles."
Ball joints are parts of the car's suspension that help the wheels move up and down while keeping them connected to the car. They are important for steering and stability.
Ball joints are essential components of a vehicle's suspension system that connect the control arms to the steering knuckles. They allow for smooth movement and help maintain proper alignment of the wheels.
"It's on Pirelli P0, asymmetrical 18-inch tires. Got the original."
Pirelli P Zero is a type of tire that helps cars grip the road better, especially when going fast. It's known for being used on high-performance cars.
Pirelli P Zero is a high-performance tire designed for sports cars and supercars, offering excellent grip and handling characteristics. It's often used in both street and track applications, making it a popular choice among automotive enthusiasts.
"What do we think these are worse right now? Because I think 360's are really good value. Because luckily my daughter doesn't listen to this podcast,"
The Subaru 360 is a tiny car that was made a long time ago and is very efficient. It's small enough to easily drive around in cities and has a unique, cute look.
The Subaru 360 is a compact car that was produced in the 1960s and is often referred to as a 'kei car' in Japan. It is known for its small size and efficiency, making it a practical choice for urban driving. The Subaru 360 is often discussed for its quirky design and historical significance in automotive culture.
"So is he still got an RCZ? Is he stuck part of a few RCZs? Because he quite liked them."
The Peugeot RCZ is a small sports car made by Peugeot. It has a unique design and is known for being fun to drive.
The Peugeot RCZ is a compact sports coupe that was produced by the French automaker Peugeot from 2009 to 2015. It is known for its distinctive styling and sporty performance.
"Because he quite liked them. This is claiming here that the Sarb logo has got a lion on it."
Saab is a car brand from Sweden that was known for making unique and stylish cars, often with turbo engines. They have a dedicated group of fans.
Saab was a Swedish automobile manufacturer known for its innovative engineering and distinctive design. The brand has a loyal following, particularly for its turbocharged vehicles.
"I mean, don't see Gumperts very often. No. So you can't just pop out and find a gum I bonnet to look at the logo of."
Gumpert is a car brand from Germany that makes very fast and powerful sports cars. They are not very common on the roads.
Gumpert is a German manufacturer known for producing high-performance sports cars, particularly the Gumpert Apollo, which was designed for extreme performance and aerodynamics.
"The Griffin, which is of course, is also the voxel logo."
Vauxhall is a car brand from the UK that makes different types of cars. Their logo has a griffin, which is a creature from stories and legends.
Vauxhall is a British automotive brand known for producing a range of vehicles, including compact cars and SUVs. The logo features a griffin, which is a mythical creature.
"...go in use until 2014 looked suspiciously like the BMW M logo. Because company founder and CEO David Telli..."
The BMW M Coupe (E36) is a sporty car that is known for being fast and fun to drive. It has a cool design and is loved by car fans for how well it handles on the road.
The BMW M Coupe (E36) is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, known for its sporty design and powerful engine. It is celebrated among enthusiasts for its handling and driving dynamics, making it a sought-after model in the BMW lineup. The M Coupe is often discussed for its unique styling and performance capabilities.
"...But I've actually found a real Dodge Charger NASCAR for sale in the classifieds. It's an actual NASCAR."
NASCAR is a type of car racing that's very popular in the U.S. It features cars that look like regular cars but are built for speed and competition on tracks.
NASCAR stands for the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, a popular motorsport in the United States featuring stock cars racing on oval tracks. The vehicles are specially modified for high-speed racing.
"It's got 862 brake horsepower from the 358 cubic inch, the 4-speed dog box."
Brake horsepower is how much power an engine can produce before any energy is lost. It's a way to measure how strong an engine is.
Brake horsepower (BHP) refers to the engine's output before losses like friction and heat are accounted for. It's a measure of the engine's raw power and is often used in performance discussions.
"...l run series driven by the Stig. And measured 132 dBs through the tunnel. Yes, because the Top Gear mag..."
The Aston Martin DBS is a super fancy car that looks really sleek and fast. It's known for being luxurious and is often seen in movies, especially with the character James Bond.
The Aston Martin DBS is a luxury grand tourer that combines high performance with elegant design. It is known for its powerful V12 engine and is often associated with James Bond films, symbolizing sophistication and speed. The DBS is frequently discussed for its blend of luxury and sportiness.
"...ell, I was briefly toying with buying that Martin Twingo. Which he should still."
The Renault Twingo is a small car that's great for driving around in the city. It's easy to park and use, and it has a fun, unique design.
The Renault Twingo is a compact city car known for its innovative design and practicality. It has a distinctive shape and is often praised for its maneuverability and fuel efficiency, making it a popular choice for urban drivers. The Twingo is frequently discussed for its affordability and unique character.
"...dly put me in touch with the owner of the Hillman Avenger rally car, the column of Cree. The column of Cree..."
The Dodge Avenger is a mid-sized car that looks sporty and is easy on the wallet. It's a good option for people who want a nice car without spending too much money.
The Dodge Avenger is a mid-size sedan that was produced in the late 2000s, known for its sporty styling and affordability. It was designed to appeal to budget-conscious buyers looking for a stylish and practical vehicle. The Avenger is often discussed for its value and performance in its class.
"...work has started in earnest on my Metro turbo. People keep asking, are we get so many emails?"
The Metro Turbo is a small car made by Rover that had a turbocharged engine, making it faster than regular versions of the Metro. It was popular in the UK back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The Rover Metro Turbo is a small hatchback that was popular in the UK during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It featured a turbocharged engine, which provided a sportier performance compared to the standard Metro models.
"who used to work at Tolman who do those beautiful 205 GTI to the restorations and updates. And like Nick wa..."
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a small, sporty car that was really popular back in the 1980s. It's known for being fun to drive and has a special place in car history.
The Peugeot 205 GTI is a legendary hot hatch that gained popularity in the 1980s for its performance and driving enjoyment. It is celebrated for its lightweight design and responsive handling, making it a favorite among driving enthusiasts. The 205 GTI is often discussed for its iconic status in automotive history.
"...is a Honda E. If you remember the Honda E, which was, obviously one of the most talked about cars when it emerged in 2020."
The Honda E is a small electric car that came out in 2020. It's known for its cute, retro look and is designed for city driving.
The Honda E is a compact electric vehicle that was introduced in 2020, known for its retro design and advanced technology features. It has become popular for its unique styling and urban-friendly dimensions.
"...eve Galaxy. He's a Spanish cousin called Ed Wardo Alhambra. Yes, he's called Alan Hambra."
The Seat Alhambra is a roomy car that's great for families. It has lots of space for passengers and luggage, making it perfect for trips.
The Seat Alhambra is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) known for its spacious interior and practicality. It is designed to accommodate families and is often praised for its versatility and comfort. The Alhambra is frequently discussed for its family-friendly features and value.
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I'm Johnny Smith. I'm Richard Porter. And this is Smith and Smith for podcast in which two friends talk about cars and many other things. Everybody's talking about K-Pop demon hunters. Yes, does this mean anything to you? Oh, my goodness, yes, it means something to me. It means every time I go on a car journey longer than three minutes. My children want to put the same
soundtrack album on. Oh, really? So you've heard, you've heard about it. Have I heard about it? Oh, my gosh. I've seen it. You know, when you see a film, but in pieces because it's on, but you're not really watching it. Yeah, that's the world's greatest show. And I've still never seen it, but I've heard probably all the music around it. And I know that that guy sings in it, the Australian guy. I sometimes feel that certain films you think you've seen them because they're so embedded in popular culture.
And they have a few songs in them like the sound of music. Yes, for years, I sort of thought I had seen the sound of music, but I was fairly certain I hadn't. And I finally sat down and watched the sound of music. And when, oh, I've never seen this film. I just know the songs. It's got more nuances in it than I was expecting. My mom's got the movie soundtrack to it on 12 inches. She used to play it quite a lot. And I definitely one day didn't try and scratch it to like a rap record.
To make it into what? Yeah, honestly, I did, I did do that just to see what, what would happen. And it was great.
I've got to say it. So I thought the sound of music. I could see why it's considered a classic. It is a good film. It's a very well-made film of its time.
But today, though, it'd be the sound off of music wouldn't it?
Literally the sound of like music. Anyway, can you help? Yes, I have now sort of seen most of it by sitting down with my kids and watching it when they put it on for like the 19th time. But yeah, the soundtrack, I think I know pretty much all the words to all the songs because we have it under cast so much. And my wife pointed out the song soda pop, one of the more catchy numbers is in fact a bit smutty, like lyrically it's clearly not about an actual can of phanta.
But there's there's our eight-year-old daughter gleefully singing along and we're like, let's just no, let's just let this go. Don't she doesn't need to know.
It's bad when pop songs have got a smutty undertone because quite a few of them do and have had for years.
That new Sabrina Carpenter album. Oh gosh, I can't put that one in the car when the kids are in the car because it is absolute smart.
It's I know she might as well have called it wanking in a layboy. I know I'll track three Vanny cock. Yeah, that's great. We'll listen to that kids. It's just no Sabrina.
It is she's definitely using sex to sell. I saw someone on social media that say that Sabrina Carpenter though is basically Lurlene Lumpkin, the country singer out of an episode of The Simpsons.
And if you're familiar with that character suddenly at all you go, oh yeah, she is a bit libid in this country singer.
She's a bit like Nigella Lawson, but singing. Oh, where everything's a little bit in you and us.
Everything's in everything's in you and us. It gets to the point where you're just let your swamp to it.
You can't escape it, but sometimes I think Sabrina Carpenter sort of flips from double to single on tondra and it's a bit like.
That's the part where you go. Oh, no, there's old kids. I've just decided let's listen to K-pop dealing with hunters for a million of time instead of this because it's like, should we go?
It's a wet night. It's a wet night. It's a hot night. And I want your pee in us. Just leave it at the sort of, you know, the double meanings please.
Well, anyway, so I've got no idea, honestly, what K-pop demon hunters are, but every time I hear the mention of it, I can't stop thinking about two things.
One, when they say K-pop, is it K-E-I? Is it very small Japanese car?
Really small pop music. It's not true.
Okay, let's okay. Short for Korean.
Korean pop music demon hunters. And the other is that when I heard demon, I keep thinking about dodges.
Yeah, keep thinking about the dodged demon because the dodged demons been around a long time. I think since the 70s and the current dodged demon
or the one just gone by, is the like, ridiculously powerful challenger, isn't it?
Whenever I think of that car, I just think of...
I have the supercharger just rising and falling. Not on the real one. I just sort of watch videos of them and they're noisy in a fun sort of way.
I'm pretty sure the original demon came out in like 71 and it had to be renamed because of religious criticisms from you.
Obviously a lot of Christian groups in America. I'm pretty sure it ended up becoming the dodged dark sport.
Spout?
Spout?
Yes, it went from demonic to spout in three years.
That's quite a step down.
So I'm wondering, K-pop dodged demon hunters, are they...
I'm just wondering whether they're wedded to the economy car or maybe the EV.
And they're doing what? Do you remember when people were starting to like park rolling cold trucks in front of EV charges and Tesla's in America a few years back?
Yes.
Is it this sort of movement where they're hunting the streets for heavy breathing dodges that don't exit cars and coffee events backwards and go through crowds and hedges like the Mustang people do?
And they...
When they do hunt them, find them. What do they do? What in the show? What happens?
Well, I don't want to spoil it, but they stab it.
Like vampire hunters, they're trying to get rid of the demons. You could guess that from the title though, surely.
Yeah, but I mean, like when you get to the... It's like a bit like when two people...
I saw two guys, middle-aged guys fighting with white shirts on Saturday night.
What?
Yeah, we're having a family dinner and I went to a restaurant and at the window just caught my eyes as I was talking to people.
There were two guys in their fifties with what would have been crisp white shirts on kind of rolling around on the floor trying to rip one of the shirts off.
Was it one of those undignified middle-aged man fights like in that Bridget Jones movie?
It was ever so slow and it made me think I probably didn't watch the preamble to how the ruckus happened.
But it's probably one guy was on one side of the road, sort of like shouting and pointing a bit.
And the other guy was on the other side of the road shouting and pointing a bit.
And then going, yeah, you come over here and I'll show you.
No, you come over here and I'll do stuff.
You better not. You better not come over here because I'll do you.
Yeah, well, you wouldn't.
I bet you wouldn't. Or something to that effect.
So I was wondering whether Dodge Demon hunting...
Do they do something like that where they shout and point for a while
and then start throwing spears from a distance and then they get close and then it all gets quite stabbing?
I don't know.
I'm still stuck on the idea.
Having a fight in a white shirt, inevitably that's going to get blood on it.
I was going to get destroyed. They were in a flower bed.
Well, I saw them.
So I think it was never going to end brilliantly.
And I think all the buttons exited chat as well.
When I was a student, I had a mate who had a white shirt which was I think it was...
It was like Vivian Westwood or something.
He was very proud of this shirt because he'd got it in a sale or something.
But it was still a very expensive shirt.
Yeah.
And so it used to be got out of a very special occasion, you know,
if he's properly going out on a Saturday night to end club,
it'd be like, oh, the shirts come out.
The shirts, yeah.
He was very proud of the shirt.
And then the shirt was written off because it got blood on it.
It wasn't even his blood.
There had been a skirmish in a club, I think.
And he was just an innocent bystander but somehow like some bloke with a cut head
managed to sort of tumble into it and get blood on the precious shirt.
And that was it.
That was it.
Sat times.
Viv Westwood would incorporate that into her design.
She goes, she would.
I've just looked this up about the Dodge Dart and Demon.
It seems that in 1971 the Dodge marketing department was being run by Sabrina Carpenter
because what happened?
This is Wikipedia.
The custom two door hard top coupé became the swinger.
Oh, the Dodge Dart swinger, yes, the swinger.
And the standard swinger became the swinger special.
The Dodge gained a version of Plymouth's popular valiant based fast back duster,
which was to be named the Beaver.
Did it actually get called the Beaver?
No, because when Carpenter's marketing department learnt that Beaver was CB slang for vagina,
the vehicle was renamed the Dart Demon.
Oh, wow, so it went from Vag to Demon.
Wow, okay.
There's nothing here about objections from Christians but they did.
There were different versions.
Demon Sizzler was one of them.
Demon Sizzler.
The demon spelled her as well.
I knew about the swinger.
I forgot about the swinger special, which is just a little bit dooblond.
And of course, then at some point, I don't know when it was first introduced,
but quite recently Dodge were doing the charger with the SCAT pack as well,
which feels like Sabrina's getting a bit carried away.
Sabrina's gone way too mucky.
Yeah.
Way way too mucky.
Yeah.
You know.
She just put some bread in her tea or something, but anyway,
before we go too far down to some other wormhole,
we should probably take a swift swerve into piston heads options.
Oh.
As people might know, this podcast is sponsored by our friends at piston heads
who now offer online auctions as well as their comprehensive classified section
on their website at pistonheads.com.
So they ask us every month to pick a car each from an upcoming or current auction
and discuss it and then you can go to pistonheads.com.
Forward slash Smith and Sniff takes you to a thread on their forum
in which you can discuss which of us has chosen the best car.
Have you been sniffing around?
There's no Dodge Dart demons that I can find.
No, sadly not.
There was a lovely Lotus Exige which is in a live auction at the moment,
which I think falls into your favourite category of cosmetically imperfect
but mechanically excellent cars.
Yes.
It's a beautiful blue one.
Apparently there's blistering and bubbling on the paint,
so it's not like a concourse winning car to look at,
but it's had loads of stuff done underneath.
So it sounds...
I was going to pick that, but then, unfortunately, my head was turned
by a car which by the time the show goes out,
if those of you who were at the Bister Scramble on Sunday just gone,
will have seen this car on the pistonhead stand.
It's a 2006 Renault Sport Cleotrophie.
Oh.
I think the best hot hatchback ever in terms of the year fun.
It's just super, but this isn't any Cleotrophie.
This is the last one ever made.
Is it really?
It is number 500 of 500.
Gosh.
I've just pulled it up.
The weird thing about the trophies, because it was a limited edition model,
but it was only for the UK.
All 500 cars came here.
Well, that's just not true.
The Renault Switzerland suddenly went...
Oh, that looks like fun.
Could we have some as well?
So I think they made 100 for Switzerland and all that,
but the original batch of 500 or right-hand drive UK cars.
So this is the 500s of those.
It's because we're absolute.
We are hot hatch perverts, aren't we?
We always have been.
Why wouldn't you be?
It drives me nuts when you sometimes see people go...
They refer to front wheel drivers, wrong wheel drive.
And you just go, have you driven a Cleotrophie?
Because if you have, you'll never say that ever again.
It's so good.
And so yeah, this one is particularly notable,
because it's the last of the batch of 500 made for the UK.
That's great.
It was given away in a competition, apparently.
There was a raffle, according to the ad.
And this is so good.
The winner was presented with the car
at the Renault F1 factory, plus sounds of it.
So it's a bit special.
It's also the fact that it's only got 37,000 miles on it.
So it's not got an awful lot of mileage on it.
Extensive.
I know.
So it's history too.
I know we say this a lot, but this is an exquisite example of the mark.
And it's also, there's a bit of find another
because it's got 500 slash 500 plaques all over it.
Yes.
It says a lot, right?
I mean, it really is.
I love that.
Gosh, that's really good.
I'm pouring over the picks now.
I know.
And it comes with all the little bits and pieces.
You want two keys.
And original service book, handbook, radio instructions,
warranty book, a CD ROM, which dates it immediately.
And all its, all its MIT certificates and invoices.
It's the kind of car you'd want to buy,
because it's got all the bits and pieces.
And it looks absolutely delightful.
My one thing about this and why I'm just absolutely itching for it
is that you sort of go, oh, God,
which you feel bad for using it as it's meant to be used
as in driving ever with one of the rear wheels,
cocked up in the air if there's a hint of a corner.
But I think you sort of got to go over yourself and just go,
this is not a car just to sit in a garage.
It's a beautiful driver's car.
It's done enough miles for you to think,
I'm not afraid to use it.
It's not high mileage at all, but it's done some.
If it had 1,500 miles on the clock, then it's just
in some museum territory.
That would be problematic.
But this is enough that you go, OK, well, it's being used.
You wouldn't use it as a daily necessarily.
I'm sure you could.
But it's a bit of fun just putting miles on it,
but not 12,000 a year.
It would be great.
The one detail about this car, though,
that absolutely sells it for me in a weird sort of way,
is the thing that made the trophy especially good
compared to all of those other excellent red sport
Cleo's at that time, is that it had these very
tricksy sacks dampers on it.
Yes, they were unique to this version of the Cleo,
and they just added this extra level of sublime brilliance
to the way that it drove.
They are very expensive to replace.
However, this had its dampers refurbished in June 2022,
so that's nice.
It hasn't done any miles since.
Better yet, it comes with a spare set of the correct sacks dampers.
A spare set.
Yeah, original and unused set of sacks,
front and rear dampers, as well as front bump stops,
front springs and other spares.
So this is there to be used.
Unused sacks.
Well, on that note, I will say,
one thing I do like about the piston heads auctions
is when you look at the photos,
there's a whole photo folder called documents,
which I'm on now,
and I am actually staring at the picture of the CD-ROM
that you just referenced.
As well as all the other important receipts.
Okay, heavy contender rich,
not going to lie,
that's a difficult one for me to wade in on.
So I'd like to draw your attention to,
well, you know,
it's a car which actually,
if you're listening to this on the Monday,
the auction went live just the day before,
Sunday.
This is a 2001 Ferrari 360 Moderna
convertible or spider manual,
Manuel,
we have the Spanish gearbox.
Now I'm not a huge Ferrari person,
but there's certain frories that I like
and I'm more and more attracted to
and I especially if they're not red.
Yes.
And this is not red.
This is silver.
With a blue,
blue scurro interior, I believe.
Yes.
Which translates to dark blue, I think.
Am I right in thinking that the 360
was the first of the F1 gearboxes
to be the first mid-engine Ferrari to use
the F1 gearbox?
I think it was on the 355 as well.
So was it?
Yeah.
But what this was,
I think it was the first they switched
to the aluminium space frame.
So it's a lot more rigid, I would say,
than a 355.
Are you looking at the pictures?
Because it's aged really well.
It has.
I'm not sure.
It's aged really well.
About not red Ferrari's.
And particularly not tan interior.
I love a tan interior,
but I like the fact that this isn't,
silver has got a sort of blueish
tinge to it.
So it works well with the blue leather seats.
I saw this and I almost picked it
before I saw the Clio.
Because initially I was like,
oh no, it's the conversable blare.
And I thought,
actually,
with the manual box,
I would go manual cabrio
over F1 box coupe.
Yes, agree.
Which is the old,
so the mileage on this car is 28,200.
So it's low.
And it's obviously a mid-engined V8,
3.6.
The car is for sale in
in Tornton in Somerset,
which, so I could probably get my dad
to go and pick it up this afternoon.
Although I have to wait for the auction to end,
of course, unless I'm going to try
to see some skull debris.
So not going to do that.
But a service in April 2023,
the timing belts were done.
And the ball joints were done
at the same time,
which was 24,400 miles.
And the most recent stamp in the service book
was Christmas in 2024.
So it's looking really good.
It's on Prelli P0,
asymmetrical 18-inch tires.
Got the original.
I love those five spokes.
Can I just say that?
Again, they vary.
Yes.
Really well.
Because they're SIMM spokesers.
I'm simple too,
and I think that's why I like it.
I'm just looking at the profile shot
with the roof down.
That is a pretty car, isn't it?
That is still a very pretty, very elegant car.
What do we think these are worse right now?
Because I think 360's are really good value.
Because luckily my daughter doesn't listen to this podcast,
especially because we talk about Sabrina Cobb
and doing stuff in labors.
But,
she's really into 360's.
I've told you about her car taste for it.
It's nothing short of exceptional.
And she really wants a 360 at some point in her life.
And I looked at prices about two months ago would have been.
And you could get a half decent one for like 40.
Yes.
And I thought wow,
this is the time for the 360 perhaps,
especially if you can get a three pedal one.
What a wonderful thing.
It seems to me just having a cursory look at the piston
has classifieds that the manual definitely
they go for stronger money.
So don't know what this will end up going for.
But it's a really lovely car.
I sort of suddenly,
you know those things where you suddenly realize
you need to go over yourself.
Because my initial sort of like,
don't know.
You never get it.
Never get it converted.
But one of those.
And they just go,
actually, why not?
Why would you?
I'm with you.
But I'll sign this one off because I know
that I'm up against stiff competition.
That the number plate,
which is really cool, actually,
comes with a car.
And it simply says,
it simply says Richard.
Yes.
360 F.
So is it yes.
360.
Fuck yeah.
Or is it just...
But whatever it is,
it just says yes.
360.
And it comes with a car.
And I think it's wonderful.
And it's the auction has already started
by the time you listen into this.
So pick your poison.
It seems to be very different ways
to skin a driving cab.
But both equally appealing.
So yeah, the Ferrari auction is running now.
The Clio auction doesn't start until
this coming Thursday,
the 9th of October,
they both run for a week.
So be interesting to see what these cars go for.
But in the meantime,
if you would like to have your say
on which you prefer,
then pistonheads.com
for a slash Smith and Sniff.
Or if you'd just like to
prize the auction's
is pistonheads.com forward slash buy slash auctions.
Spout.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Now, I've been seeing some
man vans around.
Right.
And I've been meaning
to talk to you
and the listeners about this.
So you know, man, the truck and van, or M-A-N.
Yes, yes, yes, rather than a natural man.
I noticed when I was at Soliston for the auction preview that I did the other week, there
was a camper van in the paddock, it must have been a racing gentleman, racing driver.
And the logo for M-A-N or man trucks is not a man, do you know what that is?
Is it a fox?
Oh, actually, you're making me, you're making me, it's the profile of an animal that's definitely not a man.
Oh, it's a big dog.
I can't work it out.
I think, is it a lion?
How is it a lion?
Is it a lion or a dog?
Oh, I think it's a lion.
It's a lion.
Yeah, I think it's a lion.
Now, a friend of mine worked for a man and he always called it M-A-N.
I think it is M-A-N, but the problem is is because there's no dots.
But I thought they used to be dots.
I think they were dots.
They never did used to be.
Well, I think they were dots, but I'm looking at this now and there are no dots.
So, okay.
Did you know that?
So that troubles me because I think to myself, or how odd, it's called a man van.
But the logo is a lion.
What's going on?
But it's got a mane, so it's a man lion.
Yeah.
That's man.
Man.
I feel like a van.
Well, I looked on the man M-A-N website and did you know that the top, the top spec,
and you can get BMW individual and that kind of thing.
You can get the M-A-N individual lion series.
It's called individual lion.
So, opposed to what?
A six pack of lion.
I don't know, but all I'm thinking about is there's going to be a real scrum
when they release a sort of sexy racetrack because Dave Richards is going to be just...
Oh, yeah.
...his cash out of them, isn't it?
If there was ever an individual lion, you're looking at him.
You'd be beating his chest.
Having just rolled around and had to fight him out of bed after an award's due.
So it's him.
And who was the other?
There was another motorsport lion, wasn't there?
Well, no, that happens.
This lion had potentially motorsport related.
He'd won in on this action.
But then it would just maybe Barry Gibwood as well, just because he's a prominent lion-headed man.
Oh, yeah.
So no Leibmans, the other lion head,
but less motor sport, but still affiliated with vehicles.
And we've seen recently at the Alaman TT.
I think he would go for that M-A-N camper that I saw at Silverstone.
In fact, that could have been no Leibmans as campervan.
I've got no idea.
Because he only likes products with lions on the logo, which...
Yeah.
Lion bars, he only...
Lion bars.
Yes.
Yeah.
He's conveysable every time.
He only eats lion bars.
Nothing else.
He swears every bite from a lion bar.
It makes his hair grow a mill.
Oh, perjews.
He could have perjews.
Of course, what we're talking about.
I'm posing about vans.
Yeah.
So is he still got an RCZ?
Is he stuck part of a few RCZs?
Because he quite liked them.
This is claiming here that the Sarb logo has got a lion on it.
Which I suppose it does, doesn't it?
It does.
It crowns on it.
What are going to have to study it?
It makes it the king lion.
And also the holding logo seems to have a lion on it.
And so does the proton badge.
What? There's so many lions.
Of course.
No, it can have a whole fleet of vehicles based on this.
Hang on a minute.
There's Sarb logo.
That's the blim and Griffin.
Oh, that would be it, wouldn't it?
Yeah.
But actually not a lion.
A Griffin is a lion-headed creature though, right?
So that's sort of counts.
Are you referring to Dave Richards as a lion-headed creature?
Well, he's sort of a visitor.
There's loads of lions.
Yes.
The Hicula lions.
There's the Hicula lions.
A surprising number of Hicula lions.
It's Gumpert.
It's Gumpert a lion.
Oh.
I don't know.
Because so no.
I mean, don't see Gumperts very often.
No.
So you can't just pop out and find a gum I bonnet to look at the logo of.
Don't think I've ever seen a Gumpert on the road in real life.
Oh, I've seen one, but it's been going into an event.
Okay.
Oh, sorry.
Yeah.
Yes.
The Griffin, which is of course, is also the voxel logo.
Yes.
A legendary creature with the body, tail and back legs of a lion,
and the head and wings of an eagle.
Okay, so.
Oh, wow.
It's lion adjacent.
Did you know Carlson, the sub-tuning people.
Yeah.
Their logo's lion-esque as well.
Oh.
Yeah.
Well, I suppose it would be because of the sub-connection.
So Dave Richards isn't a Griffin because he has the head of a lion.
It's almost like he got given the head they didn't need from the lion,
when they were making a Griffin.
Oh, this is fair.
This is fair.
Reaper, please.
Lion head.
Got a lion head and some bits of eagle here that you're welcome to.
I feel like the Smith and Stiff logo now needs to be revised.
And we need to incorporate a lion into it in order to feel like we're part of the gang.
I mean, it's definitely.
Yeah, it's...
Well, as you can see, it's what all the cool kids are doing, but at some...
Yeah.
Is it?
There's a mix bag.
Anyway.
Oh, no, actually talking of logo sort of.
A couple of weeks ago, was it?
We were talking about the building maintenance company, Mighty.
Yes.
Yes.
Because they use ID Blas Vans.
And they always look to me like they've got one of those comic relief noses on them.
Oh.
One of our patrons, Gem, Gem Barnard.
Hello, Gem.
He said...
Hey, Gem.
Fnir.
By which he means fun.
It's a nice background reference.
A fact about Mighty.
The original company logo in use until 2014 looked suspiciously like the BMW M logo.
Because company founder and CEO David Telling was an enthusiastic petrolhead.
And hoped BMW would notice and take legal action.
They never did.
He hoped that they would.
Yeah.
That's weird, isn't it?
How much does he know this?
Because his father-in-law worked for them.
So, yeah.
That's...
That's...
That's a mighty fact about those vans.
But yeah, and I looked this up and he said, Gem's absolutely right.
In fact, the original Mighty logo is uncannily like the BMW M badge.
How strange.
But even stranger, I've just...
I was about to click off the old Pistonheads auction and classified site.
But I thought I'd just type in Dodge Dart to see what was going around.
And I found not a Dodge Dart Swinger.
But I've actually found a real Dodge Charger NASCAR for sale in the classifieds.
It's an actual NASCAR.
It's yours for £47,000.
What?
And it's in the UK.
It's a real NASCAR.
I can't believe it.
I can't believe it.
I also think this makes so many of them that that's not a particularly rare thing.
So...
I don't know.
It says, this is a 2010 Dodge Charger NASCAR, run by Team Penske in the NASCAR COT series,
Cars Off Tomorrow series.
And it was driven in 2007.
Running on an 07 Gen 5 chassis.
Car number two is primarily sponsored by Miller Light Beer.
Look at this.
It's got 862 brake horsepower from the 358 cubic inch, the 4-speed dog box.
And it was featured on Top Gear in 2024 as part of their tunnel run series driven by the Stig.
And measured 132 dBs through the tunnel.
Yes, because the Top Gear magazine's Lush website did...
They took that tunnel with a road in it.
Yes.
The sort of straight line testing place.
They took a series of cars down there.
But I didn't realise they'd done that in NASCAR.
How many?
They'd done that with a NASCAR.
Yeah, very wood.
So there you go.
It's not on the auction, but it is on the off of the classifiers, which I sometimes look.
Anyway, Richard.
Anyway, guys.
Look, listen.
I was going to just invite you to briefly step over to Book Corner once again.
Oh.
Because I've got a couple of books I want to talk about that I've read recently.
The first one is...
I've told you about this, but I actually haven't.
Because it's so up your street and I will give you my copy at some point.
It's called Fox tail spoilers and mullets, German tuners from the 80s.
This is an unbelievable piece of work.
It is a big, hard back book, beautiful quality.
And it tells the stories of all of those famous German tuning houses from the 1980s.
So it's got Alpine and AMG in there, obviously, in Brabis.
But also, you know, Hartger, Irmschke, Kamai, Kernig, Rufor in there.
But some of the schnacks, some of the ones you would buy, I've not even heard of,
that did different conversions on all sorts of cars.
Every German car mark had a sort of almost pet tuner, I think at one point in the 80s.
Yeah.
It is genuinely a staggering piece of research because the photos, loads of period photos.
Some of them have 80 spec models in them in swimsuits or tennis whites.
Or you name it, it's so of its time.
So this has been put together by a chap that I know called Christopher Butt,
who is a German journalist or design analyst.
And I think probably the most well-connected person I've ever met in the car design world.
He writes about classic and contemporary car design, including for the road route, which is how I know it.
But he's put together this book.
The research and the writing on all of the different tuning houses is fantastic.
But then set off by the pictures. It's fabulous.
I can't wait to read this. This feels like Christmas is coming early.
I know.
It has to think as soon as Chris told me about it.
And then he said, I'll send you a copy.
And I got to say, oh my god, this is Johnny's Christmas present,
if I hadn't already told you about it.
But it's not cheap. I should warn you that.
It's not cheap, but I think if you're interested in this sort of stuff,
you would not regret spending the money because it is a beautifully made book.
And it is only printed in limited numbers as well.
So there ain't doing a thousand numbered editions of it.
So it's a bit special.
But I wanted to mention it because if you're interested in that air of stuff, it's well worth it.
It's a lovely book, but also it's some incredible cars in there.
Well, that, I mean, that's, that's exciting.
I love that.
Yeah, it's, I keep going.
I just keep, I've got it in my office.
I just keep going back to it.
And I don't know.
I'll just keep going back to it.
I'll just open it a random place and just enjoy whatever I've found.
Because it's all good.
A bit.
So, so much plastic and skirting and mishaps.
And it does the thing.
And very vibrant colors sometimes, but also a lot of white.
A lot of all white cars often with white wheels.
I like a white wheel.
I saw a black Mr. 2 the other day.
Second gen Mr. 2.
Yes.
Really, really good condition bodywork.
I think it was a turbo.
And it had gloss white wheels.
I mean, ice white, polar white wheels on a, on a black car.
And it looked wonderful.
I suppose it looked so refreshing compared to all the murdered out rims that people are ordering on their cars nowadays.
It actually works so well.
Well, I was briefly toying with buying that Martin Twingo.
Which he should still.
I know.
But anyway, it's black.
And it's on some sort of replica mini lights.
Which, okay, but probably not entirely to my taste.
And the guy selling it had still got the original steel wheels.
But not a complete set of original wheel trips.
And I thought one of the things I would do if I bought that car was maybe
just have the original steely sprayed white.
And I thought that might look quite good on a black car.
Yeah.
It would.
It would.
Yeah.
Anyway, before we leave book corner, the other book I wanted to talk about is the latest from a chap called Rich Dweezberg,
who people might know as the author of confessions from quality control.
Do you remember that?
Which was about his time working and visiting various car factories in the job that he did at the time.
And seeing the various sometimes quite worrying and half-assed ways in which cars were put together.
It's a brilliant book.
And if you haven't read it, then I would highly recommend it.
Confessions from quality control.
It's for about 10 years ago now.
But it's still very, very funny but very interesting as well from a sort of car point of view.
His new book is called Looking for the Real Red Robo,
Militants, Metros and MI5, who was Derek Robinson.
And it's about, as probably guessed the title, the infamous Red Robo, the union leader,
who was blamed for many of the strikes that almost killed British Leyland in the 1970s.
I've got a copy of this.
Have you?
Yes, and I'm working my way through it slowly because I read three books at once.
So my progress is slow.
Yes.
I'm a slow reader as well though, I might add.
So yeah, I do.
I sort of, it depends what.
So I only have a reading bed and I climb into bed in a different mood.
And I'll pick which book suits my kind of mood.
Was that weird?
No, it's not like I do that.
I quite often have a factual book and a fiction book on the go at the same time.
But then sometimes something interesting will pop up
and I'll buy that and then want to dive into it as soon as it arrives.
And then I'll have three books on the go as well.
And I sort of annoy myself with that.
Yeah.
I'm trying it to one.
But I do.
I've got two books on the go at the moment.
They're just irritating myself with it.
Anyway.
Yeah, Richard's new book is about Derek Robinson.
And he's done a ton of research into this clearly.
Found a really interesting archive at Warwick University amongst other things.
And spent some time digging through that.
But also went and met with Harold Musgrove,
the boss of BL cars, famously hard-headed man,
one of the last of the big dogs from that era who's still alive.
Derek Robinson is no longer with us.
Michael Edwards is no longer with us.
But Harold Musgrove is still around and spoke to Rich about this book.
So, he's rich to put the work into this to try and get a more of a sense
of who Derek Robinson was beyond the headlines,
which were just sort of at the time all sensational and sort of saying
that he was this communist agitator at a troublemaker trying to kill British Leyland.
And Rich has taken sort of more thoughtful, careful look at the man in his life.
So it's the kind of book I wish I'd written,
but I'm too lazy and incompetent to get around to it.
So I'm glad that Rich has instead.
I wouldn't say that, but yes, there's no doubt that putting a book together like this,
all like the one before regarding Mullets and German tuning.
Yes, again, the homework needed, the back work is enormous.
This is the thing that's, you know, unless you are a...
Well, basically, unless you're a celebrity these days,
it's very hard to make a living writing books.
And the unfair thing is that most celebrities who write books,
that's not their day job, but that's how you get a big publishing deal.
So these kind of books, both Rich's book and Christopher Buts book,
are...
It's about just anything, you know, they're a labour of love.
And that's wonderful that people still put that work into stuff.
And so it's the least we can do to mention them on this podcast
and encourage you to go and buy them.
Yeah.
And I know we've said it before, but our friend,
it ex-boss, Jason Barlow, his book, his book,
The Atlas of Car Design, which is a hefty thing.
The world's most iconic cars.
Have we talked about that on the podcast before or not?
I feel like we should have done it if we didn't.
I think we did talk about it when it launched,
which was probably end of 2023, I want to say.
But, yeah, Barlow, he's an amazing writer anyway
and motoring journalist.
And this book is a, again, it's a sizeable hardback,
but the sort of thing you'd really cherish in your mid-century house.
A god, yeah.
It would look great in a mid-century house.
I can say, Jason is not only a brilliant writer,
but he is a man of great taste.
He put, I know, an awful lot of work into this book.
So, again, it's one of these ones.
You know, it does a massive print run.
It is extremely high quality in the way it's produced,
as well as the way it's written.
So, it's not cheap, but I think it's worth it if you love car design.
It is meticulous.
Extremely meticulous in the presentation throughout.
Hey, who's that?
Nada, bolita.
Ya volví con las compras.
¿Cómo conseguiste todo tan rápido?
Fasil.
Fui a Fred Meyer.
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El queso cotija.
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Hey, Ryan Reynolds here for Mint Mobile.
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I must say that while you were talking,
my phone bleaked to tell me that there was a message
from someone and normally I ignore that when we're recording.
Because I'm a consumer professional.
Yeah.
However, this message has just come in from a friend of mine
called Ross Cree.
Who's the guy that kindly put me in touch with the owner
of the Hillman Avenger rally car, the column of Cree.
The column of Cree first took on a rally.
Yeah.
This is first rally car, which was an ex Paris Motor Show.
Hillman show vehicle.
He's just message to say, I'm outside the gates
of the Ferrari factory in Maranello.
I can't believe it.
A mint condition run show has just driven by.
It was silver with orange and black decals.
Unfortunately, I was getting off the bus at the time
and I couldn't get my phone out of it.
He's just seen an immaculate run show in Maranello.
Huh.
That's cool, right?
That's a spot.
I don't know.
Brilliant.
I have to update people, though.
Something which I've mentioned right at the top of this podcast
because it's very exciting is that work has started
in earnest on my Metro turbo.
People keep asking, are we get so many emails?
But usually about something else at the end,
they'll go, what's going on with the Metro?
Rich, wherever I've been at car events and things
over the summer, people go, where's the Metro?
I was like, I have to explain.
Obviously, you found the Metro in that garage.
Yeah.
I agreed to buy it.
Yeah.
But it's sat for 30 years and although it is eerily immaculate,
obviously it's sat.
You don't want to just jump in and rag it.
I wanted someone to go through it and make it
as turnkey usable as possible without thinking,
oh God, when was the clutch last changed?
Oh, it was probably should have looked
to find out the fuel tanks corroded and all this sort of stuff.
So regular listeners and regular viewers of the late break show
probably know about retro power up in Hinkley.
We've mentioned them a few times, haven't we?
If you follow the Instagram, they do excellent videos
of what's going on in their workshop.
And they do these fabulous resto mods.
They're not even resto mods, are they?
They're kind of beyond that because they're sort of recreations
almost of myth at least.
They're envelope pushers.
You always said to me that you won't believe that
there's two brothers, isn't it, that run retro power in owner?
Yes.
And you've always said to me,
their attention to detail is ridiculous.
And then I'm sensitive here.
Yeah.
Well, so I finally went up there and met them
and saw what they're working on in their workshop.
And I was being like, oh, oh, okay, right.
I see what you mean now.
It's mind-blowing.
You see the one they're putting on their Instagram a lot
of the moment, that some pair of Allegro's
that are actually integral type R's underneath.
Yes.
And yeah, they're a chassis swap exactly.
I think my absolute favorite detail about those cars
is that they have recreated a quartic steering wheel
but with a much weaker rim.
Yes.
And it's much smaller.
So it is a sporty quartic effectively.
It actually looks quite modern because all cars
steering wheels have gone a weird shape now.
It's so true.
With a perfect...
Yes.
They replicated the shape and consoles of the centre-boss
and everything, but it's all beautifully leather wrapped.
So it sort of looks like a quartic wheel from Allegro
just that kind of stuff that they do.
The whole dash on that car is totally new.
But yet, when you first see a photo of it from the distance
it looks like an Allegro, a very clean Allegro interior.
And that's what they like.
Then you go closer and you think,
oh, those are plastic switches and you go, no, they're not.
They're all billet switches that have been anodized black.
So they play down the immense workmanship
that goes into all this stuff, which is really only
appreciated by nerds and saddos like us.
But that's real customising.
And...
Yes.
Well, take note, people who like vinyl wrap
and paint calipers a different colour.
That's not really customising.
Put some of that carbon fiber wrap over things
that's not...
It's got a bubble in it,
because the opposite end of the spectrum from what they do.
But then...
So it turns out that RetroPower now
has a sister company called the Den,
also in Hinkley and Leicestershire.
And it's more of a maintenance and restoration place
for...
I suppose we'd call modern classics,
sort of 70s, 80s, 90s stuff, particularly.
So the Metro is right in the sweet spot.
And they said,
we can take this on.
This is exactly what we do.
And so the first thing they do is they take the car in.
And the reason it's only just started now is because
they're busy.
So they went, we can work on this,
but it'll take...
Well, it's fine.
There's no rush.
I'm not.
I'd rather this car was right than just zooming about it
until something breaks.
So the first thing they do is they take it in.
And they do this...
They said, we do this report on it,
which you have to pay for,
but we think it's worth it because it will give you
a complete overview of the state of the car.
And I went, yeah, yeah, that'd be great.
Okay.
That sounds like it's worth doing.
I got this report back and I was like,
oh my god, it's molecular.
It's just so detailed
and gives you this absolute overview
of everything that might need doing
and everything equally that is as good as you'd hoped for,
certainly in my case.
And the news was good.
The news was mostly good,
but obviously things I expected,
the hoses should be replaced,
fuel system flush,
all this kind of thing.
Hydraulics, yes.
And what was interesting was
I then went up and saw the car in their workshop.
And it was quite good.
So Nick who runs the place
who used to work at Tolman who do those beautiful
205 GTI to the restorations and updates.
And like Nick was able to show me one of the dampers
and he just went, look,
this does not damp anymore
and it's all sticky and horrible.
So things like that need sorting out.
But what was really fascinating was also seeing the other cars
that were in their workshop.
There's an MGF in there
that someone had bought new
used as their car
then got something else
so they decided to turn the MG into a track car.
And they had as a track car for years
and then suddenly they'd gone,
I find this from new
and it's an original MGF
and a lot of them are fallen by the wayside
for various MGF reasons.
So they decided to send it to the den
and have it brought back
to the way it was when it was new.
But with a few tweaks
so they do retrimming up there.
So this guy had said, look,
I want a nice tan leather interior
which wasn't on the car originally
but you know, it's my car I can do what I like.
I would like this to be
almost like my dream MGF
but it's also, it's my car
I've had since new.
And so that's what they're doing for him.
And then further down the workshop
there was a Lexus IS-300 estate.
Oh, I like those, I remember driving it when it was new.
And this is a really interesting case
because again, someone who'd owned it
I think from new or nearly new
bought it as a dog car.
Had it.
So what, that's got to be 20 odd years old.
Oh yeah, early 2000s.
So it was getting a bit tired
and this person had looked around
at what they could replace it with
and then thought really hard
about what they actually wanted.
And what they wanted
was a new IS-300 estate.
And so since that's not possible
they went to the den and went,
could you make this effectively good as new?
Because I just want this car
but I don't want it to be tired anymore.
And so that's what they're doing for them.
And I thought it was really fascinating
that these people out there
who would rather spend their money
than on just getting some new car
that maybe they won't bond with
and they don't care about.
And so the den sort of exists
to cater for that need as well as for people
like me who have some sort of modern classic
that just needs some sympathetic
bringing back to a usable state.
So as of last week
I got a message from Nick
who went right, it's time.
It's time for the Metro.
And so they've been going through it
and because they have this brilliant online system
of these reports
of what's been done today.
So they have incredible service.
It's incredible.
I should add at this point
that I've lost count
of the number of people who have DMed me
on Instagram mostly
to say, I'm really loving seeing
your Allegro nearly finished.
And I have to sheepishly say,
that's not my Allegro.
That's what,
that's a full-rested model Allegro built by RetroPair.
And as amazing as they are
the pair of those cars
by the Nat and Cal,
the brothers,
it's not mine.
However,
in the not-too-distant future
hopefully, who knows?
Who knows? Who knows?
And my Allegro might be coming to the den.
I don't know. I don't know.
I don't know.
There's a thing that got me really jazzed in today.
It's just the update.
I didn't want to pump, replacing them.
And I didn't ask for this.
But they...
Was Sabrina Carpenter replacing them for you?
Yes. So she's drawn a cock and balls
on the cylinder block
which I didn't ask for either.
But that's Sabrina Carpenter for you.
She's smudged.
So they sent me these pictures
of them replacing the thermostat housing.
But then while they had it off,
they beat blasted it to make it all shiny and nice.
And I was like, I didn't know you're going to do that.
It looks really good now.
So that sort of thing.
It's not going to take a while because we've got to find some parts.
There are a few little bits and pieces
that are hard to source.
But I've been given
through the Metro Pervert community
contact details for a chap.
In fact, I've got a ring later today.
A chap.
Who might be able to sort me out.
And if not, there's a deaf con one option
of another person who might be able to help.
So I've got to go and sort some parts.
The Metro is up at the dead.
And they are doing a lovely
and extremely careful job on it.
So that's because I said to them,
look, I don't need it this summer.
I wouldn't drive it in the winter.
Probably because I don't want it to get wet.
Basically.
So as long as it's ready for next year.
And I can take it to the pride of Longbridge Festival in April.
That's my kind of target.
And they're like, okay, that helps us
because then we can just do it right
and get it to your liking.
Ready to enjoy next year.
So, I bet so please.
It is being worked on for people to keep asking.
It's all there. It's safe.
It's warm. It's dry.
It's in really good hands up at the dead end.
And I'm going to go and see it again soon.
Just because I like going to see it.
I can't wait to see it again.
Because I haven't seen it since I pulled it out of that garage
at that time on the episode.
Yeah, well, if you're popping up there,
you'll be able to
pass along with whatever else they're going to do.
Well, they had a cappuccino in there
which was being restored as well.
Which made me happy.
Yeah, yeah, a little k car.
Full rest of the job.
Because they rot terribly.
And so this one was being sorted out.
And then, but I think they had the engine rebuilt and stuff like that.
They'd have this notion.
They're catering for people
who want things done right.
They're prepared to pay for that.
But also, don't have the time to sort of go,
well, I'll find an engine specialist.
I'll find a bodywork person.
It's just like, right, it's just one stop shot.
Bring it in here. We'll source it for you.
Yes, exactly.
That's exactly it.
So there are more updates when I have them.
I forgot to say that one of the last
late-break-show episodes that went out
where it was a back garden in the UK here
full of American cop cars.
Oh, yes.
It was owned by a chap called John,
who runs a YouTube channel called Automotive Tales.
And John was showing me around this garden.
It was his brothers' cars.
Anyway, he's a listener of this podcast for his sins.
And he had to be something.
He said, I've got a little present for you and Rich.
He was, I think, a car boot sale.
And he found these little, you know,
the little old printing press blocks.
Oh, yes.
You have type, type setting.
Yeah. Letters and numbers.
He found, I don't know exactly how,
but he has found a British-Layland logo,
type set block.
Yes.
So it's original.
I've got it on my hand.
I'm tapping it for the purposes of the microphone.
And I keep forgetting to give it to you,
because he gave it to me to give to you.
So you can keep it in your, I don't know,
you see, bring a cup into a smut box
and you're a leg, not in your leg,
and he gave me a, again, he must have found
a couple of automotive badges.
He's got me an immaculate little forward blue oval
that's not blue.
It's obviously made of brass or something.
But so I've got a perfect little forward stamp,
which I'm going to stamp.
I don't know, liberally, all over my jotter at school
and then write spout underneath.
Spout, spout, spout.
So thanks so much for that, John.
Really appreciate it.
I enjoyed that day, despite it being the hottest day of the year.
We should wrap this up in a minute,
but actually talking of things we've been given.
I'm not going to name this listener
or read out the letter they sent us,
but it was very sweet and very thoughtful,
and we appreciate it, particularly because it contained
with the letter two gifts.
There's a belt for you.
Oh, you haven't got yet.
We'll come back to that one.
But this list...
Did it give you a wet belt?
No.
Yes, so it will fail quite soon.
And your trousers will fall down.
Sabrina, Sabrina, we love it.
Regular listeners might remember a few weeks ago
we were talking about the very vibrantly colored
original 90s Honda beat promotional staff jacket
from Japan that was on e-mail.
And I was thinking of buying,
made an offer, was turned down,
and decided to pass.
This listener bought that jacket
and has sent it to us,
which was incredibly kind,
and they said they wanted to do it just as a thank you
for all they've got out of the podcast
and how it's got them through some hard times.
So, Mr. listener, thank you.
That was really sweet of you.
I really, really appreciate it.
And I will sport the jacket
at a forthcoming live event, I'm sure.
Anyway, that's probably enough from us.
Before we go, three things to tell you.
The first is Johnny's engagement of Ace Strange,
new project,
to force the former lead singer of Merillian
to wear only brown robes
and take a vow of silence
under the working title,
monkfish.
If that's not true,
that's how it's changed.
I saw that coming,
and I still haven't cloaked it.
Come on.
I thought that one,
that one sort of came into it.
You get it.
Over there.
This is not to say,
there's, of course,
the late break show.
Apart from the American cop cars and taxi,
what else is on there at the moment?
Oh, gosh.
Can't I remember?
Oh, I know.
No, I know.
You always get me every time.
I know.
The episode, which has just gone out,
is a Honda E.
If you remember the Honda E,
which was,
obviously one of the most talked about cars
when it emerged in 2020.
There's a company
that builds wide-body kits for them.
And they make it looks more JDM
than anything that's coming out of Japan,
and yet they're based in the middle of nowhere
in a Welsh valley.
Oh.
And they're a composites company.
They're the same company
who do this amazing wide-body,
who build the Metro 6R4
continuation cars,
which are launching very soon with MST.
And these guys have done not just a wide-body kit
that you can buy,
so I drive one of these wide-body Honda E's,
but they're also building right at the moment.
They're about two-thirds of the way through.
A Honda E-bodied touring car.
So they've taken this strip
to Honda E down,
and they've bought an ex-British touring car,
and they've put all of the guts of hit
underneath a Honda E,
and it looks absolutely stunning.
Right, it's stunning.
But not a electric obviously.
It's positive.
That's that, mate.
That's that.
The second thing I wanted to tell you is
speaking, as we were earlier about books,
I've got a new book coming out.
It's called Petrolhead.
It's a compilation of some of my EVO columns
from the last 22 years
that I've been an EVO columnist.
Gosh.
So it's coming out later this month.
I'll maybe talk about it a bit more next week
and give you some more details,
but stand by.
And the third thing I wanted to share with you is,
you know, Skittles,
the sweets that Americans always love.
Yeah, they called them something else, didn't they?
Should I cut them, remember the name?
No, because I only found out this out the other week
and I thought as we're sharing,
Skittles were invented in the UK.
Oh, I always think of them as being very American.
But weirdly,
they were invented in the UK
by someone who worked with Mars
and they were only invented in 1971 as well.
And then in about 1974,
they started exporting them to the US
and they were so popular that from 1982 onwards,
the Americans started making them for themselves.
Well, the fourth thing I wanted to tell you is that,
my name's Ed Sharan.
You might know me as being a successful musician
with a guitar and a little loop pedal drum machine thing
but massive fan of MPVs.
They can get my guitars and amps
and all of the necessary things
like massive collection of generic hoodies for my gigs.
Trouble is,
the only other people I see driving Sharan's now
are overnight fishermen,
charity road trip people
and that bloke called Nevdown the Roads
that's got eight German Shepherd dogs
and he drives it everywhere fully steamed up.
Does he have a near identical brother called Steve Galaxy?
Steve Galaxy.
Steve Galaxy.
Steve Galaxy.
He's a Spanish cousin called Ed Wardo Alhambra.
Yes, he's called Alan Hambra.
Alan Hambra.
That's right.
Okay, well, on that.
Let's bring this to it.
Thank you so much for listening.
We'll see you on Friday for a Q&A session
and back on Monday with a regular show.
Until then, goodbye.
Cheers mate. Thanks mate.
Bye then.
Thanks mate.
Thanks mate.
Wow.
Nice.
I love it.
It's not easy.
We like it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
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