King at the Castle

It has been a few weeks since my last entry, I have been waiting to try a windscreen chip repair kit. Unfortunately it has to cure in direct sunlight, and as it's summer in the UK, that means it's been nothing but drizzle and fog for the last month. So that will still be to come.

This weekend saw Fathers Day, and with it, the annual Raby Castle Classic Car Show. I may have had the title  in mind for this blog for quite some time...

The grounds of the castle make for quite the  stunning backdrop for some rather stunning cars. The day is a very family friendly affair with a wide variety of cars on show ranging from club stands to military and commercial classics, from modern classics from the 80's and 90s to vintage pre-war cars from the turn of the last century.

There was almost too much for one blog entry, so I will pick out my highlights and then do a bit of a photo dump at the bottom of the blog page.

Even before we got into the show itself we were coming across rare beauties like this, parked just two cars down from us in the parking lot! IT bode well for the show, and kind of made me wish I had the 3oD there.

For me, these have to be one of the most beautiful cars ever put into production, the E-type Jag. They are always a pleasure to see in real life and are a stark reminder of how form can meet function in a way that blurs the boundary between car and art. If I ever win the lottery I may even display one of these in my living room....

One car that has always eluded me at shows, meets and general petrol head gatherings are Janson's. I have seen museum pieces behind ropes, and bare shells, carcass barely recognisable. So to be treated to two stunners like these was awesome. On top we have the car with one of the best names ever, the Jenson Interceptor and underneath the curvaceous 541.

The car at the show I would most like to drive has to be this:

I'm a sucker for a rally bred car, after all 2 of my 4 daily drivers I've owned have been Imprezas... but to me they will simply never be able to hold a candle to cars like these. Don't get me wrong, when I'm attending these shows when I'm retired I wouldn't mind having a meticulously kept low mileage STI to bring out ONLY for show season, but modern rally cars will never turn heads or hearts quite as much as the so much more soulful classics they replaced!

For all I could go on about all of the cars I saw yesterday, I am fully aware that hearing me wittering may get a tad boring, so instead I shall post more car pornography at the bottom of the blog. Enjoy.

Check out my last post here - New-New-Top 'So Called' Gear

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As this isn't even half of the pictures I took, hopefully I will be kept me busy for a while on Instagram!

New-New-Top 'So Called' Gear

Sunday night, sat on my sofa, watching TV from behind a cushion. Peeping at the screen through the gaps in my fingers, hiding behind my hands. No, I wasn't watching some cheesy teen slasher horror set in some abandoned asylum... though it did feel like it... I was watching the new Top Gear.

Probably the second most anticipated moment in car related TV entertainment of 2016 in the world (obviously behind the 'Grand Tour'). It had big shoes to fill, clown sized in-fact. Not many would be foolish enough to try, especially whilst brazenly copying the old format, though I'm sure the paychecks helped.

The first disappointment to point out occurred before the opening credits had even finished. Evans trying (and failing miserably) to copy the voice-over style of Clarkson. It is something he just couldn't pull off and I think this video says it all....

Reaction to Evans' Top Gear from proper presenters

The next disappointment came right at the end of the credits. I expected the credits to finish and have Johnny Storm, or maybe even Captain America stood there... But instead was some old ginger pillock... I thought Chris Evans was presenting it? 

Chris Evans Meme

Into the first segment and Evans' Clarkson-isms continued to un-impress. "Brakes the size of dinner plates..." etc etc. 

I've read a lot of criticism of Matt Le Blanc as well, though in my opinion he was much better than Evans and showed more potential at being watchable. I was a bit disappointed that the attempt at a cheap car challenge saw him on the back of a tow truck for the majority of it, fighting break downs was half the fun of those things! But still, as long as he can learn to say "Porsche" correctly, he may be a slight saving grace for the main show. Especially if the bookies odds are right for Evans being dropped after 1 season. 

The real hidden gem was Extra Gear. Given how bad the main show felt, I'm not sure many will have gone out of their way to watch the Extra Gear sister show, and if not many did it would be a real shame, as I think Chris Harris and Rory Reid proved the much more watchable pair. If you hated the main show, I would strongly recommend giving that one a chance. 

I also loved the concept of having a rally cross track for the 'star in the reasonably priced car' segment of the show. It really mixes thing up for those 10 minutes, it may no longer be the break in the show to make a cuppa it has always traditionally been. I will find it interesting to watch the first bad weather laps as I can imagine that will impact on lap times much more than the old track, but also make them more spectacular to watch!

On reflection, I think the negative reaction was that of a knee jerk, and I suppose that's why I waited a couple of days before posting about it. It's not as bad as people are making out, and there is some potential there. I suppose after a few episodes when Evans realises he will never be Clarkson and settles down into being himself, maybe even he could become a bit more watchable..... here's hoping, and failing that, counting down to Grand Tour, albeit still watching Top Gear in the mean time. 

And for those still resistant to change (maybe myself included)  don't forget Top Gear used to look like this:

Check out my last entry K&N 57i install on a Mitsubishi GTO (3000GT)

If you would like to laugh at my lack of progress in real time you can follow me on social sites by clicking the links below or search the @s :

Instagram   @3ofdiamonds_GTO

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Twitter   @3ofdiamonds_GTO

Facebook   @3ofdiamondsGTO