Author: Kim du Toit

Yikes

Drive Time

In a tangential post to the Goodwood Revival, I see the following bit of news:

Each California Spyder Revival will be built by hand from a donor car, using parts produced by GTO Engineering; the company is a renowned Ferrari restoration specialist, and aims to equal or better the quality standards of the original car. The iconic Scaglietti-designed body, for example, will be hand-formed from sheet aluminium using GTO’s own, bespoke tooling.
Despite the focus on authenticity, the California Spyder Revival will also be highly customisable. The customer can choose between three versions of Ferrari’s Columbo V12, from a standard 3.0-litre engine to upgraded 3.5 or 4.0-litre units. The original four-speed gearbox can also be swapped out for a five-speed item, and bespoke exterior paint colours can be specified. The interior is trimmed in leather of the buyer’s choosing, with the option of a smaller wooden steering wheel than the original car.

The purists may wail and shout a bit, but I think it’s fantastic.

Officer Class

Military

To Americans, who unlike the Brits are self-consciously class-indifferent, this piece might be a load of old nonsense, but here we are:

When your job involves abseiling out of helicopters, kicking down doors and taking out the bad guys, you might be forgiven for thinking that it doesn’t really matter what school you went to.
But the SAS is getting worried that not enough posh officers are applying to command its high-stakes operations.
The elite regiment has typically been led by former public schoolboys whose privileged education is said to instil the leadership skills and poise required.
‘The typical SAS officer is confident, relaxed, bright and unflappable,’ said one of the regiment’s warrant officers. ‘Many of the most successful officers have been to the top public schools, but recently we have seen a number of guys coming forward who just don’t cut it. It’s a shame, but they are just not posh enough. The bottom line is that the officers shouldn’t be speaking like soldiers. We don’t want officers who are shouters or know-it-alls.’
…

Former officers of the SAS include General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of the Army, and Major Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, a former Private Secretary to Princes William and Harry, who one source described as ‘the archetypal SAS officer’. Both were educated at Eton, while other recent commanding officers attended Winchester and Harrow.

Over There, the term “officer and a gentleman” used to be something of a redundancy — one could only become an officer if one was of the privileged class — but it seems like it has been somewhat undermined, and not to everyone’s liking, either.  Imagine taking orders from this guy…

Round about now, Mr. Free Market (who was an officer in the Paras under the old regime) is chuckling into his whisky.

Next Year In Goodwood

Beauty, Drive Time

…not Jerusalem (with apologies to Tribe Readers).

If there is one motoring event I want to attend — yeah, even more than the F1 GP at Spa Francorchamps — it is the Goodwood Revival weekend event, which took place last weekend.  For those who are not familiar with the festivities, it is an annual event wherein respect is paid to times gone by in the automotive world, and it could also be called a long, large costume party, as people are encouraged to wear clothes from a bygone era.  I even have clothing picked out for the occasion.

Before we look at the cars, though, let’s look at a sample of attendees from this year’s event:

And my absolute favorite outfit, for all the best reasons:

But enough of the finery;  let’s get on with the real stuff, starting with the grid girls:

And they’re off!

Finally:  it’s not all about cars, you know…

This is #1 on Ye Olde Buckette Lyst.

Next year, I promise.

My First Time

The Gun Thing

From Reader Preussenotto in an email:

“I don’t know if you’ve asked this before or its been some time, but I’d be curious to know.
“What was the first “real” gun you ever bought with your own money (long-arm or handgun)?  Not a .22 (because those should be household appliances, like a toaster) and not one you inherited from Grandpa or Dad, but one you plunked down your own hard-earned for?”

I think my first gun purchase was a Llama Mod IXA in 9mm:
…and I say “think” because I can’t remember whether I bought it first, or the Israeli K98k beforehand:
As I recall, the purchases were made within a month or so of each other, so it doesn’t really matter.
The Llama only lasted about a year before being traded for a Colt 1917 revolver in .45 Colt / .45 ACP (with moonclips and a shortened barrel):
…which in turn was traded for a Colt Combat Commander a year or two later.
That was my last handgun before The Great Wetback Episode of 1986, at which time I sold the Colt and gave the Izzy Mauser to a friend.
So… what was your first gun, purchased as prescribed by Reader Preussenotto above?