Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

[Rotary John]

I know Johnno— but it was a lot easier to make a spokeshave sing than grind away a chunk of alloy Paint the wings and tail if you must, but leave the fuselage natural.

[powerabout]

491159491160

Trouble with making a concept of any aircraft is the fact that people like Gene Langham and Mike Butler actually have their own airplanes . It had better be more than just a tad acceptable or you can be on the wrong end of a right royal coating .
I can claim the fifth by claiming its a Malibu with a turbo upgrade and other bits i can claim as artists licence —- if you think the tailplane is a touch oversize —tough titty —get over yourself.
only reason i showed a couple of progress piccy‘s is because i said i would —-there will not be anymore until the jobs done .
It’s a beautiful chunk of wood but its of little consequence— never heard of a wooden piper — most are base white with preferences , which is how this will wind up.
Hope to god Butler doesn’t get ambitious—- he has a very antique sopwith camel type aircraft and five will get you ten he‘ll be PICKY.
wouldnt the v12 Merc outboard make a nice plane engine with its narrow profile?

[jackiewilson]

wouldnt the v12 Merc outboard make a nice plane engine with its narrow profile?

Afraid i‘m not the one to answer that particular question Pilgrim. Try Gene Langham or Mike Butler

[jackiewilson]

491207

Fuselage with a few bits on it—- just polished it —- ‚tis a nice chunk of timber !
pondering whether or not to put windows in it. It’s a right royal pain in the arse but then again, what else would i be doing third Friday in July anyway?????????

[jackiewilson]

491208
Another angle for dangle of the fuselage .—- like it or not , it;s definitely different.

[jackiewilson]

491235491236491237

Think i screwed up the last piccy—dont ask me how—- i have no idea.
why is it so hard to get things right—yet so easy to get things wrong ?????????

[jackiewilson]

Had a puncture on the way home from Southampton last Monday DIDNT discover it until we pulled into the drive . Jill was driving i had had a great liquid lunch and was barred from the drivers seat. Tyre was flatter than a witches tit .
In these difficult times when AMAZON and DINGLEBERRY can supply anything from a B52 to a sticky fly catcher , you can buy tyres on line , then have them fitted by any one of by any one of umpteen
garages .
Picked out A PAIR of MICHELIN CROSS CLIMATE AT A COOL £340 for the pair and chose Halfords in BOGNOR REGIS as the designated fitters .
Can fit them 10-00am Friday says the email be here 10 mins early as they are on a tight schedule .
Bognor Regis has a real nice name —- a royal charter and all that jazz !!!.
In reality, its a broken down dump of a coastal town.
After a short search — i found Halfords—- at the back of MACDONALDS . Pulled up outside the workshop. Was jumped on immediately by two mechanics ———OY, YOU CANT PARK THERE !!!! tried to explain i was having two tyres fitted —— and that the car park was already full .[turned out that Halfords employed 20 people and they all owned a car]!!!!!!!!
was pointed to a door that said “reception” —- went inside , asked if i could sit down [ i could feel a row coming on]. Sorry sir — since the covid lockdown , we have closed the seating area ???????
No problem sunshine, I’ll sit in the car . Sorry sir —- you are not allowed to sit in the car in the workshop !!!!!!! Blood temp is tad over the 100 by now ——- SOOOOO- I CANT SIT DOWN —- I CANT PARK HERE ——- IT’S PISSING DOWN WITH RAIN—— AND I CANT SIT IN MY CAR —— DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS SUNSHINE ????????
Not my problem sir ———— IS THAT SPELT WITH A CAPIAL “ C” I ASKED ?????? But it was lost on that particular individual .
do you want the tyres fitted to the front or the rear sir ?????????
Righto sunshine , let me explain to you the situation we have here !!!!!!!
I had a puncture on Monday —- i have been running on the five miles a fortnight get you home spare wheel!!!! So there is a punctured wheel in the back—— a pair of part worn on the front that need to go on the back—— new tyres on the front —- spare wheel putting back !!!!!!!!
That’s not what it says on the spread sheet — we allocate half an hour for flitting the tyres — if we do EXTRAS we will fall behind schedule .
OKAY sunshine—- how much is that going to cost ???????? Oh, not a question of money—- its time we dont have to do the extra work . That’s when i lost the plot—— told him his fortune— pointed out that he had no mother and father I was ninety years old and he had right royally pissed me off . GET ME THE MANAGER -___ I AM THE MANAGER —- WELL THERE NO WAY THAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED —- AND YOU AREN’T MUCH COP AT THAT ARE YOU ?????
LOOK — i have paid to have two tyres fitted —- just put ‘em on the front and I’ll sort it from there .

head down and arse up i battled the weather up to MACDONALDS —- WAS THINKING, —- IT MUST BE THE FIRST TIME IN TWENTY YEARS IVE BEEN TO MACDONALDS . VERY NICE GIRL ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED ————— JUST A COFFEE !!!!!!!!!!!
SHE POINTED AT A GIANT IPAD —— WAS OVER THREE FEET TALL ——HIT A BUTTON ——- CAPPUCINO—FLAT WHITE —- MOCHA ———— WHOA THERE — JUST HOLD UP THERE A TINY MINUTE —————- NORMAL AMERICAN BREAKFASY COFFEE PLEASE —————-BLACK OR WHITE ———— WHITE —WITH HALF AND HALF —————-WE DONT HAVE HALF AND HALF —— CREAM ??????? WE DONT HAVE CFEAM !!!!!! OK , JUST A WHITE COFFEE . IS THAT ALL SIR ????? DO YOU HAVE ONE OF THOSE CHERRY PIES THAT USED TO BURN YOUR MOUTH OUT —- NO RIR , WE DO HAVE APPLE PIE —— BUT WE DONT SERVE THOSE UNTIL 11-30. OK FORGET IT , JUST A WHITE COFFEE NO SUGAR . HOW ABOUT A DOUGHNUT ??? OK ILL HAVE JUST A PLAIN DOUGHNUT —- SORRY SIR WE HAVE CHOCOLATE ICING — STRAWBERRY , CINNAMON AND NUTS —— NO THANKS — JUST A PLAN DOUGHNUT —- SORRY SIR WE DONT HAVE PLAIN DOUGHNUTS .
IS THAT ALL SIR ??????YES . TO GO OR EAT INSIDE ????? INSIDE . FINE SIR RESTAURANT IS UPSTAIRS . ER NO THANKS —- IM 90 YEARS OLD AND ITS THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS ILL EAT DOWN HERE ——- SORRY SIR, SINCE THE COVID—-DOWNSTAIRS IS CLOSED !!!!!!!!
WE DO HAVE A LIFT — I STEP INTO THE LIFT —- PRESS 1. THEN AGAIN—- LIFT JUDDERS — THEN I READ THE SMALL PRINT “ KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE BUZZER UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
UPSTAIRS WAS PACKED WITH MOMS AND THEIR OFFSPRING—— 100’S OF THE BUGGERS
BOYS OF 10 YEAR OLD HAD MOHAWK HAIRCUTS BRUSHED TO ONE SIDE SO THEY LOOKED LIKE YOUNG HITLERS . 99% OF THEM WERE OF AN ETHNIC MINORITY ??????????????
WHY WERE THEY ALL HERE AT 10-00AM ON A FRIDAY I WAS ASKING MYSELF—— OF COURSE , THEY GET THE WELFARE CHEQUE ON A FRIDAY !!!!!!!!!!!
BUT WHY NO WHITE KIDS ????????? THEN IT HIT ME ——- MUMS OUT WORKING —- ????????????
TO BE CONTINUED ————————

[jackiewilson]

491261

UPGRADED MALIBUSTANG WITH THE PRATT AND WITNEY—TURBO. Plus a few more artists licence add — ons . Needs graphics and reg numbers —- what do you think Gene ____ I just saved you over 700,000 dollars.

[jackiewilson]

TO BE CONTINUED ——. I finished my coffee , which was nothing like the MACDONALDS coffee i remembered . Walked down the street to the tyre fitters . Was a good thirty minutes since i left .
just resetting your management system sir —- tyre pressure sensors need dialing in .
car came out —- guy says i will be five minutes , Was ten minutes before he returned. “I suspect he had just been up to MACDONALDS for Big Mac and fries”.
hands the keys and says all done sir—- sure enough, new tyres on the front ——- front on back—- spare get you home wheel safely parked in appropriate spot . Started to drive home when i noticed a speed display in the middle of the screen [never been one there before ]. Huge figures apparently in outer space . Says im doing 120, no way am i doing anything like that speed !!!!!!!! Then i saw the sign ——KILOMETRES. AFTER THE MORNING I HAD —— NO WAY WAS I GOING BACK !!!!!!!!!

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=490975&d=1627220886

[FUJIMO]

...You get your hands on some really nice material to start with. where you stealing it from...?...;)...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=490976&d=1627220916

[jackiewilson]

...You get your hands on some really nice material to start with. where you stealing it from...?...;)...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=490976&d=1627220916
Price i pay for it i don’t have to steal it. I visit my local scrap yard twice a week —- we have couple of local factories that supply aircraft parts for the AIRBUS . Another supplies spare parts for BA— ALL ARE GOVERNMENT FUNDED —- waste is outrageous. Alloy is always top quality gear.
wooden fuselage was never meant to be anything other than a pattern —— still tempted to do an all alluminium fuselage .

[jackiewilson]

OOPS!!!!!!!!! It’s not a scrapyard———IT IS A METAL RECYCLING FACILITY !!!!!!!!

[FUJIMO]

...uniquely cool design...:cheers:...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491159&d=1627494994

[jackiewilson]

Finished article looks better— took me most of the day to nail the prop, four blades is a cowson to get anywhere near right !

did rough out the all metal fuselage, wooden one just doesn’t cut it for me . No piccies— no nothing —you might see it —you might not— if you dont —- then i i didn’t get it right — if you do, form your own opinion.
Funny old olympics for me—- can’t get into it —transvetites —- knee bending — no audience -_ lousy tv coverage —- russkies drugging [ but that’s nothing new ]. —- used to quite enjoy the two weeks athletics bonanza . Too much PC going on in the world for me .
Seems while we are the only country in the world to be on top of covid, rest of the world is suffering badly.
Turkey is on fire —- Spain —Italy— France and Germany are having a third wave of the pandemic .
Meanwhile, it seems nobody can tell me whether or not i can fly to the USA—— first i could—— then i couldn’t.
My son cannot fly to England for his mothers funeral without ridiculous quarantine penalties .
things can only get better.

[jackiewilson]

WE HAVE FIRES —FLOODS— RAIN——RESTRICTIONS —— but its going to be hot the last two weeks in August . Blasted sunshade still giving me greif , but I’ve got ambitions.
looks like we have beaten the bug—— all of the buggers in fact -INDIAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN VARIANTS. Supposed to have a new vaccine where one shot or two little pills cures everything ?????
have a clear day in the shop , lets see what happens.

[FUJIMO]

...indian and south african flu variants, huh? thats news to us here. the b.s. machine keeps pump'n it out. it just never stops...

[jackiewilson]

...indian and south african flu variants, huh? thats news to us here. the b.s. machine keeps pump'n it out. it just never stops...

It’s the Indian variant of covid thats been the fly in the ointment —— much more contagious than the normal strain. Now its spread all over Europe causing a third wave of infection.
WE managed to nail that one’s hide to the wall with draconian measures over the last eighteen months, kicked lockdown into touch and are now waiting for the rest of the world to clean up its act and get get some sort of normality back.
It did screw up the NHS and the medical system here——— if you didn’t have covid , dont go to the surgery . Consequently there’s a lot of cancer patients that were ignored —- consequences of that are just beginning to bite.
95 year old got run over by a truck , was poisoned, drowned, shot —knifed to death——- officially he was a covid victim. We get the BS over here too.
BBC want a new actor for DR. WHO. HAS TO BE ETHNIC AND FEMALE ——- Now i ask myself what would happen if i advertised for a gardener —- must be white — and able to speak English——- press would be on my back in no time flat !!!!!!!!
Henry the eighths wife ANNE BOLYN played by a black woman — how about a white girl plays DIANA ROSS or even SERENA WILLIAMS.
In the quest for equality —- PC has shot itself in the foot .
Hard work, ability , qualifications and endeavour used to be what got you a job—- not any more it would seem??????????
cracked on with the fuselage———out of a block of alloy, said i would.

[jackiewilson]

JUST TO CHEER YOU ALL UP A TAD —- CHINA HAS ITS WORST OUTBREAK OF COVID SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
Bringer of glad tidings of great joy aren’t i ???????

[powerabout]

JUST TO CHEER YOU ALL UP A TAD —- CHINA HAS ITS WORST OUTBREAK OF COVID SINCE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
Bringer of glad tidings of great joy aren’t i ???????
China is packing stadiums with 3 times the number normally allowed to ensure they all get vaccinated..lol too late they all just got it.
Must be commie logic or something?

[jackiewilson]

China is packing stadiums with 3 times the number normally allowed to ensure they all get vaccinated..lol too late they all just got it.
Must be commie logic or something?
My sainted mother used to tell me ‚‘‘YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW“—— She also used to mutter to herself something about KARMA ??????? What goes around comes around !!!!!!!
Football season opens end of this month—- spectators are allowed again —— not sure about that one . Herd immunity is one thing ——stupidity is another.
Thought i was going to have to eat crow after i said VETTEL would not ever make the podium—— but with half the eager beavers out , he did have a half chance, he took it well. F1 bull sh-t put paid to his efforts .

[FUJIMO]

...the tire story was funny. :smiletest:...you should have been a writer mr. wilson...:smiletest:

[jackiewilson]

...the tire story was funny. :smiletest:...you should have been a writer mr. wilson...:smiletest:
have put together 125,000 words towards a book—- due to mitigating circumstances, i haven’t added to it recently. Been up to my fetlocks in realising lifelong ambitions , coping with covid—-concepts and kids. Moving house , building a workshop, earning a living and managing life [the way you do].
Been wondering whether or not to post the chapter on PRUETT—-ITS. QUITE CLEAN DUE TO HIM STILL HAVING KIN AROUND!! Dare not put into print any of his shenanigans. Just a few gleanings of the scrapes he got me into. I‘ll have a few thunks about it!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

BILLY , DON PRUETT.
The yellow Maserati was thirty six inches tall, guy climbing out of it stood six feet two. Name was “Pruett” BILLY DON PRUETT.
He was wearing calf high, tooled leather **** kickers, a black stovepipe hat, worn by Apache Indians in America. A face like a tomato, that had been chewed, spat out and trodden on. “Ugly as a sack of assholes on a mud fence”, Pruett’s favourite expression. His face cracked into a lopsided grin that revealed a gap where a tooth had once been. “JACKEEEEE”. He ambled over and gave me one of his spine cracking, rib breaking hugs, from which there was no escape. “What in the name of all that’s holy are you doing here?” He was at Angelo Molinari’s boat building shop in Como. “I’m just off down to Malpensa to pick up some gear for Vincenti, you wanna ride?”. Knowing Pruett like I did, it wasn’t a request, it was an order. He wanted to show me just how fast his latest toy would travel. It was getting close to knocking off time anyway so I said ok. Mistake, Don was in a playful mood, left a dual trail of black rubber as we took off for Milan. Past the Villa De Este Hotel and the toll booths and picked up the Autostrada .




Five o’clock on a Friday on any autostrada in Italy is not the best time to travel in excess of 160mph, but he was BDP. FBI. Rules do not apply to American Indians travelling the autostrada in a yellow Maserati on a Friday night. We made the airport in about twenty two minutes thirty seven seconds, which considering it’s all of sixty miles, on a busy road and it is Friday night, wasn’t a bad time at all.
He hauled his frame out of the tiny car and said “wait here, this won’t take long”. A very unfriendly Carabinieri carrying a revolver and a truncheon came over to the car and indicated I should roll the window open, which I reluctantly did. Guy whistled through his teeth and muttered Wow! “Quanta Costa? Maximum Vitesse?” I told him Trecento kilometre! He walked around the car, touching it, running his hands gently along its curvaceous lines like you do with a good woman. Guy was enchanted, luckily Pruett came back with a parcel and dumped in my lap, policeman was muttering “Bellisimo, Bellosimo”. As he fired up the motor. I looked back and I swear to God, the policeman was crying.
It was dark as we hit the autostrada. Pruett just floored the car straight up to maximum. “What do think of the Masser Jackie?”. Told him the car was fine, it was the feckin crazy driver that needed attention. He hooted with laughter. Saw all the burning tyres on the roadside, asked him what they were all about? He was in one of his playful moods. “Ok my boy, let’s stop at the next one”. We did, two young girls sauntered over, offered us a drink and asked if we had any American cigarettes. We both smoked camels, Pruett took one out, lit it and threw the freshly opened pack at the girls gratcia, grarzia , blow job or ****ee? They were Hookers, plying their wares on the Autostrada and I tell you there was no shortage of customers.
I had first come across Pruett in Toulon, in 1965, trying to get a six wheel trailer with a forty foot cigarette and a massive pair of motors on the ferry to Des Embiez. It was the start of two weeks of Powerboating held on the Cote D Azure in the south of France.
The Dauphin D’Or being the premier event in the UIM calendar. He was making a real pigs ear of trying to manoeuvre the rig onto the ferry. I could see there was not room for both our rigs on the small ferry at the same time, so I told him I would get off to make room for him, I would catch the next ferry. After much huffing and puffing he managed to fit the rig on to the ferry and sailed away. Never thought much about the incident, but that evening while drinking at the bar with Don Ross, Bob Spalding, Collie Coulson and a few other’s Pruett walked across and ordered two CC7’s, gave me one and said “thanks”. Buy your friends a drink and threw a hundred dollar bill onto the bar. My friends were gobsmacked, our total allowance for money taken abroad was twelve pounds per person aprox $5. That’s exactly how stupidly generous Pruett always was.
Didn’t see Pruett again until 1968, again at Angelo’s place. He was scrubbing a gearcase on a Twister with 400 grit sandpaper, it looked neat. Told him it wouldn’t do him any good anyway, another “Jackkeeee” and a bear hug to go with it. He was still going through two packs of Camels a day, drinking iced tea and generally enjoying life.
Can’t remember who it was told me Pruett used to be a a dustbin man (garbage collector). Well he did pretty damn good for himself if that was the case. One of a very select band of people who raced both circuit and offshore. Bill Sirois was another, Gene Langham, Renato Molinari, but not as well as some others. Alf Bullen, he deserved better results than he got. Very few ever made the transition from circuit to offshore, you had to be very wealthy or have a rich daddy, a Major league gangster, a Colombian drugs Baron, sell fried chicken, have a major sponsor or just be a complete lunatic to make it in offshore.
There were some monumental offshore racers. Mercury was the driving force in offshore with the likes of Odelle, but I digress. Let’s just keep talking of Pruett for now. He was throttleman for lots of various wealthy individuals that could afford the very best of motors and boats with offshore personnel.
Once stayed with him in his house in Orlando, met his wife Joan for the first time. Kids, I can remember were , Randy, Craig, and a lovely little shy girl who once uttered the immortal words “that’s one of those big words daddy, like helicopter and mayonnaise”. He was hard on his kids at all times, they all called him Sir whenever they spoke to him. I always suspected it was out of fear for him, not love and affection. I like to think I brought my kids up to respect me without any fear.
One night, around 2am, he rang Garbrecht, Scuse, Me Mr Garbrecht. “Do you own a classic 1962 white Corvette?”, GG answered “yes, I do Sir”. “If you would like to come down to the police station and identify the car, we would appreciate it, we just arrested a minor who was travelling in excess of100 mph”.
Garbrecht shot out of bed and hot footed it down to the station, rushed up to the counter and yelled “where’s my car?”. Sergeant just looked blank and said “Sir, what on earth are you talking about?” GG walked out the station and grabbed the phone “Pruett, you son of bitch, you're going to pay a heavy price for this”.
Following day we went to the opening of the new Disney world in Orlando, along with Gerry Gilbreath Watched in amazement as both Don and Gerry turned back into six year old kids again for a day. Was an enlightening experience to say the least.
After a long but happy day, we arrived back at Pruett’s house. Blocking the driveway was a pile of sand thirty feet high, must have been fifty tons of it. Pruett placed his arms across the steering wheel and lowered his head and whispered “GARBRECHT, ****ING GARBRECHT”.
He later moved up to Sarasota, near Bradenton. There was an airfield there, He would hire a 172 Cessna or a Piper and usually manage to get someone else to pay. On this particular occasion he said “let’s go up to the lake”. I said “there’s hundreds of lakes in Florida, which one are you thinking of?”. “Lake X of course Dingleberry” Was only a short flight, but memorable. When Pruett flew, watch out everything in the sky. Was once told he was a very skilled pilot. Sorry, Pruett in charge of any machine anywhere was a fekin liability.
In the middle of the jungle, next to a lake was a clearing between the trees, just a dirt strip. We approached at what I thought was a tad steep angle, fast and hard. Too bloody fast. The wheels hit the deck and the shocks bottomed out, then catapulted us back into the sky by some eighty feet. Pruett was grinning like an idiot, “just testing to see what wind age we have”. Did a U Turn and headed back to the strip. My sphinx was tightening and untightening like it never had before. We landed at last and taxied towards a building, was met by a group of people who I had only heard of, but never met. Mercury legends.
We were at the ‘Mystical Lake X’.
Looked round at the few faces that were at the lake. Didn't know any of them at that time, although I did get to know most of them in later life.
They all knew Pruett, he tried to show me around the site, but was told in no uncertain terms, “not today”.
It was to be another fifty years before I got to visit Lake X again, by then the whole boating scene had changed dramatically.
Biggest change was at Mercury itself. Beautiful people I had grown to love were no longer here with even more following the grim reaper the same year.
Garbrecht, Kabasta, Stoney, Charlie Alexander, Merton, La Mort, Bakos and Bill Sirois and Steve Sirois was to join them the following year.
I digress here, this chapter is all about Pruett, although to be honest, the guy deserves a book of his own let alone a chapter.
I hadn’t seen Pruett for a year or so when I received an invite to visit him in Sarasota. He had moved there to be with his buddies, Siros, La More and many more. He had landed a job with the “Jesse James” bunch and was living off the hog so to speak. Told me he would borrow the company jet and pick me up In Miami.
You have to understand here that Pruett was prone to mad fits of exaggeration when the occasion called for it. This was no exception. Told me to get a taxi from the main airport to Loma Linda a small provincial airport where the take off and landing fees were not quite so expensive.
Mark was racing in one of the Fonda races, I forget which one and had travelled with me across the Atlantic thought he would like to catch up with Pruett once again. So he travelled in the taxi with me.
Saw him through the window, stretched out across three seats, black hat, **** kickers, Indian jacket, still pug ugly. He spied me and leapt off all three chairs, rushed across the room, picked me clean up off the floor, gave me one of his bone crushing hugs, “JACKEEEEEEE”. Then he dropped me and did the same thing to Mark. “Marcus” he always called him “Marcus”, good to see you boy.
Must confess to being a tad tearful at meeting him again. Anyway, Mark cluttered off to catch with his friends. Don walked me out to the tarmac that was a field, stopped in front of a tatty old piper 174. “Er where’s the feckin Company jet then Pruett?”. “It’s in use at the minute, so I borrowed this”. “Does it actually fly or do we have to pedal like Freddie Flintstone?”. I was not impressed.
It was nearly dark and I knew he didn’t have a night flying licence. “It’s ok Jackieeee, I have a friend with me with a licence to night fly.” “Ok Pruett, tell me, he’s the pilot, not you?” I need to get some night time in. Oh ****, Pruett, at night, without a licence, in a toy plane, thrilled I am not.
Typical Pruett take off, head for the trees, leave it to the last minute, haul back on the stick, disturb some of the top branches and leaves, passenger pukes and Pruett grins idiotically. Perfectl take off Pruett style.
Travelled sedately across florida at a steady five miles a fortnight, or so it seemed. Pitch black outside am I worried? With a feckin lunatic Indian at the wheel, at night, wouldn’t you be?.
I was dog tired and fell asleep almost immediately across the two seats which were only meant for legless dwarfs. Without any warning the old tub suddenly dropped straight into the abyss. It seemed like forever, my arse came up through my mouth, my heart stopped beating, the end is nigh. We reached the bottom and the tiny craft reached for the sky again. “Hells teeth Pruett, what the hell was that, a black hole?”.
He is falling about laughing ha,ha,ha,te,he,he. At this point I totally lost it, smacked him round the head with my handbag. Told him he was the worst pilot I’d ever flown with. He couldn’t drive a feckin go cart, let alone a plane. Was the worlds worst boat driver ever, either circuit or offshore. Drove a car like a little old lady and I would personally see that he never got a licence of any description ever again. When I’m through with you Pruett, you won’t even be allowed to push a feckin pram.
He had scared me ****less and I was seething. You really do have to know Pruett to understand that this was the way he was. Full of fun, mischief, laughter, life was a joke and only meant for living. That was Billy Don Pruett. F B I. Feckin Big Indian.
If you were friends with Pruett, that was it, unconditional, friend for life, totally unpredictable.
Could drive the snot out of any race boat ever created, single, dual or triple engined circuit boat, he could drive it till it broke, only place for the throttle was ‘WO’ ( wide open). Subtle and gentle he was not. Skin as thick as a Rhino. Give him any offshore Raceboat, in any kind of water, he would find a way to tame it or break it.
Was the same with his body, it very rarely broke, he just seemed to bend his bones like an India rubber man. Fight! He loved a confrontation. Thought it was the funniest thing since sliced bread to step into a friendly tussle and turn it into a full blown battle.
On the way to Havasu hauling the twin Molinari, I was riding shotgun all the way from Orlando to Oshkosh. Picked up the boat and head towards Havasu. Twenty minutes previous Roy Ridgell had left with a refuelling rig loaded on to the bed of a pick up truck. It also had an additional 50 gallon fuel tank behind the front seats. This meant that even burning ten gallons every hundred miles he could run nonstop for 700 miles between refuels.
We reached the panhandle and were confronted by huge billboards advertising the biggest, bestest, tenderest steaks in Texas. Pruett says “you know what Jackeee, I’m feeling kinda hungry and fancy a big juicy steak, how about you?”. Now, while I have a healthy appetite and like a nice 6/8 ounce fillet Steak, that’s my limit. Pruett said “I think I’ll go for the 32 ouncer”. **** off you idiot, just order what you fancy. He ordered a Ribeye. Nice meal, I settled back ready to order desert, FBI looks at me and says, “I’m still hungry, I’m going for the 32 ounce”. Told him he was a twat and be serious for once in his life. He called the waitress over and asked to look at the steak he was supposed to get for free if he managed to down it all. “Sure” she said, my pleasure. She staggered in with what can only be described as half a cow.
“Ok let me get this straight, it’s meat only I have to eat? No bone? Fat? Rind or gristle?” “That’s right sir, that’s all you have to do”. “Awl rightee” says He, “let’s go for it”. Rare, five minutes later the half a steer comes back to the table hanging over all sides of the biggest dinner plate I’ve ever seen and dripping blood. Rare? They chopped off the horns, wiped its arse and walked it close to the grill, that’s as close as it got to being cooked. It did take him fifteen minutes to finish it. The restaurant erupted into cheers as the owner told him that all requirements had been met, he didn’t have to pay a damn cent, he could also have the ribeye with no charge. I asked him if he wanted apple pie or sticky toffee pudding for desert.
One of these signs said, 32 ounce T bone steaks. If you can finish it, you can have it on the house.






Pruett yells at him Catch you in a little while Roy. When we arrived at Havasu, Ridgell had the rig already set up in prime position. We never caught him up and Pruett as he was want to do was running in the low nineties all the way to Arizona.
I digress here a little, as I often do when narrating on my favourite people. Pruett decided before we checked in at the next Holiday Inn we would pull off the highway and find a sleepy little bar somewhere just out of town. He was good at finding these sorts of places and they usually served up good cheap wholesome food.
Sure enough there it was, in the middle of nowhere, a ramshackle shed with a lopsided flashing “Coors” sign hung above the door. Country Music was blaring through the open doors. We grabbed a couple of bar stools and ordered two ice cold beers. Cool, Pruett was dressed in his usual black hat and **** kickers, elbows on the bar and his eyes wandering, always on the lookout.
Was after the third beer he spied her. All in white, Cowgirl hat, blouse with white leather tassels and filled to bursting point, white jeans she’d been poured into and strawberry blonde hair. Pruett had just made heaven. He peeled himself off the bar stool, walked across the dance floor, tipped the black hat and said to the guy ”excuse me sir, would you mind if I danced with this vision of loveliness?”. I think the pair of them were taken aback by the sheer brazenly attitude of this ugly as a stack of arseholes Jack Palance look alike. My pleasure “Friend”. Was obvious to me and the rest of the folks in the saloon that it most definitely was NOT alright and certainly anything but a pleasure. Still Pruett sailed on. stomping the floor and waving his arms and a whooping and a hollering, oblivious to the world. It all changed when he pulled the little lady in tight and started smooching.
Mr ‘all dressed in white’ took great exception to this, grabbed Pruett by the shoulder and snarled “enough, back off”. That’s when Pruett smacked him a good one, he obviously didn’t hit him hard enough because Mr ‘all dressed in white’ got up again, spun Pruett round and landed a haymaker, right on his jaw. I thought, Aw! **** and corruption, here we go again, Pruett at war. Instead, he got to his feet, came across to Mr ‘all in white’ and said “Sheeeitttt I’m sorry, didn’t mean to offend, but dang, that is one beautiful lady you have there. Let me buy you both a drink”. I know Pruett read the situation and decided discretion was the better part of valour. It cost him an awful lot of money to buy his way out of that one with drinks all round.
We had one more stop before we reached Havasu. Pulled off the main highway in New Mexico and headed down a dirt track, twenty miles into the boondocks . It’s like Pruett can smell these places. Sure enough, there it was, an oasis in the desert. A real Wild West saloon with swing doors and a honky tonk piano thumping out a tune. We mention in and sure enough there it was, a piano without a pianist, keys were moving but there was nobody home. Usual long bar, a few casual drinkers, four at a table playing poker so we sat down and ordered two beers with Jack chasers. Behind the bar were a pair of paintings of naked ladies in resplendent mode. Some sort of iridescent blue paint, quite remarkable and outstanding examples of modern art I thought. He called the bartender over and asked if the paintings were for sale. Sure, it’s a local artist and the price is $200 a piece. I knew that was the end of the conversation as Pruett had used up nearly all the petrol money Mert had given him back In Oshberg. We had another couple of beers and Jacks, then he got into his pretending he was an avid art collector and had friends who might be interested in setting up a franchise with selected art dealers all along the eastern seaboard. How much for the pair, simply to take along as samples he explained.
At the end of the evening just before we left, he turned to the bartender and said, “tell you what I’m prepared to do here, just to get you known in Florida, I’ll give you two hundred for the pair”. Bartender stuck his hand out across the bar and said “that’s a done deal sir”. Pruett was checkmated.
Nothing was said as he paid the two hundred and walked out the door with the two paintings under his arm. We took off early the next morning and arrived in Flagstaff he turned round and said “Jackie, how much money you got?” Told him I had $175, but that’s all I had for the rest of the trip and with eight days still to go. He opened his purse, in it was twenty two dollars and fifty five cents. “I need the hundred”
We reached Havasu and the Nautical Inn. Merton was billeted next door. Pruett hit on him for some extra money as he had spent a little more on gasoline than expected. Mert looked Pruett straight in the eye and said, “ok, Pruett, what did you buy?”
In those long gone days, Havasu was to American powerboat racers what the Paris six hours is to Europeans MECCA .
Was staying at his house with Jerry Gilbreath when he decided we should visit some friends. First stop was at Art Arfons. He was working on the smallest engine I ever saw, it was a turbine. Told me the power to weight was unbelievable, knew he could break the world record with it.
He was killed in the attempt a short while later.
Next stop was Rick Lamore’s place. He had quit Mercury and gone off on his own a short while back. He had a shop full of offshore boats owned by the elite of Powerboat racers. Was always an easy going and likeable chap. Well respected in the circuit world too. Was part of Doc Magoon’s Transatlantic Record Attempt.
From there we went to visit Bill Sirois. He had a house on the water with a boat parked out the back. Vida made us welcome and put on a video of Bills last offshore race. The start was chaotic, he couldn’t get the boat to lay down and over the hump. Took him twenty minutes to nail it. He floored it and began the chase that thrilled me for the rest of my life. Vida was filming all the race, in the helicopter from start to finish. Took him a while before he caught the back markers, passed ‘em like they were stood still. He was soon up with the front runners, passed every single boat that was competing. Bill said he would send me a copy of the video, but due to mitigating circumstances.
That evening we went to dinner at a real swanky restaurant with Anne and Charlie Strang. Had no idea what to order so Charlie told me to try the fried gator steak. Looked across at Pruett who just simply looked blank and shrugged his shoulders. Immediately I tucked into the steak I knew I’d been had. It was like old boot leather and had an ominous odour. Tasted like swamp mud. Only time I ate alligator.
Following night there was an APBA meeting down in Miami. Pruett invited me to sit at the back as the “European observer”. He was sat at the long table at the front of the room. Jack and Ben Kramer were two of those I remember sitting there. Nothing of real interest until someone asked what they should do with the $10,000.00 owed to George Morales who was serving time for some misdemeanour or other. Various suggestions were made and rejected before Pruett said , “just put in the APBA account and forget about it.” Ben Kramer snarled at Pruett and answered “don’t ever walk down 188th after dark”. Needless to say, I never once opened my mouth during the whole evening.
There’s a little aside tale to this episode. George Morales owed David Parkinson five thousand dollars, for what, I have no idea. Morales was well and truly banged up by this time, languishing in a locked and bolted room curtesy of the Ir. Parky mentioned this to Ted Jones, just as a comment, in passing, he had long since given up all hope of ever getting the funds. Two weeks later, much to his surprise he opened up the post to find a cheque for payment in full.
One thing i have to mention here about Pruett. He was a bone idle son of a bitch, demanded his wife and kids waited on him hand and foot. Used to plonk himself down in a beat up old reclining easy chair,. Stretch out full length and whine, HONEY. Would you get me a glass of iced tea. Jan, pass me my cigarettes would you. Ben, get me an ash tray.Craig, give me a hand taking my boots off. Darlin, whats for supper, im really hungry. One time, he was goofing around and showing off in general, round at the OMC camp. JUmped done from the back of one of their trucks, landed heavy, and broke his wrist. Garbrecht was not amused. Called him the most stupid , useless , idiotic son of a bitch to ever walk the planet. Pruett just looke him full in the face, You gonna light me a camel or stand there all day yelling at me... You have any idea what you just been an gone an done tonight.
Let me tell you, Pruett was permanently hungry and had a permanent hard on. Wasnt an ounce of good trying to change him , or guide him in the ways of the righteous. He was what he was and proud of it BILLY DON PRUETT. FBI. FECKIN BIG INDIAN.

[jackiewilson]

Last post was just one of the chapters of a book i was contemplating. Other chapters include GARBRECHT—— SPALDING AND PERCIVAL—- HODGES——CHAS SHOOTER —— not much reaction so far . I put my toe in the water , just to test the water ——— didn‘t realise the water was that bloody cold !!!

[techteam]

I enjoyed it Jackie. Would read more. However, I'm sure Art Arfons never died in any record attempt :)

[powerabout]

I enjoyed it Jackie. Would read more. However, I'm sure Art Arfons never died in any record attempt :)

Lee Taylor?
Craig Arfons?

[jackiewilson]

WAS PROBABLY CRAIG . As i say -it‘s 50 years since Pruett and i were stomping around the world .
Never met Lee Taylor.

[powerabout]

WAS PROBABLY CRAIG . As i say -it‘s 50 years since Pruett and i were stomping around the world .
Never met Lee Taylor.

Donald Campbell?

[FUJIMO]

...powerboat...i don't think taylor, campbell, & the like, drove around like a fly in a soup bowl, like jackie did...i could be wrong...

[jackiewilson]

Donald Campbell?
Met Donald Campbell on a number of occasions—- once went to a very good talk by Leo Villa his friend and mechanic.

[jackiewilson]

...powerboat...i don't think taylor, campbell, & the like, drove around like a fly in a soup bowl, like jackie did...i could be wrong...
correct Fuji—- i loved life too much to do daft things —— i never EVER had a death wish !!!!!

[FUJIMO]

...bolt'n a jet on a surfboard for the water...no thank you...:eek:

[jackiewilson]

Record breaking was never really that interesting to me —- only the outright world water speed record.
Or the world outboard record .
It was always fraught with danger ——- sponsors demanding a result ——- guys driving over their heads [and gals ]. Boats testing before they were ready and fully prepared .
Talked to Billy yesterday—— never realised that you have exactly the same problem over there with the APBA that FONDA had with the UIM …..
Thought maybe now RICH LUHRS was batting for APBA that there would be some sensibility brought to the scene . Powerboaters are a hard nosed lot ——- won‘t be led and can‘t be druv [as my sainted mother used to say.

[GENE LANHAM]

WAS
PROBABLY CRAIG . As i say -it‘s 50 years
Never met Lee Taylor.

I met Lee at a California OFFSHORE race--he was looking for a sponsor

Obviously he found one---:eek:491543

[WaterZebra]

I met Lee at a California OFFSHORE race--he was looking for a sponsor

Obviously he found one---:eek:491543
That model sure looks a lot like what Ken Warby did?

[jackiewilson]

That model sure looks a lot like what Ken Warby did?
BUT DONT ALL BOATS THAT HAVE THE SAME PURPOSE LOOK ALIKE ? TUNNELS— bottoms —record breaking boats ——— even sailing boats —-???????

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491261&d=1627748169

[jackiewilson]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491261&d=1627748169
You should see the all metal version Fuji—— it’ll make your eyes water !!!!!!!!491656491657

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491656&d=1628578694

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491657&d=1628578754

[FUJIMO]

https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1208/1438812001_32cc25292b_z.jpg?zz=1

[FUJIMO]

https://www.jet-hydroplane.uk/wp-content/uploads/history_p10.jpg

[jackiewilson]

https://www.jet-hydroplane.uk/wp-content/uploads/history_p10.jpg. HAVE TO ADMIT that boat always looked like it was going to break the world record .
But, tragedy has always been a close companion of “RECORD BREAKERS” since time immemorial!

[jackiewilson]

Today the results of our education system were announced. Turns out that private schools [the one where parents pay big bags of gold for a kids admittance] had a 70% straight A’s success and everywhere else had a 40% straight A’s. TOTAL BULLTURDS.
Nobody actually took an exam [due to covid of course] was simply a teacher assessment??????DUH !!!
SO WE NOW HAVE A GLUT OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED “NUMPTIES” APPLYING FOR JOBS THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT UP TO.
YOU HAVE TO LAUGH—OR YOU WOULD DIE CRYING.

[powerabout]

Today the results of our education system were announced. Turns out that private schools [the one where parents pay big bags of gold for a kids admittance] had a 70% straight A’s success and everywhere else had a 40% straight A’s. TOTAL BULLTURDS.
Nobody actually took an exam [due to covid of course] was simply a teacher assessment??????DUH !!!
SO WE NOW HAVE A GLUT OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED “NUMPTIES” APPLYING FOR JOBS THEY SIMPLY ARE NOT UP TO.
YOU HAVE TO LAUGH—OR YOU WOULD DIE CRYING.
They have been lowering the grades in the Uk for years, the joke used to be entering year 7 but cannot read and write, then it became enter uni and cannot read and write.
Blair had to get the unemployment queue down so he just dumped everyone in uni. UK never recovered.
Funding cut at UK uni's so they took anyone and anyone from overseas pays more than a local. The degrees are worthless.
When I was working at an Investment bank in the UK and then bought into a training college I started to get interested.
Friday night down the pub I asked the HR department what they do with CV's,they said they have a list and 50% of UK uni ones they put straight in the bin. ( like most investment banks in London our middle and back office is Ozzies Kiwis and South Africans)
Trading floor was every nationality, IT was 75% brits..

To allow the illiterate foreign students to pass, 99% of uni's have gone to handing in papers and no on site exams, this allows the students to pay somebody else to do the paper, huge money in this and a huge business.
My College business partner used to do it, he would say to a student, go get somebodies else's paper and I will re write it such that the plagiarism software will pass it.
There was a TV show showing a German guy with 3 staff, had done over 100 PHD's that passed.

[jackiewilson]

WHEN MY SAINTED MOTHER WAS TRYING TO EDUCATE ME ON HAPPENINGS OUTSIDE THE CURRICULUM SHE WOULD EXPLAIN THAT THERE WAS “HIMMIN AND HERING” WHICH WAS RIGHT ‘ Then there was HIMMIN AND HIMMIN—— WHICH WAS NOT RIGHT -
Then there was Hering and Hering —- again ,wasn’t not right ‘
God only knows how she would have explained the HERHIMS AND THE HIMHERS ????????

[jackiewilson]

IT ALL STARTED TO GO DOWN HILL WHEN THEY STOPPED CORPORAL PUNISHMENT .
I HAVE BEEN WHACKED WITH THE CANE [SIX OF THE BEST ]
stuffed the HOTSPUR down my trousers before getting six on the backside ‘
Been led by the ear to the front of the class ——- been picked up and comforted when i skinned both knees on the tarmac playground . All these things are taboo nowadays — didn’t help the kids in any shape or form .

[powerabout]

IT ALL STARTED TO GO DOWN HILL WHEN THEY STOPPED CORPORAL PUNISHMENT .
I HAVE BEEN WHACKED WITH THE CANE [SIX OF THE BEST ]
stuffed the HOTSPUR down my trousers before getting six on the backside ‘
Been led by the ear to the front of the class ——- been picked up and comforted when i skinned both knees on the tarmac playground . All these things are taboo nowadays — didn’t help the kids in any shape or form .
agreed
todays policing problems are with the non smacked generation

[FUJIMO]

...generally speaking, most people are not mature enough to raise children, until they are in they're forties. of course, this isn't how it ever happens...well, for most anyways... (this will stir the pot)

[jackiewilson]

...generally speaking, most people are not mature enough to raise children, until they are in they're forties. of course, this isn't how it ever happens...well, for most anyways... (this will stir the pot)

Can‘t see why—- in my day most of my friends were married by the time they were 21– exceptions were EGGHEADS who couldn‘t pull a bird anyway and nerds !!!!!!
i was still 21 when my firstborn arrived ! Had four more with the same lady— enjoyed 38 years of bliss and tragedy— its called life .
Yesterday we all attended that ladies funeral—-my grandson George, he lives and works in SAN FRANCISCO. Took time out—- went through all the restrictions of COVID in both countries to attend .
Whole thing was live videod so the rest of those relations and friends who could not be there in person could actually watch the whole event. This was organised by another grandson SIMON — he is one of those modern day computer „“GEEKS“, piece of cake to him.
i grew up WITH MY KIDS —- far cry from todays parenting—- i actually took them out of school during term time —just to attend a race meeting in PARIS—-MILAN——BARCELONA —-SYDNEY—-ASTERDAM-
Was never once stopped by any teacher —any time —.
To this day, i still believe it did them all a lot more good than harm. They learned from a trip more than they would have done at school.
Of course, that is not allowed today—- i would be fined hundreds of pounds by the education authorities and called an „“UNCARING“ parent by some well trained but misguided and inexperienced ex university student holding down a well paid job . Actually-totally unqualified for the position.
By the time i was 40— i had five kids Think they were all teenagers by then —— was well matured in the art of child rearing long before i was forty.

[Lake X Kid]

...
i grew up WITH MY KIDS —- far cry from todays parenting—- i actually took them out of school during term time —just to attend a race meeting in PARIS—-MILAN——BARCELONA —-SYDNEY—-ASTERDAM-
Was never once stopped by any teacher —any time —.
To this day, i still believe it did them all a lot more good than harm. They learned from a trip more than they would have done at school.
Of course, that is not allowed today—- i would be fined hundreds of pounds by the education authorities and called an „“UNCARING“ parent by some well trained but misguided and inexperienced ex university student holding down a well paid job . Actually-totally unqualified for the position.
By the time i was 40— i had five kids Think they were all teenagers by then —— was well matured in the art of child rearing long before i was forty.

I know, that I personally benefited culturally from on-site experiences in foreign countries. Whereas compared to reading about it in a school textbook. Jackie like what you presented your kids, my Dad also provided for me (still a teenager) the opportunity to visit your country England. Plus, other race sites in Italy, France, Germany, Holland and Sweden too.

When he and the family came back to the states, he asked me was it worth it. And I told him, that I valued (and still do today) the cultural awakening, and the Europeans and Americans which I met in the process.

[jackiewilson]

I know, that I personally benefited culturally from on-site experiences in foreign countries. Whereas compared to reading about it in a school textbook. Jackie like what you presented your kids, my Dad also provided for me (still a teenager) the opportunity to visit your country England. Plus, other race sites in Italy, France, Germany, Holland and Sweden too.

When he and the family came back to the states, he asked me was it worth it. And I told him, that I valued (and still do today) the cultural awakening, and the Europeans and Americans which I met in the process.

tried to answer your message Roy appears i have been banned forever ?????????????

[RogerH]

I was fortunate to live / work in France for a couple of years ('82 - '84). I definitely agree with Roy's statements about "cultural awakening". As a family, this was the best thing we experienced / learned about different cultures and gained a better understanding of our own cultural upbringing. Most Americans have NO CLUE about culture and how it effects everything about them and others. We laughed every time the American tourist complained about there being no wash cloths in the "expensive" 5-star hotel they were staying in. You learn first hand why tourists are our worst ambassadors. They view everything they see and experience from their American cultural upbringing with very little, if any, open mindness to other culturals way of life. rant over

[jackiewilson]

I was fortunate to live / work in France for a couple of years ('82 - '84). I definitely agree with Roy's statements about "cultural awakening". As a family, this was the best thing we experienced / learned about different cultures and gained a better understanding of our own cultural upbringing. Most Americans have NO CLUE about culture and how it effects everything about them and others. We laughed every time the American tourist complained about there being no wash cloths in the "expensive" 5-star hotel they were staying in. You learn first hand why tourists are our worst ambassadors. They view everything they see and experience from their American cultural upbringing with very little, if any, open mindness to other culturals way of life. rant over

each and every country has its customs.language and history. This tends to be unique, and peculiar to that country.
Then you get divisions in that country even the mighty USA lays witness to that.
Ireland has the north and south —- Spain has the Basque region in its own domain .
South Africa—- India and Pakistan.
We can put ourselves about a bit——- learn about other culture—- just when you think you’re all smart and learned , some wiseacre comes out with „“i hope you don’t include me in that statement .
even in Italy — if you lived the other side of the lake -you were different .
We can teach our kids what we think is right —— that doesn’t mean to say its written in stone
Accents and dialects suffer the same discourse
Even brothers and sisters in the same house don’t always see eye to eye .

[FUJIMO]

had a va eye doctor , his name was molinari. you can imagine what happened at my first appointment. yep, spent more time talking about italy than my eyes. he said there were more than one group of molinari's. as i remember, different parts of italy, different economic levels and he was unaware of the boat builders.
...lol...the "smith's" of italy...;)...

[Lake X Kid]

each and every country has its customs.language and history. This tends to be unique, and peculiar to that country.
Then you get divisions in that country even the mighty USA lays witness to that.
Ireland has the north and south —- Spain has the Basque region in its own domain .
...
even in Italy — if you lived the other side of the lake -you were different .
We can teach our kids what we think is right —— that doesn’t mean to say its written in stone
Accents and dialects suffer the same discourse
Even brothers and sisters in the same house don’t always see eye to eye .

Jackie, and to others, which accents on the British Isles give you the hardest to understand?

There are some parts in the southern states of the USA, which are heavily accented. I have encountered those southern rural areas, and you sometimes you have to clearly pay attention to decipher all the words spoken.

Here is American John Wayne encountering Irish accents, which might not be common to his ears.
In this movie, I have to give my undivided attention (to understand his every word) the chap who starts revealing his fish stories.


https://youtu.be/L6YrqZ7HZ-0

[jackiewilson]

I love listening to American accents— Joe Gambone and his family in Valleyfield were very hard to understand at first. First time i met GENE TIPADEAUX i couldn’t understand a word he said . Larry Laudabach was another . Bronx and Harlem accents are difficult too .
My side of the pond is another place full of dialect that to any stranger would be difficult to understand… welsh have their own language which nobody but a native can ever understand .
Scots accent gets harder and more difficult the further north you go.
Yorkshire dialect is also very hard to understand—— my grandmother used to translate the old language for me ——-couple of examples , WHISTA BARN ????? [where are you going ?]
MARROW TO BONNY ! [just like— or similar to.
When i go back to Bradford i drop into Yorkshire mode without even thinking.
A true cockney using rhyming slang [ apples and pears for stairs —- daisy roots for boots etc] would leave most people for dead .
Cornish accent is similar to french and again difficult to comprehend .
i am pretty sure the same thing occurs in every other country.
Back to Ireland —- lovely country—-lovely people —divided by religion——with regional dialects in every corner . Should be the most peaceful place on earth —— but 400 years of conflict with England and still no solution doesn’t help anyone.

[GENE LANHAM]

I love listening to American accents— Joe Gambone and his family in Valleyfield were very hard to understand at first. First time i met GENE TIPADEAUX i couldn’t understand a word he said . Larry Laudabach was another . Bronx and Harlem accents are difficult too .
My side of the pond is another place full of dialect that to any stranger would be difficult to understand… welsh have their own language which nobody but a native can ever understand .
Scots accent gets harder and more difficult the further north you go.
Yorkshire dialect is also very hard to understand—— my grandmother used to translate the old language for me ——-couple of examples , WHISTA BARN ????? [where are you going ?]
MARROW TO BONNY ! [just like— or similar to.
When i go back to Bradford i drop into Yorkshire mode without even thinking.
A true cockney using rhyming slang [ apples and pears for stairs —- daisy roots for boots etc] would leave most people for dead .
Cornish accent is similar to french and again difficult to comprehend .
i am pretty sure the same thing occurs in every other country.
Back to Ireland —- lovely country—-lovely people —divided by religion——with regional dialects in every corner . Should be the most peaceful place on earth —— but 400 years of conflict with England and still no solution doesn’t help anyone.

----and if you are lucky--you will live long enough that you can purchase hearing aids that are guaranteed to improve your 'WORD RECOGNITION'---

Nope

[jackiewilson]

----and if you are lucky--you will live long enough that you can purchase hearing aids that are guaranteed to improve your 'WORD RECOGNITION'---

Nope
Been stone deaf in the left ear since i had a mastoid removed at the age of 14. managed perfectly well with the right one for the next 65 years . Then i got one of the dreaded hearing aids !!!!
Apparently its no good even thinking about a deaf aid for the left ear—- nothing left to pick up a sound wave . So i just have the one in the right ear . Supplied by the NHS for free , device works admirably most of the time . Lost the first one taking a leak on a flight from Miami to Gatwick—-aboard a DREAMLINER . Pushed the flush — just as the earpiece fell into the can —WHOOOOOOSH— straight out into the galaxy,
Second one lasted a little while longer —- watching TV , i do tend to take out the deaf -aid and leave it on the table at the side of my easy -lounger while using wi-fi head phones . Ate a satsuma that night, left the device under the peel. Scooped the lot up and threw it into the wood burner ——- resulting explosion damned near blew the feckin doors offen the stove —— frightened the crap out of both MURPHY AND INDY.
Had this last one some three years —- wonderful device —— impossible to use anywhere there are lots of people . I always take it out in a restaurant and lip read . One to one in a closed room its a great piece of kit —- anywhere else it sucks !!!!!!!!

[powerabout]

I had a great cultural awakening in Chicago once:
Boat Manufacturer from OZ moved to the USA ( Flightcraft - swallowed by Malibu shortly after)
Was at IMTEC, owner had a couple of aussie staff and about 6 -7 dealers/distributors from Canada to Florida.
Was all blokes at dinners so telling jokes etc.
One of the Canadians told a joke, the Texan sitting beside me elbows me and says "whaat did he saaayy" he couldn't understand him, wasnt even a French Canadian.
It was at moment I thought Americans need to get out more often, even a long road trip...

[jackiewilson]

Was up at crack-o-sparrow and out of the traps like a bat out of hell—— spun up the body for the BUTLER KNICKERWETTER SPECIAL—- changed the disc on 6 inch grinder —- cooking with gas !!!!
Felt a sharp sting on my right wrist —— blood pumped out onto the stainless steel workbench. Wondered what the hell i could have done . Looked at 2 inch slit that looked like a wide open silly grin knew instantly i was in trouble !!!!!!!!!
Her majesty wrapped a tea towel round my wrist—- then a hand towel —— held my arm up into the air —red juice still dripped off the elbow . Time for a swift visit to BOGNOR REGIS HOSPITAL.
INDY was licking up all the big drops with great gusto.
Was bundled into the trusty—LEXUS and smartly driven to said hospital —— they didn’t like red blood dripping all over the floor——- bad for business dontcha know — so was whisked into a treatment bay a bit smartish like.
Torniquayed the arm and put in five stitches [ sutures] and closed the grin.
Arm is now in a sling and i am thumping buttons with just the left hand index finger — there will probably be more info later !!!!!!!

[powerabout]

Was up at crack-o-sparrow and out of the traps like a bat out of hell—— spun up the body for the BUTLER KNICKERWETTER SPECIAL—- changed the disc on 6 inch grinder —- cooking with gas !!!!
Felt a sharp sting on my right wrist —— blood pumped out onto the stainless steel workbench. Wondered what the hell i could have done . Looked at 2 inch slit that looked like a wide open silly grin knew instantly i was in trouble !!!!!!!!!
Her majesty wrapped a tea towel round my wrist—- then a hand towel —— held my arm up into the air —red juice still dripped off the elbow . Time for a swift visit to BOGNOR REGIS HOSPITAL.
INDY was licking up all the big drops with great gusto.
Was bundled into the trusty—LEXUS and smartly driven to said hospital —— they didn’t like red blood dripping all over the floor——- bad for business dontcha know — so was whisked into a treatment bay a bit smartish like.
Torniquayed the arm and put in five stitches [ sutures] and closed the grin.
Arm is now in a sling and i am thumping buttons with just the left hand index finger — there will probably be more info later !!!!!!!


photos?

[powerabout]

oh, and get well soon...

[jackiewilson]

491975

Did like the afterthought —— what sort of a morbid old bugger wants pictures of a mans misfortunes anyway ——- here tis. Only one you will get. Yes it does bloody hurt—- and i am out of Action for a short while.

[2us70]

Jackie. I am famous in my family for shedding blood on every project. You have got me beat by a mile.

[FUJIMO]

...oh brother, your faffing around got you crippled once again. can't believe it. when will all this self mutilating stop?...;)...:cheers:...

[jackiewilson]

Part of the deal when FERNAGLING—-
little bit of red blood here and there
????????????????????

[powerabout]

491975

Did like the afterthought —— what sort of a morbid old bugger wants pictures of a mans misfortunes anyway ——- here tis. Only one you will get. Yes it does bloody hurt—- and i am out of Action for a short while.
I thought it was a show and tell thread?

Best wishes hope your back in action soon.

[jackiewilson]

Oh I’m sure i will be Pilgrim—-you can’t keep a good man down.
must confess to being a tad disappointed with myself. Don’t like to think it’s an age related thing,, more a lapse in concentration when i was hustling. A bit like clearing the table whilst carrying far too much cutlery and crockery and a fork falls on the floor???
found a tin plate World War One bi-plane. It’s called TRENCH ART—- reminded me of MIKE BUTLER for some strange reason.
By 9-00 am i had already spun up the fuselage of a solid alloy 12 inch bi-plane when the incident occurred . But it still might happen ——-BUTLER KNICKERWETTING SPECIAL ??????

[powerabout]

Oh I’m sure i will be Pilgrim—-you can’t keep a good man down.
must confess to being a tad disappointed with myself. Don’t like to think it’s an age related thing,, more a lapse in concentration when i was hustling. A bit like clearing the table whilst carrying far too much cutlery and crockery and a fork falls on the floor???
found a tin plate World War One bi-plane. It’s called TRENCH ART—- reminded me of MIKE BUTLER for some strange reason.
By 9-00 am i had already spun up the fuselage of a solid alloy 12 inch bi-plane when the incident occurred . But it still might happen ——-BUTLER KNICKERWETTING SPECIAL ??????


I have been thinking about getting a pair of those no cut gloves that butchers use.
Lots of good PPE stuff out there now, no crush ones are also great to use when lifting stuff.

[jackiewilson]

I have been thinking about getting a pair of those no cut gloves that butchers use.
Lots of good PPE stuff out there now, no crush ones are also great to use when lifting stuff.

What i really need, is a refresher course for my 90 year old think and memory box, before i start to think why the hell did i even wake up this morning , let alone go into the shop and wonder what the hell i was working on yesterday .

[jackiewilson]

491999492000492001

butler knickerwetter.

[Lake X Kid]

Growing up in Florida, I only remember one three-wheeled motorized vehicle on the streets. And it was a policeman’s motor bike in Gainesville.

Then as a teenager I saw some (very few and I did not know it at the time) Piaggio Ape in Italy. Later in life my girlfriend (at the time) and I rode in Tuk Tuks in Thailand whilst on vacation.

After just watching an episode of Wheeler Dealers TV show, I learned some of the older Piaggio Ape have become collector items. Now reflecting back on the past, the things at the time we took as novelty vehicles, are now worth more money than when they were new to certain collectors. Who knew?

~~~~~

Jackie will any of these models make it into the grasp of your fabricating hands?

492015

[FUJIMO]

...these trikes were the hot ticket from the early seventies on, for a number of years, until they outlawed them for injuring & killing too many riders...https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.fb6ef97c69cd576e401ed023c9706c81?rik=YhOnqCJ7dVKQcg&pid=ImgRaw&r=0

[FUJIMO]

https://i2.wp.com/www.bike-urious.com/wp-content/uploads/Honda-ATC70-Rear.jpg?ssl=1

[FUJIMO]

...honda made a few different sizes from 1972 to 1984...https://offroadingpro.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/red-1983-honda-atc-70-three-wheeler.jpg

[jackiewilson]

Sorry Roy— no chance — dont even like them.
OUT FOR A WHILE ANYWAY.
might even get the shed cleaned up—- am allowed in there if i turn off the LECCY .

[jackiewilson]

Ken HUDNELL had one —Mark nearly took his leg off riding the damn thing just before the IRONTON race .

[Lake X Kid]

My dad had one (do not recall the make/model) when he lived in Tennessee. I was not impressed with the handling. When they first became popular in the states, young people not old enough to drive on the streets gravitated to them. And I could envision guys out in the wooded area, going fast and getting airborne with those balloon tires.


And I think that was the problem, hit a bump and the tires will spring launch the guy & vehicle into the air, and then tragedy. They would lose control in air or landing, and the 3 Wheeler would land on them.



https://i.ytimg.com/vi/RcKmY5uluTc/hqdefault.jpg

[jackiewilson]

Problem was no leg protection—- nothing in front !!!!!! With four wheels , your legs are protected behind the machine , whereas a three wheeler leaves the legs exposed . Running close to any two foot high stump could take your leg off instantly. Dangerous device !!!!!!!!
Poorly Paw was throbbing all night—- something not quite right— will take a look later this morning.
After a day doing nothing— I’m bored out of my skull— somethings got to give —- afraid im growling and prowling— and thats not good !

[2us70]

I was a working paramedic when the 3 wheel atvs were out there. I was also riding motocross bikes back then. We found the worst injuries occurred when the riders put a foot down and the rear wheel would try run up the rider's leg.

[Lake X Kid]

I first witnessed a crop duster in north Florida. And I was mesmerized by his pilot skills, and I wanted to experience that maneuverability and sensation. These pilots are what some would label dare devils.

Later in life, I spent some years in the helicopter industry. And pilots would participate every two years in our training & safety course. The company’s instructor would reiterate Power Lines. Airplanes and helicopters flying into grass fields, sometimes would not see the power lines. Getting snagged by a power line, (flipping sometimes) and falling 30 to 40 feet from the air at X speed, is not conducive to good health and sometimes fatal. :mad:

The crop dusters do that routinely, avoiding power lines. I have seen many fields were the crop rows end 20 feet from the power line poles. I liken their pilot skill levels to racing. How far do you go toward the turn, before you slow down to negotiate the corner?

These air pilots have to judge how far down the crop rows do they go heading toward the power lines, before they pull back sharply on their elevator stick. And climb upward and over the power-lines, which are running the length of the adjacent road. Skill, judgement, and confidence in your equipment, with in some cases a full load.



https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/host.madison.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/21/3219c500-19b5-5a07-9d3b-66f02dcc56ff/53fcb8b4f4183.image.jpg

492069

[Lake X Kid]

492070

[Lake X Kid]

https://youtu.be/7lmhfOLTBUM

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=491999&d=1629278273

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492000&d=1629278298

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492001&d=1629278315

[jackiewilson]

Should be back in action next week. Got the all clear to drive again. Stitches come out a week next Monday . Workload is stacking up, really hoped to be further on with the „“BUTLER NIKKERWETTA“ BY NOW .
been a miserable week —- more like November than august .
When i see the pictures of the rest of the world —California and Greece on fire —— situation in Kabul.
i realise how fortunate i am.
thought we had a bit of a dickhead in Boris —— but thank God we dont have a dementia stricken leader, dont know who‘s pushing his buttons , but he certainly dropped his allies deep in the KA-KA with his bombshell pull out of Afghanistan .

[jackiewilson]

Spent Sunday tidying SUPERSHED. Some success , always had a bad habit of using tools and leaving them on the bench whilst i hurried on to the next task.
Consequences of this are a messy worktop and trailing cables — both tantamount to an accident about to happen.
So like the road to hell—im full of good intentions this week. Lets hope i can keep it up [as the archbishop said to the actress]. !!!!!!
at least four times a day, i feel the need to fix a screw to hold a tool closer to the working area —- or move an item from one place to another . Although SUPERSHED is fully built and equipped , i update machines and change kit because its not exactly what i wanted .
As a result, i just about have the best of everything i ever wanted ——machines—-tools—-supplies —. Trouble is when you get to this stage —— you run out of excuses for not producing .

[jackiewilson]

Saw Gene‘s picture of EDDIE RICKENBACHER and his SOPWITH CAMEL on facebook.
got me into looking at the history of ww1 aviation. Would appear there were more pilots killed learning to fly the sopwith camel than were killed in the conflict.
Most successful pilot was BARON VON RICHTHOFEN [THE RED BARON]. Shot down 80 allied aircraft. RICKENBACHER HAD 26 KILLS .
Red Baron was dead at 24 whilst EDDIE lived on to a ripe old age.
Very little is written of the exploits of Squadron leader Sir Archibald [ SPOTTY] Muldoon — First World War test pilot for SOPWITH Aviation .
he tested the BUTLER KNICKERWETTA to destruction . Was the first bi-plane to have Twin Vickers and a Lewis machine guns mounted on the same plane .
Was the plane that did for the old RED BARON .
I am In the middle of a concept of the said aircraft —- show you a piccie or two when its nearer completion ??????????????????????????

[jackiewilson]

Artillery is time consuming . Taken me most of the day to construct a pair of VICKERS MACHINE GUNS and a LEWIS GUN. Plus the flash bombs of the period .
Concept is coming together slowly but nicely—— think one or two of the old farts and certainly one of the new farts will like it.
vintage dinky toy. Planes sell for quite a bit—- and i have to tell you —— its working out better than any dinky toy i ever saw .
Sleepy Joe made a monumental cock up with the Afghan withdrawal——but he didn’t do it on his own, he only does what he’s told .
We always thought that Joe was just a stop gap— for Harris to step in when he completely lost his marbles —- which looks like it just happened . Poor old sod has been manipulated like a puppet since his inauguration. Been a while since some clown shot a president. Doors wide shut —-
Sooner be here where i am , than over there in the USA— seems like we with Boris the buffoon and all his failings are better off than you are with sleepy Joe.
With all this panic exodus from Afghan— it will be easy enough to infiltrate most civilised countries with well placed spies and insurgents . I know i will be looking over my shoulder a lot more than before .

[jackiewilson]

492306492307

Was walking through the streets of ARUNDEL this afternoon when i happened to come across this.
I had to smile to myself —- smart way to stop thieves .

[FUJIMO]

...awww fudge!...:smiletest:...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492307&d=1630005478

[techteam]

Hi Jackie,

Have you got the goss on Geico ?

[jackiewilson]

Hi Jackie,

Have you got the goss on Geico ?

All finishes December —- boat racing—-car racing —-air races ——Geico. Pulling the plug .
Miss Geico in negotiations with new owners . Present team disbanded .
Gary and Lou are off to pastures new .
they will announce what they are up to when they’re good and ready !

[WaterZebra]

All finishes December —- boat racing—-car racing —-air races ——Geico. Pulling the plug .
Miss Geico in negotiations with new owners . Present team disbanded .
Gary and Lou are off to pastures new .
they will announce what they are up to when they’re good and ready !

The gecko and TV ads have all disappeared too......................

[jackiewilson]

492364

Sneak preview of Squadron Leader Archibald [Spotty] Muldoon’s Butler Nikkawetta .

[FUJIMO]

...wow!...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492364&d=1630087968

[jackiewilson]

Took me best part of a morning to fernagle the propellor. First attempt was a bit agricultural so i binned it immediately.
Second attempt proved better. Had an old chunk of Burmese Teak that was too small to make anything out of . Enough left to do four more props .
Has beautiful figuring and the grain goes with the shape well.
Blowed if i didn’t just pick up a light plane nacelle from the scrapyard, never been used . I will think of a use for it one day, but not right now .just a few minor parts —ie ; the wind breakers for the pilot and the decals —I’d numbers . Getting close though . SPOTTY MULDOON would like it though . He would have been 121 next week.

[jackiewilson]

492468492469

Had a long easy day Sunday. Polished up the aircraft nacelle , then set to work on the D-TYPE JAGUAR KNOCK ON WHEEL NUT . Half the chrome had long gone and the wings were well battered from many hammering with a heavy copper hammer . Favourite weapon of the pit crew . Was cast out of solid brass -or phosphor bronze —- came up like burnished gold . You can actually see me taking a picture of it in the reflection. Do not have any provenience whatsoever . Bought it at the car boot sale , guy told me it was owned by a man called JACK CUNNINGHAM who once owned a D-TYPE JAG .
Trouble is-folk at car boot sales have wilder imaginations than i ever did.
Sold a lot of my surplus machinery —-continual stream of buyers —- might find enough room to actually get back to work.

[powerabout]

Any TV footage of Cowes race?
Drew and Miles won again
I think just about every boat was in its own class

[jackiewilson]

Any TV footage of Cowes race?
Drew and Miles won again
I think just about every boat was in its own class

no losers on the 60th anniversary run in the COWES/TORQUAY. Was an exhibition run really with a lot of million dollar restorations taking part .

[powerabout]

no losers on the 60th anniversary run in the COWES/TORQUAY. Was an exhibition run really with a lot of million dollar restorations taking part .
Going fast in old fibreglass makes me nervous...

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492468&d=1630303402

[FUJIMO]

...its a reflection of your work jack...;)...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492469&d=1630303436

[jackiewilson]

After the events of the last few years —- the friends i had —-terrible things happen to young—middle age and old aged people .
I do my damndest to keep active without running out of breath using ALL my energy jogging .
I keep my mind active reading—crossword puzzles—-remembering all the things i think i have forgotten.
Arthritis is a worry, so i work my hands until cramp locks the fingers .
I have watched friends who had far too much alcohol—it gets the better of you in the end.
I know Friends and relations who have suffered the dreaded dementia.
People ask me why i work such long hours at the tender age of 89– i simply cannot be arsed to answer
After boating golf played a large part in my life —then it got so i wasn’t enjoying it that much any more . So i started fernagling concepts — made a few respectable pieces ——found out i was enjoying it .
Moved house and constructed SUPERSHED. Furnished with every bit of machinery i ever wanted and more besides .
Was really looking forward to the 50th HAVASU REUNION and the Tavares old farts meet —- but the world situation at the moment looks like I’m not going to make it .
you just have to roll as the punches come —step sideways —-duck and dive —- just dont let them land —that way you get to live to fight another day.

[FUJIMO]

...you are an inspiration mr. jack...agree with what you wrote & strive to do the same...

[jackiewilson]

492563

Sometimes in life -things don‘t go exactly to plan —this was one of those occasions !
moment of a lapse in concentration can be a tad inconvenient. Unfortunately i cut clean through a vein result was quite spectacular though i do not recommend anyone to try it .
Had the stitches out yesterday—last bank holiday Monday before Christmas . A+E was deserted — amazing how nobody is injured or seeking medical care during the holidays ?

[jackiewilson]

492564
Didn‘t quite work out the way i expected - five stitches didn‘t pull it all back together .
MUST TAKE MORE CARE !!!!!!!!!!!

[Lake X Kid]

https://scontent-lax3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/241123263_1949472345216912_1438439420706236764_n.jpg?_nc_cat=103&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=8wm6V8Uuw04AX8Wpkjy&tn=aI0O8WVTgIrlccBf&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-2.xx&oh=5303e2aa738c1a79d9b71882b3147e99&oe=6132B57A

[Lake X Kid]

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/p526x296/240739899_10227091159724852_8292454847086338771_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-5&_nc_sid=825194&_nc_ohc=3c71gYINFrcAX9b30YT&_nc_ht=scontent-lax3-1.xx&oh=e67194a3204bc1131876dfd51e12f845&oe=6152A683

[jackiewilson]

HAVENT QUITE FIGURED OUT THAT ONE YET ROY.
do not think Serena would make the top ten best looking birds ever met—- but as my sainted mother used to say „“looks aren’t everything“.
Bloody Thursday already again !!!!! Car boot and scrapyard —- thinking i might JUST cobble a KARLESON as the next project . Somebody might buy it —- sales are at an all time low—and storage space is at a premium .

[FUJIMO]

...man, that was a bad one. they shoulda left the stitches in a while longer, knowing that that is a major hinge point and all. i've always taken out my own stitches. its easy & completely painless to do...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492564&d=1630394212

[jackiewilson]

At my age Fuji— nothin is “painless“——everything is painful !!!!!!! I have aches upon ache—- even if i nearly bump into something a bloody big technicolour bruise appears. Daren‘t raise my arms above my head when I’m starkers in bed —- the wings that hang down from wrist to my elbow i could fly solo with down a mountain .
Dingleberry That coined growing old gracefully, has quite obviously never been there . Probably some up and coming literate trying to make a name for himself !!!!!!!!
Nothing over here is any better than it was a year ago——- no planes in the air—— can’t travel anywhere —especially USA.
Boris trying to justify 20 years and 400 military killed in Afghanistan [and failing miserably] but his failings are nothing compared to the monumental cock ups of sleepy Joe . Im not even going down that road !!!!!!!!
Covid is still not under control in spite of the Most rigorous lockdown anywhere —— toughest masking and distancing —-twin vaccinations with a third in the offing any time soon. Bastard virus still has not been tamed . We have had at least four variations —- first was the chinky —- last one was Indian— it‘ll be while yet before we get back to normal.
Good day at both the car boot, the recycling facility and the workshop—-wont tell you what im working on ‚Till It‘s done . At least two weeks.

[powerabout]

At my age Fuji— nothin is “painless“——everything is painful !!!!!!! I have aches upon ache—- even if i nearly bump into something a bloody big technicolour bruise appears. Daren‘t raise my arms above my head when I’m starkers in bed —- the wings that hang down from wrist to my elbow i could fly solo with down a mountain .
Dingleberry That coined growing old gracefully, has quite obviously never been there . Probably some up and coming literate trying to make a name for himself !!!!!!!!
Nothing over here is any better than it was a year ago——- no planes in the air—— can’t travel anywhere —especially USA.
Boris trying to justify 20 years and 400 military killed in Afghanistan [and failing miserably] but his failings are nothing compared to the monumental cock ups of sleepy Joe . Im not even going down that road !!!!!!!!
Covid is still not under control in spite of the Most rigorous lockdown anywhere —— toughest masking and distancing —-twin vaccinations with a third in the offing any time soon. Bastard virus still has not been tamed . We have had at least four variations —- first was the chinky —- last one was Indian— it‘ll be while yet before we get back to normal.
Good day at both the car boot, the recycling facility and the workshop—-wont tell you what im working on ‚Till It‘s done . At least two weeks.


The only consolation is China is shutting down but then we find out how many parts in things we buy come from china so you cant get anything.

[jackiewilson]

Most stringent rules and total vaccination was ISRAEL —- yet here it is overun with the damned covid again as a fourth or is it fifth strain hits them . Only MONGOLIA has a worse record—-.
We only have ourselves to blame for the fact China supplies the whole world with SHODDYWARE .
Best products in the world were available for a decent price in all civilised countries . Then china starts producing throwaway lookalikes at half the price . How in the world did we fall for that one ?
I only have to look in my own workshop to compare well made tooling from even before the First World War , to modern day throwout rubbish !!!!!!!
Battery operated tools —-drills—rattle guns —-saws etc; I must have had five different sets in the last ten years ——sure , they do get a little better each time . From cell batteries to cad —to lithium .
Started out at twenty quid — now they’re two hundred quid —- handy thats for sure —- dont make you a better craftsman . Just able to charge more for your service . But then isn’t everything ten times more than it was before ?????? From houses —cars—appliances —food —-gasoline —-taxes —-wages —constant spiral that is now totally out of control. Golfers getting a thousand dollars a stroke —- footballers a thousand dollars a kick —-tennis players a thousand dollars a point—- Filmstars a million a word !!!!! And, lets not get into I T —- just an idea can net you a billion . Can’t help but wonder where the hell it is exactly that i come into all this ?????

[powerabout]

Most stringent rules and total vaccination was ISRAEL —- yet here it is overun with the damned covid again as a fourth or is it fifth strain hits them . Only MONGOLIA has a worse record—-.
We only have ourselves to blame for the fact China supplies the whole world with SHODDYWARE .
Best products in the world were available for a decent price in all civilised countries . Then china starts producing throwaway lookalikes at half the price . How in the world did we fall for that one ?
I only have to look in my own workshop to compare well made tooling from even before the First World War , to modern day throwout rubbish !!!!!!!
Battery operated tools —-drills—rattle guns —-saws etc; I must have had five different sets in the last ten years ——sure , they do get a little better each time . From cell batteries to cad —to lithium .
Started out at twenty quid — now they’re two hundred quid —- handy thats for sure —- dont make you a better craftsman . Just able to charge more for your service . But then isn’t everything ten times more than it was before ?????? From houses —cars—appliances —food —-gasoline —-taxes —-wages —constant spiral that is now totally out of control. Golfers getting a thousand dollars a stroke —- footballers a thousand dollars a kick —-tennis players a thousand dollars a point—- Filmstars a million a word !!!!! And, lets not get into I T —- just an idea can net you a billion . Can’t help but wonder where the hell it is exactly that i come into all this ?????


Branson, Bezos and Musk, billionaires of companies that have never made a profit.
Printing money has made a fake economy

[jackiewilson]

492774
Bunch of my great grandchildren taking a break in the Peak District this last week .
Middle daughter BOO‘S grandkids .

[FUJIMO]

...nice look'n group j.w...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492774&d=1630780783

[jackiewilson]

Received two letters Saturday morning . One from Scottish power informing me that the cost of electricity will increase as winter approaches .
second was from the gas company [totally french owned ] informing me that gas would cost me more this winter .
AND THE GOVERNMENT THOUGHT IT WAS SMART SELLING OFF ITS ASSETS????
i presume that this means my state pension will increase as i sit here waiting for the third letter ?????
Looks like the USA is already suffering from the second wave of covid —- hope you dont have the same amount of really stupid people over there as we have here . You know the ones that i mean, those that believe covid is not going anywhere near them, and they are young and athletic and it wont affect them anyway. My message to you all is “”GET VACCINATED —-.
I have already lost too many friends to the damned covid —- including my best friend [who just happened to be American]. Reed Eller .
Started on a vague concept of a KARELSON yesterday— inspired by the picture of JOHN SHERLOCK standing atop one of them after a world record run. Don’t look anything like it at the moment —-but i can do better —- i got ambition.!!!!!!

[FUJIMO]

https://www.thehulltruth.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=392566&stc=1&d=1390859209

[jackiewilson]

492800

Not much to show for two days solid work —— it’ll be alright on the night .

[jackiewilson]

JUST WATCHED HALF THE USA POPULATION ATTENDING COLLEGE FOOTBALL MATCHES ???????
Apparently the powers that be have lost all sense of reason— have they learn nothing from the rest of the world that covid is a killer ????
we are 90% vaccinated here, and on our third wave of infection—- had months [even years] of lockdown. Even talk of a fourth jab its a done deal we will get a third jab.
Wherever there’s a huge congregation of human beings there’s a mass outbreak—- only now are the rules being relaxed for crowd control—- and yes , covid cases are on the increase again.
Yes it has caused death in the family and members of my immediate family have been affected and infected , so im not talking out of my arse , but from experience.
to ALL my American friends —please take care.

[z1rider]

All those kids have a 99.99 % survival rate. Nothing to worry about.

[jackiewilson]

492851492852

24 hours on and a good day in the shop —- lets just say “it’s taking shape”.

[jackiewilson]

492862

Guy came in and bought three of the old concepts —- Things are on the up .

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492800&d=1630863725

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492851&d=1630954729

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492852&d=1630954751

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492862&d=1631020220

[jackiewilson]

Bloody Thursday again —second one in September . Winters a coming !!!!!!!!!!
store here called RANGE— had some really nice patio seats and sofas — bit bloody pricey , so i thought i would take a wander in there and see if i could do a deal— now this is Wednesday 8th September . So i meander upstairs where its total mayhem. Not a seat or sofa in sight — i ask where the patio furniture has been moved to ???????? I’m told its all back in the warehouse to make room for THE CHRISTMAS SHOW ????????? Just how damned stupid is that ???
Three weeks to go in September ——October ——November ——December —- sixteen feckin weeks !!!
At that stupid rate , Easter eggs should be on sale in October —- has the world gone totally bonkers ?????

[FUJIMO]

...the lack of "corporate" in-store retail management & salespeople knowledge has always made me shake my head in disbelief. we are talking just plain common sense. there is none. have had family members in it for 30 plus years. its a losing business model. always will be, in these modern times. back in the 40's, 50's & 60's, etc. was a different story...

[powerabout]

...the lack of "corporate" in-store retail management & salespeople knowledge has always made me shake my head in disbelief. we are talking just plain common sense. there is none. have had family members in it for 30 plus years. its a losing business model. always will be, in these modern times. back in the 40's, 50's & 60's, etc. was a different story...
China realized a while back the online selling has skipped a whole middle class of infrastructure.
One of my relatives did a 5 year job ( marketing research) with one of the top retailers in Bejing, the owner is well connected with the CCP.
He told me a few years back alibaba will be shrunk and Jack Ma pushed aside.
It has created one rich bloke and a huge number of low paid workers.
Hence a uni student leaving school says to his mate, ' So are you going to be putting it in the box or delivering it"

[FUJIMO]

...tgif...:smiletest:...

[Lake X Kid]

China realized a while back the online selling has skipped a whole middle class of infrastructure.
One of my relatives did a 5 year job ( marketing research) with one of the top retailers in Bejing, the owner is well connected with the CCP.
He told me a few years back alibaba will be shrunk and Jack Ma pushed aside.
It has created one rich bloke and a huge number of low paid workers.
Hence a uni student leaving school says to his mate, ' So are you going to be putting it in the box or delivering it"

Jack Ma officially stepped down as an executive chairman of the Alibaba e-commerce empire on his 55th birthday, 10 September 2019.
In 2020, Jack Ma was the Richest Man in China, with a fortune of 65.6 billion.

Today is one of the world’s richest man's birthday. What do men like Jack Ma receive on their birthdays? —maybe Patio Furniture for one of his residences.

[FUJIMO]

Today is one of the world’s richest man's birthday. What do men like Jack Ma receive on their birthdays? —maybe Patio Furniture for one of his residences.
...lol...:thumbsup:...

[jackiewilson]

...lol...:thumbsup:...

this Jack has just the one residence —— all paid for —- no mortgage —-with a decent gazebo that works and a new table and chairs set . I do not owe anyone anything. Can afford the next meal and the TRUSTY LEXUS has a few miles left in her . I’m in rude health —- workshop is complete and i have a couple of decent concepts on the go . Life is not too shabby at the moment . 90th birthday coming up afore long , so have lots to look forward too.

[Lake X Kid]

What is Jackie doing carrying Bob, :smiletest: and helping the OMC team at Parker? :confused:

I thought Jackie was a dedicated Mercury guy. Surely, Willabee is not aware of this.
Or it could be his Hollywood movie double.



https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492999&d=1631210080

[powerabout]

Jack Ma officially stepped down as an executive chairman of the Alibaba e-commerce empire on his 55th birthday, 10 September 2019.
In 2020, Jack Ma was the Richest Man in China, with a fortune of 65.6 billion.

Today is one of the world’s richest man's birthday. What do men like Jack Ma receive on their birthdays? —maybe Patio Furniture for one of his residences.


I think Jack Ma is now sitting in a small..well actually nobody knows where he is..

[jackiewilson]

What is Jackie doing carrying Bob, :smiletest: and helping the OMC team at Parker? :confused:

I thought Jackie was a dedicated Mercury guy. Surely, Willabee is not aware of this.
Or it could be his Hollywood movie double.



https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=492999&d=1631210080
Not guilty Roy— how do i know?—i have never worn a ring in my life —certainly not two—and silver !!!!!!! Just another wannabe I’m afraid .
Bob and i were friends forever — raced together — our kids grew up together —met at race sites all over the world .
i Taught him how to race a tunnel—-sold him his first one [BOBCAT ——SMALL SCHULTZE ]— he used to drive way over his head in the early days had a couple of bad flips before he settled down into a very good driver .

[Lake X Kid]

The US Open 2021, another victory for the Union Jack.
18 year old Emma Raducanu receives the winners check of 2.5 million US dollars.


https://youtu.be/iryr3afbyFA

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.B7qmlCBqg7HUuEHyteXWxgHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1

[jackiewilson]

The US Open 2021, another victory for the Union Jack.
18 year old Emma Raducanu receives the winners check of 2.5 million US dollars.


https://youtu.be/iryr3afbyFA

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.B7qmlCBqg7HUuEHyteXWxgHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1

Now that proves that dreams—fairy tales —wishes —hopes — plus a fair amount of ability can do wonderful things.
Still cannot quite bring myself to believe she never even dropped one set ——-something never ever achieved before in a grand slam.
Well done Emma —— we have an honest tennis champion at last.

[jackiewilson]

Been head down and arse up most of the weekend . As usual my butterfly mind has been in overdrive !
Decided i would do a version of EDDIE RICKENBACKERS BI-PLANE from the First World War —- first thing Saturday i scrapped all i had been working on —-binned the lot — went a bit bigger and heavier GUAGE materials . So for two days I’ve been fernagling and beavering —- dangerous twosome !
Fuselage —— wings and tail plane ——prop —-artillery and exhausts are sculpted but not finished — wired up the airframe —aka WW1 —- main jobs done —- now comes the clever bit —— polishing —stitching and artwork ———- well, it’ll either make it or it won’t .
Means the KARELSON got put on the back burner for a while and i still haven’t got the decals and art work for the “MAN CALLED MERT” —- but I’ve got ambition .
Whole of England is over the moon with EMMA. Papers are full of her —-life for that little girl will never be the same again.
HAMILTON AND VERSTAPPEN had a coming together in Italy — according to some reports we now have a MAD MAX CRASHTATTEN ??????? I’M NOT EVEN GOING TO COMMENT .
See if i can’t get some product finished this week ——- i have the RED BARON and a TRIPLANE niggling at the back of my mind.
AND THE DAYS DWINDLE DOWN —-TO A PRECIOUS FEW —— SEPTEMBER —-NOVEMBER ?????????

[FUJIMO]

https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.0JAy7J_j90Lm4L_hhyAVCAHaEU?pid=ImgDet&rs=1

[jackiewilson]

Here’s one just for you Fuji—— moved in here April 12th—- SUPERSHED took a month to construct—was 8 weeks before it was fully operational. Foggie shows a lot of the concepts I’ve done in that time .493069
Was hoping to take them to Havasu—-then on to tHe old farts in November . But with the world screwed up like it is — i just can’t see it happening.

[FUJIMO]

...looks like its been there forever...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493069&d=1631568142

[powerabout]

the F1 crash made the race more interesting...maybe Bernie is still giving advice on how to get viewers?

[jackiewilson]

the F1 crash made the race more interesting...maybe Bernie is still giving advice on how to get viewers?
Have to smile to myself —- i dont watch F1 anymore, its only shown on pay to view channels here in England . BBC and itv do show highlights occasionally, but thats it . So i can sit back and listen to knowledgable comments of others .
one of the main comments is “Lewis hasn’t got an ounce of talent— its the car he’s driving !!!!!”
I never heard that one before , or any time in the past . When Schuhmacher won with the all conquering Ferrari—— and Vettel won with the untouchable Red Bull—- it was the driver that won. They would have won if they were driving a bloody VEE-DUB. Ask anybody?????
But in those days it was a sport as opposed to an advertisement for product worth billions worldwide .
Clever buggers in F1 today are BERNIE ——EDDIE IRVINE——ROSS BRAWN—- they are the playmakers —— True — F1 is not the exciting thing to me that it was before —- maybe im getting older — childhood things get left behind ?????
I am still a true patriot at heart—- i love it when an English person comes out on top— I’m sure same thing applies world wide —- Italians adore a champion [especially when he or she is Italian ] same thing with the Spanish.
French do a lot of wishful thinking - whilst the Aussies and Americans EXPECT !!!!! So i will root for an Englishman [or woman— this does not include transgenders ] any day of the week

you must have noticed as you go through life how much better JOE DOKES could do the job ?????

[techteam]

One of these days your missus is going looking for that boules set and then the Sh1t is really going to hit the fan.

[powerabout]

Have to smile to myself —- i dont watch F1 anymore, its only shown on pay to view channels here in England . BBC and itv do show highlights occasionally, but thats it . So i can sit back and listen to knowledgable comments of others .
one of the main comments is “Lewis hasn’t got an ounce of talent— its the car he’s driving !!!!!”
I never heard that one before , or any time in the past . When Schuhmacher won with the all conquering Ferrari—— and Vettel won with the untouchable Red Bull—- it was the driver that won. They would have won if they were driving a bloody VEE-DUB. Ask anybody?????
But in those days it was a sport as opposed to an advertisement for product worth billions worldwide .
Clever buggers in F1 today are BERNIE ——EDDIE IRVINE——ROSS BRAWN—- they are the playmakers —— True — F1 is not the exciting thing to me that it was before —- maybe im getting older — childhood things get left behind ?????
I am still a true patriot at heart—- i love it when an English person comes out on top— I’m sure same thing applies world wide —- Italians adore a champion [especially when he or she is Italian ] same thing with the Spanish.
French do a lot of wishful thinking - whilst the Aussies and Americans EXPECT !!!!! So i will root for an Englishman [or woman— this does not include transgenders ] any day of the week

you must have noticed as you go through life how much better JOE DOKES could do the job ?????
Whats Eddie Irvine up to, last news was his charge for a dust up in a Milan night club over a chick?

[jackiewilson]

What Eddie Irvine up to, last news was his charge for a dust up in a Milan night club over a chick?
Oh that one —- Eddie did a CK. —- bought the night club — employed her as a hostess !!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

493116/
1977 i had a mad fit of depression and bought BROOKLANDS FARM In SHIPLEY WEST SUSSEX .
90% derilect but the farmhouse did have five bedrooms and parking for a dozen cars —- all the kids had at least one and a half cars each——i had two or three and the wife had one . Lived there for 22 years .
Was just like the NHS swallowed money at an alarming rate——no matter how hard i worked —i couldn’t keep up with it !!!!
BUT THE KIDS AND THE GRANDKIDS LOVED IT —— they all learned how to drive a tractor—ride a horse [or a pig —maybe a cow ] ride a motorbike and drive a car .
Deposit [down payment] for the farm was A GMC PANEL TRUCK and the greasy spoon transport cafe i had bought a couple of years previously.
Car the kids used and learned to drive was a two seater DUTTON i had swopped for 22 mahogany doors .

[FUJIMO]

...nice pic jack...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493116&d=1631638532

[jackiewilson]

Lived there for 22 years—— great place to raise kids and grandkids —— Mark had his first workshop there —— built the MERCURY HOSPITALITY COACH there .
Wasn’t sorry to leave in the end . Always seemed like there was another job waiting to be done .
grandson Craig just bought his self a farmhouse in florida , similar to BROOKLAANDS .

[jackiewilson]

Spent all day yesterday improving the abrasive table —— re-locating the disc sander —- the belt and disc linisher midget belt sander and the wire wheel . Made it so i can walk around the table without injuring. Myself . Put a new wheel an the polisher . First time i have had a chance to stop and smell the roses . Usually doing my blue arsed fly routine —— trying to disappear up my own rectum.
bit more of the same today, before rushing headlong into the next project .
papers and media are full of winter woes —-thousands more due to fill up the nhs beds ——- less people dying from covid ——-just getting pig sick of it all.
If im honest — nothing much affects me — unless i chop off a finger —— or a failed suicide attempt ?
just the ordinary everyday life of a country boy, doncha know .

[powerabout]

Italians adore a champion [especially when he or she is Italian ] same thing with the Spanish.



apparently Ricciardo spoke some Italian on the podium..

[jackiewilson]

Surprise — surprise —- DANIEL RICCARDO ????? TUSCANY—???-PUGLIO—???- mum and dad have to be full blown Italians .

[jackiewilson]

493134

Very last of the sweet peas —-plus a few PALL MALL roses that got knocked over in the wind and rain yesterday.

[jackiewilson]

I would like a couple of good photos of the KARELSON EVINRUDE RIG THAT HOLDS THE WORLDS OUTBOARD RECORD . Was owned by my two friends Bedford Davey and Gary Garbrecht . Whole attempt was sponsored solely by Bedford . Just need to make something vaguely resembling it.

[powerabout]

I would like a couple of good photos of the KARELSON EVINRUDE RIG THAT HOLDS THE WORLDS OUTBOARD RECORD . Was owned by my two friends Bedford Davey and Gary Garbrecht . Whole attempt was sponsored solely by Bedford . Just need to make something vaguely resembling it.
I'd be a buyer for that

[jackiewilson]

I'd be a buyer for that

You have to understand Pilgrim—— i dont do models —replicas —- copy’s or any of that kinda stuff .
everything i does is ruled and done by the heart and the head and limited ability with an abundance of enthusiasm —- if you can live with that — we have a deal !

[powerabout]

You have to understand Pilgrim—— i dont do models —replicas —- copy’s or any of that kinda stuff .
everything i does is ruled and done by the heart and the head and limited ability with an abundance of enthusiasm —- if you can live with that — we have a deal !
yes if the concept gives the clue away of what it is based on.

[jackiewilson]

yes if the concept gives the clue away of what it is based on.

always do that Pilgrim ——— Man called MERT has a cowling that resembles the original —-three versions with three different motors A single pipe —- a two pipe and a three piper —-take your pick’ BUTLER Is the One is in the box trailer, which is one of the original Mercury press pictures .
just a case of seek and ye shall find —- clues are there if you look hard enough.
spent every bit of the day fernagling a V8 Rude ——— made out of solid alloy block two pieces of 2x2x2 stitched together —- that gives me the power head and mid section —-just needs a quickie gearcase —— then that just leaves the boat ?????
just to make it clear ——-spellcheck was the clever bugger that wrote “EVERYTHING I DOES “ — i abhor bad English and always read everything i write twice , so will apologise for the mistake .
there is no excuse for bad spelling and punctuation, these days — or incorrect grammar .

[jackiewilson]

493191

There;s a couple of versions of MERT right there on the worktop.
I like to think that there’s a couple of clues somewhere in there .

[powerabout]

yep, got to be red of course...

[jackiewilson]

yep, got to be red of course...

Would a SHOCKING PINK suffice ???????????? ——-just kidding—— it will be red with a dash of polish here and there.
claiming the fifth and artists licence makes me INVINCIBLE!!!!!!!

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493134&d=1631711106

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493191&d=1631777668

[jackiewilson]

BIT disappointed nobody sent in a piccie or two of the world record outboard boat i asked for!!!
Normally — Fuji—-Tech team or Peters would show an abundance of pictures from all angles .
There’s only a very few incomplete pictures on google —— i want a back—front and side view to give me the sort of overall picture to create a half decent concept for the Pilgrim [POWERABOUT].
Far more piccies available of MERT’s record boat .
Was hoping to take half a dozen concepts to HAVASU , but its looking more and more unlikely due to the travel restrictions we have over here .
yes i have had the two PFIZER jabs and am due the third any time soon , but im still not able to make the trip as yet . HAVENT given up hope completely but as of today its looking highly unlikely.

[powerabout]

BIT disappointed nobody sent in a piccie or two of the world record outboard boat i asked for!!!
Normally — Fuji—-Tech team or Peters would show an abundance of pictures from all angles .
There’s only a very few incomplete pictures on google —— i want a back—front and side view to give me the sort of overall picture to create a half decent concept for the Pilgrim [POWERABOUT].
Far more piccies available of MERT’s record boat .
Was hoping to take half a dozen concepts to HAVASU , but its looking more and more unlikely due to the travel restrictions we have over here .
yes i have had the two PFIZER jabs and am due the third any time soon , but im still not able to make the trip as yet . HAVENT given up hope completely but as of today its looking highly unlikely.
I think there is a thread on BRF that Greg posted of his restore of the boat, trying to find it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLDM1kE8pVw

[jackiewilson]

493278

New patio furniture was delivered 8-00 pm yesterday—— good time to buy — big discounts available — nobody wants stock left over the winter . Cash needed for seasonal goods and storage space is expensive .——-despite my best efforts — damned seats still cost more than i wanted to pay .
by the way —- there is still one version of „“THE MAN CALLED MERT „“ available . PM me and I’ll quote a price to all interested parties .—-

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493278&d=1631946277

[jackiewilson]

I think there is a thread on BRF that Greg posted of his restore of the boat, trying to find it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLDM1kE8pVw
Low quality vid . Probably from a TV news cast —- whole thing is piss poor !!!!
very few good pics of the record breaking Karelson.—— not to worry —i will fernagle something almost recognisable .

[jackiewilson]

493307493308

Don‘t look much for two days work does it ?—-but I’m on the move again —haven‘t worked out the „“ergonomics“ yet , but i got an idea as Michael Caine once said in „“THE ITALIAN JOB“ !!!!!!!!!!
Motor is all aluminium with a passable five blade brass prop i picked up for a fiver at Thursday‘s car boot sale .
would be a lot easier if i just made the whole thing out of timber —- but i don‘t do easy — why do it easy when you can make it so difficult without really trying ??????
have some clear time for the next few days . Believe it or not thats a rare thing for me . I dont do anything —HAVENT got a job —- nearly 90 years old —how the hell can i be so BUSY ???????
F‘rinstance —- Thursday—- car boot with daughter BOO from 8-00 am —- after that the tomato farm picking up 20 lbs of siscillian finest giants . Lunch at LA CAMPAGNIA in Arundel. Back home for four which leaves me just an hour in the shop.
FRIDAY—— four hours in the shop, then off to Sams for the afternoon ——my sisters wedding anniversary so its big eats and buckets of champagne ——- Snow crab—-King Prawns and fillet steak on the beach bar-b-que . Home by ten shattered .
Saturday— car boot and scrapyard . Just an hour in the shop and then off to Boo and Jeffs for Sunday lunch—- back home for four —— just another hour in the shop .
Here i am in bed —- 7-00 am Sunday morning——- i do have the morning to myself —after my eggs benedict and the Sunday crossword .
Just dont have the time to grow old gracefully ?????????

[jackiewilson]

Wow!!!!!!!! Today i ate bear —-best fillet —- nailed a couple of insurmountable problems - Garbrechts KARELSON is splendiferous —— looks more like the real thing than the original !!!!! That’s just me being mr Modesto. Well worth the money PILGRIM—- WHATEVER I CHARGE YOU .
Mind you , this is version four plus two binliners—- knew i would eventually nail the damn thing —- i always do. !!!!!!! Might be because its a „:“RUDE“ .

[FUJIMO]

...(always the salesman)...;)...

[jackiewilson]

...(always the salesman)...;)...

who—-me ???????????????? Just your average 89 year old filling up a sunday !!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

Know when you remember your old teachers sayings —?????
WILLIAM ROCHESTER HASWELL was principal at Halifax Tech— always told me WILSON-YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT !!!!!! —it‘s haunted me all my life .
one of the reasons almost every concept i do, winds up as three of the buggers .
GOOD—VERY GOOD AND EXCELLENT—— the rest i chuck in the bin !!!!!
well pleased with the V8 racing RUDE . Think PILGRIM might like it too.
man wants it red—so red it will be — other two will be polished wood —polished alloy and red of course !

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493307&d=1632033815

[jackiewilson]

actually looks a lot better than that in the flesh so to speak. Hung on the back of the KARELSON it looks even better .
DID GET THE FIRST COAT OF RED ON THE TIMBERWORK.
https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493307&d=1632033815. I quite often use capitals without really trying . I cannot look at the screen and dab the keys without looking at them —- i have to see what i thump— same as always .
Have just two and half boats on the go at once this time —- hoping one of them comes out half tidy .

[jackiewilson]

493366
STAGE LEFT PILGRIM—- THAT WAS THIS MORNING-== HAD ANOTHER SIX HOURS ON IT SIMCE THEN. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE A RESEMBLANCE AFFORE LONG .
Only have the Morning tomorrow . Off to SHOREHAM for lunch with a couple of friends ‚
decided to hand paint this time ——- bit tedious but i used to be a bit useful with a brushp—- just hope i haven’t forgotten how .
I’m told you never forget three things in your life —-HOW TO RIDE A BIKE —— SEX!!!!!!! And how to Paint . I‘m good with the first two. [Providing i can take the fifth]. I‘ll let you know tomorrow on the third

[FUJIMO]

https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493308&d=1632033847

[techteam]

I'm impressed with your influence over Boris Johnson, OFF here we come.

[jackiewilson]

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES THIS MORNING WERE —- FEMALE BANK OPERATIVE AWARDED THOUSANDS BECAUSE HER MANAGER CALLED HER „“A BIRD“—
English judge ruled that it was immoral and derogatory to refer to a female as „“a bird“. Excuse me !!!! That is not a derogatory remark—— thats a compliment.
The female genders cannot be called —DOLLS—CHICKS—HONEYS — has the world finally gone totally bonkers .
building site workers are now banned from wolf-whistling !!!!!!!! I cannot think of a better way of complimenting a bird with shapely legs or a great pair of knockers , than a wolf whistle . I’m guilty of that brazen and now illegal act—- been doing it since i was fourteen!!!!
A few years back — i was walking with my wife past a building site —- now she wore a 36 double D bra - We got wolf whistled , so i dropped my pants and flashed them a bare arse —- i got a cacophony of wolf whistles . Still laugh today about it .
Wasn’t there once a musical called ‚„“GUYS AND DOLLS“. ——-YES THERE WAS — BUT THAT WAS A LIFETIME AGO WHEN WE HAD LOTS OF COMMON SENSE .

[jackiewilson]

I'm impressed with your influence over Boris Johnson, OFF here we come.
You have to understand TT‘S —you can’t fix stupid —— we have bumbling Boris —you have „“SLEEPY JOE“ — we all have a cross to bear .

[Rotary John]

You have to understand TT‘S —you can’t fix stupid —— we have bumbling Boris —you have „“SLEEPY JOE“ — we all have a cross to bear .
Jackie: TT is as English as you.

[jackiewilson]

Jackie: TT is as English as you.

ah well— just goes to show i dont know EVERYTHING !!!!!!!!!
I shouldn’t „ASSUME „—- should i Johnno ??????

[jackiewilson]

Can’t believe there isn’t anyone out there that hasn’t got a picture of the fastest outboard in the world ..

[lars strom]

Can’t believe there isn’t anyone out there that hasn’t got a picture of the fastest outboard in the world ..

You find everything you are looking for here:..

https://svera.se/blogg/still-the-fastest-outboard-in-the-world-the-evinrude-f1-racing-v-8/

[jackiewilson]

You find everything you are looking for here:..

https://svera.se/blogg/still-the-fastest-outboard-in-the-world-the-evinrude-f1-racing-v-8/

Thanks Lasse—- i have Seen all those pictures before but as i said none of them show the boat from a front view looking NNW.. line drawing from the front of the magazine is as good as im going to get . Both Gary and Bedford are long gone . So i cant get anything from them. I’m still in touch with ALAN GARBRECHT —- I’ll maybe get Mark to give him a call .
But thanks for taking the time to post me your web site — much appreciated !

[jackiewilson]

Mike Butler was still at MERCURY in ‚79— he knew LES CAHOUN who was also with GG at that time and his right hand man. Was wondering if there were any individuals who took independent pictures that have not been seen yet. Theres a couple of really clear but incomplete piccies of the boat. Wonder if ED KARELSON might have a picture of just the boat.
Gary probably had the boat tucked away and sold it to Bedford —- dont think it was a one off just for the record attempt.
Bobby Hering had the world record just before that—- maybe he drove that particular boat Anyone know for sure he didn’t??????? Just idle speculation on my part.
only thing i want is a full picture of the boat —-somebody somewhere must have one !!!!!!

[techteam]

Jackie, speak or e-mail Greg Jacobson from Seaway Marine. There was a good thread with loads of pics on BRF but that thread seems to of disappeared, it was under the title Straightaway Boat Restoration but although the thread pops up on a google search it is an invalid link. Greg's user name was SWMJake. Ron Hill may know what happened to the thread.

[jackiewilson]

Ok RON HILL — we have spoken many times over the years —- you even once offered me the job of rebuilding an inboard you had bought some twenty years ago. Remember you well from Paris and Havasu.
Need some help here to find Garbrechts Mach record breaking KARELSON —— or at least some half decent pictures of the thing . Has been suggested you may know where to find the STRAIGHTAWAY BOAT RESTORATION THREAD . I would be glad of a bit of help here if you could .

[powerabout]

Jackie, speak or e-mail Greg Jacobson from Seaway Marine. There was a good thread with loads of pics on BRF but that thread seems to of disappeared, it was under the title Straightaway Boat Restoration but although the thread pops up on a google search it is an invalid link. Greg's user name was SWMJake. Ron Hill may know what happened to the thread.

Greg has the boat thats where it is.

[jackiewilson]

493427

Bit like the road to hell—-littered with good intentions and discarded concepts . Think i have two out of the six that just might make muster .493428

[Bob V]

493435

493436

493437

493438

493439

493440

493441

[jackiewilson]

493435

493436

493437

493438

493439

493440

493441
Thank you BobbyV— i had feeling there would be someone somewhere who had some decent pictures of the recordbreaking KARELSON.
FAR BETTER THAN ANYTHING I HAVE SEEN SO FAR .
might have to do a rethink but i will get the bugger right .
looks like POWERABOUT IS GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE .

[jackiewilson]

BUGGER —- have to make a fresh start this morning on the KARELSON .
Decided i can do a whole lot better . I wont bin the other efforts , just shelve them along with the other twenty or so up there .!!!
Sorry Pilgrim—you are just going to have to wait a while longer .
Boris and Biden got off to a good start until the thorny problem of IRELAND raised its head again. What joe cant get into his head is the fact that for over 400 years we have not been able to solve the problem. Just because he had an Irish ancestor doesn’t make him a peace maker — he needs to solve his own problems before attempting to solve ours .

[powerabout]

I can wait for perfection...

[jackiewilson]

I can wait for perfection...

Then you will wait a bloody long time Pilgrim——don’t do PERFECTION—- just an honest effort of making a concept with striking similarities to an original product !!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

I should add „“at a fair price“.

[jackiewilson]

Head down and arse up, i beavered away at a proper KARELSON concept all day .
yes of course i nailed it — only done the sponsons up to now , but they turned out right —rest will come .
Bit like the scriptures -MATHEW-MARK-LUKE AND JOHN. ACT OF THE APOSTLES FOLLOW ON !!!! Same thing in life .
Found an old window board . A chunk of Pirhana Pine —- hard as nails with no knots . Should paint up fine .

[jackiewilson]

Done a deal with my grandson Gary Stray he‘s the guy that ran the GIECO offshore Raceteam.
He gets EDDIE RICKENBACKERS WW1 BI-PLANE —- i get ?????????
End of an era really with no more offshore MISS GIECO—- whole operation is being closed down and the boats sold —trucks and trailers —the whole shebang.
Gary and Lou are playing things pretty close to their chest at the moment — but i can tell you , they are still involved with big boats and even bigger horsepower !
Im still feeling a little cheated at the minute — still no open door for me to visit the USA— so the old farts and Havasu reunion are not on the cards —-anyway -i still have lots to do even with no places to go !!!!!!

[powerabout]

Done a deal with my grandson Gary Stray he‘s the guy that ran the GIECO offshore Raceteam.
He gets EDDIE RICKENBACKERS WW1 BI-PLANE —- i get ?????????
End of an era really with no more offshore MISS GIECO—- whole operation is being closed down and the boats sold —trucks and trailers —the whole shebang.
Gary and Lou are playing things pretty close to their chest at the moment — but i can tell you , they are still involved with big boats and even bigger horsepower !
Im still feeling a little cheated at the minute — still no open door for me to visit the USA— so the old farts and Havasu reunion are not on the cards —-anyway -i still have lots to do even with no places to go !!!!!!
Has the UK started recommending 3rd jab yet?

[jackiewilson]

Was recommended three months ago— over 75‘s as the most vulnerable —-I have an invitation for a third jab but Jill is only 73 and has not . Will probably look good if they ever start flying internationally again and thats if we still have any air lines still in business .

[techteam]

Ron messaged me, they were hacked a while back and lost a lot of data or he deleted stuff with no updates for 5 years so it may be gone.

[jackiewilson]

Ron messaged me, they were hacked a while back and lost a lot of data or he deleted stuff with no updates for 5 years so it may be gone.
Bobby Vee sent me some excellent pictures TT— done the groundwork -took a couple days —but when im eating bear and cooking with gas things have a tendency to HAPPEN.493521493522
PILGRIM was wittering on about it being RED so RED it is .

[jackiewilson]

Working on the motor today —- Powerhead —mini mid section—gearcase— stitching it to the KARELSON WITHOUT ANYONE BEING ABLE TO SEE HOW ITS DONE !!! Wire or mechanical steering .
graphics —- acceptable mounts —- it ain’t easy being good!!!!!

[Bob V]

Working on the motor today —- Powerhead —mini mid section—gearcase— stitching it to the KARELSON WITHOUT ANYONE BEING ABLE TO SEE HOW ITS DONE !!! Wire or mechanical steering .
graphics —- acceptable mounts —- it ain’t easy being good!!!!!

493564

[Bob V]

Hours of operation at the Wilson Super Shed
493565

[jackiewilson]

Keep throwing another coat of red , every now and again —- now as 10 coats on it . Has to look somewhere near it afore long —-didnt get much done this morning , spent a long time and all my money at the car boot and scrapyard . How the hell i managed to spend £500 on a Saturday morning remains a complete mystery to me .
Damned bear bit a huge chunk out of my arse this morning !!!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

493564

Gave up on this one —-if it had been a Merc, i might have persevered —but a rude -Nah. Lost a tenner on that one . Could not even unload it at a loss.

[RogerH]

Allison T2x Record Holder @ Clayton 2004

493567

[FMP]

Allison T2x Record Holder @ Clayton 2004

493567

When chatting with a T2X racer awhile back, top speeds with a single was over 100mph.

[peterse90]

Don't think that is a T2X.
Not a T2X mid.
493583

[2us70]

I am pretty sure that was Olegator's ride.

[jackiewilson]

I am pretty sure that was Olegator's ride.

Sort of outfit that Jim is the master of , although that motor is no thoroughbred—more of a HYBRID.
All you have to do is ask him, he’s still compus mentis- [that is, until he gets to wailing country and western with Kenny].

[jackiewilson]

Got a free day— apart from half a dozen folk coming to collect a bunch of engineering tools i picked up at the car boot sale. Made half the outlay by 7-30am this morning . By close of play i should be in profit .
hope to have THE PILGRIMS KERELSON all kitted out by the end of the day—-and mounted — was tempted to put it Ona trailer but they take too long and nobody cares anyway.
tried hard to get the OMC gearcase a tad more authentic. Se what you think.!

[jackiewilson]

493596
Told you there would be progress today—- engine and mount fitted —- semi fixed the screen — have to cobble a steering wheel . Graphics need to be sorted — could take a week or more .
There you have the basic shape pilgrim—- you still want it ???????

[powerabout]

493596
Told you there would be progress today—- engine and mount fitted —- semi fixed the screen — have to cobble a steering wheel . Graphics need to be sorted — could take a week or more .
There you have the basic shape pilgrim—- you still want it ???????

yep, looking good

[jackiewilson]

By the cringe, the weather took a mighty change for the worst. High winds and heavy rains knocked three sheets out of the garden plants . Sudden end to the summer in no uncertain terms .
Still what do i care , stacks of work to be done in SUPERSHED—- loads of unfinished concepts might now get finished .
there are three RECORD BOATS WITH RUDES ON THEIR BUMS !!!!!!!
One John Sherlock with the Dick O Dea. Mercury___ and three MERTS. All which need finishing.
Bi-Plane of Eddie RICKENBACHER is off to florida in exchange for a lifetime supply of abrasive discs .
Should be a fun week finalising that little lot .
Plus — a shed load of machinery and tooling to shift —- had another mad fit of depression and bought half the stuff on sale at the car boot sale . No worries , i sold half of it over the weekend and covered costs .
Once more into the fray —- onwards and upwards like the valiant six hundred !!!!!!!!

[jackiewilson]

yep, looking good

All you need is a little faith Pilgrim !!!!!! Oh and a healthy wallet !!!!!!!

[powerabout]

All you need is a little faith Pilgrim !!!!!! Oh and a healthy wallet !!!!!!!
plenty of faith but not alot of South Pacific Peso's....

[jackiewilson]

plenty of faith but not alot of South Pacific Peso's....

Bloody good job im not RODAN or PICCASSO OR EVEN EXPENSIVE Pilgrim .
where do you want it sent ????? Doesn’t look like Boris will open up the skies again .

[powerabout]

Bloody good job im not RODAN or PICCASSO OR EVEN EXPENSIVE Pilgrim .
where do you want it sent ????? Doesn’t look like Boris will open up the skies again .
If the world was normal I would be in Italy and just pop accross and get it but..
its going to have to be Singapore.

[jackiewilson]

One of my favourite places in the whole world —- last time i was there i tried to find“change alley“. .
Parkinson was responsible for getting the FONDA RACES in Singapore—- just loved the whole place —RAFFLES —— the HORSE RACING——Little India —— street markets —-taxis that kept to the speed limits . —- constant development and no chewing gum on the pavement .
Popping over in an aircraft is just a distant memory——

[jackiewilson]

493622493623493624

My version of a concept of John Sherlocks record boat— if its a jones —it looks like a Karelson—-if its a Karelson —it looks like a Jones . Finally got around to putting in the steering — wheel and cables and steering bar . and the correct motor stitched it all together and split the cowling —- my fault entirely —— has to be a second and they come out at $200 . Crap happens !!! Took all day to get where we are with that one .

[powerabout]

One of my favourite places in the whole world —- last time i was there i tried to find“change alley“. .
Parkinson was responsible for getting the FONDA RACES in Singapore—- just loved the whole place —RAFFLES —— the HORSE RACING——Little India —— street markets —-taxis that kept to the speed limits . —- constant development and no chewing gum on the pavement .
Popping over in an aircraft is just a distant memory——
Change alley still the ground floor of Chevron House at Raffles place.
The money changers are all millionaires now as they change your money with receipt and then you can take a bag of cash to the casino as you now have proof of where it came from..

[jackiewilson]

JUST BEEN TALKING TO MY SISTER -she lives next door to the BP refinery in Hamble , son in law is a tanker driver for TESCO‘S. THERE IS NO PETROL SHORTAGE WHATSOEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!
All the tanker drivers from all companies meet in the canteen for a cuppa —-they cannot believe the media can create such mayhem.
Boris calling in the army is total bull droppings ———- here in the south there is not one filling station shut or without petrol. Yes idiots are „“Topping Up“ every day which doesn’t help. Give it a week and it‘ll be all over.

[Lake X Kid]

https://daily-news.uk/downing-street-denies-fuel-shortage-as-panic-buyers-run-uk-dry/

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fbbc-edition.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F09%2FUK-enlists-army-amid-gasoline-shortage.jpeg&f=1&nofb=1

[FUJIMO]

...yeah, looks like a t2 not an x...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493583&d=1632615160

[jackiewilson]

...yeah, looks like a t2 not an x...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493583&d=1632615160
Jim Hunts motor didn’t look like either of those ——. C’mon Jim you must remember this— a kiss is still a kiss —-etc-etc-etc.

[FUJIMO]

...t2x cowling stickers...t2 mid & ssm...it happens...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493567&d=1632577659

[jackiewilson]

...t2x cowling stickers...t2 mid & ssm...it happens...https://www.screamandfly.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=493567&d=1632577659
Some days you eat bear>

[jackiewilson]

No doubt about it - media rules — and we are the guileables ! Like to think i have a modicum of common sense — so why does the media treat me like an idiot ???? If i lied —cheated and gave false statements , i would be jailed—- why aren‘t they ??????

[powerabout]

No doubt about it - media rules — and we are the guileables ! Like to think i have a modicum of common sense — so why does the media treat me like an idiot ???? If i lied —cheated and gave false statements , i would be jailed—- why aren‘t they ??????
There is law in the UK governing the media so lets see

[jackiewilson]

There is law in the UK governing the media so lets see

Only law i ever heard concerning the media is „“FREEDOM OF THE PRESS“ ‚‘twould appear they can say what the hell they like , without fear of contradiction or prosecution !!!!!!

[powerabout]

Only law i ever heard concerning the media is „“FREEDOM OF THE PRESS“ ‚‘twould appear they can say what the hell they like , without fear of contradiction or prosecution !!!!!!
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complaints/complaints-ofcom-deals-with
https://www.ipso.co.uk/

[jackiewilson]

Just what the hell is going on in England ——petrol prices have risen by 20 pence a gallon and drivers are not even complaining ——-sad part is , they could increase the price by another pound per gallon and we would not complain.
IS THIS ANOTHER PLOY TO GET EVERYONE TO BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE????????
We have already lost two years of our lives through covid and come out on top.
Brexit was supposed to cripple us —-but didn’t .
Surely we are not that stupid as to let more false news on a petrol shortage that never was do what two world wars and a pandemic couldn’t achieve!!!

[Bob V]

Just what the hell is going on in England ——petrol prices have risen by 20 pence a gallon and drivers are not even complaining ——-sad part is , they could increase the price by another pound per gallon and we would not complain.
IS THIS ANOTHER PLOY TO GET EVERYONE TO BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE????????
We have already lost two years of our lives through covid and come out on top.
Brexit was supposed to cripple us —-but didn’t .
Surely we are not that stupid as to let more false news on a petrol shortage that never was do what two world wars and a pandemic couldn’t achieve!!!

This is the retail industries newest way of increasing prices. It is a typical shake down . We see it here in the US all the time. The media announces a beef and pork shortage because of Covid. Like a heard of ants, we all flock to the grocery stores to stock up on meat while we can still get some. We are blind to the fact that the price of beef and pork has just been increased by 20%. We are just happy to find some. However, when you look back, the supply of beef and pork never diminished. The industry just gave us a 20% increase and we did not flinch. It seems like every week the media is announcing a shortage of something and just like clockwork, the price of that commodity goes up. It is a very well thought out marketing scheme and it works...! Just create the illusion of a shortage, courtesy of the media, and raise the price and we will flood the market to buy it without ever considering a higher price. We are just grateful to be able to buy it. Your gas shortage is a perfect example.

[FUJIMO]

...wow. remarkable record(s). sounds like someone knew how to put a rig together. and someone also knew how to race said rig. how does someone top that in a given year of racing? no wonder it was sold after one year...

[jackiewilson]

it is humorous watching all the experts show their expertise. what it was was, 1975 allison 16/t2 standard store bought. louis collins was the original owner, who i drove for at the time. he sent the equipment to me and i put it together. first few races were run without boat cowling. john mccall and i built the cowling and deck closure. after one season louis sold the rig. next time i saw the rig, it had been repainted this ugly as hell paint scheme. it had changed hands multiple times. there had been several changes made to the engine. some of the changes i noticed in picture was: different engine cowl, different prop and gearcase, different trailer. can't say what powerhead was. results after one season: 18 races, 15 wins, 2 seconds, 1 third, 5 mile competition record. also set noa straightaway record. this rig ruined the sv class in 1 year.

Did say right at the off, motor looked like a hybrid , maybe I’m not so daft after all. Also did say you would know the answer . Just because we get i little older doesn’t mean we have lost any of our marbles does it Jim?
I‘m still fernagling boats and planes and puppy dogs tails —- working on the GG and BD KARELSON RECORD BOAT . Finished a fairly presentable version for the Pilgrim „“POWERABOUT“. THEN DECIDED I WOULD DO ANOTHER FOR THE HAVASU GET TOGETHER . Turned out to be the one that my tutor taught me about — the could do better one — turning out to be a stonker .
Will send it over to Havasu —- see if i can get it auctioned off —- should make an interesting ten minutes one evening.
Highest price i ever got for one of my concepts was a thousand dollars —- three times I’ve reached that figure ——Jim Hauser — Rich LUHRS and Scotty Beckovitch. Cant tell you how much Seebold paid for his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost —- Lynne would kill him stone dead .

[jackiewilson]

the way you top it? show results from same year j production class: 28 races 24 wins, 2 seconds and 2 jump the gun.

always been meaning to ask you Jim—- where did you pull“ WHEEL MAN“ OF THE SUNSHINE STATE FROM
Does it mean PROPS ——or DRIVING. [steering wheel] ?????? Just asking !!!

[2us70]

Those were the days when there was a race every couple of weeks within easy travel distance. That is how we got so much time in our race boats.

[FUJIMO]

...wheels = propellers...:thumbsup:...

[jackiewilson]

...wheels = propellers...:thumbsup:...
WHEELMAN also means driver Fuji [as i understand it that is] ???????

[jackiewilson]

Dont know if you are getting the same thing over in the states as i am here —-TV ???? Can’t switch the damn thing on without being invaded by gays—lesbians —transgenders and black actors far outweigh white !!!!! I am not colour prejudiced in any way, but i do object to having oddities [to my way of thinking] shoved at me on EVERY programme .
I go along with BLM all the time that i can say WLM —- it appears i cant do that without being classed as „“RACIST“ which i most certainly am not . So how does that work ?????
When DARLING BUDS OF MAY Has black actors ——- and Henry the 8th ‚s Anne Bolyn was a black lady — surely thats a step too far ??????
S+M will probably black ball this [or is it white ball now] after a few minutes , but it will be interesting to see your comments.

[powerabout]

Dont know if you are getting the same thing over in the states as i am here —-TV ???? Can’t switch the damn thing on without being invaded by gays—lesbians —transgenders and black actors far outweigh white !!!!! I am not colour prejudiced in any way, but i do object to having oddities [to my way of thinking] shoved at me on EVERY programme .
I go along with BLM all the time that i can say WLM —- it appears i cant do that without being classed as „“RACIST“ which i most certainly am not . So how does that work ?????
When DARLING BUDS OF MAY Has black actors ——- and Henry the 8th ‚s Anne Bolyn was a black lady — surely thats a step too far ??????
S+M will probably black ball this [or is it white ball now] after a few minutes , but it will be interesting to see your comments.
Stop paying your license fee and use the internet for TV like everyone else does

[jackiewilson]

stop paying your license fee and use the internet for tv like everyone else does
havent had a tv licence for years—-but this year they are trying to squeeze hard earned cash out of me —-some hope !!!!!