Tricks that old racers get up to after retirement

If you look on WILLABEE'S Hot multis site there's a blast from the past with the name of Joe Fielder.
He was racing Havasu in 1970, after I tried for Canaveral, I wound up with my nose taking a hike earwards and any chance I had of making a big or little screen career went into the long distance.
I was bemoaning my situation until I looked over into the next bed, there was this mas of ropes and pulleys, a body totally covered in plaster of Paris from head to foot------not even slits for eyes------I looked at the poor sod and thanked God for letting me off lightly. I asked the nurse what happened to the guy--------"was it a semi, or did he drive in front of a locomotive?".
No, they said, that's Joe Fielder-----he's a boat racer! ---enough said!

If there's a "Curmudgeon" month, then it's got to be January ---short,wet, miserable,cold and windy, collars turned up with daily glances at the weather forecast in the hope that it's an improvement on yesterday.
Did manage a couple of hours in the shop yesterday and three on Sunday -----Her indoors has taken to fetching in the logs for the fire, just until I'm up and running, and yesterday she handed me an old bent and knarled piece of timber and asked me if I could make her a "GIESHA" out of it, will take an "In Progress" piccy, just to show how things are going in Wilsons World!
I try and do a daily newsletter, more to let my friends know that most of me is still functioning well and the rest I can lie about-------in fact, just like always.

Got an interesting letter in my private notifications, funny thing is, it was dated APRIL 2013 and came from "BIG GEORGE", him and his team had done well at PARKER, but his face didn't fit and he'd been shafted-----------George, if you get in touch with me, we can talk long and hard about this. I don't understand how come it's dated nearly two years ago, but only turned up in the mailbox yesterday ------------I know I've been a bit off color, but I didn't think I'd lost any marbles!
if any of you know of a "BIG GEORGE"----- please give me a shout.

Beard trim and haircut today, Jilly reckons after one of her treatments I look ten years younger and more like a "bean" ------a human bean that is.

Three hours in the shop today, things progressing nicely, forgot to take any phoggies but there's no hurry. There's no buyers or anyone waiting just yet, got a semi commision from Rich, but he didn't give me a deadline and I won't be in Florida yet a while anyways, and I only got the gleanings of an idea. Be expensive Rich, but I promise you it'll be well worth it.
If you want it to be the best trophy in powerboating history, it's got to be a bit pricey. When it represents the Concours de Elegance of one of the world's most exclusive boating organisations I can't just cobble it together like I do most things, it's got to have a wee bit of flair, panache and desirability, the best of everything and executed rather well.
Lets face it Rich, there's not going to be any more like it, and I want folk to turn round and say " didn't Jackie Wilson do that. So I do have a bit of interest in as well! You did light my candle a bit at our last meeting. It's late and I'm tired so MYGGWY .J.

Big George is still intriguing me but not a peep out of anyone who may know anything. They certainly finished in the top five overall.
Better day today but it's not here to stay, we got gales and all sorts of undesirables coming in at the weekend. Thought this mild front couldn't last, 7th January and still no snow.
Do you a couple of piccies later today.
Steve next door was doing some hazel coppicing and chucked me a nice piece over the fence that some ivy had twisted itself round , skinned it and lo and behold we got a walking stick.

Attachment 312575as usual, once I get into the routine off things I begin to enjoy it. Probably won't end up looking anything like this.

With a bit of luck and no rain, Jilly is dropping me off at Ford car boot sale crack-o-sparrow tomorrow morning. Two months since I went there, the best laid plans of mice and men etc,.
Told me not to stay on the iPad 'till midnight so it's lights out, night all, MYGGWY .J.

Didn't get any luck, just rain, lashings of it, Jilly dropped me off, but I called her five minutes later and told her to come back, all is forgiven , but by that time I was fairly damp. When my knickers get wet--------it's one of two things, so I tell you it did chuck it down for an hour or two?
Maybe next week.

Jackie - Since my prostatectomy 3 years ago, I certainly understand your comment "When my knickers get wet--------it's one of two things" :o:o:eek: - PBS

Love the "WER KNICKERS" Stavros !now does that mean they reach saturation point and are no longer? Or they were once before and are saved for napkins, oil rags, screen wipes or winter flu cures--------patent it and retire wealthy my friend.
Got another couple of hours in the shop today Steve, trouble is, I spend so much time actually achieving very little, I begin to wonder if I shoulda stayed under the sheets until later, hope something takes shape before long---------I wouldn't hammer on the Tates doors demanding entry with this current bunch of tat.
we got the Jet Stream hitting 250 knots this weekend all the way from from Lands End to John-o-Groats-------there will be snot , tears and bent and broken belongings all over the hog market.

Hear tell they cancelled the first offshore race already------does this mean the first one is in July ?
Buggered if I'd invest two to ten million dollars to do four or five races, something's badly wrong somewhere.
Look in any Offshore Yearbook over the last fifty years and things ain't never been this bad before.

You think maybe the idea of "a formula" might not be too silly?

That's the trouble with being as smart as I'm not, I have to post the thread to get rid of the coloured text
Did any of you out there notice the last seven posts were number 1299 but S&F in its wisdom finally took their socks off and came up with 1300-----dummies still don't know whether I'm in Hull, Hell or Halifax----------for the benefit of the colonials, that's where the Gibbets were in the olden days in the north of England-------that's where the classic saying came from-------SAVE US O LORD, FROM HULL , HELL AND HALIFAX,
Well, somebody has to try and edificate the colonials----but not tonight-----God bless you all my friends, I'll confound you all with more nonsense tomorrow, MYGGWY.J.

See in this mornings telegraph you can buy a complete scale model kit for the 1,000 mph "Bloodhound" . It consists of over 3,000 parts. They did not publish a price list, but I don't suppose it will be cheap, at a guess I would say just a few thousand.
Record attempts are never cheap and always run over budget anyway, though Richard Noble is a past master at fund raising.
I well remember him coming to a K7 dinner at the WINDERMERE club and asking the members for backing, I asked him how fast he had ever driven, he said " probably a little over 80"!. Needless to say they gave him their blessings.
Ah well, another day , another dollar.

OK, so nobody interested at all in a land speed car, don't blame you really, I got my mate Fish to stick £20 in the begging bowl at the F.O.S. When they showed the project in 2013, it's a couple of years behind schedule, but to be fair, what record attempt was ever on time except WARBY .

Had another interesting chat with Mark on FaceTime today, told me about this amazing old guy who he's friends with-------reckons he's well into his 80/s and packs his truck, and hooks his boat on the back each June and heads up to Alaska for the summer. Done it for the last 23 years.
He apparently invented "THUNDERBOLT" ignition so I presume he worked at Mercury or he sold it to C.K. Claims in all the years he's been traveling to Alaska, he never visited the same place twice, he now takes someone to help with the driving and launching of the boat, Mark reckons the launching system on his TRAILOR is something to behold.
I got his name right here, but I wonder if any of you out there know who I'm talking about by that description, what about it Stavros, Odell, Bakos, Rich, or you Pilgrim, got any idea who he might be?
Had another good day in the shop, but I feel like you guys ain't getting value for money somehow, maybe do better tomorrow to try and get your attention , meanwhile, MYGGWY.J.

I wonder if he still has a Merc with a distributor or a Merc at all?

My best guess is Floyd Minks -

Nope, both BERNIE and Pilgrim ain't even close, come on fellas,show a little interest here, this guy's one of us------but still has ambition-------he never lost it!