Hi Ritchie

[Bob Culver]

Thanks.

My posts have attracted considerable criticism, contraryism and sarcasm so I had rather overlooked that some might genuinely appreciate.
 
And Colin Reed, join the Club. To my astonishment I got ticked off for the post of 28.9.17 under Smelly Fumes Inside Car. There must be at least ten worse in the last few pages. Presumably the congenital contraryists and the ever sarcastic have acquired pages of reprimands.
 
Keep On
 
Bob C
 

[JonE]

Bob - have you considered publishing a compendium of your "best" contributions? Over here, there are books by the such of Frank Muir which occupy the best positions in the littlest room in the house, along with old back copies of Readers Digest. And always popular for Christmas gifts. A car themed one might actually be very well received, and promote the forum to a wider audience.

[Ritchie Wilson]

Kia ora kautou Bob

I too have thought your reminiscences could be recorded - perhaps for the VAR magazine - particularly the very long-term, inter-generational Austin ownership.

My grandfather owned a series of Austins before the war and he left his last car to my sister. It was an Austin - the very first of the BMC minis with the sliding windows and the starter on the floor. It eventually died an honourable death due to extreme rust. When I bought my first car my father supervised the process. We only looked at Rubies and Dad was most careful to ensure we didn't get one with Girling brakes which his family's Austin Ten had had and which had caused trouble "on the Killmog".

I did send you an email last year when you were under the pump for deviating from the party-line on some issue, but I understand the system is flawed.

I was away from the forum (which I think is superb) for a couple of weeks because we were in Tassie. I didn't see any Jowetts there, but I did see a couple of Sevens. One in Hobart near the Governor's mansion. It was a 28 or so tourer, with truly immaculate red paint, being unloaded from a enclosed trailer. I tried to take a picture, but I was on the upper deck of an open city tour bus which had sailed past before I was organised. The other was a fabric-bodied special in the car museum in Lonnie in the north. I would post a pic but I haven't found the "attachments" button yet.

Anyway congratulations on you Reputation score - which didn't all come from me.

[Tony Press]

Bob - have you considered publishing a compendium of your "best" contributions? Over here, there are books by the such of Frank Muir which occupy the best positions in the littlest room in the house, along with old back copies of Readers Digest. And always popular for Christmas gifts. A car themed one might actually be very well received, and promote the forum to a wider audience.

Is this what is termed 'damning with faint praise' ?  

[Ritchie Wilson]

Here we go - holiday snaps from the Apple Isle


[attachment=4225]
   
   
     
     
   
   

And finally

   

[Bob Culver]

Hi Tony
 
I allow the benefit of the doubt, but often there absolutely is none!
 
Hi Ritchie
 
I entered your name in my email inbox and a VAR parts list popped up but cannot find your name associated! Sorry if I have replied at some stage and forgotten but I have received a few emails and unless regulars on the Forum tend to forget the names. (Although one was too venomous to ever forget.)
Then my computer reduced itself to 30 MB which concentrated the mind. I am relatively new to these new fangled computer things  and untangling that, working mainly from the Dummies Guide and the like, rather occupied my aging brain for a while. I could have rebuilt the Austin engine several times over in the time.
 
Several do not welcome my contributions. Many were received with studied yawns from those oldies who know it all and forget that many now using the Forum do not. 
 
Several maintain that nearly all I write is wrong, although specific details not provided.
 
As I have mentioned before, top priority is for a basic guide for the modern generation unaccustomed to car maintenance; with exotic lubricants and pet rituals avoided. But I have neither time nor knowledge of all models for that There is now very extensive info available but need to be a Seven expert to sift it.
 
I cannot remember which tales I have recounted, when and where. The most thought provoking is the steering arm failure experienced by my father. It is near bring up time for it again but even that cautionary tale irks many.
 
It would be nice to think that enthusiasts can be lured by suitable encouraging but objective writing. A few years ago I put very considerable  effort into an article for the local national NZ VCC magazine, encouraging Javelin ownership. But whilst it seemed a very good case had been made for anyone looking for an economical, lively early post war car with good handling, it seemed to have absolutely no effect. (The old car movement here is moribund compared with 50 or so years ago. Cars are half UK prices and the good ones get exported)

Thanks again

[Chris KC]

Friend of mine is a doctor at Hobart hospital - I'll ask her to watch out for 'Sunshine'...

[JonE]

Bob - have you considered publishing a compendium of your "best" contributions? Over here, there are books by the such of Frank Muir which occupy the best positions in the littlest room in the house, along with old back copies of Readers Digest. And always popular for Christmas gifts. A car themed one might actually be very well received, and promote the forum to a wider audience.

Is this what is termed 'damning with faint praise' ?  

no - it wasn't. I thought the last bit was suitably strong enough to offset...! 
But interesting, although one jokes about Readers Digests, they DO get continuously read, as did the Frank Muir. And so would Bob, especially as set pieces rather than in a quick forum conversational flow...