Classic car mechanic – Electric chickens

‘In the corner of the workshop, Olli Ragbin sits watching events unfold before him’

Gary Numan once pondered as to whether friends were electric. I’m not quite sure what he meant, even now reading the lyrics from the 1979 hit I feel still no nearer to understanding, let alone answering. The fact that’s it’s 43 years ago and I can still (with absolute clarity) remember the heavy chord work says a lot about the memorability of certain tunes, as well as the age of certain listeners.

I’ve often pondered on whether we who love a classic (car, bike, watch, you name it) should consider electric as our friends.

There is a hefty entry price to pay for dubious green credentials and there is something amiss with automotive pleasure without the aural treat. Having said all that, as a fan of the luxo-barge and 4x4 is there anything better suited to silent progress than a motor that runs on leccy?

Perhaps I’m being too dismissive having never experienced this type of motive power. Perhaps I need to widen my horizons. Or perhaps I’m rallying against the fact that a new electric cruising boat of the variety I have a hankering for would be quicker to 60 than it’s stablemate 911 is just too much of an irony to shoulder….’yeah, that’s the sports car for when I want to let my hair down and go slowly’. The optics do not look good.

On the other hand, the government is offering very interesting tax breaks for the company car buyer… very reasonable benefit in kind taxation could mean that the electric car could not just be a near reality, but an almost racing certainty. And then what? As it’s powered by AI, why not let the thing drive you itself?

The electric car. A certainty maybe. But also a gateway for less and less involvement.

Tesla is to petrol engines what super-skunk is to tobacco. Sounds exciting, but the reality is you want to do less and less, relax and whilst doing not very much, probably order a pizza.

It’s too late to ban it, so better skin-up.

Back to reality and the workshop this week. Where cars are cars and techs roam like free-range chickens, fixing here, tweaking there. Good, honest work just as the Lord intended. The mechanical equivalent of the good life.

'Aaaaagaghhhh, he's looking at me...'. I don't know why, but this picture absolutely terrifies me

'to me, to you, to me'.... Will (I ain't) and Sam re-enact the chuckle brother finest moments

2-decade old Italian exotica needing something electric? Praying seems a reasonable option

No idea what this is #1

No idea what this is #2

Izzi hunting for the remote for the telly..... no joy. On the plus side she's found a malteser and that button Eric once lost. Win/win

The Isabella Borg ward.. Back again and looking lovely

Shrimp eye Justin got himself off to a show this weekend and took exactly no photos of anything electric.

MkII Ezzy in baby-diaper green. want want want....

My dad had a Sunbeam. I used to dream that it was one of these. It wasn't.....

A Mk II with what looks like pukka rallying accoutrements. Shweet

'No love, of course I'm not buying anything at the show'...... A line Eric has also used on many an occasion... he once nearly bought a tank after such as an assurance. Try sneaking that round the back without anyone noticing

And so another week trundles on by. I'm dropping the teenagers Fiesta in next week where (thank the lord) it's having its exhaust welded back on. He's gutted but the neighbours are relieved.

From all at CCM towers, enjoy your week wherever you are.

Olli