Tempest

Hmm, 944s, nice indeed. Last year when my Mk2 Rocco Storm was giving me a bit of grief, I took the decision to minimise my fleet by 1 car, and to some people's surprise maybe it was the Mk2 Storm Rocco that went, not my Rado. Stupidly enough the Storm was replaced by a 928, hence the interest in 944s :) I do find myself also hanging on to my Rado and especially during the months it's SORNed I have thoughts of "What if I sold it?", but once I drive it again, all's well again. Tempest

Keynes or Hayek or even Marx? Anyone watch the rather good 3-piece series on these totally different economist's approaches to capitalism, presented by Stephanie Flanders on the Beeb recently? Still did not offer any hardcore solutions as to which of the 3 would work best, because the mess we're currently in is too diverse as to solve with just one solution. Comparing Germany to the UK, however, I do have to observe that somehow although Thatcher was needed in the 80s to clean up the totally immoral trade unions, she definitely went way too far (consumer credit to keep the economy going being one of the most fatal decisions, as it is the root of the current problem: huge debts amongst private households; over-reliance on the city of London financial sector whilst somehow managing to kill off any other industry sector, which is where Germany is now scoring very strongly, e.g. and i.e. engineering). As a result of Britain having placed all its eggs in the one basket, Britain is now very vulnerable, as opposed to Germany, which ahs mroe legs to stand on. Germany was aware of this, and started quickly paving the way into China for its own industry. The other problem that was mentioned, the growing salary divide, can, however, be observed all over Europe and globally, I suppose. Yes, that is definitely something I also detest, because indeed the olden days of where a factory top boss at best earned 25 times the salary of the simple assembly line worker was far easier to sallow by said simple assembly line worker than the status quo. This fact I hope (very controversial statement coming here) will lead to war at one day, the question is when. The problem is that the powers that be have no interest in preventing the salary divide to widen, because they are the main beneficiaries. The do realise that ultimately this will lead to civil unrest, which would explain why legisaltors are clamping down more and more on basic rights in a feeble attempt to prevent the inevitable from happening, question is just when will the situation explode? As long as the masses still have Eastenders, mobile phones, tablets and other brain dead material, it keeps them quiet. Would be why industry needs to and indeed does invent new useless crap to flog to the masses who will then be so pre-occupied with the latest tat, that they forget the real issues of life. Tempest

Toohottotrott´s former Mk1, search on this forum for more details. Tempest

This year the show takes place in halls 6-17, the new section of the NEC, called the Atrium. The CCGB is in hall 12, on stand 12C60. Once again we have a combined stand with the SciroccoRegister, who are on stand 12C63 right next to us (don´t ask how the numbering works ) :lol: Total number of cars on our combined stands will be 8 :) We are fairly close to the Dream Rides section, which will hopefully create plenty of footfall for our stand again, like it did back in 2008 :) More info: http://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/ Tempest

Little bump :) Rados from anywhere welcome, of course, not just those that mill around Long Itchington ;) (what a name for a place :lol:) Tempest

Usually not in the money-department, though (although i know that without actually fully screening their financial affairs, you can´t really tell whether they do really have money or are just keeping up appearances). Not yet, but getting there, so to speak. Might make an appearance at the NEC Classic Car Show! Tempest

Some more shots: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagnobito/sets/72157631712053196/with/8062824679/ Indeed that´s why after having visited a regional meet of both the PCGB and TIPEC I decided to join TIPEC. The only chap that we really got talking to and discussed things that involve getting your hands dirty on the 928 was another TIPEC member, it transpired. the others seemed to be PCGB members, one of which told us how grand their one night in the year is, where they go for dinner, black tie and all. Hmm, well, I´d rather have it a bit more rustic :) :lol: Tempest

Time for my first true 928-meet, today in a tiny little place near Farnsham, Tilford, on the Common Green, whih belongs to the local cricket team. About 30 landsharks turned up, so enough iopportunity to have a good drool, and take pics until the battery in my camera was empty :blush: Jim joined me - just as well, because after 5 weeks of inactivity the battery in my Landshark had decided to die on me this morning despite me having recharged the thing last Sunday, so Jim´s Octavia was the star of the day, before the Landshark could take over :) - Pics: Nice selection of models, ranging from original 1978 right up to the last ones, the 350 PS GTS models, in an amazing array of colours, both external paint and internal seat, doorcard and dash colour combinations, but the majority of thier owners came across on us ¨poor¨ Rado enthusiasts as well, erm, snobbish, actually, certainly a lot older than even me ! How the heck these people manage to earn what appears to be much more money than me despite I trust a lesser education and academic qualification than me, I have no idea. The saying ¨More money than sense¨ quite literally holds true in certain segments of the population. Nevertheless it was a good day out, finished off with a flying visit to Toad´s residence on our return journey. Tempest

OK. Well, would have been available tomorrow eve :) Tempest

He'll have no choice as a passenger :lol: Tempest

Hmm, might be game for that, perhaps. depends on how full I´m gonna be from the pub lunch at the 928 meet. Yes, at German Autobahn speeds (like recently whilst over there, at 140 mph - a leasurely cruise), but not necessarily at UK motorway speeds. There´s gotta be more folk up for this in the wider Midlands/Warwickshire/Oxfordshire/Northants areas? Tempest

It would be rude not to respond to Wendy´s good efforts, so that´s what I did :lol: Unfortunately I had already planned to go to the 928 meet for a long time. Corradoforum? I simply am open-minded to great-looking sports coupes :) So wouldn´t mind a few photos of Rados and 928s actually, something different to the usual pics ;) Following Saturday, 13 october, still looks promising at my end. Tempest

Good idea, so how about going to this meet (OK, not quite North Oxon): Tilford Common green opposite of the Barley Mow pub (who'll be organising the get-together, both husband and wife 928 owners and owners of the Barley Mow). GU10 2BN That's the meet I am planning on going to anyway. Tempest

Storm was a UK only model. So, yes, looks like VW have made a big mustake on your certificate. Tempest

Nice selection of Rados :) Any Mkl1 Roccos or even 928 at the event? Tempest

Nice one there! Impressed. Interesting comment about the clay bar treatment, as I, too, noticed on my own cars, that due to things like cleaning them after almost every drive, the clay bar hardly came up with any dirt on the paint. Pays off to stay on top of your Rados :) Tempest

Decided not to go, getting my Dad to stay at my place for 10 days from Tuesday onwards, so still a few things to sort, plus work is manic at the moment (staff shortage not helping). Tempest

Anyone plan on going to this *cough* *ahem* admittedly very sceney event? Given the weather looks like it´s going to be OK, and given I would like to take my Mk1 out one more time before its long wintersleep, and failing to find anything else within a 2-hour max drive with good weather and hard standing without low entry curbs, I was potentially considering this event. I might come to regret it, though :lol: Not sceney enough any more, first grey hairs already showing through, so deffo way past it (in the eyes of the scene crowds), but still .... Tempest

Nice one, Jim. Hooked on some V8s now? :lol: The Atom experience sounds awesome, too. As far as suspension is concerned, you may now finally understand what I´m going through with My Mk1 and its Nürburgring set-up. Fix the roads!! Not the suspension!! Tempest

Nice pics! Schwebe at that meet, too :) Tempest

I´m sure it will. You´ll recall the workshop next to the Classic Parts shop in Wolfsburg, where the enthusiasts care for their fleet. Tempest

The organiser's pictures: http://www.sciroccoclubdissen.de/html/2012_clubfotos.html Click on Weiter for next picture. Some shady characters here and there :hugegrin: Tempest

Yes, that was indeed Thieme's (former Karmann boss) 16V-G60 Rado, that we've seen twice or so in the basement of the Karmann car collection. Good to see that it's now being used. The chap that drove it said it was a wee bit scary, because it just has so much power, ideal for some Autobahn fun. Given they came all the way from Wolfsburg, they certainly had some of that fun. Tempest

2 more pics: Tempest

Another trip successfully completed to the continent, a Scirocco/Corrado meet by the Dissen Club in Bad Rothenfelde in Germany. Met up with my German friends, who'd come over for the Coventry Festival of Motoring, again in Harwich last Thursday for the sailing across to Hoek van Holland, where we despite a 1-hour wait to let the traffic jams clear, we still got stuck in the darn things around Rotterdam. Fairly unspectacular trip through the rest of the Netherlands, driving thrrough the centre of a heavy thunderstorm, to finally arrive on German Autobahns, dry surface, good weather, open up those 8 pots a little :) Stayed with our friends Thursday night to then drive on to Bad Rothenfelde on Friday, where we took part in a very nice convoy taking in a hillclimb track (just a public road in Germany with start and finish written on the tarmac) and 2 museums, one of which was the by now traditional (ex-)Karmann car collection, now owned by VW. The Osnabrück site is gearing up for some Porker production. Schwebe, former chief construction engineer at Karmann, was joining us again, as was Breford, Schwebe telling me all sorts of stories about their time at the Porsche test track when he spotted my 928 :) Lots of drinks that night, Saturday the weather improved enormously, warm and sunny, good friends from Germany attended as day visitors, loads of beautiful cars, good food, a trip or 2 for those interested in what 8 pots feel like when opened up on the Autobahns, and a prize for furthest-travelled rounded off a good day. Sunday was spent in the village where my parents live, Eiscafe (I do miss those things in Blighty), few drinks and a packing big boxes into the 928 with lots of parts for my Rado and Rocco from Classic Parts and a private seller. Monday ferry trip back again, Tuesday back on the treadmill. Average mpg with some spirited driving for the 928 was 21mpg, textbook value, byt lots of fun! Piccies: Tempest