Top Gear (British)/ Kirkham ?
 

Hey all
I'm a big fan of Top Gear on the BBC. (The U.S. version just doesn't do it for me) A thought came to mind...Have they ever done an episode testing/driving a Kirkham?

I'd like to find it if they have or if they haven't, I'm going to write them with the suggestion that they do. It would be interesting. A replica of a car that started life in England but made in the USA. What do you think?
Larry

Sounds like a good idea, I love to see a Kirkham any way I can. I saw an episode (British) where they tested a Superformance gt40, they absolutly loved it.

They have not and I'm not sure you want them to. They'll very likely say terrible made up things about it since it is made in the US.

Mario

Nobody dislikes a cobra unless its kicking their a s s.

I love Top Gear UK but if they ever do test one I'll be cringing in anticipation though the entire bit. Even when they like an American car they always find some final silly criticism. They're kind of wankers that way.

Mario

Kirkham? Really? When they were originally a British car? Not likely. I'm sure the closest they will ever get to a Cobra will be an original AC car. And they'll bash it anyway.

P.S. Believe it or not, we're watching the last two of the "lost season" from 2003. What an ugly green Lambo.

So I'm guessing they haven't done it already. Hmmm...
Larry

Not all of Top Gear is test drives...
They also do special interest and humor/puff pieces.
Remember the episode where they drove that three wheeled Fiat allover & rolled it upside down?
did you see the episode where they race a jeep against a snowmobile across a lake?

In Europe I think the Kirkham is called a "Hawk."

...and therein may be a smidgen of an issue. Gerry Hawkridge's Stratos was tested and really scorched (broke down a few times) by the guys, and Gerry was non too thrilled. Since he's the Brit distributor for Kirkham...well...might be a bit of a wait.

Not entirely correct. Gerry Hawkridge is the European distributor for Kirkham through his Hawk Cars concern, but there are probably just as many Kirkhams supplied direct from Utah as through Hawk, including mine. They are all still Kirkhams though.

Gerry missed a great opportunity when Top Gear tested his Stratos, because he used a customer's car and didn't get it thoroughly checked and setup before filming, with a predictable outcome. To say that Gerry was "non too thrilled" is a massive understatement.

Provided it was fully insured for every eventuality, I'd be prepared to let them use mine. It isn't the most powerful Kirkham out there with "only" around 480BHP, but it is a nicely sorted and setup example.

Paul

That "Fiat" was a Reliant Robin. ;)

Reliant Robin

Clarkson considers most handbuilt cars out of the main stream production to be nothing more than kit cars unfortunately . However there is on Youtube(sorry no link) a video of JC driving a AC 427 continuation cobra and he seemed to like it.

12:05



not top gear tho..

LoBelly

Paul...I made the point I intended. Never a good thing (indeed, quite possibly an understatement itself) for someone else to attempt to describe what I've said.

I would want the folks in Provo deciding which car should represent the world of KMP...maybe yours, then again...maybe not. Wouldn't want a repeat of Gerry's assperience now, would we.

There are other distributors on the mainland.

LoBelly...that was mucho muy goodo...thanks.

My 2 cents - let them use your car if you wish (not that they are interested) but don't ever expect it to come back in one piece. Maybe in several pieces if you're lucky....I'd never, ever let that arrogant bunch of ****** near any automobile of mine - or anything else for that matter.

The whole Stratos issue was unbelieveable as I saw all the correspondence about that. The owner brought it down from Scotland and the Top Gear team blew the engine. They did pay for the rebuild (so I should hope) but a few months later they asked for it back at short notice. Although very inconvenient the owner came to their rescue at his own expense once more but his mechanic, who drove down overnight, warned JC that he was still working through a problem with the cars brakes - so of course, JC blasted around the track and was 'shocked' to discover ...the brakes had failed!! Whodda thought?! For the 'timed' lap the Stig, who had just completed 20 laps without mishap, got the word to 'do his stuff' which led to the car 'spinning' three times in one lap! All for the 'good' of the final programme.

I was copied in to all the emails from the owner and his hi-flyin' lawyer plus the replies from Top Gear which were arrogant in the extreme. Despite withdrawing permission to show the Stratos, they went ahead anyway as they do whatever they want. But sadly, it proved the point that there ain't no such thing as bad publicity as the phone went mad the following day at Hawk with enquiries regarding the purchase of a Stratos. Seems all the potential clients knew better than the believe anything they see on that pre-scripted 'show', so ignored all the supposed problems - glad to see you can't fool all the people all the time. I rarely watch that junk show any more...if you believe anything you see on that prog, you need to get a life, or a hobby.

Good stuff, Trev...that's exactly how it was all described to me by some folks back then...including Gerry hisownself.

The show's no worse a car show than Graham Norton as a hardline investigator.

Oooh that Graham - he can be one hard sum'*****.... :)

The English version of Top Gear is a humorous enterainment show. Nothing more. And the US version just sucks.