IRVIN NUTS?...the ULTIMATE thread for those who love 'em!

[PADDY]

Eastman Irvin gets a showing this morning!!

 

[Spitfire]

Nice one Paddy. And I see you've changed to rubber flyingboots

 

[Smithy]

Ready for action Paddy!

You must get damn cold winds blowing across those downs in winter, just the place for an Irvin on the morning constitutional.

 

[PADDY]

Cold winds...

All that cold nasty arctic stuff is being flung across the North Sea from you boys in Scandanavia!!

So thanks for all that!! as it's the BEST excuse to throw on an Irvin!!

 

[Windsock]

All that cold nasty arctic stuff is being flung across the North Sea from you boys in Scandanavia!!

So thanks for all that!! as it's the BEST excuse to throw on an Irvin!!

Looks like great fun and i'm extremely jealous (in a nice way!). Cruel trick of fate to be infected with Irvinitis living here. Must've picked up the germs when I lived in the Northern half of the Planet years ago. Still, I can't complain as we've not had the typically Monsoon heat of our usual summer here.

I'll just have to get back to my Research to get my fix of Irvin over indulgence and try to get something from watching you lot relishing in the chill

 

[Smithy]

Looks like great fun and i'm extremely jealous (in a nice way!). Cruel trick of fate to be infected with Irvinitis living here. Must've picked up the germs when I lived in the Northern half of the Planet years ago. Still, I can't complain as we've not had the typically Monsoon heat of our usual summer here.

I'll just have to get back to my Research to get my fix of Irvin over indulgence and try to get something from watching you lot relishing in the chill

You need to jack it up so you can nip over the ditch and spend half the winter in the South Island Andrew. You get plenty of Irvin weather in Christchurch and Dunedin

Completely and entirely fftopic: but how's that little beauty of an MG eh?

 

[Windsock]

Yes, fftopic: but indulge me. Smithy we have been toying with going over for a possible play in the snow at the bottom end later in the year. I have been dreaming of taking my new Goodwear to Wings over Wanaka but that is just too self indulgent and my 2 little fellows need to see what that white fluffy stuff on T the T Engine really is like. If we do go i'll smuggle in one of the originals to give it a little air time.

We have had the wettest Summer here for ages so she's been garaged for a while, though today I removed the canvas and took her out for a blast. fantastic rumbly burble from 3rd to 4th and cornering??? Just love it.

 

[Smithy]

Yes, fftopic: but indulge me. Smithy we have been toying with going over for a possible play in the snow at the bottom end later in the year. I have been dreaming of taking my new Goodwear to Wings over Wanaka but that is just too self indulgent and my 2 little fellows need to see what that white fluffy stuff on T the T Engine really is like. If we do go i'll smuggle in one of the originals to give it a little air time.

We have had the wettest Summer here for ages so she's been garaged for a while, though today I removed the canvas and took her out for a blast. fantastic rumbly burble from 3rd to 4th and cornering??? Just love it.

fftopic:

I'm jealous Andrew, I miss having a ragtop.

I hope you make it to the South Island for winter, it's beautiful down there and the kids would have a ball. Lots to do and see. Wanaka and the surrounding landscape is stunning. Shame it costs so much to ship a car over, otherwise you'd have a blast in the MG on the mountain roads around there and Queenstown.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[Windsock]

fftopic:

I'm jealous Andrew, I miss having a ragtop.

Cheers,

Tim

'Bout time- at least there's something to change the tide a little

(To keep on topic) The Irvin's is a natural ally of an open classic. With some imagination, driving a 60's or earlier vehicle is somewhat reminiscent of old aircraft. They didn't change much in 20 years. Tiny short windscreen, toggle switches, ignition located squarely in the middle of the dash and most importantly- Smiths dials in white on black. Even the ride, looks quite smooth from the outside but it's a totally different story travelling inside. I went up in a T-6 a couple of years ago and was really surprised at the amount of bumping and rattling going on.

Next winter i'll try to get around to taking some more shots with Irvin.

What'd you have Smithy, where and what happened to it?

 

[Alan Eardley]

An effect accentuated by a folding or opening windscreen or aeroscreens... It was having a '31 Ford Roadster that got me into sheepskin flying clothing in the first place.

Alan

The Irvin's is a natural ally of an open classic. With some imagination, driving a 60's or earlier vehicle is somewhat reminiscent of old aircraft. They didn't change much in 20 years. Tiny short windscreen, toggle switches, ignition located squarely in the middle of the dash and most importantly- Smiths dials in white on black. Even the ride, looks quite smooth from the outside but it's a totally different story travelling inside.

 

[Windsock]

Irvin Art

I love Aviation Art and the Australian War Memorial has tons of beautiful examples of the work of War Artists within their collection. This is one of a couple of portraits I particularly like as it includes an Irvin.

Harold Freedman, 1946
Pilot Officer Rawdon Middleton VC

Here are some links to his story.
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/860.asp
http://users.tpg.com.au/adsls7ld/middleton.html

Strange the citation has him as a Flt Sgt- posthumous promotion?

 

[Smithy]

'Bout time- at least there's something to change the tide a little

(To keep on topic) The Irvin's is a natural ally of an open classic. With some imagination, driving a 60's or earlier vehicle is somewhat reminiscent of old aircraft. They didn't change much in 20 years. Tiny short windscreen, toggle switches, ignition located squarely in the middle of the dash and most importantly- Smiths dials in white on black. Even the ride, looks quite smooth from the outside but it's a totally different story travelling inside. I went up in a T-6 a couple of years ago and was really surprised at the amount of bumping and rattling going on.

Next winter i'll try to get around to taking some more shots with Irvin.

What'd you have Smithy, where and what happened to it?

fftopic: Apologies as this post with be completely off topic!

I agree with the comparison of old aircraft and old classic cars (especially British). I've had a few classic British cars but the one which was very close in feel to an aircraft was the Series I 3.8 E-Type one of my best friends had. It even smelt similar - leather, oil, petrol. Huge great bloody engine in front of you, lots of Smiths instruments, and ever so slightly terrifying. Ridiculously good fun to drive (especially at speed - it was very heavy at low speeds) with a fantastic howl from the exhaust and whine from the gear box. Luckily for me it reminded him of his ex-wife and so I was pretty much the only one driving it. What really annoys me was he sold it and I could have bought it (mate's rates) but we were coming here and I thought that'd be silly. Now I regret my decision not to enormously. Here's the old girl...

Last one we had was a '99 MX-5 which was originally for my fiancée but to be honest I fell in love with the car. 6-speed box, 1830cc, BRG with tan leather and hood, wooden steering wheel. Good fun to drive, nippy, great handling, got rid of it coming here...

Windsock we might have to start a British sports cars thread, save boring all the Irvin boys with our rambling on about motors!

 

[PADDY]

Vintage sports car thread (now there's an idea)

Gents: There might be more mileage (excuse the pun!) in having a seperate thread on vintage sports cars, rather than losing some great pieces among all our hairy jackets in 'here.'

PM me when you do and I'll move all the relevant gems from 'in here' to 'over there.'

Cheers!!

 

[Smithy]

Gents: There might be more mileage (excuse the pun!) in having a seperate thread on vintage sports cars, rather than losing some great pieces among all our hairy jackets in 'here.'

PM me when you do and I'll move all the relevant gems from 'in here' to 'over there.'

Cheers!!

Good idea Paddy!

 

[Windsock]

Thanks for that Paddy, don't really want to water down this subject...though the new one might have the odd Irvin included!

 

[Milu]

Check out: YOROPIKO x EASTMANS http://www.yoropiko.co.uk/yoropiko-collaborations.php


I can really see everyone here waiting for one to come up on ebay

 

[Baron Kurtz]

That's pretty cool. At least it's only a reproduction they're screwing around with.

bk

 

[cherrypicker]

Not really my "cup of tea" but I bet the Star wars collectors will be checking their bank balances.

 

[aswatland]

It's also not my cup of tea. I can't imagine who would want to splash out £3K for a painted ELC Irvin! There must be potential buyers out there I suppose. Now think how many decent originals you could buy for £3K!

 

[Milu]

I think it is just wrong. But doubtless someone will see it and love it.