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I agree. I can't say 100% this is what happened to Top Gear, but what I recall hearing was a disagreement between Clarkson and one of the producers one night after shooting all day ended in a physical alteration of some sort. I have to think there was other circumstances leading up to this, but this is what I recall as the breaking point between the BBC and the three presenters. Your mention of the US version of Top Gear and it not being nearly as successful as it was on the BBC is right on. Not that the talent on the show wasn't pretty good, but they were mostly doing the same episodes as the BBC did but in the US with the US actors. I can speak only for myself and my sense of humor and what I laugh at on TV. I tend to enjoy much of the British humor and besides the Top Gear shows we used to watch BBC shows such as Coupling, the Jeff caricature would leave me laughing for most of the show. This one was also tried here and, in my mind, never came close to the BBC version. Keeping Up Appearances was full of sight gages and funny situations and the way the characters handled them was priceless. Waiting for God was always funny as well.

Love lumpy sounding cams and Flowmasters.

I remembered your interest in older Thunderbirds today while looking at the lots for the Mecum Auction this weekend here in Kansas City. I know it is a completely different market and hardly relevant to your area, but they have a great looking lot on Saturday 12/7 lot #S192.1. You can look at their web site and pull up pictures and information on what they're offering. If this is of interest too you look at the Saturday lots and it is on page #8. You can always look at what something sold for later.

Have never seen this black convertible model before.

Really mis the old Top Gear Show on BBC. The interaction between the guys could be funny at times. How they got away with some of their skits was amazing.

Great looking color and finish. Like how you did the interior, and the engine looks good the way you detailed it.

Great looking paint color and finish. The engine and chassis look well done.

Like the destressed looking paint finish. Clean looking trim. Like the stance along with the wheels & tires.

Great looking paint finish and stripe combination. Well detailed engine. The diorama setting adds a lot to your pictures.

Beautiful paint finish and the color almost looks black depending on the light. Like the engine detailing. The swamp cooler and visor are nice addons.

Beautiful paint color and finish. Like the extensive engine detailing. Got the stance.

I was the third owner of this car, and I sort of warmed it up a little but never took it to the drags or even thought of doing so. I was young and dumb and doing as many young men who are young and dumb have been known to do. As I said I was luckier than I had any right to be that the drive shaft didn't dig into the blacktop and act like a pogo stick. I never thought the engine had enough torque to rip the eye out of the yoke as that had never happened to me on any car I had owned before or since including a few that would have been far more capable of such.

Hard to figure out sometimes why certain cars and trucks values very so much. Ford built a lot of these and since they were sort of their premier line and expensive the people that bought them usually had the finances to take care of them and maybe even had a garage to park them in. Different types of auto enthusiasts that would sometimes do abusive things to their cars were looking at different models. These would have been considered "old people's cars" and not desirable. I would think a mint Thunderbird like this if it has been properly cared for and maintained could be a great car. Not an economy car for sure, but a comfortable driver with all the bells and whistles.

Sounds like you guys understand the forces required to do the mentioned damage. Now the other part of the story. The car I was driving was nothing on the order of the cars it sounds like you have been involved with. The time frame was summer of 1965, and my car was a 1957 Ford Mainliner two door. Think of the cover on the box of the Revell kit of the '57 Ford. The 312 cu in engine was for the most part pretty stock with only an upgraded Holly, D series heads with a light polish. These heads were said to be meant for the factory dual quad set up. The Ford factory hot cam of the '57 era. The transmission was the HD 3 speed with Overdrive and a Hurst shifter. Don't recall the rear end ratio, but it was fairly low. On the street with a slight downhill sloop, I was living in the mountains in SoCal at the time. Didn't lift when shifting into second and only tapped the clutch and made a clean no grinding or slipping shift into second when it all hit the fan. For those who are aware of the possibilities of what could, but didn't happen, I think will agree I was luckier than I had any right to be. All ancient history now. The Yoke that I twisted was only available through the Ford dealer at that time and that left the car parked for 2 weeks before the dealer could get me the part.

Who else has ever twisted the eye out of the drive shaft yoke on the transmission end while banging a second gear shift? Couldn't even hear the radio. Talk about lucky.

Remember a woman at church once telling me you had to be brave to be old. I'm starting to better understand what she was talking about.

Went to the Snap Fitness this morning, 18 degrees outside before the wind chill factor. Colder than a brass toilet seat in the Yukon.

Reminds me of the Charly Brown Christmas trees I used to have when I was single.

I have also bought them in the past. My favorite is the '65 GTO in dark Maroon with a Black vinyl roof. They are starting to get more expensive, and I no longer can justify the expense even though I like the subject. I'll stay with my 1/25th plastic kits for now. But for someone looking for a nice diecast in this scale they are a good deal.

Thank you for your service. Very realistic looking finishes.

Great tribute too Plowboys build style.

Beautiful paint color and finish, like the Yencko stripes as well. great chrome trim and stance.

Beautiful looking paint colors and finish. Great looking chrome trim. Very elegant looking just like the original car was.

Great looking paint color and interior combination.

Great job capturing the look of the real car. Correct shade of red and the primer. Realistic looking engine and interior details. The Nerf Bars, wheel color and hub caps, mirrors, and license plate are all correct.