[08x08] July 30th, 2006

[ttyrants911]

I wasn't all that thrilled by 8 8 either. Also, does anybody else think that the Hammond flip thing was intentional?

Well he got whiplash and had to have physio, that wasn't intentional.

 

[MarkusF150]

It<s as if he were a girl..

COuld this Stig be Jansen Button??

Are you calling Jensen Button a girl?

I was confused by post that as well...

I think the Stig is Eddie Irvine or some older Formula One Driver

 

[K`Tetch]

The "Scandinavian Flick" was invented by Swedish and Norwegian rally
drivers to get a front wheel drive car around a corner quickly on slippery
surface like gravel or snow.

I think that Erik "on the roof" Carlsson was the first international driver
who used this technique in the two-stroke SAAB 93 and 96.

Doesn't the van Hammond had have rear wheel drive?
Why not just do a 50hp power slide?

Seams like they wanted to flip it over.

Used to have a fair few of these jap microvans for transport. A 88 Bedford Rascal (like hammonds, but with the 50hp 1litre engine) then a 98 Daihatsu hijet (with a 1.3, and came with 6 seats, engine also under the front seats, but this time there's actually something in front of the drivers legs, even if it is only the radiator) and now an 02 suzuki supercarry, with a bit more in front, but still mostly under the driver.

They're all most assuredly FWD. They're also the only 'cars' you don't mind working on in the rain, since the engines are all under the front seats. They're very nippy, but very light. Even with 1100lb of stuff in the back of the daihatsu (which loaded it up to the window-level - most of the weight was in the form of twenty 30Ah 12V gell-cells - we could have jump-started a jumbo) it was still blown about a bit by the wind. Daihatsu was also surprisingly quiet upto around 65 - the one time I dared take it over 70, I was too busy negotiating the wind, and the buffeting from HGVs - but yeah, the flick is a dead giveaway that he wanted *something* to happen. I think he was hoping for just some wheels off the ground, though, since they really don't need any help with turning.

They're great vans, especially the rascal, which was also really cheap for parts. Ours was even customised - olive green, with leather bucket seats in the front, and leather captains chairs in a second row, with sliding door windows. Was a comfy 4-seater, with still decent loadspace. Unfortunatly, about 2 months after we bought the daihatsu, some bastard nicked the rascal. Real shame.

 

[dino_martini]

Does anyone know where I can get that shirt that Jenson Button was wearing?

 

[deags]

Scandinavian flick was so worth it.

 

[mobyone]

I wasn't all that thrilled by 8 8 either. Also, does anybody else think that the Hammond flip thing was intentional?

I know this thread is old now, but all the other times I've watched this episode I've missed it. I'm just watching all the top gear seasons again and I only now noticed that Hammond is in a 5 or 6 point harness in his van. That's seams a bit too neat, and it makes me think that the flip was intentional. And I guess the big accident with the jet car was filmed not so long after...