Practically Classics Forum

By accident saw the last few minutes of Eastenders on Thursday night, 19th Jan 2012, (no i dont watch the program just put telly on to see something else!)

I dont know what the story line was but i am presuming that one of the characters is going bannger racing, and the car that appeared fully prepped for the bannger track... a VAUXHALL FIRENZA

From what could be seen of the car it appeared properly prepared for bannger racing, not just the production team stripping out an old car and painting it, which makes me speculate that a bannger racing team was contacted to provide a car for the episode and perhaps knowing the trouble Top Gear got into with Marina's they took the chance to stir things up a bit with a classic car.

lights fuse on bannger racing classic cars, retires to safe distance....

That Firenza may be another triumph for BBC continuity! The car that has featured so far (in Mitchell's garage - being "prepared") is a 4 door Viva HC. We even heard it running and it sounded to me an OHV ie the small 1256cc (or maybe even 1159) model, not 1800 or 2300.
An episode the other day featured it being driven around on the road - clearly unroadworthy as without windows, lights etc let alone tax & insurance (I have to remember that Walford is really private land etc ........in Borehamwood).

A friend of mine works for the BBC and he has said on numerous occasions that, despite theories to the contrary, the BBC is conscious of both the need to preserve cars and cost implications of destroying expensive cars unnecessarily. He has often seen cars totally beyond reclamation tarted up to look like a million dollars and it has commented that at times he is amazed they stay together enough to get the shots done.

Irrespective of this at the end of the day it’s their property and we are in no position to dictate what someone else does with it be it banger racing, rallying, customizing etc . I agree though from a personal point I always cringe but thats life.

It's a Viva 1300GLS saloon, 7 dial instrument panel etc presumably going begging somewhere?

Pathetic storyline but it's soapland and bears no resemblance to real life.

it shows how much attention i pay to that televised cack,i thout it was a hunter

There are very few things in my life that make me proud, but never having seen anything other than the closing credits for Eastenders is certainly one!

You've watched the closing credits?!?! you poor man!

TerryG wrote:You've watched the closing credits?!?! you poor man!

They always look so bloody miserable!

i would like to add that the wife watches it while i go online

needstlc wrote:
They always look so bloody miserable!

...honest

I see in Classic car Weekly, that to mark the 50th anniversary of the Cortina, there is a to be a Cortina banger race this Summer . Whilst a Cortina is nowhere near getting in my top ten (Not even a Mk 1 Lotus, though that would be closer.....I'm more of a Cooper S man), I can't say I approve of this wholesale destruction of classic cars.