66 replies to this topic

[David Birchall]

Historically we have the 'Bentley Boys', the 'Tifosi', the 'Alfisti' and Porschophiles (sp?) but what are the other groups called that associate with one make only?
I have heard 'Poupon' for a group of Rolls Royce owners....

[Rob G]

There are Bugattistes, but it doesn't seem to be an oft-used term.

[Derek Pitt]

In the 70's the Triumoh Stag was known as "the hairdresser's car"....but i guess that doesnt wash with the intent of this thread....oops I mean rinse shampoo and blowdry

[Giraffe]

Ever so slightly o/t, the French term "garigiste" was applied to privateers at GP's etc. Literally this translates as garage owner or mechanic, but was the commom term for private entrants of any marque through usage.

Edited by Giraffe, 27 May 2009 - 08:10.

[Terry Walker]

I've never heard poupon or indeed any other group name for Rolls-Royce owners - the usual expression is Owner, with a capital O. "Oh yes, he's an Owner." You can hear the Capital O. But that seems to apply to individuals, rather than a group.

(I'm an Owner myself.)

[jeze]

In Sweden we call owners of Volvos for "Volvo-Nisse" for some reason, I don't know why!

[Rob]

Are British Leyland fanatics called Leylandii?

[Giraffe]

Reliant 3-wheeler owners are called "Rodneys"..............

[Derek Pitt]

Are British Leyland fanatics called Leylandii?

No ROB

They are losers....

I have a Rover P4 100, a Rover P5B Coupe and four XJ6's

I know

Derek

[Doug Nye]

Nurse! NURSE! He's out of bed again....!

DCN

[D-Type]

If a Ford is a Dagenham Dustbin is a Ford owner a Dagenham Dustman?

In Africa they refer to rich sticky fingered politicians etc as wa-benzi (the Benz tribe)

[kayemod]

In Africa they refer to rich sticky fingered politicians etc as wa-benzi (the Benz tribe)

Here of course, we just refer to rich sticky-fingered politicians as 'The Government'.

[Twin Window]

Are British Leyland fanatics called Leylandii?

Nice one!

Around these parts (Oxford, UK) where Morris Motors once thrived, MG owners are referred-to as 'Mostly Gits'. MGBs are known as 'Morris Oxford Convertibles' and MGB GTs as 'Morris Oxford Fastbacks'...

MGs were made about five miles away in Abingdon; MG of course standing for Morris Garages which was originated as a break-away group from Morris Motors, and therein lie the roots of the 'rivalry'.

[cdrewett]

Historically we have the 'Bentley Boys', the 'Tifosi', the 'Alfisti' and Porschophiles (sp?) but what are the other groups called that associate with one make only?
I have heard 'Poupon' for a group of Rolls Royce owners....

Don't forget that pre-war Frazer Nash owners called themselves The Chain Gang
Chris

[Giraffe]

The Cosworth Sierra aka the Dagenham Takeaway..............

[Odseybod]

In the Czech Rep, BMWs are referred to as Bavaraks (assume derived from Bavaria) - initally applied to BMW bikes, then extended to the cars as well as they become most common after the Revolution.

And a pre-war light car (Aero?) was nicknamed the Prd-Prd-Ting-Ling, representing the sound as it approached (prd being Czech for audible flatulence, he said ever-so-politely).

[kayemod]

And a pre-war light car (Aero?) was nicknamed the Prd-Prd-Ting-Ling, representing the sound as it approached (prd being Czech for audible flatulence, he said ever-so-politely).

Just think what mildly amusing connotations you could come up with for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang...

[Giraffe]

Ford Granada aka Beirut Taxi..................

[byrkus]

In Slovenia, owners of hydro-suspended Citroëns are called "Hidravličarji". Which means something like 'hydraulic men'.

[Giraffe]

My late father, a Merc man, always referred to a Jaguar as a "Bookie's car"; He'd turn in his grave if he knew that I've run XJS's for the last 14 years!!!

[kayemod]

My late father, a Merc man, always referred to a Jaguar as a "Bookie's car"; He'd turn in his grave if he knew that I've run XJS's for the last 14 years!!!

My Dad will be spinning alongside him. He mostly had BMWs, and latterly Audis, but a family friend had a knee-weakeningly gorgeous Lancia Fulvia HF coupé, which Dad always referred to as "The Gigolomobile".

[Odseybod]

Just think what mildly amusing connotations you could come up with for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang...

I was brung up on the story that, far from being a desciption of their sound effects, Count Z.'s cars were in fact named after a naughty Royal Flying Corps song, whose chorus went "And the cheeks of her arse went chitty chitty bang bang." Since I've never heard or read that anywhere else, I'm beginning to think it may have been a fabrication. Shame!

Edited by Odseybod, 27 May 2009 - 13:01.

[Rob]

I was brung up on the story that, far from being a desciption of their sound effects, Count Z.'s cars were in fact named after a naughty Royal Flying Corps song, whose chorus went "And the cheeks of her arse went chitty chitty bang bang." Since I've never heard or read that anywhere else, I'm beginning to think it may have been a fabrication. Shame!

I thought the Count's cars had just the single Chitty.

[kayemod]

I was brung up on the story that, far from being a desciption of their sound effects, Count Z.'s cars were in fact named after a naughty Royal Flying Corps song, whose chorus went "And the cheeks of her arse went chitty chitty bang bang." Since I've never heard or read that anywhere else, I'm beginning to think it may have been a fabrication. Shame!

I think that's correct, as I've been told (or possibly read) the same story. It's all coming out now, but I have to admit, that was what I had in mind when I made my earlier post.

Sounds as if 'She' might have been ever so slightly overweight though, to produce that sound effect, probably a fine figure of a woman...

[kayemod]

I thought the Count's cars had just the single Chitty.

True, but we seem to have come full circle here. Chitty Bang Bang and several other cars were largely built for Count Zborowski by Captain Clive Gallop, who was one of the original 'Bentley Boys'.

[john t]

Reliant 3-wheeler owners are called "Rodneys"..............;)

"And the Rodneys are queing up"........Spent 30 years wondering what that line from The Stranglers song 'Duchess' meant, and now i know! Cheers.

[Doug Nye]

I was brung up on the story that, far from being a desciption of their sound effects, Count Z.'s cars were in fact named after a naughty Royal Flying Corps song, whose chorus went "And the cheeks of her arse went chitty chitty bang bang." Since I've never heard or read that anywhere else, I'm beginning to think it may have been a fabrication. Shame!

I believe this to be true. This is the unexpurgated story as told to me by Bill Boddy, no less, and which I have - most untypically I fear - always been too polite to pass on... Sadly, Bill did not provide me with the tune...

DCN

[Derek Pitt]

You PLONKER Rodney!!!

"get in the car Marlenne "

[Giraffe]

A wee bit o/t and personal to me, but soon after the Porsche Boxter was introduced, I was in a coach at traffic lights on the way to a ski resort in Italy when one pulled up alongside. The woman in the seat behind me was admiring it's rear end, drew her husband's attention to it. He asked her what it was, and she screwed her eyes up and said "well the badge on the back says it's a Brewster"! From that day to this, that car's always been a "Porsche Brewster" to me!!!

Similarily, when I used to walk to school, I used to pass an Austin Westminster which had two bits of it's enamel name missing from it; so to me that model has evermore been the "Austin Stminst"!

[Odseybod]

I believe this to be true. This is the unexpurgated story as told to me by Bill Boddy, no less, and which I have - most untypically I fear - always been too polite to pass on... Sadly, Bill did not provide me with the tune...

DCN

Thanks, Doug - I'm shamefacedly glad that my breach of decorum has successfully given the rumour some, er, body.

[Ray Bell]

Down, Stan... down...

You don't want Doug calling the nurses again!

[timbo]

In Australia, where V8 touring cars are popular, we have two makes of cars for supporters to follow.

These supporters are sometimes referred to as Bogans and Ferals.

[Arjan de Roos]

In Slovenia, owners of hydro-suspended Citroëns are called "Hidravličarji". Which means something like 'hydraulic men'.

In Holland Citroën fans are called a Citrofiel, which translates so much into Citrophile

[Derek Pitt]

In Australia, where V8 touring cars are popular, we have two makes of cars for supporters to follow.

These supporters are sometimes referred to as Bogans and Ferals.

When GMH is sold to Daewoo, as will happen in a month or so , and Ford is bankrupt, maybe CAMS will wake up and become aware of why it exists and the moronic rednecks will begin to be re-educated.

Supercabs RIP

We Hope
Derek

[Bumblyari]

I suppose Gilbern owners would have been the Taffosi

[ray b]

ford = blue oval boys

chevy = bowtie boys

[David Birchall]

I suppose Gilbern owners would have been the Taffosi

That's right boyo , isn't it?

[David Beard]

I was brung up on the story that, far from being a desciption of their sound effects, Count Z.'s cars were in fact named after a naughty Royal Flying Corps song, whose chorus went "And the cheeks of her arse went chitty chitty bang bang." Since I've never heard or read that anywhere else, I'm beginning to think it may have been a fabrication. Shame!

But didn't the original Brooklands car have only one Chitty, the extra one appearing in the film?

[h4887]

I've been Ginettically Modified...

[Alan Cox]

Quite correct, David, as noted in post 23. In spite of what WB told DCN, I recall that Mr Boddy used to become greatly irritated when people confused the title of any of Count Zborowski's leviathans with Ian Fleming's creation.

[Tim Murray]

In the Profile publication on the various Chittys WB refers to 'the theme of a lewd wartime song' as the origin of the name, and says also that the name was originally rendered as 'Chitti-Chitti-Bang-Bang' but was later spelled with a 'y'.

[Odseybod]

In the Profile publication on the various Chittys WB refers to 'the theme of a lewd wartime song' as the origin of the name, and says also that the name was originally rendered as 'Chitti-Chitti-Bang-Bang' but was later spelled with a 'y'.

So why the Boddy annoyance suggested in Alan Cox's previous post?

[Phil Rainford]

If you drove a Ford Sierra in the 1990s you were known as a salesman

PAR

[Doug Nye]

Quite correct, David, as noted in post 23. In spite of what WB told DCN, I recall that Mr Boddy used to become greatly irritated when people confused the title of any of Count Zborowski's leviathans with Ian Fleming's creation.

Gawd what a literal lot... Bill told me that 'they' went 'Chitty-Bang-Bang, Chitty-Bang-Bang' BUT, since Odseybod's original quotation had used the double-Chitty style - and since to have challenged it would have made ME appear like a pernickety, small-minded, literalist, mean old git...I refrained from so doing and to permit the sense of the piece to flow on..for better-digestible effect. I would be fascinated to know the rest of the verse.

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 27 May 2009 - 21:42.

[Vitesse2]

Gawd what a literal lot... Bill told me that 'they' went 'Chitty-Bang-Bang, Chitty-Bang-Bang' BUT, since Odseybod's original quotation had used the double-Chitty style - and since to have challenged it would have made ME appear like a pernickety, small-minded, literalist, mean old git...I refrained from so doing and to permit the sense of the piece to flow on..for better-digestible effect. I would be fascinated to know the rest of the verse.

DCN

David Wilson in his book 'The Racing Zborowskis' mentions the "ribald RFC song" theory, but concludes that the origins of the song "are anything but clear". Apparently Lou Z originally wanted to call the car 'Cascara Sagrada' (Google is your friend ;) ), but this proved unacceptable to Colonel Lindsay Lloyd who was concerned about the sensibilities of lady spectators. The theory goes that Lindsay Lloyd would not have been conversant with RFC songs, but I have to say I'm not convinced .... nor I think was Wilson.

[ensign14]

The casting of Dick Van Dyke now makes perfect sense.

[Gregor Marshall]

Is this a thread or a confession?!?!
Obviously I'm a big Gerry Marshall-fan, no matter what car he drove, but that also makes me a English racer-car fan, as he only drove English cars (if anyone can mention a non-english racecar my Dad raced there's £5 in it - remember I have the same answers he did and there's not many, less than 50 nout of 1500!!), plus just to confuse you all my late step-grandfather (through marriage) was WO Bentley (yes, really!!) so Bentley is probably my favourite but I can't work out between the the '20s 3.5 litre Bentley and the early 1910s Prince Henry; which one has been the most tarnished!!

[Derek Pitt]

The casting of Dick Van Dyke now makes perfect sense.

I had read that his real name was Penis Van Lesbian and his agent made him change it - but I was never sure if that was a true story

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by Gregor Marshall
.....as he only drove English cars (if anyone can mention a non-English racecar my Dad raced there's £5 in it.....

Holden Torana, made in Fishermens Bend...

That was in the 1977 Hardie Ferodo 1000, powered by an Australian designed and built 308 cubic inch V8. As I recall, his weight busted the seat mounts.

I'm not sure without checking, but he might have driven it elsewhere too. And he used that sort of V8 engine, imported from Australia, in one of his Vauxhalls too, didn't he? As Modified by Australian company Repco.

[ZOOOM]

As a Corvette driver, I am known as a "plastic fantastic" driver...............

ZOOOM