Johnny Tipler

Curry’s burning issue

Johnny Tipler — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:37:50 +0000

Well, it’s almost a year now since the infamous chemical burns incident, when ‘acid house’ took on a new slant. We ordered a new Zanussi dishwasher from our local branch of Curry’s and paid the installation fee, but being a few days short of Christmas the delivery guys were in a hurry and simply dropped it off, plugged it in and were gone. My boy Alfie even had to flag them down to ask how to open the door. When water spewed onto the kitchen floor it was clear we had a problem so a phone-call to Curry’s dispatch office summoned the delivery guys back to sort it out. The man in charge took one look at the situation and said, ‘Oh, you just want to put some caustic soda down there, mate,’ indicating the waste pipe at the back of the machine; ‘that’ll sort it out,’ he said.
In the meantime I’d figured that there must be a blockage, so I poured something called Drain Clean down the sink to see if that would clear it. Alfie went out and bought caustic soda, and I did as Curry’s man recommended and poured the crystals down the waste pipe that housed the dishwasher’s outlet tube. Nothing happened. I asked Alfie to get me a garden cane. I began rodding the tube. ‘Let me do it, Dad,’ he said. ‘No, it’s OK I’m nearly there,’ I said. All of a sudden the substance in the tube erupted like a shotgun, splattering its contents all over the kitchen ceiling and cabinets and, critically, my face and forehead.
Despite my glasses it had gone in my eyes and also my mouth, and I was instantly blinded. Alfie bundled me into the utility room pushed my head in the sink and turned the tap on, then rushed outside to seek help. I tried to wash the gluey matter off my head. Peter Grant, foreman of the Cathedral Close workshop is a trained first-aider, and he took over washing my head. I believe I owe my sight to his fast action.
Minutes later, all hell broke loose. Two paramedics arrived on bicycles, followed by two fire engines, a police car with bomb squad officers and an ambulance. The paramedics put an aloe-vera hood over my head and I was rushed off to the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital. 24 hours of tests and constant irrigation followed as the nurses strove to lower the PH on my skull from an off-the-chart 14 to something nearer the normal 8. I went into theatre for skin grafts and plastic surgery and was released four days later on Christmas Eve. The grafts on my forehead were taken from my thigh, which was much more painful, and it was crutches and a cocktail of eye drops for the next 10 days, bandages and dressings for a further month.
My glasses were destroyed, though without them I’d be blind. But what doesn’t bear thinking about is what would have happened to Alfie if I’d let him stir the chemical. And all because Curry’s failed to make sure the appliance was working - what we paid the installation charge for - and then issued all too glib advice about using highly dangerous chemicals. What’s more, when challenged subsequently they were unsympathetic and their delivery man denied saying what he did. Will I ever shop at Curry’s again? I don’t think so.

Ricardo Rodriguez’s hot seat

Johnny Tipler — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:44:51 +0000

Drove the ex-Ricardo Rodriguez Porsche 718 RSK at Maxted-Page & Prill’s secret dragstrip yesterday. Proper racing car, first in the line that carried on with the 904, 906 and 917. He was obviously not a tall guy; I had to adopt the pose of a frog to drive it! Yours for E1m.

Carrera Cup victor

Johnny Tipler — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:41:07 +0000

Just been to interview Tim Harvey who’s won the Porsche Carrera C. The former BTCC Champ won a brand new 997 C2 - nice work if you can get it! He hates automatics and Tiptronics nearly as much as front-wheel drive!

Porsche stories

Johnny Tipler — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:20:20 +0000

Up-coming: Export 56 and Howard Watts. Plus Ruf RT-12 feature.

KAvalier

Johnny Tipler — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:14:34 +0000

Well the little KA did pretty well on those long, looping bends that snake up and down the Picos de Europa and the Pyrrenean foothills of northern Spain, laden as it was with sacks of potatoes and onions. And it was the fastest thing on the road in France where the entire nation seems cowed either by radar traps or the exorbitant price of fuel. I’m guessing the Sport KA must be quite a good little tourer…

KAtatonic

Johnny Tipler — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:02:08 +0000

The Ford Ka may be a great town car and nippy round the haipins, but we are about to drive one from Portugal to England - the long way up - through Spain and France. Will it prove to be a long distance cruiser as well?!

Welsh squelch

Johnny Tipler — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 11:19:17 +0000

Spent last week in Wales doing a drive story for Lotus Club International magazine with editor Caroline and snapper Jason. Drove over from Hethel in Type 25 liveried Elise SC – the supercharged one – and stayed at Italianate pastiche Portmeirion holiday village. A mix of whacky, mysterious, magical and enigmatic, but great for statics of the car. We took the car onto Black Rock sands for tracking shots along 2 miles of beach.
In lashing rain we drove the coast road to Pendine Sands in south Pembrokeshire, helped push Babs (Parry Thomas’s World Land Speed Record car) out of the Museum of Speed and onto a trailer for winter mothballing. Tenby & St David’s also good bookmarks for the trip. Stayed at Hurst House Hotel in the marsh at Dylan Thomas’s Laugherne – some of Squeeze were in residence recording a Christmas hit. We shall see if it is!

Goodwood Revival

Johnny Tipler — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:03:11 +0000

Friday at the Revival was more corporate than ever, with some journos complaining they couldn’t get near the track to take pics for the quantity of ‘guests’ ligging. Despite that, we got interviews with John Fitzpatrick (BTCC Champion in 1966) and Porsche racer extraordinairre; and Claudia Hürtgen, also a Porsche racer of no mean repute (driving a 911 S/T with Michael Roock at the Nordschleife) and showing off in the Ferrari 250GTO Breadvan.
Saturday was crowded but less corporate. Nearly as many aircrafty as cars… Lunch in the Drivers Club with Toni Planken, Porsche tuner from Dusseldorf, whom I’d met in Mexico. Also chatted with Steve Hallam, ex-Team Lotus engineer from Senna era and now McLaren tech chief.
The TT cars are superb as always. But no sign of hit-list topper Jacky Ickx…

Ruf experience

Johnny Tipler — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:51:39 +0000

Travelled to Bavaria with Antony Fraser on Monday to visit Alois Ruf and see his latest supercars - which are in effect redefined Porsches. The RT-12 is stronger than a 997 GT2, it’s so powerful and visually stunning. An exceptional car. All Ruf people as charming and hospitable as ever.
Met Richard Soderberg who designed road and race Porsches from 1969 to 1996 (908/3, 936, 968 and 993) and interviewed him for 911 & Porsche World.

La Carrera Panamericana book

Johnny Tipler — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:31:31 +0000

My book on the great Mexican road race, La Carrera Panamericana is out today! Looks fantastic. Publishers Veloce have done a really great job.

Offered the hot seat in Adrian Stevens’ 356 today, so may get to Mexico again this year…