Odd factoids

[Profpointy]

Steve McQueen won the 1963 Le Man 24 hour race on a motorbike, but was disqualified for jumping a fence

Apparently in one of the motorcyle chase scenes, McQueen was chasing himself as he was doubling as one of the German soldiers chasing him.

And tenuously related, my grandparents' small farm was allocated an Italian prisoner of war as a labourer. Initially he was dropped off each day, but after a while someone lent him a motorcycle on which he commuted to the farm each day from the prison camp. No idea how or if the paperwork for his petrol ration was handled - but I guess it was some unofficial arrangment. He lived up to his national stereotype by crashing it through a hedge through over-enthusiasm.

 

[bruce1530]

The last time a crew made up entirely of British drivers won the Le Man 24 hour race, was in 1957, Ivor Bueb and Ron Flockhart with the Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-type.

The Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-type was the world’s first battery powered car, being powered by an array of 288 D-type cells arranged in a 24x12 matrix - hence the name of the car. It’s range was greatly limited by the zinc-carbon battery technologies available at the time, so Jaguar arranged for multiple arrays of D-type cells to be available in racks to allow quick-changes at pit stops.

The Daimler AAA and the Aston Martin PP3 models were not commercial successes.

 

[classic33]

Steve McQueen's Ferrari 250 GT Berlinetta Lusso was also sold in an acution for $2.31 million in August 2007.

 

[Jenkins]

The Ecurie Ecosse Jaguar D-type was the world’s first battery powered car, being powered by an array of 288 D-type cells arranged in a 24x12 matrix - hence the name of the car. It’s range was greatly limited by the zinc-carbon battery technologies available at the time, so Jaguar arranged for multiple arrays of D-type cells to be available in racks to allow quick-changes at pit stops.

The Daimler AAA and the Aston Martin PP3 models were not commercial successes.

Mercedes have recognised the limitations of battery power in vehicles due to the weight, so only use it it HGV applications, hence the 2032 coin cell powered Actros

 

[Seevio]

William Tell had 5 sons before he eventually managed to shoot an apple on his son, Robert's head.

 

[Drago]

William Tell's real name was Bill Telltale. His Father was a snitch, and was given the surname accordingly.

 

[classic33]

The Lone Ranger was a descedent of William Tell, overture being his first name chosen. The other Rangers left, the rest is history.

 

[Drago]

The Lone Ranger was the inventor of the Ford Ranger. The Tonto and Kemosabe models were particularly poor sellers in Texas.

 

[classic33]

Kemosabe are now making Caterhams.

 

[Jenkins]

In racing circles, Caterhams are known as Clatter'ems

 

[Tim Hall]

More than six and fewer than eight people from East Surrey were unjustly imprisoned for their part in the Pedant's Revolt, giving rise to the cry "free The Caterham 7"

 

[classic33]

Which Tyler led the "Pedants Revolt".

 

[Drago]

Stephen Tyler was the first peasant to release a rock album.

 

[bruce1530]

Bonnie Tiler, former pop star, now tiles bathrooms and kitchens.

 

[Seevio]

I'm sorry to semi-derail the thread but I can't like the idea of "the pedant's revolt" enough.