New TV show about 1964 Opel Kadett

[TonyB]

Hello Everybody,

I saw this on the Finalgear website. Richard Hammond (BBC TV show Topgear) is getting a new show about his 1964 Opel Kadett (Oliver).

Richard Hammond’s Oliver To Be In New TV Series :: FinalGear.com


Tony

[West Coast GT]

Can't wait.
I cheered for Oliver, and was so damn proud to be an Opel owner. Oliver's preformance on the Salt Flat and dusty trail was incredible. Isn't that a machine we could all be proud of? Isn't it so Opel?

[manta73wi]

I agree...the Top Gear segments with Oliver the Kadett have been a blast to watch and a source of pride for us Opelers. There are several versions of Oliver footage on You Tube, including the actual show, and several compilation/edits set to music. The compilation set to Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" is OK, "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story is better, but I think the best is the one set to "Accidentally in Love" from the Shrek movie. It is a great series of clips!

Actual show clip:
YouTube - Top Gear

You've Got a Friend in Me
YouTube - Hammond and Oliver

Accidentally in Love
YouTube - Accidentally in love

Can't wait to see more Oliver on BBC!
-Jeff W

[opelwasp]

I actually have the entire episode. I'd post it but it is 695 mb. It is a great episode. Hammond gets bitten by the Opel bug. Now we just have to see if he gets Opelitis.

[opelenvy]

I watched all 7 parts on youtube which made up the whole show. I loved it!! Ya for Opel. Aside from the river crossing the Opel was flawless. The salt flats were awesome when the other two cars were leaving ruts and the Opel just cruised on top of the muck, fully intact. I am curious as to what grinding/cutting he was doing after the drowning.
GO OLIVER!!!

[chilly_75]

Can't thank you enough for pointing us toward this Top Gear episode. I watched all installments on YouTube as well. Very entertaining... what a solid performance by the Opel, and as a huge bonus, I got to see the worlds greatest comb-over

[opelspyder]

I always wondered what Opel the NOS horn ring fit that I had. I did have the correct horn button too, but sold it. Watch out Mach 1 Tom, it might fit your's too
Keith

[traytodd]

Quentin brought it home over the 4th. We watched it. What a kick. After crossing Botswana, they took Oliver back to GB to be rebuilt to have a continuing role in the show. NBC will be airing a US version of Top Gear over here. Final something us cableless, dishless people can watch until the BIG change in Feb.

Terry

[manta73wi]

Oliver again! The season 12, show 1 aired tonight on BBC America, and it had the guys driving lorries (semi trucks) in one of their point competitions. One test was to start the truck on a hill, and the show put a treasured object of the driver's behind the truck. When Hammond got behind the wheel, they pushed Oliver, his '64 Kadett, behind the truck. After a quick try, Hammond gave up and wouldn't put Oliver at risk. Oliver was looking mighty nice, and has been restored. It now features Minlite style wheels. The UK car magazine Practical Classics featured some of the restoration. Did anything come of the TV to show Oliver's restoration? Has anyone seen that?
-Jeff

[BQS4]

Oliver again! The season 12, show 1 aired tonight on BBC America, and it had the guys driving lorries (semi trucks) in one of their point competitions. One test was to start the truck on a hill, and the show put a treasured object of the driver's behind the truck. When Hammond got behind the wheel, they pushed Oliver, his '64 Kadett, behind the truck. After a quick try, Hammond gave up and wouldn't put Oliver at risk. Oliver was looking mighty nice, and has been restored. It now features Minlite style wheels. The UK car magazine Practical Classics featured some of the restoration. Did anything come of the TV to show Oliver's restoration? Has anyone seen that?
-Jeff

Jeff;
When Baz was here for the Fall Auto Fair in Charlotte, he said that yes they did indeed film a show, not that it was Top Gear, but, a show featuring the resto of Oliver, but, it would be a while before the BBC channel aired it over here, also the DVD of the Route 66 that you put in with your $$ for the decals was excellent, as it was the year Dallas was there with the Spyder. It really brought back memories of Dallas, thank you very much.

[baz]

the show with oliver will be a kids science show

CBBC Newsround | Showbiz | Richard Hammond in new CBBC show

[newman27]

the show with oliver will be a kids science show

CBBC Newsround | Showbiz | Richard Hammond in new CBBC show

Baz,

Jeremy called Hammond a "piker" when they saw Oliver all spruced up. Just curious what that slang term means in the UK... Same as the definition I've linked here? I thought Oliver looked great but he didn't get any respect from the other two hosts...

Matt

[baz]

i think he called him a "pikie" a slang term for gypsy thieving scum not to put too strong a term on it

may be best explained with a joke

st peter is on gate duty one day and theres a fire in a gypsy camp , soon theres forty pikies at the pearly gates , knowing how god feels about them he goes to see him , " theres 40 pikies at the gate god what shall i do ?" says peter

god says: "im not having them here send them away "

so st peter goes but returns a few minutes later

god says: "what happened ?"

st p says : "they are gone !"

god : "who the pikies ?"

st p: "no the gates!!!"


if piker then i would say the second term would explain it best

[newman27]

Thanks for the clarification Baz. I know the term "pikie" from the movie "Snatch" (one of my favorites)! Well, in the same episode Jeremy rags on the Porsche he reviews too so I guess the Opel not getting any love shouldn't be taken to seriously ... BTW, after posting my question I found this "Britspeak" glossary on the Top Gear web site for us "yanks". Notice that "pikie" isn't listed though (probably not politically correct...)

[baz]

yep thats just about every word you need to speak english here
might be worth getting Gary to button it in the translator section