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[Fred_C_Dobbs]

I came across a video of Clarkson from the mid-90s regarding a tribute to the 1949 Dodge Powerwagon pickup that was built by a Dubai oil sheik. What made it so remarkable was it was a 64:1 scale replica.

Not 1:64, 64:1. Every inch on the original Powerwagon was five feet and four inches on the replica. And it was drivable.

Yeah.

So I hunted down a copy of the entire series. It was titled "Motorworld" and ran twelve episodes total in 1995-96. Jezza's satirical bent shines through but his wit isn't so polished or biting as in his later work.

Anyway, that got me to wondering how many other series JC was the central (or indeed only) figure in. So I looked it up and found there were two others that fit that formula. I already had "Clarkson Meets the Neighbours," a 2003, 5-episode travelogue of several continental European countries in which JC seeks the truth to the stereotypes we associate with certain European nations. And the third was a 6-episode 2000 series titled "Car Years," which I have yet to watch.

All three are available through the "customary Internet resources." "Neighbours" is worth the trouble of looking up even if you're only a modest fan (unless, of course, you are a continental European).

[scotty]

Extreme Machines and Speed are two other series he's done that i've seen, although they are not quite as car-centralised.

[stonemonkey]

I came across a video of Clarkson from the mid-90s regarding a tribute to the 1949 Dodge Powerwagon pickup that was built by a Dubai oil sheik. What made it so remarkable was it was a 64:1 scale replica.

Not 1:64, 64:1. Every inch on the original Powerwagon was five feet and four inches on the replica. And it was drivable.

It looks more like 4:1 scale, if it was 64:1 the wheels would be something like 100 feet high. At 4:1 scale the volume is 64:1

[youtube]1XUEvkMZHno[/youtube]

[Jensonb]

Watched that back in the day. I've got the companion book to boot

[Jabberwocky]

Have you seen him in that video where the bloke made a working Model Ferrari F40 IIRC.... Clarksons Hair is mad.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

...It looks more like 4:1 scale, if it was 64:1 the wheels would be something like 100 feet high. At 4:1 scale the volume is 64:1

Yeah, even allowing for a huge parallax error, it's not 64x the height of the real thing, is it? Good catch on the 64x volume.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Have you seen him in that video where the bloke made a working Model Ferrari F40 IIRC.... Clarksons Hair is mad.

Earlier this season, during a review of the Skoda Yeti, he commented the car had so much headroom, even he at six foot five still had room enough for an enormous Afro. Considering his hair style in the 90s, he is well-qualified to make that determination.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Speaking of the ginormous Powerwagon, the Rainbow Sheikh's car collection now is the basis for the Emirates National Auto Museum. And yes, it appears it includes all three Powerwagons shown in the Motorworld segment.

I don't think they've spent a great deal on adverts because I have been to a great many of Dubai's "tourist traps" and had never heard of it. Pity I missed it.

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Well the Rainbow Sheikh must've decided he had a few too many petrodollars lying about, so he found another spectacular way to get rid of some of them.

Billionaire sheikh carves his name in desert so big it can be seen from SPACE

By HARRY HAYDON
Published: 20 Jul 2011



A DESERT sheikh has carved out a big name for himself — by having his moniker etched in capital letters visible from space.

Workmen scoured "HAMAD" into the sand on the orders of Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Hamad Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan.

The name is two miles across — with letters a kilometre high. It is so huge that the "H", the first "A" and part of the "M" have been made into waterways.

The mega-rich sheikh, 63 — a member of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi — in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates — boasts a £14billion fortune that is second only to the Saudi king's.

His fleet of more than 200 cars — including seven Mercedes 500 SELs painted in different colours of the rainbow — is housed in a custom-built pyramid.

His name is etched on to an island he owns called Al Futaisi.

[killem2]

I'm sorry, but that is a disgusting waste of money. At least our billionaires are attempting to pool their wealth for a good cause. I hope this guy dies of sausage cancer tomorrow.

[Hamilonso]

I'm sorry, but that is a disgusting waste of money. At least our billionaires are attempting to pool their wealth for a good cause. I hope this guy dies of sausage cancer tomorrow.

Technically this man if an oil magnate, has given more life with oil then he ever could with money, by allowing the west use of it and not having them rip each other to shreds.

What a douche anyway, 14 billion wealth? He should at least have a billion of that in personal fortune, give it to charity you moron. Whos "ours" anyway, Americans, British, Jewish, Non Muslim???

[andrew]

If this is the guy I'm thinking of, I think he does quite a lot for the "ordinary" people of his country so if he wants to be a bit eccentric and massage his ego a bit, go for it, as long as he does some good with his money at the same time.

But it's his money, his land so he can do what he likes with it.

[killem2]

I'm sorry, but that is a disgusting waste of money. At least our billionaires are attempting to pool their wealth for a good cause. I hope this guy dies of sausage cancer tomorrow.

Technically this man if an oil magnate, has given more life with oil then he ever could with money, by allowing the west use of it and not having them rip each other to shreds.

What a douche anyway, 14 billion wealth? He should at least have a billion of that in personal fortune, give it to charity you moron. Whos "ours" anyway, Americans, British, Jewish, Non Muslim???

I was talking about america and specifically the initiative Warren Buffet is pushing.

[Hamilonso]

Well im pretty sure the billionaires in America far outweigh Warren Buffet alone.

Plus naturally you wwouldnt of heard in self centered Us news that a Muslim has done good for the world also

[killem2]

Well im pretty sure the billionaires in America far outweigh Warren Buffet alone.

Plus naturally you wwouldnt of heard in self centered Us news that a Muslim has done good for the world also

I don't care how much "good work" he's done. This alone is a waste of money, that could have been used for "more good work".

That's my issue.

Also, despite what people might think, msnbc and cnn are quite open about reporting anything. If it gets ratings it gets aired.