Classic car mechanic – Quality rapping

‘In the corner of the workshop, Olli Ragbin sits watching events unfold before him’

If you ever want to feel your age, accompany one of your children to a concert of their choosing. This week, I took a break from overseeing the dispensing of workshop rags to drive to the North West with my very own teenage human. (He of the annoyingly loud customised Fiesta and oft worrier of Bank of M&D).

13,000 people filled the AO Arena in Manchester, 12,994 of them younger than me….by quite a margin. I scanned the crowds and wondered if there was a classic car owned by anyone present. Of the 6 people older than me, 4 of them were clearly doing likewise on the begrudging accompaniment front, and 2 of them I had just taken the wrong turning from the bingo on the corner.

The artist of choice was a rapper. As it turned out, quite a talented one. ‘Surprisingly musical’ was my end-of-evening 2-word review.

The support act on the other hand was a completely different kettle of fish. Another rapper, but this time a man who was clearly angry on many fronts and with seemingly much to complain about. I wasn’t sure why. He wore matching sportswear from an expensive brand, had a watch on which I think could be judged on the clarity rating as ‘flawless’ and was certainly brash enough to have shamed Elizabeth Taylor back in the day. Still, sparkly wrist-wear and box-fresh custom Jordan 1’s aside (it’s a shoe Eric), he was still on the gloomier side of grumpy. He had a choice turn of phrase when pushed too… apparently, and I am being 100% honest here, his Nan was in the audience….his Nan! (I think she may have been in her early 40’s). If he ever spoke to me about my mother like that a wedgie would be the absolute minimum consequence, whether his Nan was in the vicinity or not.

There was an obvious irony to the patter though. Clearly a tough upbringing on the streets of Streatham does give you plenty of material of which to craft a cross word or 2…but then success lands, and boom, you’re a millionaire. Surely the source of material dries up completely, no? I tried this line of logic on the teenager and received a withering look that said ‘idiot’. He didn’t say anything for a moment or 2. Then he said ‘idiot’. ‘Where da respec bruv?' (One of many new phrases I can deploy at Starbucks)

Still, the children were all excited by the main event, and indeed a good show was put on for all. The main young man was less angry and as mentioned, a talented individual. In the ‘between song chatter’ he fessed up to being a bit of a car nut. Aston Martins are this boy’s particular sweet spot and on Insta he can be seen draped over some of Gaydon’s finest.

In the round, he’s still a car nut and whilst his particular poison may carry a higher price tag, a car nut is still a car nut and you can be sure he gets as excited as the rest of us going to Goodwood. Classics however will likely elude him. Both he and the supporting angry chops will probably never have the pleasure of bringing back a basket case from the brink of the local scrappy, lovingly restored metal blinking into the sunlight of a new day. And that, despite the obvious charms of expensively wrapped wrists, is a real shame.

And so to this week’s workshop pics.

Alfie threatens a golf with a pokey stick

A customer and his Lancia. 80s Italian coupes….love 'em

This is where a customer’s MR2 lives. Wouldn’t have matched that motor with this pile. There’s probably a brace of Bentleys behind the bush

If it moves, polish it. If it doesn’t, polish it till it does. The Dr Ray mantra alive and kicking still

Will in mortal ‘Car-eats-mechanic’ danger. We had a quiet word with the motor afterward and it apologised whilst noting that Will tasted a lot like chicken. Apparently, most techs do. I’ve had a go at being veggie recently so I probably taste like a sprout. This means that on the one hand I face little danger from this car, but on the other folk aren’t so quick in using the bathroom immediately after me. Swings and roundabouts

That about wraps (raps?) it up for another week. We’ve got a very special guest next week. Classic royalty no less. But until then, from the gang at CCM, Eric, Siobhan, Tasha, Dr Ray, Shrimp-eye Justin, Young Chris, Izzi, Ingrid, Alfie, Will (I aint) and Jake have a great week.

Olli (innit)