One of our members..... BenBeames

[cal44]

First off, to Joe the owner of the website.  If I shouldn't have placed this here then please remove it.

One of our fellow members here is on Youtube with some very funny stuff (clean).  I will post one of the links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiPWZ1_dkpE

Also there is a bundle of shows done by Westhavenbrook Productions "Danger Element" of which Mr. Beames is involved and is friends with some of the guys.   Very creative. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHi05mnsMFQ

I am one of those old guys that goes to bed pissed and I wake up pissed (Mr. Meldrew for our U.K friends)  The old guy I thought I would never be............every time I watch these films I just laugh......puts me in a good mood......at least for five minutes.

Mike

[LotusJoe]

Well, I don't consider myself the owner. I like to think I'm more of a custodian of a site dedicated to the Europa. Your post is fine here in the garage. 

[benbeames]

I should say that the first link is a web show we did making fun of my exploits racing my Lotus Europa. It's fictional but inspired by actual events.  Ive never posted them on a Europa forum myself because I'm making fun of myself as a Europa owner. But trust me it's all done in good spirits. I don't think I could ever give up my Europa.  I just have to sit back and laugh sometimes at some of the things it's put me through.

The show has 10 two to three minutes episodes.  I hope you enjoy them.

Ben

[EuropaTC]

 

Excellent !!!   I've just watched the complete series, if I had to describe what sort of character you needed to be to own an old Lotus, well, that's spot on. Brilliant.   

Brian

[Mecky]

Hi Ben,

it's really funny. Do you plan more episodes? I would like to watch them.

[benbeames]

Thanks for the kind words!

We have planned another series of episodes. Frustrated by his lack of success, my character buys a formula 500 car to race but because of a number of circumstances, John ends up racing it and I go back to the Lotus, winning my class by being the only one in it (all inspired by things that actually happened).  But the show didn't get nearly as many views as some of our other stuff, so we just kept putting it off and I don't know when we'll get around to it now.  We're winding down on another production so maybe we'll have time to revisit the racing show, but we also have are pretty busy in our paying work right now so who knows.

An idea I had been toying with was making a spoof of the Audi Le Mans Truth in 24 documentaries (which if you haven't seen, I highly recommend them) about autocrossing the Lotus.  We'd have interviews with a lot of people as "crew" who'd talk about the work that goes into making the car go the distance and then you see the "distance" is a 50 second lap.

Glad to know I captured something of the Lotus owner in my character. It's really just me exaggerated to the point of being entertaining. Or at least that's what I was attempting to do.

[3929R]

I enjoyed the entire series as well.  There are some great scenes Ben!

If you get around to more shows, I wanna see a heroine.
 

[benbeames]

Funny you should mention women in the cast.  Yesterday I started drafting a script that hopefully will include two.  Though I don't know that heroine fits their descriptions best.

In the mean time, here's footage of my wife trying a few runs of the Europa at an autocross (happiest day of my life).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2ouOgD_qGc

[EuropaTC]

Just watched it, again a great clip. I can't even get my missus to drive ours, we've had it for over 25yrs and I don't think she's even sat in the driver's seat.  Same with the Elan & Elise, she won't even get behind the wheel. But she's happily driven the other cars we've had over the years, MX5/Miata, MR2 Mk1 & Mk2's, etc and she's currently driving an Audi TT.

I just can't figure it out....

Brian

[benbeames]

The race was only the second time she's driven the car.  The first was a couple weeks earlier when I pestered her into taking it out so I could show her the differences in road driving techniques versus race driving (using the upper rev range and holding gears as long as possible, not putting the clutch in when breaking unless coming to a complete stop or shifting).

And the only reason I got her out to the race was by talking a friend of hers who had just bought a Boxster into coming out and trying it.  It took some appealing to her competitive nature, but I finally got her to give it a try. And then afterwards I had trouble getting her to come in because she was having so much fun.

[cal44]

Brian,

"figure it out?"  don't try brother.  I'm talking pyramids mystery stuff.....

When my Europa arrived, she looked at it, said something about "wasn't I afraid of driving it?" and that was it.  I have owned some neat cars...........she couldn't care less. 

I thought for sure I could sway her with the last one.  A ground pounding '70 Boss 302............might as well been 2CV for all she cared.

I think she looks at the old cars as competition  for having a paint brush in my hand.

Ben,  I am not sure which is more fun to watch.........the look on your face or the fun she is having. 

[benbeames]

There's this moment where I'm trying to figure out what to say as far as giving her instructions.  She need to give it some gas, but as soon as I can say that she's going to need to give it some brakes.  So I just say "keep going."

I've had a pretty "interesting" collection of cars over the years.  But my wife's taste doesn't line up with mine.  I asked her once jokingly as I was heading out to a car auction with a friend who's uncle was a car broker, that if I found a Lotus Elise for her real cheap, would she rather have that than her 1989 Honda CRX (this was in 2007).  She said no.  She prefers Honda's.  Deciding to play along, I asked if she'd like an NSX if I found one cheap (again this is all just hypothetical).  She said no, that's an Acura.  I said, its the same thing, in fact in the rest of the world, the NSX is sold with a Honda badge.  This didn't change her mind.

 

[3929R]

then afterwards I had trouble getting her to come in because she was having so much fun.

  Which is why you now have a driver's seat that is custom molded to your own butt?

[benbeames]

 

Right now I don't think she's available to make any more of the races this year.  I hope to make her a seat this winter that will be smaller and more of a general seat for people to use, though molded inside the cabin.