The bloggers
Essentially, this is just a bit of extra waffle on the main protagonists behind PetrolBlog. So at least you know who to blame.
Creator and Editor
MajorGav
The chief waffler and person responsible for getting PetrolBlog off the ground. It all started in February 2010 when he wrote some waffle and bunk about motoring and a few people seemed to share his rather ridiculous views. Spurred on by this small but enthusiastic following, MajorGav went into overdrive, spurting more waffle and bunk before, like the worn out brakes on a Capri 1.6 Laser, it became impossible to stop. He now sits at the top of his game, lauded by the masses and respected by all. Actually, this last sentence is rubbish.
MajorGav’s fascination with cars started at an early age. When not tripping his family up by making pretend traffic jams on the landing floor, MajorGav would be seen in toy shops hunting down mundane model cars, many of which he still owns today. Take the Renault 5 Le Car. Or the MKIII Ford Escort Ghia. Or the MKI VW Golf with surfboards on the roof. Not for him where the exotics such as the Countach and the F40. MajorGav preferred the obscure and the mundane.
And so it continues. Most of the waffle contained on PetrolBlog will stem from the keyboard of MajorGav and will invariably be focused on cars that are either best forgotten or have been forgotten. He can often be found scouring the classifieds for old cars that still have an original dealer sticker in the back window and still proudly display a set of original number plates. He’s also a firm believer than the best cars were built between the years of 1974 and 2001.
It is said that MajorGav will write for Hobnobs and somehow manages to squeeze through the backdoor of lavish automotive launches and events.
You can follow MajorGav on twitter at @MajorGav or email him at majorgav[at]petrolblog.com
Guest Bloggers
FailCar
PetrolBlog’s very own Stig. Only a select few people know the true identity of FailCar, but his forthright and strong views on automotive matters have won him fans the world over. Like MajorGav, FailCar has a love of 80s cars and has spent the best part of 2011 painstakingly restoring a Peugeot 205 GTi using nothing more than a toothbrush, a lint-free cloth and some Creeping Crack Cure. He also owns a Honda CBR600F, a Honda S2000, MX-5 and the world’s largest collection of memory sticks. These have been collected as he tours automotive events across the globe.
During these events, FailCar can be seen skulking around the exhibition stands, hunting down the rarities and obscurities.
Some say he lives in an ark-shaped barn in the middle of the country, surrounded by two of every single car made during the 1980s. All we know is, he’s called FailCar.
You can follow FailCar on twitter at @FailCar or read his blog posts here.
Rob Griggs-Taylor
Despite having a blog of his own, Rob chose PetrolBlog as a home for his automotive waffle.
Rob grew up with a paternal family of speed freaks. Even his ageing grandfather managed to obtain a speeding ticket in his Ford Orion. With some of his earliest memories involving his dad’s customised Morris Minor saloon it’s no coincidence that he’s grown into an ageing petrolhead. His dad’s Minor had an engine twice the size of the original but the exterior was completely standard, a Q-car in the truest sense of the word, which perhaps explains Rob’s liking for similarly quick yet discreet vehicles. It also once had a wheel fall off which similarly explains Rob’s OCD in relation to correctly torquing down wheel nuts.
Only two things stand between Rob having a fleet of Q-cars: a lack of significant engineering skill, and a lack of money. Apparently with one you need less of the other so not having either is a bit of stalemate in this regard.
He has made up for that sad state by buying a Bangernomics motorcycle instead, and by having a wife who was smart enough to choose a Ford Puma which he occasionally steals (err – borrows) for a blat up the back roads. Within the speed limit obviously.
We don’t talk about his maternal family in relation to cars. His other grandfather once drove a Fiesta 950 Popular from Aberdeen to Hereford with the choke out…
You can follow Rob on twitter at @robgt2 or read his blog posts here.
Tom Richards
Tom is a newcomer to PetrolBlog, but he’s hit the ground running with some cracking posts. His day job is working as a motor industry PR for a ‘leading agency’. which obviously means he drinks a lot of skinny lattes and enjoys very long lunches.
His main interests in life are cars, motorsport, food and scotch, but thankfully he doesn’t mix the four very often. As PetrolBlog’s youngest blogger, he’s often sent out for some multi-coloured paint and Dodo eggs.
You can follow Tom on twitter at @teorichards or read his blog posts here.
Duncan McVitie
As befits a man who carved out majestically undistinguished careers as a travelling teaspoon salesman and semi-professional extreme croquet player, Duncan has a particular fondness for glorious failures. That may explain why he’s owned multiple examples of the Matra Murena and Lotus Elan M100, both terrific cars, (it says here), that failed to achieve the commercial success he reckons they deserved.
Should he ever come into a position of power, Duncan will immediately enact legislation banning driver-selectable engine mapping, dual clutch gearboxes and traction control. He will also insist that all manufacturers have at least one car in their range with pop-up headlights.
You can follow Duncan on twitter at @DuncanMcVitie or read his blog posts here.
Ton Dumans
Being a huge fan of waffle and HobNobs, Ton felt right at home at PetrolBlog after reading his first post here. The first post he saw was ‘Purple Days: Porsche 968 Sport’, brought to his attention by a fellow Dutch 968 owner. Being a Porsche enthusiast since the early age of 7, Ton then needed another 21 years to realise other car manufacturers weren’t necessarily rubbish. Most are, though. While his job unfortunately isn’t in any way, shape or form related to cars, his spare time and money is mostly being eaten up by anything related to cars, photography or video. Ideally, a combination of all.
Since the before mentioned 7 and 21 years add up to Ton’s current age, he is now in the middle of discovering new car brands every day. Who would’ve known the British made cars? Or, perhaps more shockingly, the Italians? Blimey!
You can follow Ton on twitter at @Tonsty or read his blog posts here.
Fahrtman Longstoke
Longstroke arrived in a blaze of glory on PetrolBlog, but after making just one post, he promptly disappeared. As a respected player within the industry, Longstroke has some interesting and revealing views, so hopefully he’ll return some time soon.
He has a twitter account, but has yet to use it – @therealfahrtman. You can read his blog post here.
If you fancy yourself as a guest blogger for PetrolBlog. Please get in touch.
