The Tale Of The Thunder Banger

El Cuanto De Thunder Banger 4

Thunder Banger  4 ready for launch? | ¿Thunder Banger 4 listo por lanzar?

Montjüic isn't short of interesting sights. From the great views of the city, to kind-hearted residents feeding the abandoned cats, from the gorgeous blossoming trees to the cruising bears there's something for everyone - including , it seems petrol heads with a Gerry Anderson fetish.


No hay un escasez de cosas interesante por ver en Montjüic. Vistas inpresionates de la cuidad, vecinos de buna corazón alimentando los gatos abandonados, flores brilliantes y osos haciendo el cruising... hay cosas por todos los gustos. Y incluye motoristas frikis con un fetiche de Gerry Anderson.

Walking back from the Picornell sports centre I saw the amazing sight of Thunder Banger 4 parked near to the Olympic stadium. It had already lost its tail fin, and appeared to be abandoned. Going online I discovered the story of how this customised car had come to be made and why it had travelled to Barcelona in the first place.


Cuando yo estaba caminando desde de la piscina Picornell ví Thunder Banger 4* aparcado a lado de el Estadio Olympic. Ya habia perdido la aleta y parecía ser abandonado. En el red discubrí la historía de esta coche, y porque viajaba a Barcelona. *Literalmente, Chacharro de Trueno, y un juego de palabras sobre Thunder Birds, un serie de ciencia-ficción por Gerry Anderson.


Once I had contacted Keith Huntington, one of its drivers, the reason for its current predicament became clear. Keith told me that once they had completed the Barmy To Barcelona banger rally on 16th July and raising an impressive amount of cash for the CLIC, the UK's leading children's cancer charity they needed to retire TB4 as humanely as possible. "We tried all over Barcelona and Spain to find a charity that would take the car for free," he told me,  "but drew blanks every time....paper work issues, insurance issues etc, etc."


Una vez contacté a Keith Huntington, uno de los motoristas el motivo por la condioción actual de la coche se hizo claro. Keith me dijo que después de un rally a barcelona en la fecha 16 julio y recaudar dinero por CLIC, un ONG contra el cáncer infantil, debaran que jubilar el vehicúlo pronto. Pero tenían un monton de marrones por los seguros y otras cuestiones legales. 

"Eventually literally one hour from being crushed we sold said Thunderbanger to a parking valet at our Hotel for 1 euro on condition that A, If he could find charity to take it great. B, He could strip back to normal car and have to keep. (Or) C, He would take to scrappers for crushing which we had arranged would be free. All paper work is above board so we do hope he has not dumped it..."


Entonces, literalmente una hora antes de dejar TB4 por chatarra, el equipo vendó el vehiculo a el mozo de hotel por un Euro. La ganga dependió  un compromiso de no abandonar la coche...

I for one really hope he hasn't, although in the past week Thunder Banger 4 hasn't blasted off to anywhere, and remained firmly grounded, as well as suffering for ongoing minor vandalism. However, with mystery green lights seen in the skies of Barcelona the last week (according to BTV, Barcelona's premier news source, below), could it be that TB4 isn't the only unusual craft to visit Montjüic this summer? The truth is out there...


Espero que el mozo ha guardado su promesa, aunque durante una semana Thunder Banger no parece a lanzarse a ningun destino, además ha sufrido vandalismo leve. Sin embargo las reportajes de luces misteriosas en el cielo arriba de la zona es posible que TB4 no es el unico nave visitar a Montjüic esta verano. La verdad esta lejos de aqui...

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