RIP Peter Wherrett. http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,25235045-948,00.html Met him through his driver training back in the '70s. Very nice guy.
was about to start a thread as per the above. Remember the time he flogged a Rolls Royce Corniche around Calder park in the early '70s? Was he a cross dresser?
Only when he couldn't find the other sock. He was a great commentator on Torque. I remember watching his shows each week, he did a better job than the w nkers on top gear at the moment. I hope that the new fellow Morrison will do better and be more like Wherret and ad lib because of his passion for autos.
A terrific Aussie personality that brought intelligence to car shows....a very entertaining fella...R.I.P
Maybe, none the less i will never forget when he tested a 308 Ferrari [and i quote] he said: '"These types of vehicles won't be with us in the next century" Just a little off somewhat, sales of exotica are stronger now than any time in history. Anyway, RIP J.A. G
Peter and his brother (Richard - also deceased) released a book about their traumatic childhood years, some time ago. I watched an interview Peter and Richard gave on television when the book was released. In short, Peter's father was a closeted homosexual who was extremely abusive to his wife (Peter and Richard's mother) and the boys. Peter hypothesised that it was this exposure to extreme domestic violence as a child which led him to become a cross-dresser; it had something to do with how, as a child, he sought refuge in his mother's clothing whenever his father perpetrated domestic violence. Very, very tragic.
He took the funding cuts that killed Torque and all other motoring programs off the air very hard, apparently. Saw it as a rejection of his life's work. It was a very short-sighted decision, imho, but not a reflection on him or the programs.
WONT be the FIRST or the LAST time BEAN COUNTERS absolutely F##k UP a winning formula and destroy individual careers !!! :-(
I'm sorry that I wasn't around to watch Torque when it was on the air, although I remember as a child borrowing a 'Torque' book from the local library which all about the show. I remember watching Peter Wherret on 'Healthy, Wealthy and Wise'. In fact, his motoring segment was the only reason I watched that show, and I remember waiting eagerly every Monday night for his car segment to begin. Anyone else remember him on 'Healthy, Wealthy and Wise'? I remember watching his restoration of that old white XM Falcon two door coupe, presented in instalments over a number of episodes.
He didn't have notes or script while filming Torque. Relied on his knowledge and enthusiasm. That made the show as his comments were truthful honest appraisals of the subject at hand. Really first rate. When they axed the budgets our aussy motorist was orphaned and cut off from representation on TV. It became a world divided between families and hoon drivers in high powered cars. Racing moved towards today's entertainment industry. We lost that middle ground where father and son watched the Hardy-Ferodo and compared Cortinas and Minis with PW talking about them on TV. It was a turning point for Oz society in a way. Definitely the beginning of alienation for lovers of fast cars.
PW was one of the best - total integrity. Other oldies will remember the sense of excitement when the theme music came on the B&W TV. http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?q=peter+wherrett+torque&hl=en&emb=1&aq=-1&oq=#
geez i loved that show (Torque) he did a great article on the 350SL benz..........a car to keep for 9 years..........nowdays do cars last 9 years?
As I recall the Torque programme regarding the then new Valiant Charger ,Peter had some some pearls :This would be a great car.....after a damn good accident...he was eluding to the,as I recall ,the front end which apparently wasn,t constructed all that well.The only mob who could get away with that publicly now would be Jeremy Clarkson and crew.....with a law suit to follow.
And lets not forget the Peter Wherrett Limited Edition Mitsubishi Sigma Turbo! Jeez that had some grunt..
Who remembers the opening shots of the series with the Bolwell Nagari blasting out of a railway tunnel at Denman...apparently the car continually overheated?There is a book of the same name ,very informative regarding the general philosophy,how everything came together and of course all the trials and tribulations of starting a baby.
