Happy Birthday Pops (That's MJK to you lot!)

[Bibs]

To quote ACBC, "To the man who makes it all happen". 

Many happy returns @Mike Kimberley, wishing you all the best.

[Dave Eds]

Happy Birthday Mike.....

[Kimbers]

Happy Birthday to my Dad. Many of you know Pops but if you don't (I apologise for the essay) Dad was born before WW2 in Coventry. He had an awful disease when he was younger, which nearly killed him, however one of my loves today, playing Cards (Poker for me) came from him as the guy in the bed next to him was a card Shark. When he was younger we didn't believe him when he said he could count cards, Deal from the top, the bottom, the middle etc. So in a game of brag one night he dealt us all Three of a kind J's vs Q's vs K's Vs Aces. He kept the money to teach us a lesson!

My love of cars also comes from him. In his career he started at Jaguar in 1953 and worked on designs for virtually all the cars made in that time including the E Type and XJ13 (the most heart achingly beautiful car I have ever seen - Pic Below) where he sat on a box on the passenger side as it broke the UK closed-lap Speed record in 1967. In 1968 He moved to Lotus and his first job was as Project Leader on the Europa TC. After that his record on Car design input includes The Elite, Eclat, Esprit, Excel, Lotus Carlton & Sunbeam and Elan M100 to name just some. When his good friend and Mentor, Colin Chapman died he took over at Lotus as CEO and has been credited with saving the company and all the jobs there, twice! He then worked for GM for a few years then Lamborghini, where he was President. Then Tata in India and Proton in Malaysia where he was asked in 2005 to go look at Lotus as it hadn't made any money in a long time. Proton listened to his advice and put him back in Charge and in 2008 the Company made its first profit in 14 years. He was awarded EDP businessman of the year for his contribution to his beloved company. We became really close and with a friend ( Bibs ) I assisted him to make contacts and build the Lotus Community for the company, helping arrange Shows and Events for owners and enthusiasts. Since he retired he has spent his time with family and all his Grandkids (when not in a sunny climate). However. After a fall at work in 2009 where be broke his back he had to retire, leaving behind the first all new Lotus in a long time, The Evora. He also had the 2-11, Europa and had set in motion the V6 Exige before he left.

I got my love of travelling and living abroad from him too. When I was younger Dad travelled and worked everywhere from Japan to the USA (Where he went to Harvard Business School for an advanced Business Degree to add to the Engineering Design and mechanical Engineering) so I rarely saw him but after he left Lotus I lived with him on and off in Malaysia and Italy.

In his time he has "Hob Nobbed" with some very famous names. In Hollywood he knew James Bond (Roger Moore), he arranged the cars for 2 movies and was on set, met the actors etc. He also arranged the cars and even wrote part of the Script in Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct where he had to intervene after they wrote the car off and found another at short notice. He knew Paul Newman and even got him to drive for his SCCA Esprit Race Team. He knew Royalty, King Hussein of Jordan even invited us all over to his Palace for a holiday, He was nominated for a Fellowship in the Royal Society of Arts for his car designs by the Duke of Kent, whom he also knows and knew Prince Phillip! He was Automotive advisor to Maggie Thatcher (not that she listened to him) and her son even stayed at our house. Heads of the biggest businesses! He knows personally the likes of Elon Musk, Bernie Ecclestone etc etc. And knew very well some of the best and well known Formula one drivers including Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Mario Andretti (who was a good friend) he was there in the Hospital room when Ronnie Peterson died in 1978 and so on.

And through all this I was tagging on to his coat sleeves and loving every second. I travelled and lived abroad, I met the people he knew, I drove the cars and I raced Cars and Bikes & go karts at several circuits. I made a career of talking to people, something I do well, and am the only one who followed him into the Automotive industry. I Have had a very successful Career in Management, Sales and Marketing.

I did all this because of him and his assertiveness that you just need to work hard and always do the right and honest thing. Look after people and be a good person. Thanks Dad for not just your Love but for everything you have taught us and the examples you have set. And I didn't mention the bad things you taught me....... I do those as well Lol!

[Rambo]

1 hour ago, Dave Eds said:

Happy Birthday Mike.....

At The Spice Merchant, Malmesbury, Castle Combe 2019. I remember it well. I even gave up my seat on the top table so Pinky could be there 🤣

HB MJK 🍺

[Escape]

Happy birthday!

[frb]

A Happy Birthday from Austria , Mike 🎂 !

[esp88]

Happy birthday Mike 🎂🍻🥂

from Copenhargen 

[TAR]

Happy Birthday!

 

[Bazza 907]

Happy Birthday 🎉

[phoenix]

22 hours ago, Kimbers said:

Happy Birthday to my Dad. Many of you know Pops but if you don't (I apologise for the essay) Dad was born before WW2 in Coventry. He had an awful disease when he was younger, which nearly killed him, however one of my loves today, playing Cards (Poker for me) came from him as the guy in the bed next to him was a card Shark. When he was younger we didn't believe him when he said he could count cards, Deal from the top, the bottom, the middle etc. So in a game of brag one night he dealt us all Three of a kind J's vs Q's vs K's Vs Aces. He kept the money to teach us a lesson!

My love of cars also comes from him. In his career he started at Jaguar in 1953 and worked on designs for virtually all the cars made in that time including the E Type and XJ13 (the most heart achingly beautiful car I have ever seen - Pic Below) where he sat on a box on the passenger side as it broke the UK closed-lap Speed record in 1967. In 1968 He moved to Lotus and his first job was as Project Leader on the Europa TC. After that his record on Car design input includes The Elite, Eclat, Esprit, Excel, Lotus Carlton & Sunbeam and Elan M100 to name just some. When his good friend and Mentor, Colin Chapman died he took over at Lotus as CEO and has been credited with saving the company and all the jobs there, twice! He then worked for GM for a few years then Lamborghini, where he was President. Then Tata in India and Proton in Malaysia where he was asked in 2005 to go look at Lotus as it hadn't made any money in a long time. Proton listened to his advice and put him back in Charge and in 2008 the Company made its first profit in 14 years. He was awarded EDP businessman of the year for his contribution to his beloved company. We became really close and with a friend ( Bibs ) I assisted him to make contacts and build the Lotus Community for the company, helping arrange Shows and Events for owners and enthusiasts. Since he retired he has spent his time with family and all his Grandkids (when not in a sunny climate). However. After a fall at work in 2009 where be broke his back he had to retire, leaving behind the first all new Lotus in a long time, The Evora. He also had the 2-11, Europa and had set in motion the V6 Exige before he left.

I got my love of travelling and living abroad from him too. When I was younger Dad travelled and worked everywhere from Japan to the USA (Where he went to Harvard Business School for an advanced Business Degree to add to the Engineering Design and mechanical Engineering) so I rarely saw him but after he left Lotus I lived with him on and off in Malaysia and Italy.

In his time he has "Hob Nobbed" with some very famous names. In Hollywood he knew James Bond (Roger Moore), he arranged the cars for 2 movies and was on set, met the actors etc. He also arranged the cars and even wrote part of the Script in Pretty Woman and Basic Instinct where he had to intervene after they wrote the car off and found another at short notice. He knew Paul Newman and even got him to drive for his SCCA Esprit Race Team. He knew Royalty, King Hussein of Jordan even invited us all over to his Palace for a holiday, He was nominated for a Fellowship in the Royal Society of Arts for his car designs by the Duke of Kent, whom he also knows and knew Prince Phillip! He was Automotive advisor to Maggie Thatcher (not that she listened to him) and her son even stayed at our house. Heads of the biggest businesses! He knows personally the likes of Elon Musk, Bernie Ecclestone etc etc. And knew very well some of the best and well known Formula one drivers including Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna, Mario Andretti (who was a good friend) he was there in the Hospital room when Ronnie Peterson died in 1978 and so on.

And through all this I was tagging on to his coat sleeves and loving every second. I travelled and lived abroad, I met the people he knew, I drove the cars and I raced Cars and Bikes & go karts at several circuits. I made a career of talking to people, something I do well, and am the only one who followed him into the Automotive industry. I Have had a very successful Career in Management, Sales and Marketing.

I did all this because of him and his assertiveness that you just need to work hard and always do the right and honest thing. Look after people and be a good person. Thanks Dad for not just your Love but for everything you have taught us and the examples you have set. And I didn't mention the bad things you taught me....... I do those as well Lol!

Many thanks for that wonderful in-site and great pictures.