Was he any relation to John Lyons ? Also from Norn Irn,and the maddest mentalist Ive ever seen in a rally car.
Possibly, but I don't know for sure. I know he talked of a past building rally engines and so on, so I'm sure he had some involvement in the scene.
To this day I still feel similar about going over for Joey Dunlops funeral.I really wanted to go,but was mega busy at work etc.
My Mum tried to talk me into going over (as she wanted to see us anyway),and I nearly did,but didn't make the effort in the end.
I still deeply regret not going because he was and always will be a true hero to me.Not just as a rider,but as a human being.
The sad sting in the tail of the story for me was that I had to go over a few weeks later to bury my Mum when she died suddenly.
Had I gone to Joeys funeral,I would have got to see her one last time too. 
I guess clarity comes too late sometimes. 
Mental note to JFDI it in future.
Similar characters, I wonder? Always tells it like it is, succinctly and straight to the point, entirely unable to suffer fools at all, let alone gladly, and many of us ended up on the receiving end of that from time to time, but just you try stopping him moving heaven and earth for a mate with a problem.
Still, I set off from work this evening in the kit car on a balmy evening, tyres sticking like the proverbial to a blanket in the heat, and took the scenic route home along some roads Johnty would have appreciated, eyes not entirely dry throughout. 
Possible similarities in character yes. Joey would never let rip at people really,but if he thought someone was an idiot he would just completely blank them until they got the message and went away.It didn't matter who they were or what position they held.If he didn't like them,that was it.
oey spoke very few words,but the words he did speak,almost always mattered. At the same time,if he saw some young lad on a tight budget who was really trying and had the right attitude he would quietly wander over to him in the paddock and hand him an old carrier bag and say"try these out,they might help a wee bit". "These", would be one of his own special sets of barrels and pistons that he had spent countless hours working on and developing.
If he was rebuilding an engine,he would be in his workshop for as long as it took hours or days,it didn't matter.Anyone who entered would never get so much as a hello.It was total concentration. They would just bring tea & fags and leave them beside him.
When he saw the plight of the Romanian orphans on TV he emptied all his kit out of the race van and filled it with all kinds of supplies that he begged/stole/bullied from local business and then drove down to Larne to get the ferry and then on to Romania.
He had no idea where Romania was,but he knew he would find it sooner or later. Had to sleep in the van during the nights on the way there.He said it was so cold even the fluid in his ciggy lighter froze.
A unique one off character,who didn't recognise the norms or rules we all abide by,and all the better for it.
Johnty lyons,sounds like he may have been a similar type of fella.
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Topic: Farewell to a fellow petrol head (Read 1222 times)