Radford Bankruptcy

Hadn't seen this posted here yet...

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a62706303/jenson-button-radford-files-for-bankruptcy/

Any thoughts?  I was rooting for them to succeed, but looks like there was some foolishness going on behind the scenes. 

...but looks like there was some foolishness going on behind the scenes. 

There usually is.

It'll be interesting to see if and how the racing school (the old Bondurant school) is affected by this, as IIRC Radford owns that one as well.

Well... That didn't last long.

Start up car companies are a monumental risk so it's not that shocking that this happened.

Radford seemed a little unfocused. They built a very cool little EV roadster with Miata suspension that then got pushed aside for the Lotus thing. I've worked with Ant on one or two things and he's great at grabbing attention but I think he'd work best with a strong manager in the background. He's a compelling guy and you want to say yes. But then he's looking at something else.

Of course, he's got a lot more money than I do so I guess I can't say much.

Keith Tanner said:

 

Of course, he's got a lot more money than I do so I guess I can't say much.

You need a show; Squealer Peelers (take over kings) or Ditching Rides (stick Land Rovers in ditches) or some such.

In reply to Tom1200 :

I'd rather talk about the ins and outs of brake fluid and how hood vents work. Which explains why our YouTube channel does not have a million followers...

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Tom1200 :

I'd rather talk about the ins and outs of brake fluid and how hood vents work. Which explains why our YouTube channel does not have a million followers...

I litterally Lol'D!

Keith Tanner said:

Of course, he's got a lot more money than I do so I guess I can't say much.

For now . From what I read, he's got a lot of his own money tied up in Radford.

Keith Tanner said:

Radford seemed a little unfocused. They built a very cool little EV roadster with Miata suspension that then got pushed aside for the Lotus thing. I've worked with Ant on one or two things and he's great at grabbing attention but I think he'd work best with a strong manager in the background. He's a compelling guy and you want to say yes. But then he's looking at something else.

All I know about him is what I see on TV and social media, but this fits 100%. Wasn't he married to one of those generic HGTV blondes for about 5 minutes?

Too bad to see Jensen get involved in this, though. I've always had a pretty positive impression of him.

Keith Tanner said:

In reply to Tom1200 :

I'd rather talk about the ins and outs of brake fluid and how hood vents work. Which explains why our YouTube channel does not have a million followers...

Cat videos, what the Kardashians are wearing, and videos of people doing dumb things seem to have accurately targeted audiences.

Ant made that  1950s Alfa open wheel race car with Miata suspension that Keith was talking about , 

Home page - Tipo184

Cool car but probably not the big bucks the Lotus copy would make......well if it ever gets made......

Jenson wiped out all of his Super GT footage on YouTube to make the Radford channel.

Keith Tanner said:

I think he'd work best with a strong manager in the background. 

A strong manager, like say Mike Brewer?

Tom1200 said:

Start up car companies are a monumental risk so it's not that shocking that this happened.

I was going to post that, too.  Even if the car is just a restyle of a current car, there's a massive amount involved to do it right.  

I'm kind of bummed Button got involved.  But are not really that surprised by Ant- that whole thing with the HGTV star plus how he did the show...  never got a great feeling about him.

No idea who Radford is.

But making cars is a LOT harder than people thing it is, and that's ignoring all of the regulations you have do deal with.  Even for a track only car.

In reply to alfadriver :

Radford was a UK coach builder, famous in the 60s for their reworked Minis.

GTwannaB said:

Keith Tanner said:

I think he'd work best with a strong manager in the background. 

A strong manager, like say Mike Brewer?

Had to look him up. Maybe?

I've never watched any of Ant's stuff  :) The only thing I've seen of his was a profile on the MINI factory in the UK, and it was funny to hear him on TV after dealing with him as a person on a few different things.

That little EV roadster they built (EV West was heavily involved, I think) was pretty cool. I was hoping to come help with the chassis setup but after it was shown at SEMA it disappeared. 

I could be wrong but my impression is Anstead got wrapped up in the trappings of being a celebrity...he's  made more headlines for a lavish Hollywood lifestyle and a high profile divorce than he has for automotive accomplishments.

GTwannaB said:

Keith Tanner said:

I think he'd work best with a strong manager in the background. 

A strong manager, like say Mike Brewer?

I like Mike well enough, but I never got the impression he was running things. Certainly seemed more like a TV personality than a strong manager to me.

That said, Jensen should have hooked up with Edd China. He always seemed like more of a car nerd's car nerd. 

Tom1200 said:

Keith Tanner said:

 

Of course, he's got a lot more money than I do so I guess I can't say much.

You need a show; Squealer Peelers (take over kings) or Ditching Rides (stick Land Rovers in ditches) or some such.

Or maybe do something with the Arkansas State Police... hmmmm, "Miatas That Run From ASP"?

Was the EV Roadster in any way related to the one Leno had on his show in the last year (Lanark Roadster) ?  I seem to recall it was one of the "Property Brothers" car, and it had a connection to Ant's company (or former company) in the UK.

In reply to RoddyMac17 :

That's it! I guess I don't pay enough attention to media personalities :) Cool little thing. 

triumph7 said:

Tom1200 said:

Keith Tanner said:

 

Of course, he's got a lot more money than I do so I guess I can't say much.

You need a show; Squealer Peelers (take over kings) or Ditching Rides (stick Land Rovers in ditches) or some such.

Or maybe do something with the Arkansas State Police... hmmmm, "Miatas That Run From ASP"?

That could be interesting. Never seen a Dodge Charger Pitt a Miata.