Author Topic: Jon Hunt  (Read 13239 times)

Big Al

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4578
  • Ranttweiler, biting the breeze block of banter
Jon Hunt
« on: November 14, 2011, 08:33:12 am »
Bearing bad news I am afraid.

Got a message this morning from Nick Haddon that Jon Hunt passed away last night from a brain haemorrhage. I think Jon had posted on this forum. He was into Fiat 126 and Messerschmitts amongst other things and hailed from near Grimsby. He organised a very good driving rally a few years back in that area and was hard to miss at events as he tended to be full of enthusiasm to enjoy himself. His big thing was to make his cars go faster and his Schmitt had worked through various guises of tuned engines and parts. The 126, I think his daughters car, similarly had a head conversion and whizzo bits on. So slightly controversial but Jon did not care and did as he liked. A sad loss of a real character which will be felt more up on the East coast I expect, as well as with Haddon's as the next generation of the families are walking out together.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

Bob Purton

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 5041
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #1 on: November 14, 2011, 09:38:36 am »
That is very bad news indeed. I liked Jon very much, he was the antidote to microcar snobbery and I am deeply saddened.

P50

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 555
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #2 on: November 14, 2011, 01:20:17 pm »
I liked John too.

He was amiable, pleasant and enthusiastic.

I learnt he had passed away yesterday at the NEC. 

One less character who will be missed.  RIP John.
"Men of worth act like men of worth, and men of genius, who produce
things beautiful and excellent, shine forth far better when other people
praise them than when they boast so confidently of their own achievements."
-Benvenuto Cellini

Ollie

  • Chatty
  • ***
  • Posts: 48
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #3 on: November 14, 2011, 03:49:25 pm »
A very pleasant guy to talk to...what a shame :( sad news

blob

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 1276
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2011, 11:51:30 am »
That's a shock, last time I saw him was at the East Anglian Micro run, great character, pity to lose him.

Big Al

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4578
  • Ranttweiler, biting the breeze block of banter
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2011, 10:31:19 am »
Will it attach?

No not really.

Third draft attached, seems I cannot get it opened to read direct from this page. Apologies 17 viewers
« Last Edit: November 19, 2011, 10:34:16 am by Big Al »
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs

wilksie

  • Quite Chatty
  • ****
  • Posts: 206
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2011, 11:20:30 am »
Al, I managed to open it yesterday.
Never met him but sounds like a great guy.
Lloyd LP400
"If you are mad, this is your car."

Rob Dobie

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 753
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2011, 11:26:22 am »
Al, I have copied and pasted.


                                               Jon Hunt

  It is with great sadness the MEC has to report the death of one of its Area Reps.

  Jon appeared on my radar in the Microcar scene some years ago. He came down from the  Grimsby area where the family lived to view a Messerschmitt I was selling. He fell in love with the car and was most enthusiastic but in the final reckoning we could not agree a deal. He continued his search and found what he was looking for within the year. From then on when the feeling took him he attended events large or small. Not least a week before he died where he is reported to have been in fine form at Fireworks at the Bubblecar Museum. He was a great supporter of the Museum.

  It seemed natural to encourage Jon to be part of the MEC as he had the independence of spirit that has always marked out those who offered most to the club. Jon represented the MEC at several meetings and even took it upon himself to organise what was afterwords reported as a hugely enjoyable Rally around the Louth area. True to form he applied the classic formula to create entertaining runs with some challenging roads and a ford that many might have shied away from.

   Not a man to remain in awe of the established ways of doing things and armed with infectious enthusiasm and wit he forged his own path to enjoying his cars.  He created an uproar at a Messerschmitt Rally, which is always the mark of someone worth knowing. Not that Jon was greatly bothered but to to see his rights respected. I can concur that not conforming does lead to sporadic attendance at events as you're not always welcomed with open arms. Instead much of his time was spent on the development and tuning the 'Schmitt and a Fiat 126 amongst others. I lost count of the various set backs and minor disasters but Mike Cooper was reporting at times that he had one of the fastest 'Schmitts he had been in. Mike himself is known to pep his cars up so I accept the fact. Sadly I never had the pleasure of seeing Jon in the car when it was in prime condition. I can imagine he was a little like Toad of Toad Hall.

   Pulling Jon into the centre of Microcars was Jon's daughter Victoria and Graham Haddon, the son of the HTC Ltd spares manager, Nick Haddon, who having met at various Microcar Rallies, are walking out together. Jon even made the odd welcome surprise appearance in Worcestershire at our Bretforton club nights because of this. Graham is a dedicated Citroen BX driver and Jon had bought Victoria a DS which was to be put to the road. How is that not a surprise to anyone who knew Jon only slightly, he reflected the DS eccentricity of character in many ways. His Isetta was selected and filmed for Top Gear, see www.microcar.org/blog/category/video/, you may agree it was as well the final cut was not used in the end as the script is crass. So perhaps without meaning to, Jon became known as a doer and part of the mainstream Microcar community.

   It was uselessly ironic then at the recent Top Gear Classic Car show at NEC that news came through that Jon had failed to wake at home on Saturday morning. He had suffered and succumbed to a brain haemorrhage during the night so one assumes a very peaceful way to go, although a terrible shock for his family and friends. 

  In full flow Jon was simply irresistible. On one occasion I remember him bouncing into a marquee  full of lost souls bereft of the notion of how to create their own entertainment wondering what to do next. Within minutes he animated this lot with buffoonery, searching questions and quips by turn. The quiz turned into a kind of lateral thinkers' delight of whimsy as the back of the class misbehaved wildly. I forget what the original active competition arranged was now but Jon took that over and more anarchic lunacy was led by our alternative Tiswas Tarrent with his trade mark long shorts and cockatoo of blond hair. Of the latter rallies I attended I think this was one of the best evenings I have spent at a rally. Off to bed to wake with sore torso in the morning having laughed so much. There are few enough characters active in micros these days. You will be missed Jon
Ain't got nuffink now except memories.

richard

  • Rich
  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4458
  • Bond ,Gordon,Bruetsch
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2011, 12:15:07 pm »
i had not knowingly come across Jon, it appears my loss . very nice obit. but who wrote it ?
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Big Al

  • Prolific Poster
  • *****
  • Posts: 4578
  • Ranttweiler, biting the breeze block of banter
Re: Jon Hunt
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2011, 01:02:49 pm »
Thanks Rob. I will have to experiment.

I did Richard. It is to go in Take Off and on Karoscene. A bit more bother to get it right therefore. It is being corrected by Tony Yates now for spelling/grammer.

I did not know him as well as I would have liked but once met not forgotten. He could have done a lot around the cars making things happen but I doubt he would ever have been a perminant fixture. Not his style. Take an idea and run with it.
Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs