Perry 190 - A Tribute

[Ratboy]

Such a wasted talent, I'm gutted, regards, Darren & Michelle.

I'd make the suggestion that rather than people supplying flowers in abundance, that a donation to Perry's chosen charity(s) is more useful...flowers dry out and die, whereas a donation can make something blossom and grow?

I'm sure I'm not the only one that donating cash is a better way of remembering OUR comrade than spending cash on something that withers and dies? Let Perry be known for helping others, as he did in life, rather than wasting your cash on perishable flowers.

Although all people grieve in their own ways.....

Condolences Perry's family..I have true respect.

Edited March 28, 2007 by Ratboy

[Tim T Sport]

The most fitting tribute we (as the club) could give would be an award each year, I would say the most innovative modification award would seem most fit. As I have already (as many have said) Rest in peace Perry, your influences will live on for a long time.

Peace fella.

[Dan_Q]

Tim, I've said it before, and I'll say it again- you're a twat genius.

I think thats a bloody great idea, a fitting tribute indeed.

[Guest Celica666_GTS]

Didn't know the guy only from reading his posts on here but reading this thread has truly saddened me. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family and his friends.

[SAS]

Tim, that's an awesome idea! Do we know anyone who could cast a small bronze of Perry and turn it into a trophy?

No-one can meet his standard, but I'm sure it'll give us something to aspire to.

[Kev 16v]

As Perry's best known creations were all Toyotas, how about a Trophy in the shape of the Toyota Logo?

[Bubba]

We have already been discussing a trophy and will probably be doing it in conjunction with the MR2OC as Perry was as loved there as here. I have just been speaking with Carol and we are going to name the award "The Perry Byrnes Dremel Award" in honour of him and his favourite tool.

Can you please PM me if you are planning on attending the funeral so I can let his family know expected numbers.

[Guest Verma190]

I didn't know perry too well but we were in contact a few times and he was very helpful as I have his grey beast, he will be sorely missed...like other's I am shocked.

RIP

[Guest loz]

As a new member I did not know Perry but my thoughts are with his family & to the friend's on this site who are going through such a shock and unhappy time. God bless Perry, his family and friends. You will always remember and cherish the good times Loz xx

[cpritchard18]

[Gary 190]

Since Bubba called me with the shocking news and since kindly granted me posting rights I have tried to post and found it too upsetting each time. A special thanks to Bubba, for thinking of everyone else, with telephone calls and everything, when he's finding it so difficult himself. I now know how Mooky was feeling when he posted his pics.

So many people have posted so many great truths about Perry both on here, mr2oc and other places over the net. Anyone who never met Perry or encountered his infectious helpfullness on threads, will by now have no doubt about how he affected so many people. He took so many of us for our first glimpse of the darkside of modifying and was always just on your shoulder to encourage you to go for that next £50 mod. But far more than that, he was as so many have said...a top bloke's top bloke.

I'm not going to edit this thread. I am going to spend a whole night wording it through yet more tears and I will never get it to read how I want it to, but I know what he meant to me and so many even if I cant write it. I just hope these words and pictures are a help to Carol and the family at this so difficult time.

I first met Perry over these internet bands when the club was new and instantly was influenced by him.

A gang of us, had one of the first ever club meets at that something Mill Pub in the Midlands. I parked up next to him and within 5 minutes had agreed to my amazement to buy some Alteeza Tail Lights off him which arrived faster than you could say TRD.

I had just taken voluntary redundancy and blown all of it on a new 190; my first ever new car.

I had opted for the Toyota spoiler and wheel upgrade and within weeks I was sporting a WestWings Spoiler and new alloys! I could go on and on. In short, within 6 months I had Veilsided her, Nur Spec exhaust and intake, hoodscoop and loads more (basically copying Perry bar the Veilside). All of these mods, I was totally unaware were out there, totally naive as to where to get them, how to fit them etc etc, but Perry was always just a phone call or email away, usually into the early hours too.

When the Veilside kit was having fitting problems I was talking to Peza one evening; Perry dashed the 150 miles up to my local bodyshop and was there before breakfast the next morning.

On another occasion, bear in mind my 190 was 3 months old, I was down in Perry's garage, whilst he cut two 3 inch holes in my tailgate for the led rear fogs I wanted (just like his!). Perry just inspired confidence, you immediately felt at ease with him and felt you''d known him since school! Carol was on hand with bacon butties and cuppas flying around and when Perry called her 'love' it was the sincerest pet name you had ever heard. Perry got me to sign the funniest of disclaimers on the back of a piece of corrugated cardboard, but I just felt honoured that he was taking the time to help me, make my car look a little more like his. well I say help me; when he gave me a go at cutting, within seconds I started heading off in totally the wrong direction and he had to save me yet again.

Everytime you see either of my Gen 7's pictured you may as well call them 2 more of Perry's creations.

Perry had a natural ability, almost like a professional counsellor for car modifiers. If you had an idea, he would ask you a few well aimed and pertinent questions to get you to see another solution. He was so modest, humble and had great humility, he would then make you think the new great idea was actually yours!

I was lucky enough to go on 2 Euro trips with Perry and the gang and will never ever forget the great times we had.

Another time Perry sprang to my rescue was on the second tour when I managed to reverse and ground the front wheel over a 2ft boulder marking a parking space in a French Service Station. Perry instantly sussed it and we managed to avoid damage to the kit almost completely by reversing down onto my spare wheel.

Another great shot of Perry's first incarnation of the grey beast on the first Euro tour.

Here on the 2nd euro tour we are parked up in the Basque border region in Spain and look who's motor is getting the local lads running for cameras!

I was honoured to be asked to Perry's wedding night bash and can not begin to understand how Carol must be feeling at this moment. Ann and I did speak with her the other night but I felt so useless and inadequate.

Next Wednesday will be a very difficult day for so many, but that is because Perry was such a top bloke to coin everyone's phrase. Being the eldest in my family, I never had an older brother. Perry was inspiring to me in so many ways and whilst I never told him, I think he knew it! Blubbering again now!!

Whilst I've been between 'real' cars for a couple of years, we kept in touch by phone and I bored him regularly that my V70 T5 was now tuned to 310 bhp. Perry could always see a glimmer of hope in any of your cars and always made you feel better. With 2 kids and 2 dogs and a house refurb still going on the V70 was needed, but he knew I was gagging to get a 3rd car in the house again. He had already talked me out of 3 cars this year. A Supra Twin Turbo Aero Top remains; what would Perry say? "There's loads of £50 quid mods for them, go for it!"

I regret that we hadn't seen each other for some time face to face, but we kept in touch by phone and luckily I had rung him about a week before he sadly left us. As Carol recalled the other night " yes, he said you'd rang. He said he'd talked you out of buying another heap of crap". He sure had.

I will always, always remember Perry for his kindness, humility, patience (even with numpties), his wicked and oh so quick sense of humour, of course his cars, but most of all for his friendship. I don't feel I've said half of what I wanted to, but its so so difficult.

I hope these words might help Carol and the family in some small way.

I will never forget Perry and will do something special every year on 23rd March in his memory; knowing me it'll be buy a car and I know the big man will be just over my shoulder with a word of advice.

Also his funeral date is my youngest lads birthday, and he adores cars even more than me. I'll make sure we do something special then too every year, to celebrate Perry's life.

God bless you Perry Byrnes and rest in peace my friend.

Bubba, Perry and Carol in one of my blurred pics from another great night in Europe. Eating Kangaroo if I remember rightly.

Edited March 30, 2007 by Gary 190

[trd.celica.uk]

Neeshad Ali a.k.a Supersports another one of the early members of the club has asked me to pass on his respects and condolences to all of Perry's family and friends.

Neeshad is now living back in Trinidad and has no internet access there, hence he has asked me to post.

Like everyone else he will always remember Perry as a true inspiration and pioneer, and a difinite influence on his life.

Thank you Perry for bringing so much happiness into so many people lives, God be with you.

[usetheforce]

I first met Perry at Japfest 2005, and as we were chatting I realised he lived close by and we had long discussions that day about his GT-Four he was modifying and i wanted to see it.

As I have owned GT-Fours and was interested what could be done to them, his mods and enthusiasm was inspiring and infectous and led to me modifying my car at the time.

The numerous times i went over to his house just to chat with him and watch him at work, what he could do with a dremmel and fibreglass i couldn't help thinking 'amazing', he would get new parts and then cut them and redesign them how he wanted them!!

Made numerous bespoke parts/modifications and they fitted perfectly (his dashboard mods were very impressive), some people didn't like some of the mods that he did, but always respected how much detail and effort went in to them regardless (and he didn't care if you liked them anyway!) but despite that he had whole topics discussing his car and asking for opinions anway.

He really was a wiz with modifying and all I can do is echo people's comments in this topic, and say that you will be missed mate, and it's a very sad loss to all who knew/met you and my best wishes go to Carol and family.

A 'before' pic of his GT-Four:

[Guest Steevee]

I just stumbled onto this thread, what a punch in the gut.

Goodbye fella.

[Alex]

Been a lurker on here for a little while now and have enjoyed watching Perry's many projects progress as well as enjoying his straight to the point style

I have managed to find a picture of his car on the day I met the 'Meister', at the time I had owned my car about 1 month and was chuffed to bits with it - some how though I was a little deflated when Perry parked up next to mine, it was exceptionally well finished and there was a harmony to all the mods.

RIP Perry and my condolences to his family.

[VSIDEBOY]

Sorry to hear about Perry's passing away, I don't remember ever meeting him, but we have spoken on the forum a few times, I also remember seeing the Blue GT4 at JAE last year (I didn't know that it was his, but I did have a good look around it and was impressed by some of the details he'd put into it.)

I'm sure that he's been an inspiration to many people and I'm sure he'll be fondly missed.

My thoughts go to his family.

RIP Perry.

Dan.

[Carl]

All my pictures are back in the UK but all I can say is that Perry was not only an inspiration within this club for his modding skills he was also a totally decent and likable guy.

This is a massive loss and I really feel for his family at this sad time.

Perry RIP shipmate.

[Guest Moody_Blue]

My weekend has been greatly saddened to see this tonight. I do not frequent the board anywhere near as much as I used to, but I have never lost interest in the club, the car and its members. I only met Perry a couple of times and was simply blown away by his abbility to get any car and turn it into something trully special.

RIP

[indout96]

Just got my membership renewed and can now add my post so sorry for taking so long.

Perry was the first person that I ever met from this club when I bought his old spoiler from him, i travelled down to his house to be met with coffee and offers of breakfast. We spent most of the morning just talking about the Grey beast and an old MG (memory ??) that he was starting to do up which was turning mostly into filler, LOL.

Quite a while later we met at a meet and he instantly recognised me and asked how the car was going with real interest even though mine are minor mods. He was just that type of guy, interested in everyone. His car was now Blue and he had just installed his audio system and having virtually finished the car was trying to talk Gary190 into starting on the white auto that he had bought from Bedlam, what a beast that turned into.

The last time I saw Perry was with the MR2 when it was attracting more interest than the official TTE one near us.

You were a great man, an insperation to many and although I curse you everytime my insurance renewal comes round and companies add the loadings I just wish there were more people like you in the world.

Rest in Peace

[quiksilver-rebel]

............................R.I.P. Friend