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Gary 190

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  1. 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.
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