My first post to the FCF was on the subject of "Xantia Rear Suspension Strut Removal" proving particularly difficult due to the rusted in retaining pin, and a stubborn pipe to strut nut, completely rounded off.
I wrote following some useful advice, and happened to quote the magic word "persistance" in my thanks.
"Thanks again-armed with your help I have gained that necessary extra enthusiasm to persevere and finish the job off. With the good old haynes manual, dismantling bits of a new car must be fairly straightforward. Dealing with older cars and the dreaded rust there is no substuitute for tips and wrinkles gained from many hours of persistance and creative thought to overcome difficult jobs"
Malcolm then educated me with the following
"citronut wrote:
spell check, on this forum this is how to spell persevere/persistance (PERCY WHAT SIT ) TEA HE
i always use loads of PERCY WHAT SIT to get these stubon pipe nuts out, rather than cutting them off if it can be helped, even if i have to resort to a bit of heat and with vice grips,
CitroJim wrote:The Order of Service for Malcolm's funeral...
The GS in the picture was there following the Hearse!
Does anyone have a transcript of the Eulogy? It was brilliant!
I do have the draft copy as an email. I have been asked by the Editor of Citroen club mag to send him a eulogy, to go in August addition. I will try to work that out today & if I manage I could also post it here, it is quite long though
Thank you to all that arrived at dad's funeral yesterday. You and your amazing Citroen's really helped to give dad the fantastic send off he deserved.
We, me my mum & my two boys, will see you in a field somewhere soon!
Citronut junior wrote:
I do have the draft copy [of the Eulogy] as an email. I have been asked by the Editor of Citroen club mag to send him a eulogy, to go in August addition. I will try to work that out today & if I manage I could also post it here, it is quite long though
Brilliant! It wholeheartedly deserves to be shared As not all our members are members of the CCC it'll be lovely if it can be posted here too, length is no problem at all. If you have any problems, email it to me and I'll be happy to post it up...
Citronut junior wrote:Thank you to all that arrived at dad's funeral yesterday. You and your amazing Citroen's really helped to give dad the fantastic send off he deserved.
No, thank you for the honour and privilege of allowing us to attend such a deeply personal occasion. It was very special and something that will remain in my memory for ever.
Citronut junior wrote:We, me my mum & my two boys, will see you in a field somewhere soon!
Hi although i dont own a french car i have joined as im one of malcolms brothers (the one with the beard and purple shirt for those that were there yesterday)
I can only talk for myself but want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your words and actions re my big ( ) brother ( he was 6yrs older than me ) i truly am both smiling and crying at the stuff you have posted on here i can only hope that people think of me in some small way the way you guys obviously thought of him
throughout my teens he was the big brother all would have wanted, taking me to air shows and out rowing on hythe canal (for you kent people) and generally looking out for me
Welcome Martin and thanks for the kind words from both Clair and you.
I was a little concerned that family may have thought forum attendance to be an intrusion but I couldn't have missed Malcolm's final farewell, he was so central to the forum and a great personal friend to many.
As others have said, he will be sorely missed, his input, both knowledge and humour, will be irreplaceable.
An honour and a pleasure to meet with you all despite the sad circumstances. Apologies for not attending the wake, I'm afraid the satnav had a mind of it's own and led me very far astray.
I hope this works! this should be a copy of the eulogy from dads funeral yesterday.
Eulogy
Malcolm was born on the 25th March 1953 in Folkestone, one of nine children consisting of five boys and four girls.
He showed an interest in cars from an early age and was very dextrous with his hands spending hours making little model cars. And so when he left school it’s not surprising that he went straight into working with cars becoming a paint sprayer.
In 1973 Malcolm met his wife to be Chris at a social club in Dover through their respective brothers. Not long after they moved up to Aberdeen where they married in 1974. They went there to look for work but after six months of being unable to find any permanent accommodation they returned to Dover.
Malcolm found work again initially as a paint sprayer but then he went to work for Ashford Coachworks where he learned to paint the vehicles by hand!
It was during this time that their daughter Claire was born.
Malcolm then returned to paint spraying for a while before moving to St. Leonards in 1981 and going to work at Whatlington (Citroen) Garage. And the following year son Tristram was born to complete the family.
Initially Malcolm did the paintwork at the garage but when he wasn’t busy he would tinker with the mechanics; and gradually he learnt the mechanical side of the vehicles. Unfortunately he was then made redundant and so he decided to set up a mobile mechanic Citroen repair business for a while before getting permanent premises to work from.
It has to be said that Malcolm never made much money from his business…and the following tribute from his beloved French Car Forum goes some of the way to perhaps explain why!
“I first met Malcolm at one of the Citroen rallies…he (and his wife) had set up a small marquee with various Citroen bits, out of the back of his BX estate and trailer. My first impression of him… was a small, scruffy guy with a cheeky, cheerful smile and personality to match. If you asked him for help or advice he would offer it, and if he didn’t know the answer at that time he would find out and get back to you with it. Later, when I was unemployed and my car had failed its MOT he offered to help by getting me parts at trade prices and then letting me use his workshop, with the intention being that I should only ask for his help occasionally (I needed a lot more help than I thought I would, but it was always forthcoming with no complaints) and he charged me mates rates for doing this. I could not have got her through the MOT re-test without his help…
I know that wherever he has gone to it is a better place because he is there, with his grin his jokes, his “percywotsits” and his toolkit to fix things that are broken. Goodbye Citronut”
Malcolm loved spending time with his family and he found a way to combine his other love too…family holidays (pretty much without exception) were spent camping near or at a car show!
One of the most memorable car shows for the family was in Italy in 2003, driving over the Alps…Claire and Tristram in her 2 CV (which Claire and her Dad had lovingly restored together) and Malcolm and Chris following behind in their BX. He not only talked about it ever after, but in pride of place in his workshop was a large photo of the 2CV… all four of them seated in….together with a collage of other photos…which he borrowed from Claire but never quite got round to returning!
Although everyone is aware of Malcom’s passion for Citroens they may not be aware of his earlier interest in Austen A35’s…and long before that (and his very first car) was his Hillman Imp…and I’ve stolen our next story about it from the French car forum again:-
“ This community was obviously very important to Malcolm (who) could always be relied upon to join in and come up with an interesting story. Here’s one from “Nostalgia First Cars” concerning a £25 blue Hillman Imp and a journey from Hythe to Dover….
We pointed the Imp up Dover hill fully laden with sis in law her two kids and hubby, and her indoors and of course the driver (me), just about coxed the poor thing up around the first bend of the hill and she refused, dug her heals in (no not the sister in law) refusing point blank to go any further.
I managed to roll her back into a farm entrance to go back down the hill and attempt Canterbury hill as it is less steep, then head to Dover via Alkham Valley…got up the hill and onto Alkham Road, then my sister in law starts panicking and shouting pull over!! Let us out!! There’s flames coming out of the back of the car.
I pulled over onto the grass verge and they all bundled out and ran across the other side of the road, my brother in law and I gingerly went over to it and opened the boot lid to see a small flame coming from a hole in the side of the crank case…
I went back a couple of days later to retrieve her remains and she was gone!”
Malcolm was very methodical in his work. He wouldn’t rush a job and he could make the most simple of tasks last all day. This would be because he had to make a cup of tea for the customer first and have a chat…then there would be a bit of work before stopping for more tea! It would be fair to say that his work life was often more of a social life than a job! But as Claire says, if her Dad did a job it would be perfect.
Whilst Malcolm freely gave away his advice, he would never give away any “thing” that might come in useful…he would never throw anything away! And his workshop is described kindly as “a veritable treasure trove of Citroen Tat”!
Another tale from the forum illustrates this:-
“Malcolm was one of those rare breed of people who become a legend in their own lifetime. I remember him asking once if I could do him a favour, there was a bloke “just around the corner” who had offered a collection of Citroen Manuals free to a good home…Malcolm asked if I could collect them, anticipating a couple of boxes off I went only to discover the said “collection” filled the boot of the C6….
The collection made its way south to Malcom and his safe keeping…via various stops and layovers along the way…I wonder what other long lost treasure will be found in Malcom’s garage” ?
The Forum I have mentioned several times was a big part of Malcolm’s life. He wouldn’t go to work until he had checked it in the morning and it was the same upon his return. He is fondly remembered for “his love of the forum emoticons which he used to great effect in many of his posts!
He is described as being “endlessly helpful, full of patience with idiots like me…and man, what knowledge”…”a top bloke”…”a good man”
Malcolm was so amiable, quite a joker with such a good sense of humour…greeting customers who rang with a cheery “Citroen testicle helpdesk, we talk a lot of balls, can I help?”
Malcolm didn’t just love people and cars he loved animals too, enjoying having a number of family pet cats and dogs over the years not to mention his African Grey parrot Ringo who he taught how to speak…but it was Ringo who trained Malcom how to feed him as whenever Malcolm had some food he would simply say “want some” and Malcolm would comply!
Malcolm’s family were his world…his beloved wife Chris of forty one years…his children Claire and Tristram…his grandchildren Alice, Isaac and Jacob. The family were overwhelmed by over three hundred messages wishing Malcolm well when he first fell ill…they had not realised just quite how many lives Malcom had impacted on.
They thank you all for the kindness and support you have shown them since Malcolm’s death too and invite you to join them after the service at Halton Baptist church hall to raise a mug or two of tea with them to the “Citronut” they so loved.
martingold wrote:Hi although i dont own a french car i have joined as im one of malcolms brothers (the one with the beard and purple shirt for those that were there yesterday)
I can only talk for myself but want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your words and actions re my big ( ) brother ( he was 6yrs older than me ) i truly am both smiling and crying at the stuff you have posted on here i can only hope that people think of me in some small way the way you guys obviously thought of him
throughout my teens he was the big brother all would have wanted, taking me to air shows and out rowing on hythe canal (for you kent people) and generally looking out for me
Uncle Martin you will have to get yourself a Citroen now !
myglaren wrote:
I was a little concerned that family may have thought forum attendance to be an intrusion but I couldn't have missed Malcolm's final farewell, he was so central to the forum and a great personal friend to many.
.
as i said earlier i cant speak for the rest of the family but from my point of view you guys were as much his family as we are
i am a dancer and one of our saying is "friends are family that you choose for yourselves" as you can see from the way we loved our brother that isnt quite right but i hope you can see my meaning
thank you once again for all you did for my brother
myglaren wrote:
I was a little concerned that family may have thought forum attendance to be an intrusion but I couldn't have missed Malcolm's final farewell, he was so central to the forum and a great personal friend to many.
.
as i said earlier i cant speak for the rest of the family but from my point of view you guys were as much his family as we are
i am a dancer and one of our saying is "friends are family that you choose for yourselves" as you can see from the way we loved our brother that isnt quite right but i hope you can see my meaning
thank you once again for all you did for my brother
I have to agree with you Uncle Martin the people on the frech car forum, Citroen car club & BX club & in fact anyone who owned or was even interested in Citroen's were all a very important part of dads life. He would have wanted as many of you there,as we did. You were & still are all dads Citroen family
As not all our members are members of the CCC it'll be lovely if it can be posted here too, length is no problem at all. If you have any problems, email it to me and I'll be happy to post it up...
) brother ( he was 6yrs older than me ) i truly am both smiling and crying at the stuff you have posted on here i can only hope that people think of me in some small way the way you guys obviously thought of him 
