Do-it-yourself motorist
Press, 8 October 1970
The ratio of rnotorcars to population is very high in New Zealand, and there should be a very considerable audience for the Christchurch-produced programme, “Bumper to Bumper” which began last evening. It is a sort of “Handy Hints” series for the motorist, and it has as its host Tony Petre, for the last eight years motoring editor of "The Press.”
There are eight programmes in the series, and they will have national screening. The producer, Kim Gabara, says they are designed to inform the viewer on efficient home maintenance of cars. “There is no attempt to usurp the necessity or skills of the trained motor mechanic, but in a country that has not only one of the highest ‘do-it-yourself’ populations, but also one of the top four ‘cars-per-head-of-population' ratings in the world, there is a need for this kind of instruction on television,” says Mr Gabara.
“The programme content will range from proper selection and handling of tools, to methods of making the car a safer vehicle to travel in. “Practicality and method will be the format followed by the programme as it tackles various home vehicle maintenance tasks. A limited emphasis will be placed on “handy tips” but basically the complexities of a motorcar the sophistication of its operation, and the numerous variations in existence make a simple clear-cut approach the ideal method of covering most of the proposed topics.
In order that accurate and up-to-date information' is conveyed, the scripts and content of the programmes will be checked and verified by a qualified automotive engineering instructor. Many of the special props and demonstration equipment used on the programme are being supplied through the courtesy of the automotive engineering division of the Christchurch Technical Institute.
Mr Petre became interested in motoring as such when he took possession of his first car.
“I was very keen to make long trips into the back country,” he said, “and I soon came to realise that if the car broke down miles from anywhere, I would have to know how to fix it and get home again.”
The first series dealt mainly with the basic mechanical side of motoring, the second looked at broader aspects of cars including buying a used car, tyre types, and the pros and cons of car modification. The third series emphasised safety, the best methods of safe driving, and survival in a car-orientated society.
Later hosts included Alastair Ansell.
Comments powered by CComment