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Best video ever for this sponsor, what a drama saga story. Good the gentleman can look back to improving so many patients lives with his engineering talent.
The classic car industry is full of greed and crooks I restored a 246 Dino wide arch ( flares) one of only eleven RHD cars. I sold it to a famous DJ who auctioned it ( He’s actually a car dealer) I know it went through Derek Hoods hands and DK Engineering…. Small point I know, but at some stage it miraculously gained its original blue warranty card…… very strange considering it was never with the car when I owned it ha ha It’s pretty obvious it’s a fake… Most of the people who buy these cars are totally unaware of all the trinkets in the way of books and tools that should be with these vehicles!
James ... just brilliant. Suggestions: 1. Have a shorter interview just for car people not interested in his full life story which I loved as he's from Yorkshire stock... good and sound people the one's I've met / worked with... 2. You've hit an a massive subject IMHO... Box set Series 1 the Classic Car province / integrity sourcing business... Box set Series 2 the Classic Car parts / refurbishment business...
I worked for Mike for many years, an absolute Gentleman and true genius of the engineering world. Sad day when Finsbury orthopaedics came to a surprising end. I was lucky enough to see some of the most exotic cars on earth that he used to drive in every morning. I remember the day he arrived in the Bugatti that he just purchased off Jenson Button. Fully deserved, great memories. Good people.
I am ashamed to say that I worked within the Car / Classic Car Game for some years 😔 . I made it my Personal Business to make sure that I never betrayed the trust of those relying on me for honest repairs or for an honest purchase . I therefore, never made any money ! I was constantly working - doing MOTs, resprays, repairs, MOT’s, scouring scrap yards to save the Customer money ! I really don’t know why I bothered ! I had three Children - soon to become six - so I had to to work harder and harder to try and bring in a few quid to pay for for food, rent, clothes, bills but it didn’t work - my Wife left me ! And why wouldn’t She ? My Second Wife did exactly the same ! My Experience of the Car Game is that they would just as soon Lie to you and rip you off - as look at you! I tried to be be different - I tried to be honest - What a Fool I was ! I have had opportunities to pull the wool over customers eyes - but to to what effect ? To show that I was Scum - like the the rest of them - to show that a couple of hundred quid meant more to me than Customers happiness ? Wow - what a Big Man that would make me 😡 ? I could have been an arsehole about every purchase and sale I have ever made “but to what end ?” It could have made me the “Master of Misery !” “ Good luck “ if that is what you are after - but - not me ! What kind of low - life “Tosser” relies on the misery of others to make themselves feel good ! Seem’s like there are more of them out there than we might imagine ? I wish that I could intervene “Personally” on behalf of your Friend / Subject matter but that would be a very quick way to make an unfortunate matter go very bad - very quickly ! Suffice to say that - I have since changed Occupations from - Mechanical Engineer to Chartered Surveyor and have at last been able to become a “Guiding” presence in a World full of “Strife” rather than what is often considered to be - a “Duplicitous” presence in a World pre - medicated by those whose self - interests take priority. Regards, William 🙂 I trust that the World is treating you more kindly 😀.
What a nice guy. Talking in millions which he had earned and not been left. Scary money and someone lose thought it ok to take it from him I thought I would've turned off but I found him fascinating. Someone who you're bound to enjoy an evening in a quiet pub supping real ale. 😮❤❤
@@williamrafferty5732Hi,I’m not ashamed of working in the classics industry but I absolutely agree with everything you say. I’ve had my own workshop, worked for some of the biggest names in classics, repaired classics for traders. The industry is riddled with corruption . Fortunately I’m now virtually retired, would I do it again? Not a chance
I wouldn't have missed a moment of that. As an engineer, I was fascinated by Mike's professional journey and can empathize with a lot of it. What a humble, down to earth and responsible human being. I'm so glad he was able to tell his story through your channel and I hope he has had at least some personal benefit from doing so. I certainly feel better knowing that there are still good people in the world.
I can’t believe how calm he was. If I’d been ripped off by £40m, I would be fuming. In a different world I could imagine a fictional Hollywood movie where Del Boy rips off the wrong people and ends up floating down a river face down.
@@stephenbland7461 I suppose the fuming phase will have been there, but with the duration of the entire process will have been long gone by now. When something like that happens, you have to find a way to cope with it in order to not let it ruin you mentally and hope for the best outcome. Seems like he's found new energy in his new company; that he's a very resilient man is what I take away from this video.
What a gentleman. Great video and a privilege to watch. What a remarkable fellow. We are here to learn about cars, but I was impressed by his desire to save the company and his old team from ruin. That takes character.
Also! Jayemm - you made the right call on edits. I thought this was great. This was almost a public service announcement! Needed to be said. But the key message for me was - find an adviser who supports your interests when you are doing these kind of transactions. You need someone in your corner before you darken the doorstep of Derek Hood. The second message - eyes open on unsecured creditors. My hat off to Mike for sharing. We can all learn a lot. Thank you.
Now this is an epitome of a gentleman. Well spoken, poised despite all the ordeal he's been through and still with a spark in his eye about his career. Wishing you all the best dear sir.
As a doctor with an interest in hip & knee pain, an amateur engineer, and a car enthusiast, I found this really fascinating. I've been stung by doing work for companies which have wound up in administration: you get nothing and there's no point in wasting your time at creditors meetings. What I would advise is this: if anyone says: "you can trust me, I'm a professional" they are almost certainly lying and you should get the Hell out of Dodge.
What a nice and brilliant guy Mr Tuke is. I wish hime every success with his ceramic hip replacement. There must be thousands of people out there who owe there improved mobility directly to him and his company's innovations. On their behalf I'd like to say a big THANK YOU! All the best, Chas.
As someone who is due a new hip Thankyou Mr Tuke And James this is probably the best film that you've made I hope many people watch and fully appreciate your skill in letting him tell the story in his own style I think you might have made a good friend there Thankyou.
I have no words.....a man that has done so much good and who's very life has helped thousands to lead a pain free life , thank god there are people like him, thank you Mike you are a credit to the human race.
This is one of those stories of the slippery characters that can be found in all manner of businesses. In my own experience the sharks are often thickest when you are selling a business. Beware if you are! Very kind of Mike to be so frank as few can be but this is much more common than anyone might think. Contrary to some other comments, great story. Thanks Jay
Sadly calling these conmen 'sharks' would be a major insult to sharks. At least sharks only eat when they're hungry. Not when they're already full and want to accumulate capitals in any possible way or form.
I had a very unpleasant experience with a classic car conman in the past, ended up in court and won my case. He put his hand on the bible and said 'I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God' and then proceeded to lie through his back teeth to wriggle off the hook. Absolute scum. He's conned many others as well.
This charming, intelligent, and HONEST man, whose work has helped many thousands of people, made the mistake that many honest people do- He thought this man, whom he thought was as a friend, had the same ethical framework as he did. All the best to him, he's a wonderful human.
Probably one of the most interesting, in-depth, honest accounts of an individuals life I've seen on RU-vid, a working class lad who through hard work made his mark, then met a conman, kept his integrity in tact and his first thought when his old business was in trouble was to save the jobs of others Top bloke.
Thank you for allowing Mr Tuke to talk about his engineering background and how he entered the industry. There’s not enough engineering apprenticeships these days, and something the U.K sorely misses. A really great watch, thanks for sharing James.
I agree, the government should really do more to support quality apprenticeships. The bigger the company the worse I have noticed, they run their schemes because they want to look good on paper, poor training. Working with skilled people is the best way to learn, the problem is it costs a lot of money to have an apprentice, especially for the first few years. Showing them how to do things a hundred times and checking all their work, it takes longer to do everything.
At first, given my background, I was very happy to hear of the story relating engineering with medicine and cars. Then I was saddened as the story of JD Cars unfolded. But this is my experience of car dealerships. To give one example, one sports and classic dealership and proclaimed Ferrari specialist based in "St Albans" (closer to Luton) had done similar tricks with me. Claiming they had carried out work on the car that was later shown to be untrue and claiming there to be issues so they could make an offer of £40k less than the market price. These were important lessons to share with us. Thanks for the work, Jay, to bring the story to us.
@@Spenny909 Their are a few places I have noticed claim a town in their address they are miles away from that just causes confusion. I suspect a poncey resident who had some position of power at the council or was friends with an MP once lobbied for, to make their property a fraction more valuable. Markyate, it’s about 20 minutes from St Albans, your not kidding anyone.
It happens in too many businesses. Just last week my stepfather walked into his club's Pro Shop (he'd been a member for decades, bought untold amounts of golf equipment from that shop) to a) buy a new bag for himself and b) he convinced me to be their customer as well, to repair my golf club there. As a thanks for him bringing in my business and decades of his own to that shop, the owner ripped him off by selling a bag to him far above what it's worth and then I even saw him sneaking to the side to rip off a "____ Brand bags now 30% off" sign which was on the wall! Yes, you guessed it: what he sold my stepfather was exactly that brand of bag and no, he did not give that 30% discount.
I had imported a car myself, and it had a valid warranty. It had a major fault in its hybrid system which is not only covered by that warranty but is also very firmly covered by the manufacturer's own hybrid system warranty. I told them my car is under warranty and gave my warranty card (to the warranty company based in another European nation) and they said they refuse to contact the company! I finally persuaded them to do so, especially as the company had said all they need to do is call and say which shop they are, what the fault is to get the approval and then send the bill when they're done. But then when the car's repair was finally done after a month it turns out the had not even bothered to make that one phone call and they tried to bill *_me_* that extremely expensive repair, even though it was under the manufacturer's own hybrid system warranty if nothing else!! Then they claimed I had never said anything about any warranty! I had to send them several very tough e-mails and they still tried to bill me, but eventually they just stopped trying to collect. Luckily I was prepared: I had recorded my phone calls with them proving I did mention the warranty and with them agreeing to call the warranty company. Imagine: those people never got the warranty money just because they for some reason refused to make one phone call and send one bill! And they never managed to bill me. What?
My heart goes out to Mr. Tuke, honest decent human being. I went through something much smaller but the thief in my case was the government. I was forced out by local Bureaucracy, and between the Feds and State they took 46% of everything I worked for. The amazing criminal crap that comes out of the closet when you have worked hard to try and have a little piece of the "American Dream" boggles the mind. God Bless you Mr. Tuke.
What an amazing man. My Dad always said he was the 12th person in the world to have a replacement hip operation which lasted until he died in 2021 so thank you so much for all of the hard work in that field .He deserved all his success but certainly does not deserve all the hassle.
Thanks James for this fascinating story, glad you didn’t edit it too much as it stands alone as an epic tale. Mike is clearly a decent bloke - full credit to him for sharing not only his appalling treatment by JD Classics but also his fascinating background in manufacturing orthopaedic devices and the frustrating legal challenges he’s had to face.
This was a long video and at times I was thinking why don’t you get to the point. But sitting here now having watched the entire video I’m glad he told the entire fascinating story of his life and how things went wrong with his collection. If you had edited out any of it we would have missed a great story. Well done. Mike you should be proud of your life’s work. It’s something that has literally helped improve the lives of millions of people and will continue to do so after you’re gone. It may not have in the end financially rewarded you as it should have the way things turned out. But there are a lot of wealthy people whose existence hasn’t made the world a better place the way yours has. Well done to you sir.
Thankyou. I did have the same thought process - I knew it wasn't "Direct and to the point", but had I cut out those pieces it would have lost the heart of the story, the human element
Truly shocking story, but what an amazing, true gentleman Mike is, and a hero with regards to his work on hip and knee replacement that has helped to so many people. His use of the word "fun" so many times during the film speaks volumes for his character
How refreshingly interesting, humble story amid many of those fantastic, white-teeth influencers telling you how to live your life and be happy in front of the unpaid cars, houses or boats. This is the real life, this is the reality that can hit you doesn’t matter how passionate and successful(or not) you are. Great job James. Thank you for sharing.
Not all heros wear capes. That phrase has never been so true. James, how do we get this man a knighthood? His passion for making hip joints better, despite what he has been through...many would have just given up.
James. Thank you so very much for this video. It's been a personal one for me for 2 reasons. My late father (which my grandfather founded) owned a prosthetic company on the production and fittings of prosthesis until he sold the business to a large German company in 1997. He also loved his cars as do I. I'm an established mechanic of 25 years with my own company which I'm proud to have achieved and therefore say. Mike is an inspiration and I feel an exceptional man. That was a pleasure to watch and listen to. Please find others out there to make more videos like this. Not that car reviews are bad may I quickly add!!!! All the best.
Around the same time as Mr Tuke was going through this, perhaps a few weeks earlier we were going to buy 2 x 250 GT SWB from JD. In the middle of the deal they suddenly dropped the price a lot . And guess what, an American snapped the cars up! But then suddenly the American would resell the cars to us for a much higher price. We just said: Run Forest Run! A month later the house of cards fell down.
Thankyou Mr.Tuke for being so open from your years of bad misfortune. I think that was very brave on your part to tell the whole truth but also to open other people’s eyes to these conmen. I cannot believe that the British judicial system is so complicated and slow. It is also sad that the Police don’t have the resources to deal with fraudsters. It would interest me to know what this criminal is doing now, without sitting behind bars. Well done Jayemm for sticking with the story, that is true, professional journalism. Let’s hope the European fiasco treats the fantastic ceramic hip replacement with respect and it gets it’s stamp of approval.
@@JayEmmOnCarsoh it's definitely interesting - and helps build the picture of what a great guy Mike is and helps build the empathy for his situation. No-one should come away from this thinking this is an 'oh dear some lucky millionaire lost a few of his millions - I'm sure he didn't notice and deserved it anyway' situation. It's so far, far from that! Mike has worked so hard, from nothing, doing great things that absolutely transform people's quality of life - and then shown continued support and commitment to that and his employees, when it looked like that was going to be shut down not long after he'd sold it! What a guy.
@@JayEmmOnCars great video! I thought that bit was the best bit. Someone knowledgeable and talking passionately is always good. Plus it was the happy part of the video compared to what happened next…
Being an osteopath, I geeked out on the orthopaedics… But I felt myself cringing when Mike started reeling off the list, and cost of cars that he was enticed to buy…I can only wish him good fortune for him and his family.
What a fascinating chap. I got ripped off by a fraudster. I got nowhere as a creditor to his business but he went to prison and police proceeds of crime found hidden bank accounts and after 10 years I got it all back. It was thousands rather than millions, but he shouldn't give up hope.
There was a classic car dealer in Maldon known as Robin Hood.... This is a gripping video, excellent interview. Its quite unbelievable seeing the same JD Classics trucks in paddocks at historic race meetings with the same sign writing on them, bizarre decision to reuse the name.
What an incredible and enthralling story, that this wonderful gentleman was swindled out of so much money by an absolute rogue shows the utter lack of justice in the world.
Mike’s is a fascinating story, both the obvious one of how he was tricked, but also how he’s created his own business from scratch, pretty much twice in effect. Not only that, but his business has benefited thousands of people. We could do with a few more Mikes in this world in my opinion. I hope he does recoup at least some of his money that he’s been swindled out of. It’s good of him to share his story and it’s a salutary lesson for all of us.
Welcome to the world of business and legalities. It is not so different in other countries. Having spent a lifetime in construction I can empathise with this man.
@@andrewgiblin3468 after many years not on the island ... I had to return .... damm it these islanders are really the most disgusting society I have ever been exposed to ...personally disgusted and upset at being born on this island ...( but that was of no choice of mine) 😆😊☺🌍... you observation is true ....
If you want to sell your classic car use a well-known public classic car auction stick a reserve price on it and see what it makes, the safest way to sell a classic.
I mean this was 2009, these well-known classic car sites were still in infancy and many high asset value cars were still being traded by brokers and agents.
This was an amazing 'interview' displaying two sides of humanity ! I am not surprised at the 100,000 views on the first day of release. James has the knack of letting his subjects chat away without interruption. Mr Tuke came across as a humble genius who really must have played down his suffering. A good man.
I live in the US and some years ago I was involved in the buying and selling of collectible firearms. The most important thing I learned was, 'Buy the gun, not the story'. You can substitute any collectible for 'gun' and it's just as true.
Exactly that! Too many stories with cars. I don't care who owned it, if the condition is rubbish and it drives poorly I don't buy it. Service history means nothing if it drives like a shed.
One simple rule with 2nd hand car dealers, don't believe a word, don't get sucked in by a shiny looking car and check every detail. I bought a BMW from a dealer in Whitchurch in Hampshire last year. History turned out to be completely fabricated. Lesson learnt. Even when he finally took the car back after the threat of legal action, with a straight face he told me never to put the mileage on the yellow slip for the DVLA ("because they sometimes get it wrong"). I filled out online putting the mileage in. The car was advertised the next week with a lower mileage.
I cannot understand why the indicated mileage is not recorded when a car is MOTed, and made available when doing an MOT history check. Not a perfect solution, but it would clearly show the increase in mileage driven by the honest owners, suddenly drop once it reaches the forecourt of an unscrupulous second hand car dealer.
Thank you for making this video. Being an retired orthoapedic surgeon and evolved about the same them as Tukes. I remember attending seminars with Chanley and Freeman .. I am also a car collector and have been in similar position as Tukes. You should do the same for paintings, wine collecting and antique furniture. Exactly duplicates of what's happening in the classic car trade. Money corrupts and trust nobody
Jay this good man’s story really was needing to be told to a wide audience so thank you for having him on your channel. It’s great how his life career has met your life story through your Dads life experience.
JayEmm THIS, is an epic video. Please don't apologize for the length or anything else. While unique, this video brings great entertainment and huge value in many ways. As well as life lessons from him and yourself. Seriously, don't underestimate your influence. A++ viewing 👍👍
Thanks to both of you for providing this background. Mr Tuke has shared his life story which is quite amazing. I’m sorry that he was conned, but given the way he has detailed it he hasn’t allowed it to change him. Win, lose or draw in court, he’s won in life. When he’s worn out the hips in long distance walking, maybe he can come back and tell us how the new ceramic hip does!😁
Loved listening to Mike and his horror story. Have myself been too trusting in the past and paid the price but nowhere to the extent that Mike has so have some empathy. Thank you for taking so much time to bring us this amazing man and his story. I am at the start of hip issues so who knows maybe I will end up with a ceramic one! Thanks again James. Best wishes. Terry.
I remember all of this going on as I was student at Imperial College at the time. Brings back a lot of memories of that time and the great people that I interacted with.
The real great Classic Car Robbery in the press was Coys. Well before 2000. One _still registered as _*_stolen_* turned up in the 2023 Mercedes World auction. Same vin number.
This was a great video - not just the car bits but also the story of Mr Tukes’s life. Such a great guy. Here’s to you Mike. Thanks for sharing your story
I did not 'skip' one second as I just had to listen carefully to every word spoken. As a person waiting for a hip replacement, I was most interested in the history and development of orthopaedic engineering and as a classic car enthusiast, the fraud story was compelling whilst at the same time, very upsetting. I'm still processing all the content, but please may I pass on my thanks to you both for having the bravery to make this superb video.
These type of videos are the best thing you do....and IMHO the best of there type on RU-vid. Great "entertainment" if that's the correct word! Thanks for taking the time to film, edit and post 👌 Cheers Alistair 👍
I bought a Mk II from JD Classics many moons ago. It was fine once I restored it. I live in Maldon and a JD Classics building that was a workshop is now a builders suppliers, This video is the best thing I have ever seen on YT and totally engrossing.. Mike, you are a very brave man and thank you for baring your soul like that and for teaching me so much fascinating information about orthopaedics engineering and thank you James for broadcasting this incredible story. .
Wow may I wish this amazing gentlemen only the best of luck as he changed the lives of I guess in the 10’s of thousands which makes what happened worse and as others have said the horror of being conned can last a long time! it would have been so easy to cut this down to just the scandal but what we get is an incredible story - just brilliant and I think these series with cars as a backdrop to incredible life stories are amazing!
Thanks Charles. It was a bit of a risk to leave in the life story and medical part, but I personally found it fascinating and hoped that others would too!
@@JayEmmOnCars If you had left out the life story and the medical engineering part, the story would look much more like "fool and his money are soon parted, boohoo", Telling the other facets of Mike's life show us the ways in which he is otherwise very savvy in engineering and growing the company, not to mention developing products that do a tremendous public good. It is not a stretch to imagine that his penchant for classic cars to furnish his milieu, and to experience sensorily, is intimately tied to his sensitivity to the qualities that would make man-made hip joints better and better. Perhaps not required, but helps to fertilize.
Beautifully told and produced story. Fabulous work - not often I find it easy to have empathy with wealthy folk who hit financial difficulty but this video really provokes a sense of understanding of a decent chap trying to do the right thing for people other than himself.
Thanks very much - this is exactly what I wanted to do by sharing the story of Mike's beginnings. Having heard it myself, and the circumstances, I realised there was so much of a human element to this tale which deserved to be shared
This man got absolutely robbed, in more than one way. When you file for bankruptcy the administrator can literally go the bank and collect 100M in liquidity from the secured liability in your name (which is about 200M in total). This is high finance and you will most probably never hear of it, let alone access it. In conclusion, there was more than enough money on the table to cure Mike's damage, but you can't make demands about something you don't know exists.
@@Graham_WidemanI believe he's referring to the idea(in the US at least) that everyone is born with a "secured creditor" account or something of that nature. This account is in your name at birth and if you do some hijinks with federal forms, you don't have to pay taxes, can buy any car you want, discharge debts, and have access to an essentially limitless pile of money in your name that the government doesn't want you to know about. It's uhhhh an interesting theory. I guess?
Even before 0:59, I knew I had to go to the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea. What a fascinating yet unfortunate tale! Mike looks like an extremely knowledgeable and humble bloke, and I can only hope he gets something positive out of this beyond the money.
Incredible story about an incredible man. I have to say Mike has balls of steel to keep smiling and also setting up a new company through all of this. Thank you to the both of you for this enthralling video. Absolutely first class and a lesson in how to do RU-vid for the jump up and down while screaming about the cheapest car channels.
Rare genuine Gentleman. I came to the conclusion a long time ago of staying out of the courts because my lawyer school mate pointed out it's the lawyers who always win, no one else , he's a wealthy chap !! CAVEAT EMPTOR has always been my slogan and I've never bought a 🍋 yet ⚠️
Nice guy and refreshingly honest video about the real difficulties of any business. I’m sick of all the smug RU-vidrs boasting about the millions they’ve made. Good luck to them, but great to have some balance and recognition life has its ups and downs!!
Really enjoyed that, & I feel so, so sorry for the bloke. He seems so honest & genuine, but that was ultimately his downfall. Derek probably couldn't believe his luck when Mike rocked up with £20m burning a hole in his back pocket, so he weighed him up as a gullible mark & royally stiffed him without having the decency to at least use axle grease as lubrication! Sometimes, it's better to take your medicine, walk away & move on, but I fully understand how anger at the liberties taken can prevent you from doing so. I seriously hope he gets his dough back & finds inner peace. I've had a similar experience & albeit I ultimately prevailed, looking back, it's questionable whether the toll it took on my life, physical & mental health was worth it.
And that question in itself continues to eat you up long afterwards. What you gain in satisfaction of winning, has to be balanced against the personal toll & cost it took to prevail. Most in Mike's situation only gain the satisfaction of being proved correct, but they'll never get their money back, & time spent, chasing justice. Not to mention the stress involved. This cautionary tale is bringing back bad memories for me, but I was on the opposite side as the supplier up against a dodgy Trump-like client. Business is a viper pit...
@@Ozcrazy49 Winner or loser the lawyers always get paid. If you don't or can't pay they will sue you till your arse bleeds and then charge you extra for the privilege.
Truely horrific story and typical of the person it happens to. A genuine, lovely human being duped by the scum of the earth and failed by a corrupt judicial system. James this is, in my opinion, one of the best pieces of work that you have done. Congratulations for deciding that the story needed to be told and to your guest for allowing himself to be shown for what he is, a decent, honest, hard working man and with an amazing technology that if we can rid of this ridiculous bureaucracy will help so many people.
The judicial system isn't corrupt - as born out by this very story (Mike got the judgements he needed, just fine). It's the underfunding and under resourcing of the court system by the last government that has thoroughly backed up the system to mean it's taken him so long and then it's also the legislation behind it that has not helped Mike to be able to recover his money (the limited personal liability of directors for trading a company illegally and then putting it into administration; the legal standing (pecking order) of unsecured creditors; the process of administration and bankruptcy etc.) None of that is the fault of the judiciary.
I live in Maldon and watched JD Classics grow from a small classic restorers to a much larger business. I drooled at their 2 floor showroom (from the outside, being a mere pleb I wasn't allowed inside). It seemed to be doing well, and loved regularly spotting 'dream cars' out for test drives and MOT's etc. Shame it had such a sh*t downfall....
Who would have known the butterfly effect between a shadowy car dealer and many thousands of people denied a pain free existence. Thank you James for sharing his story and the risks involved in the minefield of classic cars. Ed
What an unbelievable saga this has been. Thank you both for sharing this with the wider world. Mike you are an absolute legend. I hope you succeed in business for the second time.
We had a Ferrari owners club visit to JD Classics at the time all this was coming to light and I felt very sorry for the customers who had cars under restoration as under administration their cars and parts would be frozen. The staff were doing their best to return unfinished cars and parts to their owners.
It's amaizing the world we live in, some people devote their life to inprove and enrich others lives while others are only interested in their own wealth, both part of the same species living on the same planet. The automotive industry has always been the easy money route for any con artist or aspiring con artist and I don't see this stopping anytime soon.
Fantastic piece of work James! Really enjoyed it, I love the way it's edited to look like a continuous story from Mike (I assume you are asking questions to keep it all on track, but it flows so beautifully).
Let's be clear, where there is so called "investment", who is making money is the seller of the product or service they are proposing. In every business I have been, banks, insurance, construction, collectible cars, or engineering consulting is the case. The legal offices even more.
What a wonderful guy Mike is. Genuine, dedicated, loyal and kind and that was taken advantage of. I've not had any dealings with JD Classics (way out of my league!) but I rent a barn on a farm very nearby them that I use as a workshop/storage for some of my cars and tap into the automotive businesses in Maldon quite regularly too, so I'm very familiar with the original JD Classics - used to regularly drive round the showroom and workshops (a vast and very very impressive setup, taking over most of an industrial estate) to see what was in stock and dream of what might be; and I'd notice their transporter vehicles on the road and see their name at Goodwood etc - and then a few years ago I noticed the company shutter and wondered what on earth had happened. Had no idea this was behind it! Shocking. Glad you told this story.
Well there has always been something of a bad side to the UK automotive industry, but this story is on another level. But what really came through for me, beyond the car losses, is what an amazing man this is sharing his story. As an aerospace des eng, I know something of the passion and drive that's required to succeed in an industry, however it's a very rare thing to see that passion translated through to such an engaging, thoughtful and caring human being. Thanks for sharing your story, I feel a little better about the human race having heard you talk about your wider story. How fantastic that you achieved what you have, and the cars that you've owned sounded amazing. But you must have had such a positive impact on so many people's lives because of your work and products you development. What an inspirational man. Thank you Sir
What an absolutely interesting interview James. I confess I was captured from the first minute and didn’t skip ahead at all, watched from start to finish.
Wonderful content, James. Presenting the car world from all the prisms you do, keeps it fresh and engaging. It's been a pleasure to meet Mike, a lovely person.
What an amazing guy, fascinating stuff. Sending this to my med-tech friends. Which is weird considering it's car channel vid, but there you are. Engineering is engineering, I guess. Very good piece of journalism on the motoring scam too! Thanks for this amazing piece of work Jay.
Yes, this was a marathon piece of viewing. But it's a marathon that SHOULD be watched. Not just to learn about the malfeasance that was rampant at JD Classics, but to learn about the frankly amazing story of Finsbury Orthopaedics, an example of what we can achieve as a species when we put our minds to it. I could listen to him talking about his work developing replacement joints for weeks, and we NEED more people like him in this world. Jay, I cannot commend your piece of public service highly enough. An example of RU-vid at its finest.
I became far more glued to the science and engineering rather than the legal disquiet which ultimately is what Mike Tuke can reflect as much more important.
Thank you for sharing. Totally agree that suing fraudsters is expensive and you rarely get your money back. The legal system turns slowly and fraudsters are usually 5 steps ahead of it
What an epic story, I rarely watch such long videos from start to finish but this story really captured me, such a remarkable and very articulate man and as sinister as what happened to him, Mike really seems to be getting on with life, thanks for sharing hope the overall message spreads far so all are aware of the lessens learned.
Just watched to the end. An amazing story. The part that sticks with me is the intelligence and ingenuity of this gentleman in the field of orthopaedics. Proud to be a fellow British mechanical engineer working in the health tech sector.
A very interesting story, and a sad one because of the loss of well earned money. Something similar happened to our CEO where he had a Jaguar bodyshell built by IDL (International Detailing Limited) the owner Gordon Russell committed fraud similar to this. Mr Russell then liquidated IDL just before the legal proceeding started, which went to court, the company then was re-registered as GB Classic Cars Ltd in Surrey, and subsequently protected by our ridiculous English law, so anyone reading this beware. We feel so sorry for Mike. We will definitely share this story far and wide because It’s very close to our heart, we know the pain of it all. Perhaps another story James.
Great video, James, and great timing too as - just this morning - I went to an open day hosted by the current iteration of JD Classics!! Funnily enough, as we arrived - I said to my mate; 'why have they started to use this name again, after all the scandal?' Mike is a great guy and very honest. Many people would be too embarrassed to admit that they'd been caught so badly…
Derek Hood: a name to remember. As to the point about this still happening with exotics, I heard similar things about a Caesarian-sounding place in St Albans.
@@richardharrold9736 There is a business called Romans. Although it uses a similar typeface this is absolutely nothing to do with Romans International in Banstead although many people I speak to assume it is linked. I imagine this is the business referred to, as I have heard negative feedback.
James, this is an epic story and it’s a credit to you for the telling of it. I’m likewise thankful for Mr Tuke and sharing his life story, his accomplishments and his vulnerability. I hope both you and Mr Tuke receive the best rewards for your work. The salient conclusion you so succinctly made is how one persons actions can have such a huge effect on many lives. In this instance, in stead of focusing on the negative outcome of Derek’s dishonesty, I’m thankful for the effect Mr Tuke’s life on every person who has received an artificial joint. What a remarkable man!
That's one hell of a story! A great interview of a very interesting Man and the horrendous fraud committed on him. A big thank you to you James for making this video.
What a story.... I genuinely feel for Matt... He has changed the lives and world for so many people. He is still persisting with this ethos too... What a gentleman!! Such resilience after being taken for ride after ride is so admirable, inspiring.... Godamnit.... The man is a hero!!!
As another Engineer and Classic Car Nut .....I've been taken for thousands and lost everything by someone i thought was a friend ! , There's givers and takers in this life ......problem is we don't always see them until it's too late . Many have committed Suicide when in a similar situation 😢 .You're a good man Mike hope the future is better for you . should have at least a Knighthood for your superb medical work 👏
Thank you for bringing us this story. What a lovely gentleman Mike is and what a contribution he has brought to mankind. Unlike Derek who has seemingly done little more than take what is not his for his own gain. The equanimity which Mike has after his ordeal is inspiring. Great video!
Adding to my earlier comment (CHEERS from AUSTRALIA) - having my LLB, I can assure you that a wise move to remember in our very similar legal systems is this - "Might means right" - this basically means, that if you cannot afford to enforce//defend your legal or equitable rights, then you will typically have to 'walk away' from the experience. Deeper pockets of a 'nefarious player' can sometimes grind the innocent party into the ground = the rights of an innocent party can be trounced by $$$$$$$$$. Our legal systems (based on the Common Law) are both complex, and EXPENSIVE to move through. And most of the time, when the area crosses between the 'grey area' of civil or criminal actions - the police are almost 'powerless' - or - just too busy to deal with matters that can often become so 'bogged down' in detail//areas that the police have little or no understanding of. A bit of wise advise - DUE DILGENCE is a MUST - as I have seen many-many-many times - a client thinks that the '$10.0K' that they saved on doing the initial documentation//due diligence themselves was money well saved (rather than than paying '$10.0K' for some competent legal advice) - only to then later face 100's of thousands or MILLIONS in costs and losses when the SH-T HITS THE FAN. A lawyer is there to protect your legal rights (HA - yes - there are some BAD ones) - spend a 'little' on competent legal advice at the START - then hopefully - you may not end up having to incur losses in the 'MILLIONS' later on down the track - losses that may end up RUINING the lives of your family - or as sometimes occurs - people ending their own life. Again - CHEERS from AUSTRALIA
A cautionary tale. There are plenty of other scammers out there, like wine and whisky "investments" and some awful property investment scams. If you want to make an investment where there are protections in place, make sure you employ the services of an advice company that is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority that only recommends investments from other FCA regulated companies
