Xpensive has passed away

[GitanesBlondes]

While I haven't posted here in some time, I thought I would convey this to the long-time members who would want to know.

He passed away two days ago in Stockholm of a massive heart attack when out for a walk. Whether you liked him or not, xpensive was an unforgettable member here who was an old school engineer that knew quite a bit about design, and was a wealth of F1 knowledge that will be missed. He also was noted for his forthright opinions and positions. He was never one to mince words, and that didn't sit well with some here who were interested on presenting lite, unlikely to ruffle feathers discourse. For those who weren't bothered by this, he was a great guy to have a conversation with regardless. I didn't always see eye-to-eye with him, but could respect what he believed.

He was a huge fan of the Super Swede Ronnie Peterson, so this picture is a fitting tribute to his hero. Opposite lock in the John Player Special Lotus 72, the only way to have it.

[GPR-A duplicate2]

RIP X.

[FoxHound]

Sad news, and my sincere condolences to his family.
In a former life as JET, we xchanged (colourfully at times)opinion aplenty.

The world is a less interesting place without him.

Vai com deus, x.

[Tommy Cookers]

here !, here !!

[FW17]

RIP

His engine thread was unforgettable.

[miqi23]

RIP.

[Pierce89]

He will be missed. He could wear thin, but he'll definitely be missed.

[bhall II]

He was a complex character, and I tend to think those are the very best kind. While at times he was xtraordinarily abrasive and given to fits of obstinance - both the marks of a man who lives squarely within his chest and cannot help but be himself - some of the highest compliments I've ever received are the moments when Thomas Arvidsson quietly incorporated aspects of my worldview into his own. It meant they met a standard that was intolerant of bullshit and unabashedly aspired to tower over the lowest common denominator. (When he stopped questioning my thoughts on aero, I knew with absolute certainty I was at least in the vicinity of the right path, and that's just all there was to it.)

I wish I had known him better, even if there's a better than average chance we wouldn't have gotten along very well in real life - our personalities are waaaay too similar. All the same, I regret not extending a hand. I was inexplicably too timid to venture beyond the surface, even though that's where our humanity thrives.

"You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." ~ commonly attributed to C.S. Lewis

So, here are a couple of things I have no right to say...

To forgive is to abandon all hope for a better past.

Rules are arbitrary, and you can break almost all of them and still be a good person.

[dren]

I was wondering where he went, I missed his posts. RIP, wish I knew him personally as I think we'd have gotten along well. Cheers, I'll drink one for X.

[flynfrog]

For X

[GitanesBlondes]

He was a complex character, and I tend to think those are the very best kind. While at times he was xtraordinarily abrasive and given to fits of obstinance - both the marks of a man who lives squarely within his chest and cannot help but be himself - some of the highest compliments I've ever received are when Thomas Arvidsson quietly incorporated aspects of my worldview into his own. It meant they met a standard that was intolerant of bullshit and unabashedly towered over the lowest common denominator. (When he stopped questioning my thoughts on aero, I knew with absolute certainty I was at least in the vicinity of the right path, and that's just all there is to it.)

I wish I had known him better, even if there's a better than average chance we wouldn't have gotten along very well in real life - our personalities are waaaay too similar. All the same, I regret not reaching back when it seemed clear he had reached out. I was inexplicably too timid to rock the boat and venture into the unseen areas that lay beneath the surface and (wholly) define our humanity.

"You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." ~ commonly attributed to C.S. Lewis

So, here are few things I have no right to say to anyone (and should not be viewed as references to anything specific at all):

To forgive is to abandon all hope for a better past.

Rules are arbitrary.

Everything changes.

It's never too late.

Great post.

[strad]

Rest in Peace X
I'm sure you're in a better place. [-o<

[SectorOne]

I´ve always thought of you two as being the same person (metaphorically of course)
Since i´m already drinking, i´ll have one for him and his threads.

[mcdenife]

Crikey! this year has tagged quite a few notables already and its only April. Adieu X you wont be forgotten

[donskar]

X was an honest man with the courage to express his feelings openly -- a rare combination, in my experience.

This forum suffered from his absence -- it has certainly lost its appeal for me over the past few years.

Wherever X is, the discourse is more lively and more open than it is here.