Catching Up: Evans EP70 Starlet

Feels like I’m late to the party on this one. Not because Evans Starlet has already featured on the hallowed pages of juiceboxforyou and Speedhunters, but because its like I haven’t seen the fucker in years. It wasnt so long ago that I’d be fed up of the sight of him poking around the back of the large warehouse we once shared. A big ‘WELLL’ greeting me most of the time as I arrived.

With those days a good 4 or 5 years behind us, I’ve always considered Evan a friend. Someone you could ring if you were stuck and he’d come help you, no questions asked. Mind you I’m horrible for keeping in touch with people that I dont see on a regular basis and its been a good few months since we chatted. So when I posted on my Instagram story a couple of weeks back asking did anyone want to shoot, I got a simple reply: ‘Me’.

The weather has been stereotypically shite here for the month of May so organising a day to shoot a couple weeks out was more than optimistic but unknowingly, we picked the hottest day of the year. Only days before it was rain jackets and jeans and when I arrived at the shed it was shorts and t-shirts(or floral shirts in Evans case).

Two pasty Irish lads roaming the south east coast on the hottest day of the year and not a drop of suncream between the two of us. I felt like I’ve seen that somewhere before!

Having loaded up the Starlet with energy drink and tobacco provisions, we set off out from the storage unit for a couple hours to take in the sights and scope out a couple spots I had in mind for some photos. Given the day that it was, the first properly hot day since lockdown restrictions had lifted, the seaside locations I had in mind were awash with people from all over the country. A re-think was in order.

I had this spot in mind that I had visited a few months prior but I was actually looking at it as a potential fishing spot and hadn’t visited it since I was a child before stumbling across it in February. Assuming that, it too, was going to be thronged with people I said we’d go anyways and snap some photos at some landmarks along the way if all else failed.

For some reason, we were the only ones there with the small harbour to ourselves. Maybe it was the procession of 80’s synthwave blasting off the low stone walls of the winding village roads that caused everyone to scatter before we arrived? I thoroughly enjoyed the 80s vibes we were giving off as we slowly cruised through Dunmore east. Although, I wish Evan had hit me with the memo so I could’ve dug out my Miami Vice shirt.

I’ve always thought the backdrop of the power station was a bit unusual in such a dainty and quiet place. I’m sure if there was a pub open in the village there’d be an old lad propping up the bar still complaining about when they built the thing.

I’m not going to talk much about the heritage and aura surrounding the EP70 Starlet in Ireland as much of that has been covered by Neil and Paddy in their respective features. Its best to think of the impact this car had on Ireland through the following: ‘If you dont know someone who owned and EP70 at some point, are you even Irish at all?’.

Now take the mild idea that I’ve just painted in your head, roll it up into a big ball and fire it into the bin because this Starlet is as far removed from that ideology as you’d ever imagine. A 4EFTE under bonnet of something the size of a matchbox is all you really need to know.

I’ve spoken in recent posts about how meeting new people always excites and inspires me and thats 100% the case but enjoying a relaxing and funny day out catching up with an old friend can have the same effect and then some.