Frank Cassidy of Boxengasse is a 'ghost'... - Page 2 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

There's virtually nothing about him online (or his parents) apart from him making his fortune in wholesale homeware and electronics. Really rather intriguing!

Really rather wise In this interview about building the current business, he talks about his previous life as a "middle man" that required no profile for him, or his company. But Boxengasse / Megaphonics required a very different approach. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02BlPcxA_jk Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 4th August 22:10

wax lyrical said: There's virtually nothing about him online (or his parents) apart from him making his fortune in wholesale homeware and electronics. Really rather intriguing! He had the odd bit of coverage way back in Total911 - with a different surname.

He supported our first two Charity Goodwood Track Days, in 2013 and 2014, possibly others.... seemed like a nice bloke. Yes; his surname begins/began with a P.

Orangecurry said: He supported our first two Charity Goodwood Track Days, in 2013 and 2014, possibly others.... seemed like a nice bloke. Yes; his surname begins/began with a P. Yes - ‘P’.

He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it.

Porsche-worm said: He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it. Never met him, I'm sure he's very personable, however ... Pistonheads is very broad church, and some years ago someone on PH happened upon Frank's YT video/s and brought them to the attention of the masses on the General Gassing thread. It then quickly went viral on PH. I was all too aware of Frank's YT content prior to his work being "outed" on PH, this as I'd followed his 964 build on Rennlist : https://rennlist.com/forums/964-forum/747761-black... but at that time I also knew a couple of individuals who knew him directly too. And the reason the outing of his YT content went viral ? Solely because it was pretentious, pompous, twaddle, and those "d heads" as you referred to them, saw it for that. When an individual states (I think in that 964/Cayman R video, but possibly another of his cringe fests) "The Cayman has Power Steering, whereas the 964 has Power Assisted Steering" the cognoscenti tend to get a strong whiff of pomposity and pretentiousness. The real issue was of course that it showed a rather large lack of self awareness on Frank's part, something PH tends to crucify, especially if the OP tries to pushback having "transgressed". Coming from someone who dresses/presents the way Frank does, ie "differently", (and there's no harm in that) it can, and clearly did annoy, amuse or irritate a good few individuals on PH, just as I suspect this video could : https://vimeo.com/695001878?fl=pl&fe=sh From memory Frank did push back, and the wrath of the PH cognoscenti smelt blood, and tore him to shreds, I think he also got embroiled in a spat with the 993 owners/contributors on 911UK via his thread on Rennlist where he made some fairly broad brush and antagonistic comments which weren't well received. As for him being a "ghost", he has indeed removed all his content from YT some years ago, and changed his surname too. Removing his video content wholesale did however make sense, as he knew he was planning on starting a Porsche community enterprise, and especially when he states he considers himself a "failed film producer". His words, not mine.

If you had the means and couldn’t be bothered with the attention anymore - why not disappear if you want to. The world is petty and troubled enough. Be happy. Personally I like the Niners Unplugged series on the Boxengasse channel when he was hosting. They seem so have a new host now? who maybe isnt as interested/invested in the subject matter? Bit of a shame.

TDT said: Personally I like the Niners Unplugged series on the Boxengasse channel when he was hosting. They seem so have a new host now? who maybe isnt as interested/invested in the subject matter? Bit of a shame. I’m the same. It’s not as good with his girlfriend presenting it which is a shame as it was one of the things on YouTube I’d actuary stop everything to watch. I also remember the hard time he got back in the day.

Who cares? He's managed to create something that people certainly enjoy, Boxengasse and Megaphonics sold out again this year and will be next year and so on. Fair play to him, he's pulled something together I cannot even imagine how you would do that with the range or rare cars, sponsors, food/drink, DJ etc etc. And that's just one day a year!

Freakuk said: Who cares? He's managed to create something that people certainly enjoy, Boxengasse and Megaphonics sold out again this year and will be next year and so on. Fair play to him, he's pulled something together I cannot even imagine how you would do that with the range or rare cars, sponsors, food/drink, DJ etc etc. And that's just one day a year! The OP, clearly.

Freakuk said: Who cares? He's managed to create something that people certainly enjoy, Boxengasse and Megaphonics sold out again this year and will be next year and so on. Fair play to him, he's pulled something together I cannot even imagine how you would do that with the range or rare cars, sponsors, food/drink, DJ etc etc. And that's just one day a year! Absolutely agree. I enjoyed the day. I got the opportunity to see cars that I have never have seen other than in magazines or online. I caught up with a few friends and had a laugh, and I enjoyed walking through the car parks and owners areas and enjoying seeing hundreds of cars of a brand I love. Each to their own, but I enjoyed it. I did provide some specific feedback to the Boxengasse Team on Monday morning (I wont go into the details here) and I got a response within an hour.

I'm the OP and also enjoyed the day at Megaphonics (my first) a few days ago (despite the traffic chaos!). Now it makes sense why there is so little real info about Frank 'Cassidy' on the Internet. Intriguing character anyway.

I think Frank may have watched a few Magnus Walker videos

wax lyrical said: There's virtually nothing about him online (or his parents) apart from him making his fortune in wholesale homeware and electronics. Really rather intriguing! Frank is a lovely guy and super passionate about Porsche so fair play . Love what he's created and thoroughly enjoy watching Niners. Not sure about making his fortune from wholesale homeware & electronics though.

Esquire said: Frank is a lovely guy and super passionate about Porsche so fair play . Love what he's created and thoroughly enjoy watching Niners. That’s where I am with him, he’s super passionate and has been clever enough to build a world where he can make his living from it. Who cares where the money came from? I imagine the fact that mega phonics is based at his place it’s its USP but also it’s downfall, I reckon he’ll struggle with the local planning to make it more than it is. By the same margin though, that’s why we’re taking the family to salon prive (a multi day event) rather than Frank’s. As I’ve said, if he made it a multi day event it could be awesome, but would he be able to secure the crème de La crème he ends up getting? One things for certain the Porsche world is all the better for frank and folk like him on it.

Esquire said: Frank is a lovely guy and super passionate about Porsche so fair play . Love what he's created and thoroughly enjoy watching Niners. Not sure about making his fortune from wholesale homeware & electronics though.

Slippydiff said: Porsche-worm said: He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it. Never met him, I'm sure he's very personable, however ... Pistonheads is very broad church, and some years ago someone on PH happened upon Frank's YT video/s and brought them to the attention of the masses on the General Gassing thread. It then quickly went viral on PH. I was all too aware of Frank's YT content prior to his work being "outed" on PH, this as I'd followed his 964 build on Rennlist : https://rennlist.com/forums/964-forum/747761-black... but at that time I also knew a couple of individuals who knew him directly too. And the reason the outing of his YT content went viral ? Solely because it was pretentious, pompous, twaddle, and those "d heads" as you referred to them, saw it for that. When an individual states (I think in that 964/Cayman R video, but possibly another of his cringe fests) "The Cayman has Power Steering, whereas the 964 has Power Assisted Steering" the cognoscenti tend to get a strong whiff of pomposity and pretentiousness. The real issue was of course that it showed a rather large lack of self awareness on Frank's part, something PH tends to crucify, especially if the OP tries to pushback having "transgressed". Coming from someone who dresses/presents the way Frank does, ie "differently", (and there's no harm in that) it can, and clearly did annoy, amuse or irritate a good few individuals on PH, just as I suspect this video could : https://vimeo.com/695001878?fl=pl&fe=sh From memory Frank did push back, and the wrath of the PH cognoscenti smelt blood, and tore him to shreds, I think he also got embroiled in a spat with the 993 owners/contributors on 911UK via his thread on Rennlist where he made some fairly broad brush and antagonistic comments which weren't well received. As for him being a "ghost", he has indeed removed all his content from YT some years ago, and changed his surname too. Removing his video content wholesale did however make sense, as he knew he was planning on starting a Porsche community enterprise, and especially when he states he considers himself a "failed film producer". His words, not mine. Lots of opinion about someone never met. Leave him be or do better yourself maybe.

Porsche-worm said: He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it. The one that started with him tossing the keys off the top of a tall building, then him taking the lift down and arriving on the ground in time to catch them?

thegreenhell said: Porsche-worm said: He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it. The one that started with him tossing the keys off the top of a tall building, then him taking the lift down and arriving on the ground in time to catch them? No, that was another of his gems.

TDT said: Personally I like the Niners Unplugged series on the Boxengasse channel when he was hosting. They seem so have a new host now? who maybe isnt as interested/invested in the subject matter? Bit of a shame. I recorded a episode of Niners Unplugged in my 924 and wasnt aware it was going to be Annabelle instead of Frank until I got there. I found she was really welcoming and the fact she knew less about the 924 worked quite well and she seemed engaged through the recording. Frank popped in before I left and had a very different angle of questions about the car. Met them both again at summer solstice and even among the flurry of people talking to them they took the time to say hello. Frank clearly has the vision and drive which has paid off in what he's created.

russmw said: I recorded a episode of Niners Unplugged in my 924 and wasnt aware it was going to be Annabelle instead of Frank until I got there. I found she was really welcoming and the fact she knew less about the 924 worked quite well and she seemed engaged through the recording. Frank popped in before I left and had a very different angle of questions about the car. Are the frank questions/parts included in the video? I’m ashamed to say I switched off not that far into it as I didn’t enjoy it but could be tempted to rewatch if so.

PRO5T said: russmw said: I recorded a episode of Niners Unplugged in my 924 and wasnt aware it was going to be Annabelle instead of Frank until I got there. I found she was really welcoming and the fact she knew less about the 924 worked quite well and she seemed engaged through the recording. Frank popped in before I left and had a very different angle of questions about the car. Are the frank questions/parts included in the video? I’m ashamed to say I switched off not that far into it as I didn’t enjoy it but could be tempted to rewatch if so. It was after filming finished that he appeared. The recording process is totally on the fly with nothing planned and way, way outside my comfort zone. I didn't like watching it so nothing to be ashamed about

russmw said: PRO5T said: russmw said: I recorded a episode of Niners Unplugged in my 924 and wasnt aware it was going to be Annabelle instead of Frank until I got there. I found she was really welcoming and the fact she knew less about the 924 worked quite well and she seemed engaged through the recording. Frank popped in before I left and had a very different angle of questions about the car. Are the frank questions/parts included in the video? I’m ashamed to say I switched off not that far into it as I didn’t enjoy it but could be tempted to rewatch if so. It was after filming finished that he appeared. The recording process is totally on the fly with nothing planned and way, way outside my comfort zone. I didn't like watching it so nothing to be ashamed about As with most subjects, a good interviewer will make interest of any interviewee-I’m sure Frank’s partner if fine at what she does but I think Niners needs Frank-the usp of the show is Porsche people being interviewed by a bonfire Porsche nut/aficionado. I get the problem with people like Johnny Smith trying to spread himself too thin but Niners Unplugged isn’t exactly every week. Even so, when Johnny tried to bring in new faces to help him produce content it didn’t work for the same reason. People watched johnnys channel to watch Johnny. I sincerely hope it all works out for them though, the U.K. Porsche scene would be a worse place without him.

Slippydiff said: thegreenhell said: Porsche-worm said: He is a really nice guy whenever i have spoken to him, he was in a little film once about the Cayman R and the 964 but he got a bit of piss taking from some dickeheads and deleted it from the internet....and i do mean deleted it from the whole bloody internet somehow... Pity as i enjoyed it and when I had my Cayman R would have like to of re-watched it. The one that started with him tossing the keys off the top of a tall building, then him taking the lift down and arriving on the ground in time to catch them? No, that was another of his gems. Is that why he wears those key chains so he doesn't lose his keys so much? I'd always be scared of brushing against a car and scratching it.

WayOutWest said: Is that why he wears those key chains so he doesn't lose his keys so much? I'd always be scared of brushing against a car and scratching it.

Just watched a few videos with Frank. He seems very serious but quite dull. Ticking so many generic boxes, glasses, beard, tattoos, watch, retro Porsche. Nothing wrong with it and I love what he created… it could be how he comes across on camera but he seems very wrapped up in appearing cool. It all feels very try hard.. He doesn’t have a genuine vibe Clarkson’s himself, Johnny Smith’s an easy guy to understand, same with Harry Metcalfe, Guy Martin. You can see these guys on TV and I expect meeting in them in person you know exactly what you’d get. They’re relatable and real. Frank’s like something created by AI, same story every time he’s interviewed. After watching the videos I was trying to think what it is that I’m feeling, the cars look incredible, the buildings and events are awesome but Frank just seems dull.

Don't know about a digital ghost but I saw him a few times at Boxengasse - he was zipping about in a liveried golf buggy, complete with arm in sling. GWS Frank.

He is what he is, he likes what he's doing but like most of us if you put some emotion into something and then someone is deliberately condescending then there is obviously the temptation to respond and be annoyed. He seems to annoy easily sometimes but then most people are grey and unexciting, so when they come across a colourful figure they seem to naturally want to be unkind or critical and I think he just gets fed up with it. When we've met on a few occasions I spoke nicely to him and he spoke nicely to me, he's a bit conscious of his image and ironically I was criticised for looking a lot like Frank does now before some people considered it cool to look like that. I'd been working on a job in the Middle East years ago and I had a big beard and when I came back to the UK for brief periods I tried to tidy myself up so I didn't look like a Sharana goat herder but unfortunately I just looked a bit like a Shoreditch hipster. I don't think it's a great look but he's quite protective of it and gets the hump if you rib him about it. I'm envious of what he has the freedom to do and I think he's quite happy with it all and to be fair he's making more of a go of it than anyone criticising from the sidelines.

Slippydiff said: WayOutWest said: Is that why he wears those key chains so he doesn't lose his keys so much? I'd always be scared of brushing against a car and scratching it.

harryblue said: He is what he is, he likes what he's doing but like most of us if you put some emotion into something and then someone is deliberately condescending then there is obviously the temptation to respond and be annoyed. He seems to annoy easily sometimes but then most people are grey and unexciting, so when they come across a colourful figure they seem to naturally want to be unkind or critical and I think he just gets fed up with it. When we've met on a few occasions I spoke nicely to him and he spoke nicely to me, he's a bit conscious of his image and ironically I was criticised for looking a lot like Frank does now before some people considered it cool to look like that. I'd been working on a job in the Middle East years ago and I had a big beard and when I came back to the UK for brief periods I tried to tidy myself up so I didn't look like a Sharana goat herder but unfortunately I just looked a bit like a Shoreditch hipster. I don't think it's a great look but he's quite protective of it and gets the hump if you rib him about it. I'm envious of what he has the freedom to do and I think he's quite happy with it all and to be fair he's making more of a go of it than anyone criticising from the sidelines. Abridged version : OP asks why Frank appears to be a digital ghost. In response to comments about the videos he produced, I confirmed they had been removed. I also gave my opinion on said videos. This is a forum, it's for sharing information and opinions. If you don't like any opinion/s you read on here, you have two choices, ignore them, or hit the report button and the mods will decide if they contravene the forum regs and edit/remove them as they see fit. But if you really don't like reading opinions on here, don't read them, or better still join Mumsnet. I reiterate what I said about Frank, I've never met him, but I'm sure he's a lovely bloke. His videos from all those years ago were another matter, they were genuinely pretentious, pompous twaddle. That's my opinion, but the masses who rounded on him on PH (I wasn't one of them) thought exactly that, and didn't pull any punches when it came to expressing their views. Bearing in mind Frank's plans to be at the epicentre of the Porsche scene in the UK, he did the right thing to remove them, as I've no doubt they would've been dragged up and ridiculed every time he put his head above the parapet. I've not expressed ANY opinions on what he's done, built or organised in the Porsche world. But I will now. It's admirable. Personally, if I lived in such an idyllic setting, the last thing I'd want is the great unwashed descending on it every year ... !! I attended the first Boxengasse, I had to queue to get in, and it was literally a damp squib due to an almighty cloudburst earlier that morning. Would I have paid this years entry fee ? No. With that out of the way, let's get back on topic. Why's Frank a digital ghost ? Courtesy of a deep dive 3/4 years ago, I'm aware of why he chose to be, but is seems that the majority on here aren't. For those intrigued, don't bother asking why. What he did, he did with good reason. There's absolutely nothing nefarious about his actions (on the contrary). I've no further comment to make on this thread.

Slippydiff said: Abridged version : OP asks why Frank appears to be a digital ghost. In response to comments about the videos he produced, I confirmed they had been removed. I also gave my opinion on said videos. This is a forum, it's for sharing information and opinions. If you don't like any opinion/s you read on here, you have two choices, ignore them, or hit the report button and the mods will decide if they contravene the forum regs and edit/remove them as they see fit. But if you really don't like reading opinions on here, don't read them, or better still join Mumsnet. I reiterate what I said about Frank, I've never met him, but I'm sure he's a lovely bloke. His videos from all those years ago were another matter, they were genuinely pretentious, pompous twaddle. That's my opinion, but the masses who rounded on him on PH (I wasn't one of them) thought exactly that, and didn't pull any punches when it came to expressing their views. Bearing in mind Frank's plans to be at the epicentre of the Porsche scene in the UK, he did the right thing to remove them, as I've no doubt they would've been dragged up and ridiculed every time he put his head above the parapet. I've not expressed ANY opinions on what he's done, built or organised in the Porsche world. But I will now. It's admirable. Personally, if I lived in such an idyllic setting, the last thing I'd want is the great unwashed descending on it every year ... !! I attended the first Boxengasse, I had to queue to get in, and it was literally a damp squib due to an almighty cloudburst earlier that morning. Would I have paid this years entry fee ? No. With that out of the way, let's get back on topic. Why's Frank a digital ghost ? Courtesy of a deep dive 3/4 years ago, I'm aware of why he chose to be, but is seems that the majority on here aren't. For those intrigued, don't bother asking why. What he did, he did with good reason. There's absolutely nothing nefarious about his actions (on the contrary). I've no further comment to make on this thread. Well said .

Slippydiff said: But if you really don't like reading opinions on here, don't read them, or better still join Mumsnet. I’m not sure someone wanting to avoid opinionated people is better off joining mumsnet.

I think he's super cool. I know absolutely nothing about him other than what his insta and YouTube portrays. But it would seem he has taken a passion, created space for it to thrive, built, invested his money, time and energy. I think it's utterly inspiring. More of people like him please!

I couldn’t give a monkeys what anyone thinks of him, or visa versa, he’s not my friend but I do find it very tiresome constantly coming across the typical UK pastime of people who haven’t really ever done much with their lives criticising others when they’re having a go at living their dream and have done more than most.