Brushing up on the classics

I dislike the term “Classic Car” because it is vague and ill-defined.  I also suspect that it represents misuse of the English language.  Despite that I always seem to enjoy the big classic car show held every November at the National Exhibition Centre.

The most interesting thing (from a personal point of view) about the show is noticing what captures my attention.  Fancy stuff from the famous names seldom does it and my favourite cars get barely a cursory glance; it is the odd stuff, the things you don’t see every day (or in every other magazine). 

Passing time transforms the mundane into the interesting.  How else to account for my pleasure at seeing a well-preserved, low mileage Fiat 132?  It might not be the most inspiring car in the world but you could say the same of the Morris Marina, a car with a strong – if occasionally inexplicable – following.

From a certain point of view the appeal of Citroen’s 2CV is equally difficult to fathom.  It isn’t fast or pretty or luxurious.  Some cars have interiors that are like the inside of a gentlemen’s club; the 2CV is more like an old potting shed.  For all that, it was a very comfortable place to sit.  The simple, hammock seats somehow manage to provide all the comfort and support you need as you contemplate the seemingly random collection of instruments and switches on the dashboard.  Where else would you find a choke control labelled with an “S”?  In French “strangulateur” means choke – but don’t quote me on the spelling.

Web sites we like: The Getaway Driver

Searching the internet for classic car hire companies (as you do) I came across the site for The Getaway Driver, a company that does classic car hire and overnight breaks.

To me it looks like a well-designed site, the front page is classy and it is easy to navigate. Combined with sections named Getaway Cars, Escape Routes and Hideouts (for vehicles, rout plans and accommodation) it looks slick and stylish.

I like the concept of being able to spend anything from a day upwards on a driving holiday especially if you can organise the car and hotel in one go. A few years ago I did my own, budget version with a hired MGB and based from home – it was great fun and it is an experience I’d love to repeat but with a more upmarket car and maybe an overnight break somewhere.

You can also do a day with an ex-police driver or join one of the driving tours.

Of course I have to make it clear that I’ve not used this company and I have no connection with them, I just like the web site. Check it out here.

A few photos from the NEC

A crowded NEC isn't the best place for photography so I didn't take many pictures. Here is a selection:

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

I had never seen a Citroen Bijou before so it was nice to see one; the best thing about car shows is the opportunity to see things you've never seen before. The Bijou was a Slough-built Citroen, based on the 2CV with a glassfibre body. Despite the 'lightweight' body it weighed more than the steel-bodied 2CV. Power, if you can call it that, came from a 425cc flat twin. You didn't know Citroen built cars in Britain? You do now.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

This 1930s Ford V8 was very stylish. I think it was a 1934 car with just one or two owners from new. Power would have been 75bhp from a 3.6-litre, sidevalve V8.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

Keeping with the transatlantic theme, this Buick was VAST and very brown. You can imagine it packed full of a typical American family and all their holiday (sorry, vacation) luggage.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

The emblems on the brushed metal wheel trims were rather neat.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

As was the ornate 'Estate Wagon' script, and you get an idea of the fake wood on the body.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

More fake wood at the back.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

An American Icon, the fins of a 1959 Cadillac convertible.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

Finally; something British, although with a Japanese twist: a cutaway Rover 200. It is a little odd to see cars that I can remember being launched now appearing as classics. However, in its time this 200 was well regarded and looked very classy. It also shows that you don't need to own something expensive and impractical to participate in the classic car scene.

Dream come true

There is a theory that you should never meet your heroes. It is not a view I share, especially not since meeting one of my four-wheeled heroes at the weekend.

From Classic Motor Show NEC 2010

It was a 1966 Ferrari 275 GTB, in silver on alloy wheels; one of only six alloy-bodied, right-hand drive cars built. My ride came about through the Sporting Bears Motor Club, which raises funds for charities by selling off 'Dream Rides' at the Classic Motor Show.

First impression of the Ferrari: it is small; not so much short but low and narrow, especially compared to the Ferrari 599 that was nearby. Inside there is plenty of room; mainly because the gearbox is behind you and there is no massive central console, in fact there is nothing but the essentials. A simple, crackle-finish dashboard with dials for everything you need to monitor; big, well-spaced pedals and a left-food rest; and the gear lever and steering wheel looked well placed.

It might not look impressive inside but it is surprisingly comfortable with decent seats (non-reclining buckets, as I recall) and firm but well controlled ride. It went well too, and sounded great as the red line approached (about 6,500-7,000 I think). But if you're just cruising it is quite civilised. It also seems nicely balanced. Jerry, the owner wasn't hanging the tail out or anything dramatic like that but you could feel how the car could be steered with the throttle. I was also impressed at how, when we returned to the NEC, happy the car was to sit at tickover for several minutes. The water temperature rose a little but other than that there were no signs of temparament.

Add to that a glorious view down the bonnet, with the front wings curving up and a cinemascope windscreen to frame the scene. Although I noticed that there were dints on the passneger-side wing, looks like someone rested their elbows there and left an impression in the aluminium.

The 275 was everything I hoped for, a glorious experience for the eyes and ears. I still grin when I think about it.

From BIMS 2008 Oldies

From Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010

Oh and I've added a few more Ferrari 275 GTB photos, because I can.

Weekend catch up Part 1

I spent the weekend up in Manchester with my friends Simon (of MG Midget fame) and Ally. What a wonderful weekend it was, catching up, chatting, messing about with Si’s sports car, enjoying tasty food and taking in some motor racing at Oulton Park.

Over the next few days I’ll try and post some of the photos I took of the racing and of the interesting cars parked on the hill overlooking Cascades. Before then I need to share a few observations:

1. The noise limit seems to have been tightened, some cars did not sound as ear-splitting or dramatic as I remembered from past years.
2. What happened to the pre-war cars? Last year there was some pretty good racing from the vintage and post-vintage crowd.
3. Where have all the Jaguars gone? The first Gold Cup meeting I attended had XKs, C-types and D-types racing but they seem to have deserted the Gold Cup.
4. Digital photography of moving cars can be a bit hit and miss. I promise to share some of the more amusingly bad examples.

I’ll leave you with this picture from practice for the Guards Trophy race.

British International Motor Show – oldies

It wasn’t just new cars at the motor show; there was the heritage pavilion, located outside and feeling a little like an afterthought. The choice of cars was superb but I think I’ll let the pictures do the talking.



Next to the heritage pavilion was a display of AA vehicles through the ages. My eye was caught particularly by the Morris Ital van. There can’t be many Itals of any sort left so it is quite nice to see one that looks cared for and it certainly isn’t the sort of thing you’d expect to see at a show for new cars.

Inside, I noticed but didn’t photograph a fine looking Mercedes-Benz 300SL gullwing and a certain internet magazine had a scrappy-looking mk3 Austin Allegro as “the worst car ever” on their stand. Frankly I think there are many worse cars than the “All Aggro” and it just demonstrates a lack of imagination on the part of whoever chose it.

Classic Motor Show 2007

Although I don’t go to lots of classic car shows throughout the year I try never to miss the annual Classic Motor Show at the NEC, just outside Solihull (it is misleading to refer to the NEC, Birmingham). It fills four of the NEC’s exhibition halls and attracts a variety of clubs and dealers who all do a great job of bringing along interesting machinery. Apologies for the lack of pictures but I’ve never managed to take decent pictures at one of these shows.

A personal favourite was the Bristol Owners Club who brought along the 406S - a special, short-chassis version of the 406 saloon with bodywork in the style of the Bristol 404 (there was a 404 next to it for comparative purposes and an early 411 at the back of the stand looking as sober, purposeful and handsome as only a 411 can). The 406S was one of two short-chassis 4060s made by Bristol – the other receiving a low, 2-seat body by Zagato.

Other favourites included a 1969 Plymouth Road Runner on the Classic American magazine stand. As with most, if not all, cars on display it was spotlessly clean and beautifully presented; a beautiful example of one of my favourite muscle cars. Another big V8-powered coupe that I yearned for was a stunning 2-tone Rover 3.5 litre coupé otherwise known as the P5B.


It is the interior and dashboard of the P5B that I particularly love although the styling and engine are good as well.

If you wanted to wallow - or just take a quick dip - in nostalgia the show is a good place to do so. I saw a Mk1 Ford Fiesta like one owned by my parents and a yellow Mk1 VW Golf like the one owned by my best friend’s family. So many memories of childhood days out…


That was one of the nicer things about this show; it was nice to see basic models not just the sporting or luxury variants of popular cars. Everyone knows about the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus but I had forgotten about the 1.0 litre basic version (and how basic it is). Ford Capris were well represented and while the 3 litre and 2.8injection models were well represented there were also lesser 1.6 and 2-litre versions – including a 2 litre V4 mark 1. How simple, basic and insubstantial those popular old cars seem now. Conversely, are new cars overstuffed and un-necessarily complicated?

Another nice thing to see was interesting details that I’d not previously noticed. There was a Citroën GS and I realised that the radio was between the seats and the handbrake was on the dashboard. I admired the woodwork instrument pod of the Mercedes-Benz 600 and 220SE coupe. I had forgotten how small and neat the Suzuki SC100 is and I still don’t know why but I do think the FD-series Vauxhall Victor is an incredibly handsome car.

More exciting Classic Motor Show news

Back in my student days, just over 10 years ago, I was a frequent visitor to the Prescott hill-climb course in Gloucestershire. If you want to watch motor sport at close quarters and don’t mind that only one car is on the course at a time I would recommend it to you. It was a perfect venue for watching old cars being driven because you were so much closer to the sights, sounds and smells and you could see the drivers working hard at the steering and gear lever.

The cars that left the most lasting impressions were the mid-engined Formula Junior cars from the 1950s with motorcycle engines; the 2-cylinder 3-wheel Morgan Aeros; and the Bugattis. Prescott is home of the Bugatti Owners Club, which probably accounts for the fact that such rare cars were a common sight. Over the years I have seen a good selection of Bugattis from stark racers like the Type-35 to luxurious touring cars like the Type-57. One model I have not seen is the Type-41 Royale.

(Bugatti T35)

Only six Royales were ever made and only 3 were sold because of the economic climate in the early 1930s. At 21 feet long and 7 feet wide it is a giant among motorcars. Some years back the Donnington Collection commissioned a faithful recreation of a Royale and this will be on display at the classic motor show.

“The car is so big that it requires a specialist moving company even to bring it into the hall” said Classic & Sports Car’s publishing director Stuart Forrest. “We’ve driven the car in our latest issue, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Donington Collection, where the car can normally be seen, to display it on our stand at the Classic Motor Show. It is an incredible car to see, and there are so few of these vehicles in the world that the chance to do so at the NEC this weekend is not to be missed.”

The show runs from Friday 9th to Sunday 11th November with tickets available on the door. For information on the Classic Motor Show, visit www.necclassicmotorshow.com.

Volvo celebrates 80 years

At the 2007 Classic Motor Show this weekend (9th – 11th November, Birmingham’s NEC) Volvo will celebrate its 80th anniversary with a display of historic vehicles. In recent times Volvo has made a great effort to (successfully, I think) shake off its rather stuffy image. For years the square-rigged 144, 240 and 740 models provided safe, sensible transport for smug middle-class families. But now Volvos manage to be both safe and stylish. To emphasise a tradition of stylish the emphasis is on convertible models:

Volvo PV655 Norrmalm drophead coupe 1933 ­– A magnificent one-off, generally considered to be the world’s most beautiful Volvo.
Volvo 445 Valbo convertible 1953 – Built on the 445 light truck chassis, this is one of five survivors out of 10 originally built.
Volvo Sport 1956 – Often referred to as the P1900 this nice sportscar with its original plastic body carries chassis number 1.
Volvo 122S Amazon Coune convertible 1963 – The only rolling example of the five open Amazons built by Belgian carrossier Jacques Coune.
Volvo 480 convertible prototype 1990 – One of the two prototypes built by Volvo Car B.V. as design and feasibility studies.
Volvo C70 T5 convertible 2008 – The current open top Volvo in the model range is offered with a broad range of engine alternatives.

I’ve got my ticket to the Classic Motor Shows and I’m looking forward to it this year.

Weekend fun 2

Over the bank holiday weekend I helped my mate Simon with his MG Midget. You can read about what we did in Simon’s blog, he tells the tale far better than I could and I don’t see the point in repeating what he has already said.

On Sunday we took the Midget to watch the motor racing at Oulton Park (of which more anon). Simon was kind enough to let me drive the Midget back to his house (about 25 miles, I think). If you are under any illusions about how good a driver you are an old car will soon shatter them. Old cars are less forgiving of mistakes; they can be annoyingly literal in the way they respond to the driver’s inputs. Just trying to pull away in the Midget was challenging. I’m more used to automatic transmission and the last manual car I drove had a very forgiving engine and clutch. The Midget has a short travel clutch pedal and the initial throttle response feels a little all or nothing. Simon even confessed that for the first week or two he had the car he either stalled or shot off as fast as the car could go.

Once on the move the clutch seemed far more user friendly – one reason I dislike most manual transmissions is un-necessarily long-travel clutch pedals. The gear lever had a pleasantly mechanical action and no spring-loading (a pet hate of mine in 4-speed gearboxes) allowing the lever to be moved quickly and freely in all directions. It all feels slightly frantic, the Midget is very low-geared so you get to top (4th) very quickly and at 50mph I think the rev counter was showing 3,000rpm. All the intermediate gears make their own distinctive noise and there is no synchromesh on first gear, which means it will crunch if you are in the habit of selecting first while the car is moving (time to brush up on neglected double declutching skills). Actually slowing to a stop needs quite a push – there is no brake servo and certainly no Citroën-style high pressure hydraulic system to lend a hand.

What delighted me about the Midget was the steering. Even with a smaller than standard steering wheel - a lovely, leather rimmed Moto Lita wheel – the steering isn’t heavy. There isn’t much self centring action, which is just what I like, just wind lock on or off as necessary and the Midget changes direction immediately. Not that the steering calls for much winding as it is pretty direct. It is just as well, the Midget is a snug fit and there is no room for flailing arms.

Driving the Midget was a rare delight. There is something about a simple, fun to drive car that is incredibly appealing. You can drive it hard without endangering your license and learn a lot in doing so. You can maintain it at home without needing specialist tools or any great skill and without breaking the bank. One day I think I’d like to own a car like this.

It is very nice to be asked

One of the nicest things that happened to me recently was to be offered my own forum in a motoring forum run by a friend. The forum is for enthusiasts of post-war classics and is full of entertaining discussion - if you like old cars it is well worth a look.

I've also had someone else ask if they can re-use some of my blog articles on his web site. Nothing has happened yet because the site owners have other commitments. It is very encouraging to know that people read what I write and anything that helps me reach a wider audience has to be a good thing.