AUSTINMORRIS DAY

BROOKLANDS MUSEUM, WEYBRIDGE, SURREY, 6 MARCH

Austin and Morris-badged classics – plus a few of their close relatives – ousted modern Mercedes-Benz offerings from the car manufacturer’s own test track at this bustling one-day event.

The Brit-built classics formed a cavalcade around the circuit at Mercedes-Benz World, normally used seven days a week for putting modern cars through their paces. Everything from a Morris 8 to a Mini Cooper participated, along with a deeply tatty Austin A55 Cambridge Farina. The track run was the highlight of Brooklands’ annual gathering of BMC and BL beauties, which more than 200 classics attended.

Owners also had the chance to pose their cars on the legendary Brooklands banking and put them through their paces on the Weybridge museum’s Test Hill. Participating clubs included the CambridgeOxford Owners Club, Metro Owners Club, Landcrab Club, and 1100 Club.

Brooklands Museum spokesman Paul Stewart describes the annual event as a highlight of the museum’s calendar. ‘There have been some wonderful vehicles here today. We’ve held several of these events and I don’t think we’ve ever had a more varied selection of cars,’ he says.

Club participants voted for a Car of the Show, which went to Paula Hamilton’s immaculate and uprated 1990 Rover Metro GTi, which she has owned since it was two years old. Jeff Chisman has spent six years transforming restoring and tweaking his Austin-badged Minor-pick-up. It’s a good ’un.

A special mention should also go to Stiv Jenner and partner Charlotte Barnes, who brought along their 1972 Austin Maxi. Charlotte’s expecting a baby, who could be the newest recipient of one of Britain’s best known motoring names.

‘If he’s a boy I’m naming him after Austin, but I think a posher version, say with a ‘y’ so it’s “Austyn’, she says. ‘Watch this space!’ Nick Larkin Kevin Standen and son Thomas, 12, showed off this former Royal Mail Morris Minor. It’s now got a Rover V8 engine.