Our hobby in major decline? Hardly!
In response to your letter suggesting that Drive-It Day reflects a classic car hobby in decline ( CCW, 9 May), I would say it’s far from the case!
Drive-It Day showed record numbers of classic cars and owners take to the road. I attended a meet at Cowley to mark British Leyland’s 50th anniversary, and took along my 1976 Austin Allegro, which I’ve owned for 13 years.
I acquired the car when I was just 22, when Allegros weren’t often regarded as classics. I’m happy to say that they definitely have their place in the classic car world now. I also own two Austin Metros and drive a Morris Minor.
The meet at Cowley had almost double the turnout of previous years and there was a very healthy number of younger enthusiasts in attendance with their classic vehicles. Enthusiasts are certainly keeping the traditions alive. I think it’s the case that younger enthusiasts will tend to favour Seventies, Eighties and Nineties cars, as this is what we can relate to. I have a 1961 Minor but that’s because they were still common in daily use in the early Eighties and often friends would arrive at school in one.
The movement will grow and evolve with a younger generation of both enthusiasts and vehicles. Having exhibited my Allegro and Metros at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show at the NEC on numerous occasions, I know for a fact that such vehicles now get a massive amount of interest from young enthusiasts.
What we need to exercise caution over is ensuring prices of classics don’t get silly, and therefore make getting into the movement unobtainable for youngsters.
Tom Morley, via email