BMC & Leyland Show
Some 600 cars celebrated British Leyland’s 50th birthday – these are the BMC and BL classics that wowed us last weekend
What a way to celebrate a 50th birthday! Around 600 cars built by British Leyland, along with its ancestors and successors, appeared at the British Motor Museum for a superb one-day event.
Some of them had travelled in convoy to the BMC & Leyland Show from former BL sites at Cowley and Oxford, and the line-up included everything from pre-war cars to the last offerings from MG Rover.
Not only were there vehicles of interest but archivists had got together some fascinating BLrelated items from the museum’s vast collection. Some are being housed in a display cabinet that will remain on show throughout July.
Creating most interest was an item considered the equivalent of the Dead Sea scrolls by serious Morris Marina enthusiasts – the incredibly lavish Morris Marina dealer launch package, with various
‘Marina dealer brochures are the equivalent of the Dead Sea scrolls!’ brochures in silver cardboard-clad polystyrene package.
Back to the real cars, and vast displays of Triumph TR7s and Minis were to be savoured along with a good showing of rare Austin 3-Litres and the slightly more numerous Maxis and ‘Landcrabs’.
Heather Walsh’s lovely 1957 Austin A35 was voted both car of the show and best pre-1960 exhibit, which had been new to her late husband Jim’s father (also called Jim) who worked for Austin. The A35 has been meticulously restored to look exactly as it would have when it was collected from the dealer when new.
‘I wasn’t expecting this – I’m thrilled,’ said Heather. The car also triumphed at the recent A30-A35 Owners’ Club National Rally.
Voted the most original and also best 1990s car was the 1600-mile 1995 Rover 214 owned by Keith and Jackie Newell, Clive Serrell’s BMC 1800 ‘Landcrab’ was voted best 1960s car, the 1970s award went to Mr M Whitehead’s Triumph Stag and Brian and Trevor Ford’s Morris Ital was voted best 1980s car.
Tom Caren, the museum’s events manager said: ‘ We’re absolutely chuffed at how this show has gone.’