Classic Range Rover Show
Dave Barker reports from the Classic Land Rover Show at Gaydon
Gaydon’s British Motor Museum once again plays host to this relatively new but very popular show
This was the third year of the Classic Land Rover Show at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon – and what a fitting venue! After all, the museum is home to the most famous Land Rover of all – HUE166, first off the production line – along with a collection of superb historic Land Rovers and rare prototypes. And if that wasn’t enough to thrill any enthusiast, next door is Jaguar Land Rover’s engineering centre.
This year there was definitely a patina and retro theme going on, with many superb and very rare Land Rovers on display. Some owners even got into the spirit of the event by dressing in period gear to suit the ages of their Land Rovers, which certainly added to the fun atmosphere.
Besides the various Land Rovers and clubs, unexpected guests at the show included some Austin Gipsys and Champs, whose presence helped illustrate the development of the early Land Rover. And for some history buffs the star of the show wasn’t even a Land Rover, but an incredibly rare Wolseley Mudlark – one of only three known to still exist, and a vehicle that is only pre-dated by the Nuffield Gutty (which is on display in the museum and – some claim – pre-dates the Land Rover). As you can imagine, this was the subject of much debate between enthusiasts.
But this was a classic Land Rover show and, as you would expect, there were a lot of very nice old Land Rovers on display, some being seen by the general public for the first time. Club displays were spread along one side of the main arena, facing the museum building, while on the other side were an array of small trade stands.
The arena was, as always, the centre of attention, with ring mistress Diana Tigwell expertly commentating on the activities and displays of Land Rovers during both days.
The first Land Rovers into the arena were possibly the most exciting group of Land Rovers seen together for many years. Emrys Kirby led vehicles in from the newly-formed Stage 2 Register 1974–1984 group. This new club is dedicated to finding and preserving the Stage 2 project Land Rovers that were the development and prototype vehicles marking the transition from the Series III to the One Ten and Ninety.
Among the examples the Register had on display was the Ninety A90 JVC, which featured in Land Rover’s early publicity material for the new models. A90 JVC also featured in Motor magazine in September 1984, when they put the then-new model through its paces in Wales over many of the old Drover routes.
Other rarities on the group’s stand included a 1979
“The patina parade attracted a great deal of attention”
prototype chassis (number 110 FEP 2), One Ten Stage 2 Engineering prototype number 31 from 1979 and Stage One Prototype number 2.
Kiddies in their Land Rover Mini Mes also featured in the arena, with the budding Land Rover enthusiasts of the future showing great skill behind the wheels of their great models. Another attraction for the younger enthusiasts was the appearance of Landy – the Series I that features in a series of books written by Veronica Lamond – followed by Veronica herself reading to children as they sat around Landy.
The patina parade also attracted a great deal of attention, as well as plenty of debate on just what was patina. Does a Land Rover that is still original and left untouched (but showing its age) have better patina that a similar Land Rover that has been modified over the years and has layers of paint, and maybe a different engine? The debate went on and could have gone on longer, but in the end judges Mike Gould and Emrys Kirby opted for a Series II Carawagon and a Series I 88 to share the Best Patina in Show award.
Another successful feature from last year’s show returned this year – the Land Rover Academician Quiz of the Year. The winners were Team Alan.
This year’s show was the biggest so far and proved to be a massive success, thanks in no small measure to the record number of trade stands offering all the bits and autojumble parts that classic Land Rover enthusiasts need. The numbers of campers on site for the weekend, day visitors and Land Rovers on display were also greatly up on past years. This trend looks set to continues as interest grows in older Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Discoverys and early Freelanders.
The 2018 show has already been set for the weekend of May 12-13. Details and booking forms will be available on the BMM website britishmotormuseum.co.uk.