PRACTICAL CLASSICS RESTORATION AND CLASSIC CAR SHOW

NeC, BirMiNGHaM, 5-6 MarCH

Six halls of clubs showing off their projects and freshly restored cars, a 25-strong display of barn find cars and a race against time to get Del Boy’s Reliant Supervan back on the road were the highlights of the third running of this growing event dedicated to Britain’s booming restoration industry.

More than 120 car clubs used the NEC’s halls to give more than 20,000 visitors tips on how to restore classics – and to display unrestored, partly restored and freshly finished cars to offer inspiration.

Highlights among the project cars at the twoday show was a GRP-bodied Mini 850 originally commissioned as a way of selling BMC’s products in Chile, the only Standard Herald estate in the country and a Triumph TR2 prototype originally used at Jabekke for high speed test runs.

A total of 25 barn find cars, including everything from a 1924 Dodge Roadster to a 1955 Morris Minor went on display in the show’s hay-strewn flagship display, while Stuart Turp’s 1969 Ford Capri GTXLR won the Pride of Ownership display bringing together the nation’s best restored classics.

Staff and conscripted expert hands from our sister magazine Practical Classics also worked against the clock to get the Reliant Supervan III used in Only Fools and Horses back on the road, while CCW’s tatty Mazda Eunos Roadster – owned by someone who has an extraordinary nack for sniffing out a freebie – got a buckshee buffing up in the Meguiar’s live stage demonstrations on car cleaning.

Show director Dan Nwaokolo looked and sounded chuffed when we asked him for comments as the show came to a close. ‘This event is going from strength to strength,’ he says. ‘The effort of the classic car clubs, especially with the live working, is amazing and the displays this year were outstanding.

‘Brisk business was done by the traders with great results and it was fantastic to see many new names on the exhibitor list this year.’

He adds that the addition of the National Car Club Awards (see page 4-5) provides the icing on the Practical Classics and Classic Car Show cake. ‘It was a brilliant evening of celebration and recognition, and the feedback from the clubs has been amazing. The atmosphere in the room and the response from the winners made it an evening to remember and one everyone will want to repeat next year.’ The British Mini Club displayed this GRP-bodied 1968 Mini. Owners Trevor and Jan Riley have no plans to restore it. One of the busiest areas was the autojumble in Hall 6, offering spares for bargain-hunters’ own restorations.