Southern Classics Spring Show

Season-starter brings a record number of cars to a runway used in the Battle of Britain

More than 670 classics landed at Tangmere’s former Battle of Britain RAF base for this one-day show – a record for this event.

The site, now an aviation museum, gave over its historic runway to more than a century’s worth of classics, with British sports cars and microcars being particularly prevalent at last weekend’s show.

With so many exhibits worthy of mention, several stood out because of their rarity or mechanical peculiarities. Ian Bullen Bell’s wonderfully original 1962 AC Greyhound was just one example. Totally unrestored, this rare daily-driver displayed the scars of its competition history, making pilgrimages to both the Le Mans and Spa circuits over the last few years.

At the other end of the performance spectrum, Mike Tuck’s steam-powered 1914 Stanley 606 Gentleman’s Roadster drew a crowd, fascinated by its somewhat unorthodox starting procedure, when it whistled like a large kettle when reaching operating temperature!

The club is also putting together a new show for its next event, which takes place on 13 May. Classic fans are being encouraged to bring their cars along to the Bluebell Railway, a heritage line in East Sussex – have a look at the club’s website to find out how to get involved. southernclassics.org.uk

Dave Burt’s pristine 1959 Borgward Isabella. This stylish classic was powered by a 1500cc engine producing 80bhp, a remarkable figure for the era. The 670 classics on show included this 1972 Triumph TR6, 1982 TR7 and 1965 Hillman Imp. The white car on...

There was a big Triumph presence, including this 1966 Triumph Vitesse.

Jerry Stamper bought his stunning 1952 Jaguar XK120 FHC six months ago, and has embarked on a series of subtle modifications, including fitting electronic ignition.

Yes, it really is supposed to do that! Mike Tuck’s 1914 Stanley 606 Gentleman’s Roadster was one of the oldest vehicles taking part in this year’s event.