NEC Classic Car Show - November

[59Impala]

Great photos, I was supposed to be going today, even had a free ticket arranged but sadly I got some sort of viral infection thingy and just about had the strength to drag myself around the house. Bugger.

[SiC]

Just got back. Absolutely thoroughly enjoyed it. God knows how many miles we walked today but my legs are knackered.

 

Said hi to Dollywobbler briefly. Not doubt he had many other random people like myself over the 3 days and I'm not sure how you can stay so jolly!

 

Someone I worked with previously gave me tap on the shoulder as I passed the SD1 stand. Apparently his SD1 was due to be shown but suffered a massive oil leak.

 

Fell in love with the Dolomites. I was having a good lick look at triggers old one and the ones on the triumph stand. Having some regrets buying my MGB instead of a dolly. However as my old work colleague said, it has served its purpose of me starting with classics, plenty of parts+knowledge and should be easy enough to sell on next year. Not like it's something different and oddball.

 

My thinking is to use it spring, early summer and then sell. Should be able to get most of my money back on it. I really want a Dolomite Sprint, but I'd buy a cheap Dolly first. The idea that you learn so much more on what to look out for if you own one first.

 

I found the show far better than Beaulieu Autojumble (which I was disappointed by) and would definitely go again.

 

9.5/10.

[Angrydicky]

See it's funny that. I was really underwhelmed by the NEC when I went (2015) but Beaulieu is brilliant. 

[Skizzer]

Is there a Lancia Gamma at the show?

  

Yes there is a bunch infront of the stand that DW is currently on (I'll pop back later to say hi).

This is one of the main reasons I wanted to go. I appear to have been mysteriously blackballed from the Gamma Consortium before I even got to join, and was hoping I could talk someone round.

[flat4alfa]

Indeed,the club was started when such things were an issue in the wider community.

 

Even then it didn't really matter, it was an excuse to apply exclusivity, or should I say an irrelevant political posture

 

I feel the same as the Reverend. The whole concept is outdated in 2017

 

Nice Hoovers though

 

When you own a Lancia Gamma, a hoover is handy

[17-Coffees]

Me, Supernaut & a friend of ours came all the way from Aberdeen to it as I do every year. Met up with RantingYoof while down there.

 

Fantastic as always I found, plenty of stuff I've not seen in past years and had time to talk to a few owners this year, some great story's and facts found! 

 

Highlights for me include:

- The Land Rover Llama, the canned 101 replacement. Never knew it was a thing!

- 2017 TVR Griffith, as a big fan of TVR it was great seeing the next chapter for the brand.

- Abarth 656, Fiat 500 convertible and 500 Van. 

- Citroen CX25 GTi Turbo 2. That was bloody amazing and hearing the brief story about it as well!

- RENAULT 8 GORDINI

- Toyota 800, and the HiAce next to it.

- The Yank tanks on show.

- The Soviet metal on show!

 

Myself, SuperNaut, our friend & RantingYoof split the cost of one of the 'dream rides' on offer, the 1956 Chevy Bel Air Station wagon...

Bloody fantastic is a understatement. 

 

 

And...

My dad's first car was one of these, and would love to own one now. 

Funnily enough my first car was a Renault. 

.

 

 

[MarvinsMom]

did anyone take a picture of the golden (model T) ford?

 

any chance of them been posted up on here?

 

ta.

[TripleRich]

Haven't been for a few years.  Enjoyed the day and saw some cool stuff.

 

Was surprised at just how many cars had paint and panel fit issues.  Saw lots of stuff with miss aligned panels some of which had taken the paint off the wings.  Lots of paint jobs full of silicon, micro blisters, cracks, runs and sanding marks.  People just didn't seem to notice or if they did were keeping it quiet.

 

Interesting to note that those issues were generally on the more expensive or popular cars.  The shite cars were in much better shape and owners had clearly put a lot of time and effort into them.  

 

 

Thanks to the bloke on the SL shop stand for letting me crawl all over one taking reference photos.  Didn't buy one of his cars though, bit pricey...

 

[SiC]

See it's funny that. I was really underwhelmed by the NEC when I went (2015) but Beaulieu is brilliant.

Didn't help it threw it down at Beaulieu. However I found there was little in way of classic cars and more in the way of Autojumble - aka old junk selling overpriced. Maybe if I was after a incredibly rare part it probably would be different.

 

This is one of the main reasons I wanted to go. I appear to have been mysteriously blackballed from the Gamma Consortium before I even got to join, and was hoping I could talk someone round.

Arg. Sorry I forgot to take pictures when I went back over there. I didn't take pictures generally as it's hard when busy but it took most of today just to try and see it all. Hopefully someone else may have captured them. Possibly might be worth searching on Flickr soon of show pics.

 

 

Even then it didn't really matter, it was an excuse to apply exclusivity, or should I say an irrelevant political posture

 

I feel the same as the Reverend. The whole concept is outdated in 2017

 

Nice Hoovers though

 

When you own a Lancia Gamma, a hoover is handy

I didn't really want to comment on this in the thread but I thought it important to say this: Isn't the idea of car clubs is that like minded people can get together with the common theme of cars? I.e. you get clubs for single models, entire marques, regions and cities of the UK, those that like Autosolos, etc. So what's different with that and LGBT individuals getting together as a commonality who love cars?

[SiC]

Crap I just remembered I forgot to have a proper look at the Honda S800s.

 

When I went past they were doing filming, so I avoided it so I didn't spoil their shot.

 

Darn it. I love them and unlikely ever to afford one. But really wanted to have a good look around them.

[dollywobbler]

I wonder what percentage of the show is new - as in not displayed before?

 

A pretty high percentage I reckon. I can think of a few cars I've seen there before, one being so beautiful that I don't mind seeing it more than once (red 300ZX Z32). Bev's Toy on the other hand (blue Skoda), I reckon, should be banned from the show. I think it's been there every single year for at least the past 12 years, possibly longer. I admire pride of ownership, but this show should be about variety, not same-old. For instance, I don't think any of the Dyanes on the 2CVGB stand had appeared at the show before, and one of them was brown, so there.

[dollywobbler]

  

This is one of the main reasons I wanted to go. I appear to have been mysteriously blackballed from the Gamma Consortium before I even got to join, and was hoping I could talk someone round.

 

They were Betas in front of me, not Gammas. There was a gorgeous Flaminia coupe, but I don't recall seeing any Gammas. Oh, no, wait, there was one Gamma coupe.

[SiC]

Definitely was a Gamma as my FiL was salivating over it. Iirc it was brown. I think it was around the corner on the stand in front.

[17-Coffees]

 Bev's Toy on the other hand (blue Skoda), I reckon, should be banned from the show. I think it's been there every single year for at least the past 12 years, possibly longer. I admire pride of ownership, but this show should be about variety, not same-old.

 

I remember that being there when I first went 10 years ago! 

As meh as it is being there every time I go, i cant help but smile at the craziness of it....clear rear bonnet, massive wing, rear window louvers!  

[flat4alfa]

Photo of said Gamma was posted two pages back

[fordperv]

Was surprised at just how many cars had paint and panel fit issues. Saw lots of stuff with miss aligned panels some of which had taken the paint off the wings. Lots of paint jobs full of silicon, micro blisters, cracks, runs and sanding marks. People just didn't seem to notice or if they did were keeping it quiet.

 

I did notice, but I generally put stuff like that when I see it down to people not wanting a car they are afraid of using so they get a cheaper job as opposed to the absolute minty mint multiples of tens of thousands of pound jobs where the car will just sit in a bubble and not get enjoyed, ive probably told this story before its like when i had my capri on road it was used with a few marks etc and I met a guy at a meet I was parked opposite from who had a spitting image but it was fantastically clinically clean and over restored, I complimented on how beautiful the car was I had to ask the question when he last drove and enjoyed his car, his answer was it gets driven on and off the trailer to go to meets and shows as he daren't even drive it in fear of a stone chip or mark appearing and wished he hadn't have had the work done to the standard it had been done.

 

I did get sick of seeing bags and coats hitting cars also random bastards with their fingers all over someone else's car

[danthecapriman]

Thanks for posting all these superb piccies up guys!

 

Why have I never been to this!? I'm going to have to do it next year.

[RichL]

I wasn't going to bother this year but my pal Mark wanted to so went today.

 

Glad I did, had a good day. Got there early as we are only an hour away so had a good look around before it got to busy, although I think there were less people there than the Sunday last year.

 

Loads more trade stands than before and stuff we weren't really bothered about so we just spent time looking at things that interested us rather than trying to see everything. Certainly a different mix of cars there than last year, good to see the Citroen SM again though, it's superb. All Volvo's were also admired, as were the Alfa's both old and new. A good show from Porsche as always.

 

Didn't bother with the live stage at all this year which saved some time, my legs were starting to ache after seven hours on my feet so we cleared off at 4.

[Felly Magic]

Quite a few people have wanted to be on the SOCGB stand at the NEC over the years, but couldn't, because of that sodding Barried Estelle, which is shit, cars like Julian of this parish's Estelle, which is concours, nice to see his Riva 1200L was there, Ian you should see the interior, brown vinyl everywhere. 

[dollywobbler]

I think there were less people there than the Sunday last year.

 

 

Yes, was odd this year. Saturday was HEAVING. Even at 8am, the queues coming in were almost back to the motorway. This morning, same time, just sailed in pretty much straight to the car park.

[alcyonecorporation]

I did a sick drift in the empty car park this morning in my 960. 

It looked great - to ABSOLUTELY NO-ONE. 

[dollywobbler]

I did a sick drift in the empty car park this morning in my 960. 

 

It looked great - to ABSOLUTELY NO-ONE. 

 

Can you post the biscuit video? I'm sure you were enjoying the show more than you let on. My feet are entirely broken.

[alcyonecorporation]

My SAD was alleviated by sympathetic lighting and BAFFLING LEG MEDICATION.

 

Can you post the biscuit video? I'm sure you were enjoying the show more than you let on. My feet are entirely broken.

 

 

Mine too. I didn't mind it this year. How does one upload one's video?

[alcyonecorporation]

Can you post the biscuit video? I'm sure you were enjoying the show more than you let on. My feet are entirely broken.

 

 

Mine too. I didn't mind it this year. How does one upload one's video? 

[brownnova]

I shall do my best not to duplicate too many (but probably will...) so here are a selection of my pics...

 

 

 

And my personal highlight....

 

 

My trio of disappointments were.. no Novas, no Tagoras, no Saab 9000s....

 

And can I reaffirm my call that an Autoshite stand at this next year would be good fun.... I don't mind looking into it if others think the same???

[dollywobbler]

Bad news. There WAS a Nova. A delicious 1.3SR.

[Six-cylinder]

Bad news. There WAS a Nova. A delicious 1.3SR.

 

And it was featured in one of DW videos if you want a look at it.

[carlo]

Here's a selection of my favourites.  I thought I'd seen everything there but obviously not, missed the Talbot/Chrysler stand completely.  Was there a Tagora there?

 

 

Love this colour

 

 

 

The Club Peugeot 405 registrar owns this, apparently spent over £2000 getting the engine sorted.  Even crazier than me..

 

 

Intrigued by the rarity of this colour, apparently only four made for the UK?

 

 

Can't beat a 60s Vauxhall

 

 

The Vanden Plas stand was great with nicely lit interiors.  They should have made this 1800 saloon here rather than exporting it.

 

 

Look remarkably like that Rover Avocado (?) green

 

 

Mirafiori

 

 

 

Couple of French beauties

 

 

And the car's not bad either.  Oh there isn't one.

 

 

Drooling over the models.

 

 

Oldsmobile

 

 

Probably my favourite, although I am a nut about late 50s American stuff (or early 60s)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[meggersdog]

Haven't been for a few years.  Enjoyed the day and saw some cool stuff.

 

Was surprised at just how many cars had paint and panel fit issues.  Saw lots of stuff with miss aligned panels some of which had taken the paint off the wings.  Lots of paint jobs full of silicon, micro blisters, cracks, runs and sanding marks.  People just didn't seem to notice or if they did were keeping it quiet.

 

Interesting to note that those issues were generally on the more expensive or popular cars.  The shite cars were in much better shape and owners had clearly put a lot of time and effort into them.  

  Chrysler 180 in autoshite colours had micro blisters all over the back end. A minor detail on an overwise superb motor vehicle.

at the time I was racking my brain about that golden model t, was it on salvage squad ?

 

Didn't see alcyonecorporation on the ccw stand.Had a chat with most of the Practical classics guys.Didn't see captain slow though.The guys I went with knew Fuzz from years ago and he remembered them.Comes across as a really nice bloke.

 

Really enjoyed the show but I know  I must've missed loads.Did see the e-type with a rotary engine though.

[oldcars]

I went down, good trip. 650 ish miles, followed a Volvo Pxxx LVV i think most of the way home up the A1 etc, member of the SVM?