Rustival 4: 18th April 2026 - A fun day

[RoverFolkUs]

Nice start to the morning having a copperleaf 75 staring at me

[Sunny Jim]

Got back into the car and it wouldn't start - turn the key and it was completely dead. Google X300 ignition switch and first result is it's a common failure point. Panic ensues.

Root through contents of boot and discover a tin of contact cleaner so spray a load of it down and around the barrel. No dice.

More rooting around and I found my multimeter so I could check battery voltage. Access battery...

FFS that'll be why. Negative lead reattached and I'll be on my way again. ✊

[wesacosa]

anyone know of a car wash anywhere near the venue?

[coachie]

Well, the mighty Eos made it.  Hilarious drive up the A429. 

Very rare that I get anywhere early.  Ian has reserved us pole position in the car park.

Only one bit fell off the car.

[RoverFolkUs]

[Blake's Den]

I'm here but I've bailed out and parked in general parking so I can get away a bit earlier. 

[egg]

We're here

[Patent]

Also parked up! 

[wesacosa]

here but letting the side down in probably the filthiest car here 

sorry

 

[beko1987]

I haz arrived!

[beko1987]

Found the stand!

[hairnet]

Beko letting the side down lmao

[beko1987]

Dez is bothering the celebrities already 😂 

[Heidel_Kakao]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

here but letting the side down in probably the filthiest car here 

sorry

 

I think mine is dirtier!

[beko1987]

I've just met Mr Auto Shenanigans too 👌 

[wesacosa]

[hairnet]

22 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Dez is bothering the celebrities already 😂 

To you cup of tea 400 quid

[Heidel_Kakao]

Good vantage point and looks like a good turnout!

[N Dentressangle]

Parked up and about to come and find you all

[egg]

Rancho and Thema 8.32. and the Alfa.

Beside myself!

 

[hairnet]

3 hours ago, RoverFolkUs said:

Nice start to the morning having a copperleaf 75 staring at me

@PhilA copyright strike them ffs

 

[Lonestar]

This year's lunchtime view.

[High Jetter]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

Decent size begging bowl  there on the AS stand - got many coins in it yet? 🤣

[egg]

Great to meet some new faces and chat!

[beko1987]

They'll let any old rubbish  in nowadays!

[motorpunk]

Sad I couldn’t make this! Gah!!

[grogee]

How was the show? 

What about wanking over it - does that still count as touching it? (I wrote to the museum and asked if I could buy this car) 

 

 

Pleasure to meet @wesacosa, @brownnova (famous!), @Schaefft, @LightBulbFun and to see @Sunny Jim again. 

Edit: forgot @coachie

[grogee]

[Blake's Den]

Great to see you today. I left about 2ish and got back a few minutes ago. My mini has averaged over 45mpg which isn't bad, the long gears help on the motorway.

 

[N Dentressangle]

Home again. What a nice day, with great weather!

Had a good chat with @Sunny Jim and saw a few other folks. A few of my car highlights:

I like patina, and there's something about these MO cars that just looks great scruffy. There was a gorgeous Wolesely 4/44 which was smarter but still with that 'used' look, and there's something appealing about pottering about in these slow, simple oily-rag 50's cars. I know they're no use on modern faster roads, but I can dream.

Whilst we're talking patina, I couldn't forget this beauty:

Can't remember the last time I saw one of those, can you? And just fantastic preserved condition. Though I'm not sure you'd want to let the rust go too much further... Whilst we're with old Fiats, these used to be common enough in the 70s and early 80s but I didn't even see a single one in Sicily a couple of years ago. Maybe they've all donated their engines to Morris Minors:

Here's another couple from the 'cars that used to be everywhere':

I remember the Alpines as pretty nice cars back in the day. Usual rattly horrid Simca engine, but a roomy modern interior and roly poly French ride. The Escorts I remember from the 70s, and these days they don't half look small and tinny. Hard to believe that whole families packed in those and slogged their way down the M5 trying to hold 70.  And good to see a standard one, with no huge fog lights or rally crap.

I liked these two as a pairing:

Contemporaries as family cars when new ( know the DS is a later one, but still), and couldn't be more different. You wonder how anyone could get out of a DS and still choose a Morris Oxford, but then I imagine the Oxford was about half the price at the time. I guess in the end that neither company survived, and maybe we're starting to see the last years of the other European manufacturers too. I hope not, but it seems unlikely anyone will better the Chinese at making EVs.

And whilst we're with the fall of BL:

Does it almost look OK as an estate, or am I going soft? I hated these ugly heaps of shit as a kid - just an embarrassment of a car - and I still don't really want one although they have grown on me a little. Only a little though.

Total oddity to end with:

No idea what I'd do with it, but I'd still like an Austin 7. And a proper special like this would do me just fine.