I spent a couple of pleasant hours down at the annual show organised by Webbs of Wychbold, which is just about the largest garden centre in the UK, and is somewhat fortuitously situated about 10 minutes' drive from Damaged Towers.
This show is always over-subscribed, it's pre-book only and they normally close to any new bookings by the beginning of April, it's that popular. This year they welcomed over 400 cars and literally thousands of spectators. I'm glad I went early and at least managed to blag a parking space!
Unfortunately the Great British Summertime refused to play ball and this year's event was held under threatening skies and a chilly wind, but the rain held off for long enough for me to bust off about 150 shots, the best of which I'll share with you now. As ever, I'll link to my Flickr album at the bottom, and you can pick your own favourites. Suffice to say that there was something there to appeal to just about everyone.
Enjoy the pics.
Words can't explain just how clean this more-door Viva is.
Beautifully-presented Seven looked great sporting proper period Dunlop Aquajet radials on gennie Lotus rims.
Too gorgeous for words.
At shows like this it's easy to get blase about red E-Types, but just look at it ferchrissakes. It's gorgeous.
Three generations of Scimitar line up in the gathering gloom.
I love these Jensen-Healeys, I remember them being launched.
Read my earlier comments about red E-Types, and apply the same logic to BRG MGB Roadsters. That's just flawless.
Beautiful early Herald.
Wide steels really set off this sidevalve-powered MO-Series Oxford.
None-too-sure about the OEW-coloured number plate surround, but in every other respect this '68 Daimler 250 looked utterly stunning.
Daddy Damaged had two of these when I was a young lad. If I concentrate I can still smell the leather and hear that 2.6 litre straight six bellow.
I can't help thinking of all those 1960's beat groups and how they spent their weekends trawling round pubs and dance halls in motors like this splendid 1958 Bedford CA mini-bus.
Simply beautiful.
Flawless Works replica MGA.
Ingenuity in action. Jowett Javelin front end married to Bedford Bambi camper rear. Certainly different!!!
One for Grizz and Nicola. ;D
I'd kill for one of these.
Immaculate Rover 800 Fastback, pity about the Motorworld wheeltrims!!!
Gorgeous Peerless GT, shame I managed to under-expose the shot. I'm still learning the fickle ways of the DSLR. ;D
Oh-so-Seventies Beemer looked brilliant in orange.
'67 El Paso Beige Austin 1100 was one of my candidates for Car of the Show.
This got my vote in the end, though. '66 998 Cooper had just emerged from a £13k resto with sympathetic mods like 'S' discs etc. Utterly immaculate.
It seemed everywhere I looked there was quality metal. Check this Mk1 'Tina GT out.
Turning the clock back a little, look at this splendid Jaguar 1 1/2 litre. Meanwhile, 50 years down the line...
Immaculate Sunburst Red Mk3 XR3i used to belong to one of Daddy Damaged's mates who owned it from new up until about 15 yrs ago....and the current owner gets special credit from me for keeping it looking as good as it ever has.
'61 Buick Special on North Carolina plates.
Gorgeous '64 Rover 2000 in (I think) Yukon Grey.
I lusted after these Lancia Beta Monte-Carlos when they were current, and I was in my early teens. Looking at this one I can see why!
This '75 Mini Clubman belongs to a mate of mine, it's covered just 9000m from new. It was featued in MiniWorld in 2002. Even those Dunlops are the originals!
Being situated so close to Longbridge, there was a significant Austin presence, as shown by this line-up of pre and post-war saloons.
Immaculate '67 Wolseley 16/60
Loved the period fog-lamp on this pre-war Wolseley.
Late Mk2 Granada Ghia that's escaped the attentions of the Banger boys.
Truly, motoring from a bygone age.
Great line-up of early-'70s Minor vans, still capable of earning a crust.
'67 Triumph TR4a
Yes, your eyes do not decieve you. This was one of two Mk3 Fiestas on display, both of which were utterly immaculate. Hard to believe that this car's 19 years old. A credit to its elderly owner.
The closest you'll get to a Citroen presence at this show is this Lomax roadster.
For me, the Capri II was the best-looking of them all.
Brutal-looking mid 80's Aston-Martin Oscar India (??) in the overflow car park.
One of the last of the line, this Spitfire looked gorgeous.
Cookie-cutters looked great on this lovely umolested 911.
Tidy Mk2 Connie's pretty local, I see it about quite a lot.
Another overflow car park shot. How many of these still look this good?
£8800 would buy you this really tidy 3.4 Mk2 Jaguar.
Beautiful! Series One Land-Rover hiding later running gear, and still used off-road if the state of those Michelin XCL's is anything to go by.
Believe it or not, this Alpine-Renault was hiding in the car park. Which is where I came in.........
Album is here: www.flickr.com/photos/damaged23/sets/72157622185373672/
Feel free to pick your own faves out!
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