1956 Red Goddess - No socks for this birthday!

The Classic Motor Show at the NEC - a maxi adventure - Part 1

Having volunteered to arrange the RR stand I got the chance to show the Goddess to the wider world.

First problem was to get it out of the flooded field after 10 days of rain. Two days earlier I'd put the car trailer back in the field after picking up the Lenham and had problems getting the Defender back out onto the road.



Went to put a couple gallons of diesel in the tank and the old sh!t vehicle gods decided I wasn't worthy



Got the big 1100Ah battery connected, crossed my fingers and she started first time. Crawled underneath and engaged 4WD and removed the anti-ungulate fence while she warmed up a bit and the air tank and vacuum tank reached working values.



Mounted up and did a 17-point turn to avoid the the quickmud pools and she just chugged out of the field on tickover. Defenders pah!





First stop was the Volcano Lair to load up the Healey



Back to the estate (I mean development, according to the neighbours) to jetwash the mud off the Goddess. This of course was very popular with the neighbours and several net curtains caught fire due to frictional hysteresis from hyper-twitching



There was going to have to be a load of cleaning at the NEC



Having annoyed them enough and left the Goddess on tickover (very loud) to build both vacuum and air pressure. Then we were off to Bourne Transport who were kindly lifting the Goddess to the NEC the next morning. Having had the broken fuel cap key nothing else was going to go wrong was it? The old sh!t vehicle gods could not be that cruel, could they?

After 8 miles I lost all power on a dual-carriageway overpass. Managed to pull over, throttle pedal was on the floor, still had tickover so head in wheelwell to check throttle shaft and the poxy clamp bolt on the actuator arm had slackened off. And I didn't have a small enough spanner on board. A sharpish call to Dangerous Breakdown Services and 20 minutes later it was fixed.



Got to Bourne Transport through the school traffic no problem.

Part 2 to follow

All that load carrying capacity and you don't carry a selection of universal tools?

It’s always adventures aplenty with the Goddess. It’s what has aged me prematurely.

I never suggested electrifying the actual vehicle; my suggestion was to locate the battery and also the fencer unit inside the vehicle, away from light fingered individuals.

The right buyer is out there somewhere.

Cleaning your shotguns when she brings a chap home is rather bad form.........

Reading stuff like that just makes me glad I rented kids

The Classic Motor Show at the NEC - a maxi adventure - Part 2 The setup

Wednesday morning the Bourne truck leaves for car park N12 at the NEC and my mate Rob and I drive up to meet them. We left Bob the Dog with some reading material



Bourne cheated a bit and left early so we arrived to find her unloaded



N12 is nearly in Manchester if you have to walk it, which I did twice. We had to be there on Wednesday because extra large exhibits had to be in position before the build on Thursday. Rob and I tootled round the NEC to Hall 5 and we positioned the Goddess on the 'stand' (patch of floor).

Spot the floor markings



In position and not impinging on the Roll Hard and Volvo Owners Club stands



If you think the Goddess is large look at this for perspective. Someone's left a Dinky Toy on the floor.



When we got there there was another ironic 'extra large exhibit'



Went back to the rental house, dumped our stuff and hit the pub.

Next morning we returned to start the big clean



During the day the others started turning up





I had a moochette around Hall 5. Another commercial



Chitty Chitty Deuche Deuche 2CV



Part 3 coming soon

The Classic Motor Show at the NEC - a maxi adventure - Part 3 The Show

So Friday morning, the first day I made everyone get up early because the show opened to the public at 10am but to the press at 9am and we were bound to be swamped with all the reveals. All I can say was they must have been pretty well disguised. Over the three very busy days I didn't get time to take many pictures but there a few other threads on the forum from dbizzle and others so this is going to be short and personal. There are stories that will no doubt come out in time but some of what happened on the Inaugural RR NEC Stand stays on the Inaugural RR NEC Stand.

Who said that the NEC was expensive? Who could not be swayed by saving 90p on two pints of weak rats p1ss in a plastic glass. The Poles on the stand across the aisle weren't swayed as they seemed to be swigging vodka cunningly disguised in litre bottles of water.



On the Roll Hard stand next door I found a 1293 Mini with a turbo engine rated to 250bhp. The Lenham needs a boost in more than one way.







Have a picture of WoodyM3evo checking the coffee stains on samta22 's professional Top Chump cards



Also samta22 's shell kept getting additional temporary badges. I think it started out GT 4.0, then GT 4.0 V8, then GTS 4.0 V8 and finally some cruel person added Twin Turbo - Carlos Fandango



The expertise and professionalism of @grumpynorthener was evident across the stand. No one tripped on the steps.



Amongst all the fun and levity there was also time to reflect on the Sunday



My wimmin' arrived on Sunday which meant we had to be somewhat better behaved,





Their view from the cab



Here's a picture of SWMBO caught secretly topping up her glass back at the rental house



This is the fridge they left me on the Sunday night. Eight bottles of San Miguel, a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc in case I felt a little more sophisticated and milk for the morning coffee. Proper after exhibition fridge



After three long, tiring days that really dragged it was over too quickly and we broke down the stand in three hours so from this



to this



to this



Then I went back to the house to await the morning when I had arranged the lift back to Dorset.

On the return to the NEC I needed to reconnect the battery and the the sh!t old vehicle gods struck for the traditional third time as the negative battery clamp sheared as I tightened the clamp. This time I had tools and necessity being the mother of invention I give you the Frankenhealey Acme Patented Battery Clamp Assister and Mole Grips



Loading the Goddess after trying not to cook the clutch driving it up the bed.



Safely back in the very muddy field