One of the joys of moving to a new area is discovering new classic car events to go to, and this week I had not one, but two – more on the second one next week.
The first of these was a late afternoon/early evening event called Wheels on Wednesday, set up just three years ago by an individual motoring enthusiast for fellow enthusiasts to bring their own vehicles – classic and modern, bikes and commercials – together at midweek events or just enjoy those owned by others in a beautiful country house setting.
WoW organise several events a year, always on a Wednesday (of course), sometimes in the morning, sometimes the afternoon/evening. It’s been a resounding success, having already had to move to a more open part of the estate.
Spetchley Park is located just a mile or so to the east of Worcester. It dates back to Tudor times, and the current mansion house was built in 1811, the original having been burnt down back in 1651. The house is surrounded by an estate of about 4,500 acres including a lake. Privately owned by the Berkeley family, perhaps its most famous guest was the composer Edward Elgar, who wrote one of his best-known pieces of music there, the Dream of Gerontius. It’s a fine setting for a motoring event, and fortunately we were blessed with a bright, dry day in what has been an unreliable summer so far.
Spetchley Park House and guest Edward Elgar
I’d just had a new battery fitted in die Zitrone earlier that day – the old one had given up the ghost over the weekend and although I could jump start it, it wasn’t holding any charge – and it was a happy correspondent who drove the 20km to the venue. I got to the gates at 4pm and was directed to park at the beginning of the front row, a very prominent position, and I was immediately joined by a couple of Morris 8’s, one a 1948 Series E, the other a decade older Series II, both immaculately restored.
The event got off to a slow-ish start since at 4pm, many people are still at work, of course. Nevertheless, after about an hour there was a healthy number of cars lined up including a fair number of classics as well as “others”. Such an ecelectic gathering means that about half the cars in attendance are not of interest to us, though if by allowing moderns to mix with classics, some extra interest is shown in our hobby, I’m all for it.
One of the first cars that attracted my attention was a beautiful black 1972 Porsche 911T – having just bought one, I was keen to have a chat with owner Mark, who has owned the car since 1985 and restored it twice, doing all the work himself; puts my mechanical skills to shame. Great number plate, too! There was a smattering of other Porsche’s there that evening – among them a gold 914 seen just a few weeks ago at Shelsley Walsh, and a couple of mid-’80’s Carrera’s, one a lovely dark green 1986 example, the other a fabulous 1987 3.2 Targa.
Besides the 914, there were a couple of other classic mid-engined small sports cars – a smart red Toyota MR2 and an Italian interpretation of the same concept, a FIAT X19, though unfortunately the latter was lumbered with the disfiguring US-required bumpers, which has the same impact (sorry!) as the safety bumpers on the MGB and Midget – ruining a previously clean and, in the case of the FIAT, dramatic design.
Since I’ve now mentioned the US (see how carefully structured this piece is?), there were several examples of Americana on show – it never ceases to amaze me how such huge cars have only two (also huge) doors. Easily the most flamboyant car of the event was a 1961 Cadillac Coupé de Ville in lurid metallic pink – you can’t be a shrinking violet and drive this car! Others almost as impressive were a blue Buick Skylark, a Ford Galaxie Wagon that had been lowered, a black 1941 Buick Eight and a white 1966 Ford Thunderbird – you’ve got to love the rear lights on some of these behemoths.
Seeing a Lancia Flaminia is always a treat, such a gorgeous car, and this metallic grey 1961 convertible was later joined by two fellow Italians – a Lancia Fulvia and a FIAT 500 Topolino from 1937, but this last car had been fitted with a somewhat more powerful Ford Zetec engine…I guess it makes it easier to keep up with modern traffic than with the original 13bhp unit, and it had been subtly done.
Among the Brits on display were a fair few original Mini’s, including a very smart pair in what I would call plum, as well as the MG’s and TR’s that inevitably support such events. My Brit car of the day though was a splendid 1929 blue and black Rolls Royce, though the mint condition pale green 1961 Ford Escort 100E estate was a close runner up.
The fairly random parking also resulted in the contrasting pair of the day – a 1960 Berkeley T60 750cc three-wheeler next to a genuine Japanese supercar and guaranteed future classic, a bright yellow Honda NSX.
There were quite a few more classics to enjoy, as I hope the gallery below will show. By about 7pm the field began to thin out – the event was due to end at 8 – so I started up die Zitrone and headed back home after what had been a thoroughly pleasant few hours. Local shows like these are the bread and butter of the classic car movement, and long may it continue.
