The Goodwood Revival is generally considered to be one of, if not the greatest historic motorsports events on the planet. Within that, it also contains what is almost certainly the greatest classic car park on earth – the Revival Car Show.
Two eras of classics are permitted to park in the Revival Car Show – pre-’66, and tax-exempt cars i.e. classics over 40 years old, though it has to be said that this second category is rather loosely interpreted in some cases.
Many hundreds of visitors from all over Europe descend on Goodwood in their classics each Revival weekend, and the assembled collection is such that you could easily spend half a day just walking up and down the serried ranks of classics; indeed, some visitors unpack their picnic tables and chairs, open up their food hampers and a bottle or two of wine and sit next to their classics having a fine old time; in fact I wonder if some of them actually enter the main event at all.
Not only is the sheer volume of classics on display impressive, but also the variety. Unsurprisingly, while examples of those standbys of UK classic events such as MGB’s, Triumph TR’s and Mini’s abound, it’s also a car park where a Jaguar E-type or Mercedes Pagoda SL attracts barely a first, let alone second glance, especially after the first half a dozen.
Since I had two days at the Revival, and was myself parked in the tax-exempt section in die Zitrone, I was able to make a couple of visits to the car park, so let’s take a look at some of those classics that got that second glance – in some cases, a great deal more, and since this was such an international gathering I’ll go country by country, sort of (you’ll see what I mean shortly) starting with the UK. Such was the number and variety of classics that I’m going to leave a great many out – you can (almost) have too much of a good thing.
As I said, there were plenty of MGB’s, TR’s, and E-types, and even XK’s were plentiful. However, one TR that was different from the rest was the bright yellow 1960 Triumph Italia 2000. Based on the TR3, Giovanni Michelotti turned his hand to transforming the handsome, traditionally British TR3 into an exceptionally pretty GT. Bodies were built by Vignale, but these were expensive and only 329 were built, and most remain in Italy.
From one rare Anglo-Italian, we come to possibly the most exotic – and one of the most valuable – line-ups of Anglo and Italian classics you could ever expect to find in a car park or even a concours. How about a 1960 Aston Martin DB4GT Zagato, sandwiched between a dark red Vignale-bodied 1951 Ferrari 212 Inter convertible and a 1964 DB5 convertible, with a 1960 Ferrari 166 Inter coupé, also by Vignale, a 1969 330GTC (and elsewhere in the car park, two others!) and a 1965 275GTB. Let’s not forget; these fabulous cars – like all the others in the car park – were driven to Goodwood, they’re not trailer queens. They were also left seemingly unattended, but I have to think there was discreet security nearby. They were the unquestioned highlights of the Revival Car Show for me, simply jaw-dropping.
There were several more beautiful Italian classics on display – a gorgeous maroon 1953 Lancia Aurelia Coupé (there was also an equally gorgeous red one in the car park), a lovely silver 1966 FIAT OSCA 1500 (with a cousin nearby in the stylish shape of a white FIAT 1600S) and a red 1966 Alfa Romeo Giulia SS…the Italians made such beautiful cars…there are several more in the end gallery.
Back to the UK…AC is a famous name from the past, mostly when followed by the word Cobra, but the company made other beautiful cars besides that Anglo-American collaboration. There were a couple of examples of the Cobra’s predecessors, the AC Ace and Aceca, as well as a silver 1962 AC Greyhound (one of only 83 made) and a very tasty 1968 7-litre 428 convertible in maroon – absolutely gorgeous, and yet another Anglo-Italian collaboration, this time with some US power thrown into the mix.
Sticking with specialist British manufacturers, a fine maroon (again – one of the colours of the day) 1970 Bristol 6.3-litre 411, the last Bristol I like the look of, and an immaculate 1952 Bristol 401 in off-white – with it’s swooping fastback styling, these allegedly had a drag coefficient of just 0.36, remarkable for the time – made a dignified British duo.
A couple of oddball Brits next. First, an apparently unique – and to my mind not entirely successful in terms of styling – 1966 beige Daimler 250 convertible conversion which it transpires is available to hire as a wedding car. It’s not clear who did the work, but it has been well done.
Another UK classic I’ve not seen before was a Vincent Hurricane, which turns out to be a kit car conversion of a Spitfire or GT6, basically a replacement body on the donor Triumph’s chassis and mechanicals. One of the plethora of UK specialist manufacturers, the owner of this one claimed to have covered over 300,000 (sic) miles! I have to say this one wore those miles well. Between 50-60 were made, and new bodies can still be ordered.
To Germany next…and more astonishing cars as well as some more humdrum Teutonic classics rarely seen in this country.
There were plenty of 911’s and 356’s, a few 914’s, but despite my love for all things classic from Zuffenhausen, they were actually a bit, well, commonplace, though the Dutch metallic grey Speedster stood out – if it was the real deal; I honestly can’t tell any more.
Moving across Stuttgart to Mercedes-Benz, two mighty 600’s and two 300SL Gullwings (there was a third parked along the Lavant Straight where GRRC members could park their classics for an extra payment) were unmissable – these Teutonic classics have so much presence. More elegant than these powerful beasts was a perfect black Dutch-registered Mercedes 220S convertible with tan upholstery, just exquisite.
Less glamorous than these marvellous Mercedes’ were a fairly worn, but nonetheless very appealing Opel Rekord A and a much tidier Opel Kadett GT/E – both bearing Belgian plates.
Gallic classic representation included the unconventionally designed and rarely seen mid-engined Matra 530LX, the successor to the Matra Bonnet Djet I saw at Bicester recently, this one registered in Frankfurt, and a superb metallic blue Citroën DS Décapotable drew the eye – for me, these are even more beautiful than the DS saloon.
Other French fancies included a lovely 1940 red Delage 3L Olympic complete with extravagant Lalique radiator mascot, an elegant black Peugeot 404 Cabriolet on French plates and finally, a pair of Citroën Light 15 dropheads in contrasting dark green and grey respectively looked very stylish parked together – one of them bearing Guernsey plates.
From across the Atlantic, it was very cool to see a pair of early Corvettes together – one a 1956 example in red with white flash, the other a 1959 dual-headlamp model in yellow with white flash. There were several land yachts moored around the field – a generously finned 1959 Chrysler New Yorker in rose pink, a pale blue with white roof 1965 Mercury Park Lane – all long straight lines – a red 1963 Plymouth Fury convertible, and a 1960 Ford Thunderbird – also in blue and white and with its huge gaping grille, were just a few examples.
A blue and yellow 1953 Hudson Hornet alongside a 1965 turquoise and white Pontiac Bonneville made a great duo, and there was plenty of muscle around too, such as a 1969 metallic blue Dodge Coronet and a ’68 Chevrolet Chevelle in metallic purple with two wide white stripes running down the length of the centre of the car ; both exuded power, as you might expect with each of them hiding 6.3-litre V8’s under their expansive bonnets.
Beyond the car park, there was also a Bonhams auction with some exceptionally interesting lots, and I simply have to mention one outstanding trade display car. Auction lots first – one of my all-time favourites, an exquisite 1964 Porsche 904GTS in silver sold for a hammer price of £535,000. I love these delicately proportioned Porsches.
A couple of genuine rarities came up for sale; the first, an Austin Healey 3000 Mk1 BT7 Jamaican Special, a car previously unknown to me. Originally a standard big Healey with a Fibrefab Jamaican body – Fibrefab were based in California, and made special bodies for Healey, TR and MGA chassis. This was one of only 4 or 5 believed still running and looked very smart; it would attract attention at any classic event and was knocked down for £36,000 – pretty reasonable compared to a standard Healey 3000.
The second was unique – a 1965 internally-designed prototype roadster MG EX234 in metallic green and with a detachable hardtop, it was built by Pininfarina. It had covered just 6,536 miles, and was another case of what might have been with British Leyland. Fitted with a 1275 Mini Cooper engine, this smart looking design was shelved despite being very highly rated by the likes of John Surtees and John Sprinzel. This genuinely unique car rather surprisingly didn’t sell, with bidding stopping at £65,000 against an estimate range of £70,000 to £90,000.
One of the absolute highlights of the day for me occurred as I made my way across the site to register for my Saturday press pass, and that was the utterly magnificent Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 on display with Jim Stokes Workshops, who had restored this incredible car to perfection. I could have looked at it for hours.
As car parks go, the Revival Car Show is like no other, a veritable feast for the eyes. My favourite Revival Car Show car of the weekend? I’m not sure I could choose just one, but the non-race car of the weekend was unquestionably that glorious 8C 2900 – what a motor car; all I need now is to find one for sale…and about £15m…
