I made my annual visit to the Classic Car & Restoration Show on Friday 21st March. This must have been at least my sixth consecutive visit; you would maybe think that I might be a little bored with it now – “The same old, same old” so to speak. Not a bit of it, I am continually amazed by coming across cars that I have never seen before. The ones that stood out this time were the Jowett Jupiter Coupe of which only four were made, the Horstman Super Sports displayed on the FBHVC stand and the Autovia, a Riley sub brand. The show was also marked by the attendance of the Wolseley Hornet Special Club for the first time ever, it’s the model’s 90th anniversary this year.

As usual, everyone I met was, friendly, courteous and enthusiastic. It really is a show that is good for the soul as well as satisfying an interest in motor cars. The show has “Restoration” in its title for a reason, whilst there will be visitors, like myself, who will be interested in the pristine (fully restored to a high standard) classic cars on display, other visitors are themselves either currently involved in a restoration project or contemplating starting one.

The restoration process is to be seen in action on most of the club stands. The unique (only four made) Jowett Jupiter Coupe, on the Jowett Car Club stand, was a typical  example. The car hasn’t run for a good many years but has been stored well, keeping the body in good condition. The car had been trailered to the NEC and club members had set themselves the task of making the car roadworthy by the end of the show on Sunday evening. Similar work was being undertaken on other club stands I visited.

I couldn’t help wondering if any other Classic Car show in the world has this level of work taking place during the show. It’s impressive and I hadn’t previously appreciated it. 

Here are some of the cars that caught my eye this year –

ALLARD

Allard trials special based on on a P2 chassis
Allard trials special based on on a P2 chassis

Allard trials special based on on a P2 chassis. Ford V8 "Flat Head " engine.

Allard trials special based on on a P2 chassis. Rear.

Allard P2 Saloon
Allard P2 Saloon. For more information on Allards you might want to visit – https://internationalcarevents.com/allard-motor-cars/

ALVIS

1934 Alvis Speed 20 Saloon
1934 Alvis Speed 20 Saloon

1934 Alvis Speed 20 Saloon. Rear.

ARMSTRONG SIDDLEY

c.1959 Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire
c.1959 Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire

c.1959 Armstrong Siddeley Star Sapphire. Rear.

AUSTIN HEALEY

1959 Austin Healey Sebring Sprite with body by Peel Coachworks
1959 Austin Healey Sebring Sprite with body by Peel Coachworks. This car has a fascinating history, starting in Jamaica. To read about it go to http://www.sebringsprite.com/46bxn.html  If you would like to know more about Peel visit – https://internationalcarevents.com/peels-coachworks-kingston-upon-thames-1950s-60s/

1959 Austin Healey Sebring Sprite with body by Peel Coachworks. Rear.

AUTOVIA (a short lived sub brand of Riley)

1936-38 Autovia V8 Saloon
The Autovia was a short-lived luxury car brand, a subsidiary of Riley, created in 1936 to produce large, luxury cars, but it ceased production in 1938 after only 44 cars were built.

Autovia V8 Engine

CLAN

c,1972 Clan Crusader
c,1972 Clan Crusader using Hillman Imp engine.

HILLMAN

c.1968 Hillman (Imp based) Husky modified with a BMW K1200 130BHP engine plus other significant performance additions.
C.1968 Hillman (Imp based) Husky modified with a BMW K1200 130BHP engine plus other significant performance additions.

HUMBER

1973 Humber Sceptre Mk. III
1973 Humber Sceptre Mk. III

JENSEN

c. 1975 Jensen GT shooting brake version of the Jensen-Healey
c. 1975 Jensen GT shooting brake version of the Jensen-Healey on the Jensen Owners Club stand.

JOWETT

1952 Jowett Jupiter Coupe by JE Farr & Son, Blackburn.
1952 Jowett Jupiter Coupe by JE Farr & Son, Blackburn. Only four of these bodies were built and this could be the only one extant.
1951 Jowett Jupiter 'Le Mans'
1951 Jowett Jupiter ‘Le Mans’ tribute.

MORGAN

1949 Morgan 4/4 undergoing restoration
1949 Morgan 4/4 undergoing restoration

1949 Morgan 4/4 undergoing restoration. Rear.

 

"Dorothy" A 1936 Morgan Three Wheeler "Family" with Matchless engine.
“Dorothy” A 1936 Morgan Three Wheeler “Family” with Matchless engine.

"Dorothy" A 1936 Morgan Three Wheeler "Family" with Matchless engine. Rear.

 

1953 Morgan Plus Four
1953 Morgan Plus Four

1953 Morgan Plus Four. Rear.

2009 Morgan Plus 4
2009 Morgan Plus 4

PLYMOUTH

1948 Plymouth Special De Luxe Pima County, AZ. Sheriff's car
1948 Plymouth Special De Luxe Pima County, AZ. Sheriff’s car

QUANTUM SPORTS CARS

Quantum Sports Cars LMR 141
Quantum Sports Cars LMR 141

Quantum Sports Cars LMR 141. Rear.

ROVER

c.1910 Rover 8 Tourer.
c.1910 Rover 8 Tourer on Rover Sports Register stand.

c.1910 Rover 8. Rear.

SIMCA

c.1960 Simca Sport Plein Ciel
c.1960 Simca Sport Plein Ciel

TRIUMPH

1949 Triumph Roadster 1800
1949 Triumph Roadster 1800

TVR

2006 TVR Sagaris
2006 TVR Sagaris

WOLSELEY  HORNET

1935 Wolseley Hornet Special
1935 Wolseley Hornet Special built in 1990 as a competition car.

Wolseley Hornet engine

Wolseley Hornet

1932 Wolseley Hornet with Swallow coachwork
1932 Wolseley Hornet with Swallow coachwork

1932 Wolseley Hornet with Swallow coachwork. Rear.

 

BARN FINDS/RESTORATION PROJECTS

One of the most interesting and intriguing features of the Classic and Restoration Show is the section given over to displaying “Barn finds” that will soon become restoration projects for their current owners. This section is sponsored by Classic Car insurance specialists Footman James. Nearby there were a number of interesting restoration projects on the Austin Counties Club stand, we will start with those –

AUSTIN A40 SPORTS

c.1951 Austin A40 Sports
c.1951 Austin A40 Sports. This car was exported to the USA. It was a “Barn Find” in Pennsylvania the 1990s. It was later bought by a British couple living in the U.S. who have now returned to the U.K. where restoration of this car will begin shortly.

c.1951 Austin A40 Sports. Interior.

c.1951 Austin A40 Sports. Rear.

AUSTIN A70 PICKUP

c.1951 Austin A70 Pick-Up

AUSTIN A90 ATLANTIC

c. 1950 Austin A90 Atlantic

c. 1950 Austin A90 Atlantic. Rear.

BARN FINDS

ASTON MARTIN

1960 Aston Martin DB4
1960 Aston Martin DB4

1960 Aston Martin DB4. Engine.

1960 Aston Martin DB4. Rear.

DAIMLER

1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster with Hooper body.
1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster with Hooper body.

1954 Daimler Conquest Roadster with Hooper body. Rear.

MERCURY

1963 Mercury Marauder S55 DHC 6.4 Ltr. V8
1963 Mercury Marauder S55 DHC 6.4 Ltr. V8

MORRIS

1957 Morris Minor - "Transworld Minor"
1957 Morris Minor – “Transworld Minor”

SS CARS LTD.

1933 SS Cars Ltd. SS Series 1 Coupe
1933 SS Cars Ltd. SS Series 1 Coupe. An historically important car in the Jaguar story!

1933 SS Cars Ltd. SS Series 1 Coupe. Rear.

MISCELLANEOUS

These vehicles were displayed on the FEDERATION OF BRITISH HISTORIC VEHICLE CLUBS (FBHVC) stand –

KENDRICK TRICYCLE

Early 1900s Kendrick Tricycle
Early 1900s Kendrick Tricycle.

HORSTMAN

1921 Horstman Super Sports Brooklands Racer
1921 Horstman Super Sports Brooklands Racer. A fascinating story, read about it here – https://horstmangroup.com/en/news/2022/horstman-history-the-horstmann-light-car

1921 Horstman Super Sports Brooklands Racer. Rear.

Also on the FBHVC stand –

An apprentice from the Heritage Skills Academy using a small Wheeling machine (Americans call it "An English Wheel".
An apprentice from the Heritage Skills Academy using a small Wheeling machine (Americans call it “An English Wheel”).

This wouldn’t be a CSI report on this show without at leat one “Hot Rod”. Here is this year’s contribution –

1953 Ford Popular with Morris Minor rear cab.
1953 Ford Popular with Morris Minor rear cab and Ford 1.6 X Flow engine

1953 Ford Popular with Morris Minor rear cab.

NORTON

1971 Norton Commando Production Racer "Yellow Peril" form the British Motor Cycle Museum.
1971 Norton Commando Production Racer “Yellow Peril” form the British Motor Cycle Museum.

 

This article and photographs contained within is subject to copyright and should not be republished in part or as a whole without permission from the author.

Nick

 

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