Retro Warwick Classic Car & Bike Show 2024

Retro Warwick Classic Car & Bike Show has been held annually since 2010, except for the Covid years, this is one of the most popular shows of its type held in the Midlands and its FREE to both exhibitors and visitors. Many thanks to Matt Phillips for organising the show in the first place and the Warwick Court Leet carrying it on since 2017.

I have had the pleasure of attending this show for the past eight years and always look forward to it. As well as having an interest in classic cars I am also a great admirer of the historic town of Warwick ** living only a twenty minute drive away. So, to have both my interests combined on one day is a win-win situation for me.

I will be very honest, because I have attended these shows frequently in the past and produced photographic reports for all of them, I didn’t intend to produce a report for this show on the basis that it might be seen as a little repetitive. Nevertheless, I did take my camera with me “just in case”. I am so pleased I did – yes there were many regular’s amongst the cars on display, they are the life blood of this event and the owners are to be applauded for attending it every year.

My approach to all the car shows I go to is to photograph rare and unusual cars; I am pleased to say there were a number of cars that fitted that description at this year’s Retro Warwick show. I was also happy to photograph some of the regulars. Here are the ones that caught my eye –

AC Cobra

AUSTIN

1935 Austin Ten Gordon Pixie Vitesse.

1982-84 Austin Ambassador

Austin Mini Moke

AUSTIN HEALEY AND HEALEY

I make no apology for showing so many Healeys. It was great to see so many of them in the Town where they were conceived. It should happen more often i.m.o.

Austin Healey Sprite Mk.I

1955 Austin Healey 100 with ‘Le Mans’ Kit. The first owner was a U.S. serviceman based in Germany. The car was repatriated in 1980 and converted to RHD. It is painted in U.S. racing colours

Austin Healey 3000 Mk.III.

1950 Healey Abbott DHC.

BENTLEY

1950 Bentley Mk. VI

CHRYSLER

c.1928 Chrysler Tourer

CITROEN

Citroen Mehari

DAIMLER/LANCHESTER

1950 Daimler DB18 Empress

c.1932 Lanchester Ten six light saloon

FIAT

1968 Fiat Abarth 595

FORD

Customised Ford Capri

Ford Model A Tourer

HILLMAN

1957 Hillman Minx Series I

HYUNDAI

Probably not a classic in itself but a very rare car in the U.K. that represents a very historic period in world motoring history. It was the car that launched the highly successful South Korean motor industry. It was brought in to production by a team of British automobile engineers led by ex BL CEO George Turnbull who later became CEO of Peugeot U.K.