Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Richard H]

I rarely attend shows. I want to go to shows where the bulk of the exhibits are 1930s-70s British family saloons (like they tended to be 25 years ago) but nowadays it all seems to be about Kustom/rod/bike/trike/American/VW/Fast Ford and lots and lots of sports cars such as MGBs.
Either that or up here in Suffolk there are a lot of 'country' type shows which have a huge emphasis on steam and vintage tractors, stationary engines etc, as well as ploughing matches and the cars really get sidelined.
I also never know what I'm doing one week to the next so used to like to just rock up at shows in an old car on a whim, but it seems virtually all shows nowadays not only charge entry but you have to prebook months in advance. I just can't be bothered with that.
Do shows like I used to go to still exist?
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Richard Hughes

[MikeEdwards]

I think one of the reasons for allowing more modern exhibits is to try to expand the interest in the hobby. Let's face it, the older enthusiasts are starting to get old, sell their cars, and it's important to try to keep the hobby going, and that means attracting younger people, and a lot of them are interested in more modern stuff. If you promote a show and say there's nothing later than 1970, maybe fewer potential new recruits will turn up, so adding a bit of modern stuff in helps there. Once they're at the show, then maybe the interest will spread out to the older cars.

As for booking and charging, I think that's in part down to the cost of hiring show venues. The organisers need to know they'll get a certain number of vehicles to make it worthwhile, hence needing to book in advance. But there are many reports of people booking multiple events for the same day and deciding a few days before which to attend, so making a charge is intended to help encourage people to stick to their word and actually turn up. It also helps the organiser if they know they've got a certain amount of income towards running costs - a rainy day can mean that no paying public turn up at all, and that just means a big loss for the organiser, which potentially means they won't - or can't - do the same show next year.

Another issue with just turning up is insurance. A mate runs a local small-scale car show, and he's adamant that a form is filled in. One of the reasons is so he can accept or reject the types of vehicles that he wants or does not want, but the main one now is that you've signed the bit that confirms your vehicle is roadworthy and you have valid insurance in place. And of course if you let people just turn up, you get people complaining when you've hit the maximum number of vehicles that will fit in your field, especially if some of the later ones are from a distance away. If you've got a pass, you know you have a space.

There are shows where you can just turn up - I've noticed a big increase in the number of "Breakfast meetings", turn up without booking in the morning and stay until around lunchtime. These tend to be only publicised locally as the short format means people probably won't travel that far. I also know people who come to shows that ought to have filled in a form but haven't, yet still get in - I'm not sure whether that's because they know the organisers, have a "gift of the gab" or are just willing to risk it.

I see the same in our local multi-marque club though - as people drop out of the club with the vehicles that were classics when it started in 1988, we have to get new people in and that often means they'll have something that we wouldn't have considered a classic even ten years ago.

[gillberry]

We now only do a few events each year the ones where we can stay over with car and caravan for a mini break so do not mind paying. there are some people who are out every weekend and enjoy it so begrudge paying an entry fee as they feel they are there as an exhibit to entice more people to come to the main event
Richard I know you are bit further than us but there is a good breakfast meet at Bears Grill Lenwade they normally advertise it on face book you get anything from vintage, retro, buses, military just turn up have a chat a burger on a Sunday morning
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1968 Volvo Amazon estate (Gracie)
1967 Cheltenham Nyala caravan

[Rootes75]

Shows down here ain Somerset have gone the same way, we used to attend and there would be 20-30 pre-war cars, now at the larger shows there maybe say 5, I would also go as far to say this trend is also happening with the cars from the 50's/60's round here.

Everything seems to be modern classics now, the shows that usually have the rarer and older cars are the village fete's etc where you can simply turn up and then go home after a couple of hours.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[gillberry]

We have said the same thing, we did wonder if it was because we are getting older and not realising that as we get old cars that we remember when we were young are now classed as classic. It made us wonder as if one day what we now call classic like our 68 car and 67 caravan will one day be vintage or will we remain classic and a new group name will be added like that have with retro
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1968 Volvo Amazon estate (Gracie)
1967 Cheltenham Nyala caravan

[Rootes75]

We went on a classic run the year before last, there were just over 150 vehicles entered. Of that there were only 8 cars that were pre 1960!

I would like to think that it was an age thing but I have only just passed 40 so it isn't that with me!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[ukdave2002]

We have to be realistic here... The Ford Fiesta will be 5O years old in 7 years time, a Ford Escort could be 52 years old now, Vauxhall Astra's are up to 40 years old......all common cars when I was at school....different generations same ideals...please lets not isolate them.


Dave

[BigJohn]

A lot of younger car enthusiasts cannot afford to have a daily driver for work/family etc. and a classic which cannot keep up with modern traffic, has no child friendly features, and is basically an antique. A car which is older than they are is, to them, a classic. Embrace these facts or let the hobby wither on the vine. Shows must inclusive, obviously excepting events such as war time, Goodwood, etc. When I started to drive I thought a 100e was a classic car, my Old Man thought Model A. The 100e was then only 15yrs out of production, compare it to an Escort MK1.
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1974 Mk1 Escort.

[Rootes75]

I like many cars from my youth so am not against them, I just wonder where all those older cars that we used to see have gone. I like to see a wide variety of vehicles at shows.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Richard H]

[Rootes75]

We do a lot of vintage commercial events and that is very different. These days there is a very good mix between the old and newer trucks. I would say most of the newer restorations are still from the 50's and 60's and there are also a lot of younger people involved on the preservation of those older vehicles.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Rick]

[Rootes75]

I like the sound of that, when you think of it 1939 and before makes all cars a minimum of 80 years old!
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Richard H]

I'd certainly join Rick!
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Richard Hughes