Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4232 Location: South Cheshire

I went today.

I actually thought the show was too big !!; to get round all of it is probably imposable in a single day Shocked

. There were some great stands,but the autojumble is not what it used to be; I suspect eBay has become our autojumble these days; I found the autojumble stands were good for workshop consumables, but were mainly full of replica stuff and cheap tools from China Sad

The bottleneck caused by the bike show being in the middle was a pain, although the bike show was good.

All said I thought the show was was good value, and plan to go next year

Dave

welder · Joined: 26 Nov 2007 Posts: 265 Location: North Warwickshire

I also went today.

I also thought that the show was too big, certainly too big to be "done" properly in one day and I was there from doors opening to doors closing. Two days, on the other hand, would be overkill even though I live less than 5 miles from NEC.

The Autojumble was OK ish, I bought a set of 4 different circlip pliers, in a zipped wallet, for £12 which I thought reasonable. I'd have hoped for a rather better array of actual car parts at such a top-end show but as Dave says, it's all about eBay these days.

Highlight for me was finding the Coventry Boring and Metalling stand. They confirmed that they can bore out my replacement engine block, insert liners and bore to suit the pistons in my existing/cracked block for around £400 including supplying suitable liners. Added bonus is that the chap I spoke to, Frank, lives just up the road from me and would be happy to collect/deliver should this be helpful. Result!

Parking was good. I parked in the Long Term at the rail station, all day, for a fiver.

I'll be going along next year, all being well. I enjoyed it.

Ian

MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2701 Location: South Cheshire

I went today as well, I tend to go from buying almost nothing to buying so much I can hardly carry it. This year was one of the former, a few sets of gloves, this weeks copy of CCW (as there's a picture of my car in it) though that was a freebie, and a pair of tin snips.

We thought about parking at the station but assumed it would be much the same price as the NEC - as a day at Crewe station was £8 last time I paid, I assumed Birmingham would be the same or more.

I didn't think the show was as good as it has been, but it does vary from year to year. The layout wasn't very coherent this year, having to pass through the motorbike show was a bit silly, and spreading trade stands around more than three halls also not a great idea. If we'd wanted to do all the car stands as well, time would have not permitted. As it is, we do the trade stands first, then the cars with whatever time is left over.

52classic · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 493 Location: Cardiff.

Very enjoyable day out. Not the best ever show but certainly better than the previous couple of years.

Loved the layout and I thought that 'zoning' the halls to cover GM, working vehicles, Fords, American, BL etc made it more logical.

Jumble a bit dissapointing but the internet has put paid to the old days.

Microcars stand was particularly interesting and the showing of the veterans held my attention for a good while.

Uncle Alec · Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester

Just back.
Huge show. I didn't even bother trying to look round, very busy on stand.
I thought the judges' choice of Best Themed Club Stand was spot on.

gillberry · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 702 Location: Norwich

Got back late last night, our first time there we wandered as much as we could the first two days but yes there is too much to see in one day, will see about posting some pics later

smiffy220 · Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2012 2:14 pm Post subject:

I went for the weekend this year which worked well, as had more time to talk to people. Personally I didn't think the variety was as good as the last 2 years, nothing really stood out for me, other than the variation on the Maserati stand, and the Austin 7's were good.
I didn't like the Classic Bike hall right in between the car halls, was a pain keep going backwards and forwards. But overall the way they organised GM's, Fords etc into same halls was good, meant I could wonder right through the Ford hall without having to stop at all, great!
The show is really too big now for one day, and the parking is a pain at £10 per day and about a 3/4 mile walk to get in from the car parks! I'm shattered today.
I will be back next year though for the weekend again, still enjoyed it. Spoke to some really lovely people on the Opel Manta club stand, the Rolls Royce Enthusiasts stand, the Bristol club stand and the Morris Register stand.
_________________
Born to rally, forced to work!

1980 Opel Manta 2.0 SR Berlinetta
1934 Morris Cowley Four (my late fathers)

gillberry · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 702 Location: Norwich

Here's some pics we took ,

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Brilliant photos, some really nice looking estates and woodies in that collection - the Lancia van is a little beaut' too Smile

R
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gillberry · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 702 Location: Norwich

We liked the working vehicles more than the exotica .

52classic · Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 493 Location: Cardiff.

Great pics. You must have got in before the crowds.

I do agree that the working vehicles are more interesting then the exotics.

gillberry · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 702 Location: Norwich

Uncle Alec · Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester

Cheers Gilberry for making the effort to come across and say hello! to me on the Riley RM Club stand, also hello! to Rotary Bri, Emmerson (and Dick Turpin, who took all my money again) - always good to put a face to a name.
Sorry I didn't get a chance to return the compliment - it did get busy, didn't it!

emmerson · Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 1268 Location: South East Wales

Once again, we took the caravan to a little site about 20 miles from NEC, which meant that we could visit Gaydon on Friday, and NEC on Saturday.
Good day at both, i thought, but I must remember to take a packed lunch next year. £24 for four beef rolls was a bit eye-watering!
I reckon that all of us forum users should wear our names on a big sign on our heads. We might have been stood next to each other, and never know it!
Great weekend altogether, and we'll be back next year.

Rich5ltr · Joined: 28 Mar 2008 Posts: 681 Location: Hampshire, UK

I went on Friday and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Firstly regards costs; I parked a couple of stops down the line and took the train to Brum International cost £1.90 return with free parking! I had a very nice traditional Cornish pasty for lunch from one of the side stands, pricey at £3.50 but it was very good. Coffee from Costa outside on my way in was £1.90 and a bottle of Coke at £1.50 doesn't seem outrageous to me. I liked the new arrangement of the halls but I agree putting the bike show in the middle was plain daft. I guess it was to try to generate more traffic for the vendors in that area but it seemed odd. My only complaint about the organisation, yet again, was the dreadful lighting - it's awful, and I agree about the trade village, there's not much old/used stuff to rumble through these days. There was certainly something there for everyone, veteran, vintage, pre-war/post-war classics, 50s and modern classics, even American hot-rods! And I even looked at the caravans Wink

All in all a great day and I'll be back next year.