The fact last week’s London Classic Car Show was held at the ExCel London, which was built on the site of the Royal Docks and is now owned by the Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company, says it all.
The ExCel has a proud past. It hosted Miss World in 2014 and Olympic ping-pong in 2012. The classic car show is a step up on that awe-inspiring list. It really is the world’s most user-friendly motor expo. There was an entire hall dedicated to the best single-marque classic car clubs with 25 showing their best. There seemed to be a 1960s feel about the whole show which, for those of us who believe this was the greatest decade in the history of civilisation, was an excellent thing.
Don’t get me wrong, this is really not a strong criticism, but people who live in the northern hemisphere don’t know there is a southern hemisphere. For example, we had the Six Nations rugby cup running over the three days of the show. The organisers were trying to answer the question: “Which is the world’s greatest car-building nation?” Ten marques, Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Bugattis, Delahayes, Porsches, the VW Golf GTI, Mini Cooper S, Citroen 2CV and the original Fiat 500 represented France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the US and Britain.
So you are going to tell me a VW Golf, Mini Cooper or Fiat 500 is a match for a Falcon GTHO III, Leyland P76, Valiant Charger, Holden EH 179, Torana GTR XU1 or the car that single-handedly boosted Australia’s population by 30 per cent, the Holden Sandman?
On a happier note, the evolution of the supercar exhibition was outstanding. So was the parade of Group B rally cars that were so out-there they started killing people and the class was outlawed. The best visiting time was Sunday, when we were asked to dress in vintage clothing such as trilbies, kipper ties, prom dresses, and seamed stockings. Given that’s how I normally dress, I was a star.
Of course, apart from the crook weather, London is a great place for auto adorers at this time of the year.
Next month at Goodwood, Bonhams will be selling one of the world’s great race cars, the ex-Gerry Marshall-Peter Brock 1977 Spa 24 Hour class-winning and second overall 1977 Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300 Coupe (pictured).
Aussie battler: the ex-Gerry Marshall/Peter Brock 1977 Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300 coupe.
Aussie battler: the ex-Gerry Marshall/Peter Brock 1977 Vauxhall Firenza Magnum 2300 coupe.
Marshall was famous for going fast sideways and Brocky was not famous for anything in the northern hemisphere until that race. The rain in Spa that year fell mainly on the track. Brocky and Gerry were losing ground. What do real larrikins do? Ignore sponsor Dunlop (and the sponsor’s decals on the side of the car) and put Michelins on the back. There were 60 starters and only 27 finishers. B and G were pipped only by the BMW 530i driven by Jean-Claude Andruet and Eddy Joosen. In the 24 hours, the “Spa Magnum” covered 3884km, averaging more than 160km/h.
Anyway the car spent a long time in a barn and ended up 10 years ago with classic car owner and racer Adrian Goding. Adrian commissioned a year long back-to-metal restoration with Gerry Marshall providing technical assistance. Unfortunately Gerry died before he could see Adrian take second in the car at Silverstone. Not to be too emotional but surely a great Australian, not pointing the finger at you, Lindsay Fox or Paul Little, could reverse the car drain and bring this Pom with Australian history to where it belongs. A snip at $200,000.
