Classic car events calendar: great events for spring and summer 2018
The classic car calendar is packed with events large and small, with something for everyone whether you're a marque aficionado or general enthusiast. Here are a few throughout the UK that are deserving of your attention, whether you're away on holiday or simply fancy a destination for a day out.
We will be adding to the list every week as more events are confirmed.
Until March 2018: British Motoring Treasures: the British Motor Car in Fifty Objects, British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire
This special exhibition at the British Motor Museum tells the story of Britain’s motor industry using 50 key objects. In turn each object will have its own story, whether it is of a ground-breaking invention or a piece of social history.
The aim is to celebrate the rich history of an industry that has dominated the economic and social history of the West Midlands region for more than a century.
One example on display is an original sketch from 1944 by Alec Issigonis of the ‘Mosquito’, a car that would be the prototype for the Morris Minor. The Trust archive is home to a large collection of items relating to the life and work of Issigonis, who designed many famous cars including the Mini, but this is the first time an original sketch has been on show. Some his drawing tools and a slide rule also feature.
The display includes a 1899 Wolseley Voiturette, the first four-wheel car that Herbert Austin designed, and a 1965 sectioned Austin Mini which was a revolution in terms of automotive packaging.
The displays also feature lesser known aspects of the story, especially the role of the people who designed, built and used the products of the British motor industry in its prime.
Full details at www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk
April 22: Rotary Club of Croydon Charity Classic Car Run, Dorking to Goodwood
The 2018 edition of this annual classic car run starts at Denbies Wine Estate just north of Dorking and takes a stunning scenic route through two counties through the high grounds of the Surrey Hills and country lanes of parts of “Old Surrey & West Sussex”, incorporating the most beautiful villages and hamlets.
Participants can picnic at one of the beautiful locations on the way or enjoy a lunch at one of the plentiful pubs. The run ends at the Goodwood Motor Circuit outside Chichester, venue for the annual Revival historic race meeting.
The entry price is £45 which includes the car, the driver, one passenger, a run pack, route guide and finisher’s plaque. Additional passengers are £15 each. Space is limited to 150 cars.
To take part, email dhiraj@dsandco.com or croydonjubilee@virginmedia.com
May 26-27: Land Rover Legends, Bicester Heritage, Oxfordshire
A new event for Land Rover connoisseurs, collectors, preservationists, restorers and enthusiasts that celebrates everything special about the famed 4x4 maker past and present.
This year is the 70th anniversary of the introduction of the first Land Rover in 1948, and this event sets out to showcase the very best examples, from original vehicles to renovated and restored ones. As well as production models, the line-up will also include prototypes and pre-production vehicles, rare and bespoke conversions and military derivatives from the 1948 Series 1 to the very latest upmarket models.
Forums and presentations will allow enthusiasts to hear fascinating stories from Land Rover experts such as engineers and designers, as well as explorers who have taken the marque to the most inhospitable places on the planet.
The event takes place against the appropriately authentic and beautifully restored backdrop of the former military buildings at Bicester Heritage, which is well worth a visit in its own right.
There will be priority parking for anyone arriving in a Land Rover, while Land Rover clubs will display and demonstrate members' vehicles, while leading Land Rover restorers, specialists and associated suppliers will be located in and around Bicester Heritage’s magnificent main exhibition hangar.
Full details at the www.landroverlegends.com official website.
Cloverlands Model Museum, Montgomery, Powys
This charming museum has a display of about 2,000 model cars, some of them up to three feet in length.
Well worth a visit if you're in or near mid-Wales - and the area also has some of the finest driving roads in the UK.
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