The 35th Bristol Classic Car Show drew a crowd of about 12,000 to the Royal Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet on 14-15 June.
“It was easily the best event that we’ve done, judging by the excellent feedback that we’ve received from everyone,” said Martin Corbett of Nationwide Events. “My favourite car was Henry Body’s Iota, a Douglas motorbike-engined hillclimb car that was built in Bristol in the 1940s and was on its first time out after the restoration.”
The Iota was constructed for 500cc racing in 1946-’47 by Joe Fry, Dick Caesar and Adrian Butler and was successfully campaigned from 1947-’50 by John Mardon.
Best Club Stand went to another inspired presentation – Alice in Volvoland – from the Volvo Enthusiasts’ Club, which scooped the equivalent gong at the same venue’s rock ’n’ roll-themed Great Western Autojumble in February.
The VEC stand featured Chris Tye’s 1962 Jensen-built P1800, plus Gillian and Tony Whitton’s ’63 120 Estate and a couple of cars owned by club chairman Kevin Price: his ’52 PV445 convertible and his ’62 P1800, an original Saint car that he bought as a wreck and has had restored at vast expense. Also manning the stand were Colin and May Tatlow from Cornwall, who played the Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts.
