Goodwood is back to its glorious best

Back to best

Goodwood’s first post-lockdown breakfast club took over the West Sussex circuit yesterday (Sunday 1 August 2021), with a very well attended classic car-themed gathering, fuelled, as ever, by bacon rolls, sausage baguettes and the like, and washed down with more than 5000 cups of tea and coffee.

A friendly atmosphere prevailed at what was for many their first meet in more than a year, but what impressed more than anything was the number and diversity of classic cars on display, it really was jaw-dropping.

More than 10,000 people enjoyed the event, which featured around 1000 pre-1981 vehicles parked in the paddocks and also along a mile stretch of the famous circuit.

Here we present just a flavour – but this really is the tip of the iceberg.

Dino delivers

Let’s start with one of the cars you can see from that overhead shot, a 1968 Fiat Dino Spider bought from Perugia in Italy in 2015.

Its owner describes it as being ‘extremely original’, although looking at the deep lustre of the paint, you might not be surprised to hear that it is more recent, although still its original shade of Rosso Corsa.

With a 2.0-litre, all-alloy V6, a five-speed gearbox and a limited-slip differential, perhaps it’s not surprising that its owner says that ‘despite owning many Ferraris, this is the nicest car I have ever driven’.

Marvellous Matra

All bright and sharp angles, not to mention its rectangular, pop-up headlights, this classic had attendees wondering what it was. The answer is a Matra M530 LX.

With glassfibre panels and powered by a 1.7-litre Ford Taunus V4, the M530 was Matra’s first model to be designed completely in house. The LX model, as here, came on stream in 1970 and introduced a slight facelift.

Production ended in 1973, after 9609 (of all variants) had been built.

All in the details

Meet Bertie. We couldn’t overlook this dose of automotive cuteness, could we? Especially seeing as these Austin A30s now have a reputation for fantastic wheel-to-wheel and door-to-door racing at the Goodwood Revival.

This charming 1955 example was on show complete with a collection of period items laid out inside, including a picnic hamper, ration book and a copy of The Autocar dated 13 May 1955, the month this car was first registered – and on the magazine’s cover is an Austin A30 Seven! 

500 and not out

Staying with more diminutive classics, we have this sweet-looking 1972 Fiat 500 Lusso.

This example, which has the bigger, 499cc engine, was first registered near Pisa in Italy. It came to the UK in summer 2020 when it was mechanically refreshed, with further work undertaken this March.

In tribute

We’ve a serious gearchange with this hard-to-miss slice of Americana, described as an evocation of the Shelby Mustang in which Ronnie Bucknum and Jerry Titus won their class at the 1968 Daytona 24 Hours.

It’s had a bare-metal respray, all new running gear, a new engine and a fresh interior. Power comes courtesy of a 418cu in engine that on the dyno gives more than 500hp and 600lb ft torque.

Seldom seen

Is it just us, or do Edsels look as surprised to be at classic car meets as we are to see them?!

Turning a lot of heads at Goodwood was this 1958 Edsel Ranger that’s been with its current custodian since April 2016, during which time it has been comprehensively restored.

Of course, we all know that the Edsel brand was short-lived and, well, not the success Ford hoped it would be, but we’re very glad this survivor made the trip to Sussex.

Three-pointed star attraction

Another car you don’t see too often is the coupé version of Mercedes’ ‘Stroke Eight’ range.

The W114 250CE, as seen here, was built between 1968 and 1972, and was powered by the M114 2.5-litre straight-six. The line-up represented the first time that the marque’s mid-range car – what we’d today call the E-Class – was offered in coupé form.

Wonder wagon

This caught our eye as it rolled in – and not just because of its rumbling V8. Check out that bodywork.

Built in 1973, registered in 1974 and finished in the very period shade of Almond, this is an example of FLM Panelcraft’s estate version of the Rover P6, called the Estoura. Around 160 were built, of which 90-100 are thought to survive, 20-30 still on the road – this is one of the few V8s with the manual gearbox, although when it was restored in the ’90s, it received the upgrade of a Rover SD1 ’box.

These cars’ bodywork was by FLM, the estates then completed either by Crayford Engineering or by (factory-approved dealer) HR Owen.

Allez les bleus

Here’s a lovely-looking dose of French elegance, although the owner concedes that the trained eye can spot several things that are wrong with this 1953 Citroën Traction Avant.

Still, it has been with its present owner a decade and was apparently rescued from a breakers’ yard not far from Goodwood in the ’70s, before being restored.

Proper pedigree

Now this little Triumph has actually, pardon the pun, experienced quite a big triumph (ahem).

Yes, gracing Goodwood Motor Circuit was this 1960 Triumph TRS, a double Le Mans entrant and a team prize winner in 1961.

Swede perfection

Over in the paddock, we found this pale blue 1800S hard to resist.

We don’t know any more about this particular example of Volvo’s GRP-bodied four-cylinder-powered sports car, but it was definitely turning heads at Goodwood.

Hang on a minute lads, I’ve got a great idea…

A trio of red, white and blue Minis, the first with some ‘gold’ on show in its boot? It can only mean one thing…

All three Austin Cooper ‘S’ cars on show appeared to be in fine fettle, each with a rollcage, too.

Back to life

This sweet Abarth is a one-off recreation of the similarly unique prototype built in 1965 by Abarth and Bertone for that year’s Turin show, based on the Fiat 850 Spider, but with a fixed roof, a new radiator, and new grilles above and below the bumper. It was powered by a 982cc Abarth engine.

It is thought that this show car doesn’t survive, and this example was built on behalf of the Abarth Works Museum, using a 1966 Fiat 850 Spider chassis.

By royal appointment

There is nothing ordinary about this 1950 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special on show at Goodwood. During its build, it went to coachbuilder Derham to have its roofline altered, and the rear window swapped for a smaller, oval replacement, in the name of privacy. Why?

Because this unique Cadillac’s first keepers were the Duke of Windsor – briefly King Edward VIII – and Wallis Simpson (the Duchess of Windsor).

Other additions inside include an electrically operated central division, storage for the duchess’ jewellery and radio-volume control for the rear-seat occupants.

In the family

It might be a little dwarfed by its parking space, but this 1970 MGB GT has been owned by the same family since new.

Now with 33,200 miles under its painted wire wheels with radial tyres, it remains in its factory spec, and around half its Bronze Yellow paintwork is original, too.

Present and correct

Another British classic we were drawn to was this 1971 MkIV Austin Sprite, which was a surprise birthday present to the current owner in October 2016 from his wife.

It left the factory in Racing Green with an Autumn Leaf interior, but we think its Old English White finish with a red and white cabin suits it very well.

Vintage veteran

Another British classic was this 1969 Land-Rover Series IIA, an ex-RAF lightweight model that spent most of its service life based at RAF Sealand, in northeast Wales, moving to civilian duties when it was auction off on 8 March 1983.

Still proudly showing its Drive-It Day plate from April, this Landie left the factory green, was repainted yellow when in the RAF, then was repainted RAF blue-grey during its restoration.

Back for more

Nearby was this South African Mercedes-Benz 280SE, which was specified by and delivered to its first owner, a FJJ Geldenhuys in the Transvaal province, on 14 August 1970.

Half a century on, it is said to still be completely rust free, which must, in part, be because it lived in the dry heat of South Africa until June 2003, at which point it was imported to the UK.

And its current owner has bought it twice – first in May 2016, then for a second time in May 2018, having regretted the sale.

Sweet treat

This rather more colourful Mercedes certainly stood out from the breakfast club crowds – we think you can guess why it is affectionately called ‘strawberries and cream’.

Mark Wolfenden’s 1959 220SE Cabriolet is one of 11 left, of the 27 right-hand-drive examples built from 1958-’60, and is a facelifted example of the ‘Ponton’ drop-top.

A member of the family

Parked on the outside of the start-finish straight, it might’ve been easy to miss this Morris Minor, but we are very glad we didn’t.

It was bought by the present owner’s father in Bombay as a 12-year-old used car, on 21 April 1962, the day its now owner was born, so his father could bring him and his mother home from hospital – and has been with the family ever since. In fact, the owner says that when they tried to sell it, it refused to start!

It’s been in the UK since 2016 and has now benefited from a comprehensive restoration.

Like it low?

This Ford Thunderbird turned more than a few heads when it cruised in to take its spot on track at Goodwood.

Not only is it finished in white with a blue roof, with a striking, two-tone, blue and grey velour upholstered interior, its suspension is adjustable, so while on the move it could just about negotiate the speed bumps, but when parked it dropped to the Tarmac.

Well, we said there was plenty of variety!

Period rivals

We’re not sure if it was excellent planning or sheer coincidence that brought this Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro together in Goodwood’s assembly area, but what a fine couple they make.

So, which would you rather have, left or right?

Four more

This was actually one of four Jensen-Healeys we spotted at Goodwood on Sunday, which was a lovely surprise.

Of course, this is a classic with three great British automotive names to be proud of, because it is powered by a 2.0-litre, double-overhead cam Lotus engine.

A winning colour

Gold might not be the first colour you associate with Alfa Romeo, but this 1970 1750 GTV looked fantastic.

It actually left the factory silver, bound for Australia, but the fierce sunshine turned the paint grey, so the owner had it refinished in gold.

Andrew Stevens has been its proud custodian since 1989, when he lived in Australia, and when he came to the UK in 2008, a year later the Alfa followed – in over three decades, he’s enjoyed 120,000 miles behind the wheel and says he can’t imagine life without it.

Elan duo

Lotus is a marque more often seen finished in gold, but there was just a sprinkling on this pretty pair of Elans parked together at Goodwood.

Both the deep red Elan +2 and the red (with gold wheels and front bumper) Elan Sprint appeared to be in fine fettle, and we bet their owners had very pleasurable drives home.

Unusual Allegro

This might be a car you’d more readily expect to see at the Festival of the Unexceptional, which took place the day before Goodwood’s classic car breakfast club.

Nevertheless, this tidy-looking Austin Allegro 3 1.3 L held its own on the famous race track and certainly attracted its fair share of attention.

Rovering around the world

Believe it or not, this 1960 Rover 80 is an endurance rally car. It began life in Scotland, travelling south of the border in 1998 when it was rebuilt as a rally car and campaigned by an all-female crew.

The car has now travelled the world and taken on challenges including the 1999 Classic Marathon (from Le Mans, via Andorra, to Biarritz), the 2001 Sahara Challenge, the 2003 Classic Safari (from Cape Town to Kenya) and the Peking to Paris in 2007.

After that it was stored before its current keepers bought it at auction in 2013 and returned it to Scotland. The car needs some TLC, but it’s hoped its international rallying career isn’t over yet!

Pop-tops pop-up

Finally, with staycations being the order of the day in 2021, we bring you this pair of classic VW campervans that show you how to do it in fine style.

And, after several hours wandering around this vast and varied pop-up classic car show, we bet their owners were grateful for a chance of a sit-down and a cuppa before hitting the road home.

Early alarms all-round for the Goodwood Classic Car Sunday Breakfast Club attendees, but it’s safe to say it was definitely worth it.