Heritage visit the Classic Motor Show

Each November the NEC in Birmingham hosts a celebration of everything to do with classic cars. From the most expensive and sought after, through to examples that leaving you wondering what anyone could possibly see in owning it - but each to their own! Julian, Andy and Lee our photographer set their alarm clocks too early and jumped in the car to check it out.

A melting pot

Most manufacturers are represented in one way or another and the show boasts over 300 different club stands for cars and motorbikes of yesteryear. Thrown into the mix are a couple of hundred businesses who all work in the classic car sector too - restorers, parts suppliers, car dealers and purveyors of every accessory you can imagine. If you have time on your side you can even sit down and enjoy live demonstrations, interviews and panel discussions about anything remotely connected to classic vehicle ownership.

The good stuff

If you can appreciate a cherished vehicle, then it doesn't matter what the badge on the bonnet says. You'll easily find something at the NEC that triggers a memory, inspires you to save up, or has you in awe of the level of detail that the owner has put into creating it.

70 years of Porsche

There was no denying the presence of Porsche at this event. A grid of sixteen 986 Boxsters took up plenty of floor space on the Porsche Classic stand. This was alongside the spectacle of 10 Porsche vehicles spanning the past 30 years, painted in 'Liquid Metal' silver all being offered for sale. Each one fully restored and wanting for nothing. What a way to round off their 70th birthday celebrations!

Club life

We spent some time speaking to owners of both VW and Porsche vehicles on display at the many club stands. Here are just a few of our favourites.

Meeting place

It was a pleasure to finally meet TV mechanic Ant Anstead at the show. Having spoken on the phone a number of times and supplied many of the parts he used to re-build Walter Ainsworth's Pierburg Rally Car replica, meeting in person allowed us to share a few memories including those of Walter, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

A Beetle won best of show!

A huge congratulations to Lyndon Creamer whose '64 Beetle scooped the Meguiars Best of Show award. You may remember his car took top honours at Volksworld earlier this year too. We could go on and on with photos and reasons for why each car caught our eye. For now, though, that was the NEC Classic Motorshow 2018 - pop it in the diary for next November and we'll see you there. Andy