The London Classic Car Show

The Ally Pally in Hornsey, North London was the venue for this year’s ‘London Classic Car Show’ in late March.
Involved with Volkswagens and Audis by definition – it’s all too easy to have a blinkered, even stereotyped outlook on all motoring issues. It can therefore make an invigorating change just to see how other (as in non VW / Audi) motoring clubs and organisations fair at an open classic car event.

It also gives me an opportunity to chat and discuss wider issues that affect us all i.e. preservation, restoration, concours presentation and topically: the leaded to unleaded fuel issue…

Most makes were represented, either in club form or via a predisposed trader. Rather sadly perhaps, the only Volkswagen representative was via one solitary individual. Roy Wilson – an enthusiast by habit and bodyshop manager by profession at a VAG dealership in Bishops Stortford, East Herts.

In the ‘bullring’ like atmosphere of the Auto Glym section of the shop, it’s certainly a tall order in this nationally recognised level. By ‘invitation only" speaks volumes for the standard required. Just to qualify for consideration all entrants must be recognised concours d’ elegance winners!

Roy’s sea blue 1967 1500cc beetle was not only outstanding and quite extraordinarily clean but, quite by coincidence, a featured car in the April issue of Volkswagen magazine.

Maybe it is churlish of me to begin to compare a classic car show at the Alexandra Palace with the same at the NEC in Birmingham (each May and November). The NEC dwarfs all other shows by a long way, though both the convenience of North London and enthusiasm prevailing throughout the 2 day fixture easily managed to hold its own without guilt or grandiose attitude.

Del Griffin