Sunday 16 January 2011

Cars, Coffee & Doughnuts

Despite saying I was cutting back on the number of events we do each year, January has been as busy as ever, meeting number five this morning saw us London bound once more to New Malden on the A3 for the Krispy Kreme Doughnut gathering.

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We’d arranged to meet up with the JTBs and spied them as soon as we arrived, so meandered along nattering and checking out the Muscle on display.

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This Chevy belongs to Nick who borrowed our Beetle for a photoshoot a couple of years ago, the perfect family car!

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This is the Cortina that eluded me at the New Years Day meet.

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Feeling peckish we headed inside and grabbed a table before ordering a dozen of KKs finest.

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Solid food maybe a few months away, but it always helps to investigate it in advance.

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With a light shower outside the crowds indoors got bigger and some people started to head home so I nipped out for some more snaps.

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Soon it was time to head off so we headed for the side street to collect the Passat and said our goodbyes. If you’re ever in New Malden on the third Sunday of the month, its well worth stopping by for a sweet snack and some big cars.

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Cheers for looking, the rest of the photos are here

Steve.

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Wednesday 12 January 2011

Retro Rides does the Ace Cafe

For the fourth year running the January classic car night at the Ace CafĂ© also doubles as the Retro-Rides awards night. A chance for the forum members to nominate and vote for the best of the years retroy-ness, as well as a chance to chat without a keyboard and monitor being involved. Realising that the Camper hadn’t moved since September I topped the oil up, crossed my fingers that the legendary German reliability wouldn’t let me down and turned the key, it started on the first turn and is was away for the cruise into the capital.

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The carpark was already quite full with a varied selection of the finest RR has to offer, Seths Borgward was all trailered up awaiting an extended stay with KFW.

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After a pitstop for a full English and a steaming cup of coffee it was back out to snap for a while.

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Back inside the crowds gathered as The Boss read out the awards, it’s a real shame more of the winners hadn’t made the trip out, but some of the worthy ones were there to collect the spoils. I picked up a third place in the “Best photographer” category, I feel a bit guilty as I hadn’t had time to get on the forum for several months and hadn’t nominated or voted either.

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With the awards wrapped up it was back outside to chat and get a few last snaps as people headed home.

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The Camper made it there and back in one piece and heads into its yearly service and MOT period now, fingers crossed once again. A full list of the award winners can be found here and more photos can be found here

Steve.

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Sunday 9 January 2011

VSCC Winter Tests

Following last years introduction to the world of the Vintage Sports Car Club at Brooklands, I decided to give it another try. Unlike last years snowed out January date this year things went ahead as normal, the sky was blue and cloudless and the temperature, in the sun at least, was quite pleasant. As its always more fun to have a car full on these trips the whole family and my brother jumped in for the drive over, through the ticket gate at the old banked circuit we were soon amongst the pre war rides.

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Winner of the “best radiator cap mascot” this MG was sporting a very nifty Schneider Trophy Supermarine Spitfire model with turning prop.

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Dressed for the weather!

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The first test we headed for was the infamous “Test Hill” a mighty stretch of concrete that climbs from the flat to a staggering 1:4 at the top, pushing the pram up the track alongside was a bit of a struggle, but worth it for the views at the end.

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Walking on to the Members Bridge we got a birdseye view of the banking based tests, cars on skinny tyres skittering along on the damp surface.

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Easing our way down the slope, the thought of a runaway baby hurtling into the carpark below, I was thankful for hiking boots today! Back on the flat we watched one of the many salmon style auto tests, each laid out in cones to confuse the drivers.

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One of our cars of the day, the 1911 Scat Racer, 9.5lts of thundering engine hurling a couple of wicker chairs strapped to the chassis along.

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We took a wander round the paddock, marvelling at the variety of cars on show, each one showing signs of heavy use in the mud and leaves of the tests.

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While the last of the morning tests was run we nabbed a table for lunch and then had a walk round the museum, there is far more to look at than is possible in a day, but I’ve been a few times now so selected my favourite sections to peruse, before heading back up to the banking for the afternoon tests.

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We ended up following this 1932 Morgan three wheeler round a few tests, its driver running a hand throttle to ease the 990cc engined car round.

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I took to the banking myself, but chickened out mid way up as the slope got steeper.

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With the sun going down the temperature was dropping too, so we took a last wander round before heading for home. A fantastic day out and a great introduction for Lily to the high octane world of motorsport.

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The rest of the photos can be seen here

Steve.


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