I'll take both please

The A4 into London became a lot more interesting a few months ago when Landmark Cars opened a new classic car showroom. The stock changes quite often so you get some good spotting whilst sat in the traffic.

Proper F1

On the way home today we took half an hour out to wander round the Donington Formula One collection. Its the biggest collection of F1 cars in the world and theres some amazing machines inside. Everything for Williams and Mclarens from the last decade to 50 year old cars. The Lotus 49 is a design classic. Engine out the back, British Racing Green with Lotus yellow stripes and not much else.

Back street muscle

Coming out of London today I diverted down through Chelsea and passed a couple of classic car showrooms hidden away down a side street. Parked in the cobble lane behind one of them was this gleaming Mach1 Mustang waiting to be displayed inside.

Traction Avant

One of the first front wheel drive cars. This Citroen was parked up in a village garage on our route back from Birmingham. This one is from the end of the production run in the 1950s as it has the vast boot sticking out the back.

The names Bond, Bond Minicar

Its getting towards the end of the car show season. Thatcham has been a favourite for a few years now so we headed down once more. One of my cars of the day is barely a car. Its a 1950s Bond Minicar, a 197cc bike engined three wheeler. It was brilliant from its little chugging two stroke lump to the way it bounced off the field.

I Spy with my little eye

At bedtime we read some stories to Lily, she tends to pick some books out and we settling in. Tonight she nabbed a book she got for her birthday off the desk in the study. I Spy - Classic Cars. Whilst flicking through we spied the 1960s Amphicar which, by studying the photo and seeing a car and water, Lily named "boatcar"!

Kop Hill Climb

First run in 1910 and stopped due to an accident in 1925. Kop Hill was revived as a hill climb for demo runs in 2009. I've never managed to get to it until this year. Hundreds of cars and bikes from all eras along with a Spitfire entertained the crowds. This 4½ Blower Bentley sounded glorious and looked amazing as it powered up the hill.

Wedding cars

I came past Goodwood today. There was obviously a wedding on and the cars were lined up outside. I'm guessing the silver Rolls Royce was for "her" to arrive in and this 1929 6½ litre Bentley was for "him"

Windsor Concours

I've been to far too many classic car shows to count them all, but I've never been to a Concours show. Its basically a super posh do with very rare cars laid out in nice surroundings with a few people wandering round them. This is a 1938 Bentley Pourtout Coupe, its the only one of its kind. The lady in front is my gorgeous wife, also one of a kind as she accompanied me to the Windsor Concours of Elegance at the Castle to mark the Queens Jubilee. It was amazing.

A practical classic

The Camper has proved very versatile this week. It took me to a weekend show and gave me somewhere to kip each night. Its transported us around the place on trips. It picked up and carried home Lilys new Little Tikes car and today it took my MTB in the back so I could cycle home from Danny Foxs. Its in there to have the engine dropped out to hopefully get to the bottom of the oil leak and burning issues. Danny reckons its either piston rings or the barrels and pistons themselves. So expect several hundred pounds worth of bill soon!

Trip up the hill

Normally I am happy to stand around and watch the other RRers hurtle up the hill climb track. The camper makes a great hauler and bed, but a rubbish hillclimber. This year I took the safety briefing and was tagged with a  wristband that enabled me to get passenger rides. The only thing to do was to blag a ride in something cool. A chance meeting with Seth and a chat to Frankenhealey, the owner of this monster V8 Healey that kicks out around 440hp!!!!!! lead to a possible chance of a ride. Sadly somebody else had been promised the last ride of the day, but if they didn't appear it was mine. I grabbed a hoody from the Camper so I had covered arms and headed back to the paddock. As I arrived the shark fronted classic was a couple of cars from the start line with an empty seat. I didn't need to be asked twice. It was amazing. The noise, the heat, the speed.

Chilling at the Gathering

Its the weekend of the Retro Rides Gathering, a three day show of chilled camping, drinking, eating, talking twaddle and cars. Friday is set up day, with loads of people arriving and camps forming. Somebody has usually bought something amazing and automotive for everyone to gaze at. But all we had was Pollitts Oldsmobile. Stand to close and you'd need  a tetnus jab!

Pitstop for The King

On route to Bedford today I pulled off the M1 at Toddington services. Santa Pod was obviously holding an American meet as the car park had several muscle cars and in the truck stop a few drag cars on trailers including this replica of Richard Petty's Superbird.

Muddy boots

With the localish car show cancelled we decided as it was sunny and blue skies to head back to The Lookout in Bracknell again. The Camper made the perfect transport so we piled in. Sadly the brakes had seized on, no doubt a legacy of the atrocious conditions we drove in the previous weekend, a bit of rocking soon had them cleared with a bang and we were off. Following a go on the swings and the rest of the playground and a long muddy walk it was off with the boots and wet jeans for Lily.

Cool Prom ride

Every so often we get approached by people asking if the Camper is for hire. Sadly insurance prevents this from ever happening. But for friends its not a problem. Kim got a knock on the door earlier in the year from a friend of a neighbour of ours. Her daughter was due to go to the Prom at the end of term with three friends and they wondered if the Camper was available. SO on friday evening with the van washed and clean I drove round the corner to pick them up. The van was duly decorated and we headed off. Loads of cool rides were spotted on route and at the venue, from 50s Americans to a brand new Bentley. For our troubles the girls gave us a bottle of wine and some lovely flowers. The looks on their faces as they arrived was one of delight. Happy to help.

Classics on every corner

Work took me to North London this morning. I'm always on the look out for interesting cars parked up in the side streets. Today was a good haul with a brace of funky 70/80s SAABs, a couple of 80s 911 and this tired but still shiny gold Mercedes.

Daddy and daughter

Today is Fathers Day, its only my second one, but I had so much fun. Being a dad is amazing, I know to Lily its just another day, but to me its special. We started off with breakfast and a couple of handmade cards and pressies before heading over to watch some historic commercial vehicles set of on the Ridgeway Run, fed the ducks on the Thames. Sat and had a drink and a cake, lazied round the house before playing like mad things in the garden and finished off with a trip to see my dad. We don't really go in for the back slapping father & son routine, but I hope he realises what he means to me. We took a card and a railway magazine over which he loved and was soon picking snippets of information out of before sunday dinner. Now I'm home with Lily tucked up in bed and a big smile on my face.

Whats in a number?

There are an infinite number of numbers around. So I could choose literally anything. But I plumped for a number close to home. 1303. The unloved Beetle, many people consider it to be less trendy, less cool, not as pretty. However its the Beetle with proper suspension up front, that handles better than a 50s Bug. And its easier to lower too!

Favourite place

I have a lot of places I consider to be in my favourites. Chilling at home with the family, lazing on a nice campsite with some mates. But today's favourite place was the South Field at Bearwood College for their annual car show. Its all of five minutes from home so it seems rude not to take both our old Dubs along. In a convoy with me driving the Camper followed up by Kim and Lily in the Beetle I was in my favourite place

Fashionshoot

The May prompt list I am following is clearly an American version as today is supposed to celebrate Mother Day, as we've already had Mothers Day in the UK I've gone with the brilliant day at Brooklands I had. I offered the Beetle as a model for a photography course. In between moving the car around the site and chatting to the snappers and models I took the chance to take some photos too. I've never worked with a model before and its a little unnerving having somebody smile back and chat to you. As i don't know the first thing about poses I borrowed the shots when the students were taking theirs. I'm actually quite pleased with some of the results and with practise and actually being the person they are looking at I reckon I could achieve even better. Jason who runs the courses has another in the summer.....