2024 Show Reviews

September - Sywell Classic Pistons and Props,

Sywell Aerodrome, Northamptonshire.

“Sywell Classic Pistons & Props”?… No maybe not?... Not this year!

As the day progressed I heard many retakes on the show title. How about “Sywell Static, No Pistons, No Props”, or even “Sywell Pistons & Puddles”. Which ever your preference, they all tell the story. Rain, Rain, Rain, Lightning, Heavy Rain and Flood!

The BBC has forecast Windy, Cold & Lightning and Wet, Wet, Wet and unfortunately no these are nothing to do with 70s & 80s music bands with a smash hit singing about September or fronted by Marti Pellow ! No.. this is the weather for today as told by Carol Kirkwood at the BBC. Yikes!!! Well, we’re booked to attend… we’re expected… So…its Showtime! This is going to be entertaining one way or the other I comment as we walk out the front door! So its 7.00am and I’m in the tin top ZT modern classic as I head off west with Jordan and Chris following behind in Jordan’s modern classic for the short fifty mile run across the A14 to Sywell Aerodrome for this years Sywell Classic Pistons & Props.

We are meeting up with a fellow enthusiast and friend at the Horseshoe pub car park in Sywell, before we enter the showground. Neil’s bringing his ‘69 MGC Roadster for the day. A beautiful car with an absolutely awesome sounding straight six engine.

Five miles in and the mizzle has started, wipers on intermittent. No problem! Fifteen miles in, wipers are now on full, but low speed. Okay, we knew it was coming! Twenty five miles in, wipers still on full, but double speed now! Thirty five miles in, wipers on triple speed! This is Heavy! Forty five miles in, rain still torrential but also the sky has blackened to night and the lightning’s started. Wow, I’m thinking, there’ll be no race car action or wing walking with this! Its got to be cancelled surely?

We pull into the Horseshoe and five minutes later Neil arrives in the MGC. We wind windows down, look at each other and laugh, no words necessary! Jordan braves the downpour and jumps into the back of my car to tell us that the show promoter’s have just posted that due to adverse weather conditions the show has been cancelled. A quick chat and we all decide to drive into the Aviator Hotel on the showground for breakfast. So we head off for the very short drive and find at the bottom of the dip 100 yards before the Aviator, the road is completely flooded!

We sit for a second pondering the water depth as a little old 1970s mini heads straight in. With water a quarter of the way up the car it keeps going and makes it through, followed by a succession of 1960s and 70s classics all happily emerging on the other side. Neil then heads in with this MGC and as I follow him I’m followed by Jordan. As I watch Neil’s MGC partially submerge I’m thinking “That water must nearly be running over his sills.” But Neil pushes on, and he’s through. All’s going swimmingly for me and just as I’m nearly through the car splutters, coughs and dies!!! I’m still in 4 inches of water but almost through, Jordan’s made it and pulls alongside with a knowing look as to what’s happened. “Stay there I’ll give you a push” he said as he jumps out of his car and ran to the back of mine followed by Chris and they both push me onto the dry. Now all we’ve got to do is get it going again. Turning over the engine it just didn’t want to know. Then all of a sudden… a cough and a splutter and a sound like a little fart from the tailpipe and it lumpily fired up with so much water gurgling in the tailpipe and steam billowing everywhere as it tried to blow out and evaporate all the water that had entered the silencer when it stalled. We must have looked from a distance like a dozen steam engines coming down the road!

With the engine now running in a fashion I gingerly nursed the ZT into the Aviator and we all parked up and entered the restaurant for a well earned full English breakfast, chat and a laugh over the mornings proceedings. If there’s one thing that stands out from this entertaining event, it is that while all these 1950s, 60s and 70s classic cars easily coped with a bit of water, a modern 2000s classic with all its electronic wizardry and gadgetry just couldn’t hack it.!!!

“Says it all I think!”

Photos by Christine & Jordan Howlett

September - Newark Kit Car Festival 2024

Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire.

Now in it’s third post pandemic year and with summer sun in full attendance( at least on the Saturday… Sunday was a completely different story!!). Every ingredient was in place and set for the Newark Kit Car Festival 2024.

Within the Stephenson Exhibition Hall attending manufacturers pulled out all the stops with a very impressive display of current and new models to tempt perspective owners and future kit builders to the fun of ownership. AK Sportscars as always had a very impressive stand with some absolutely stunning Cobra’s, a GT40 model and one-off customer order cars. For me the car of the show had to be their beautifully finished grey and golden yellow trimmed Cobra which is a one-off customer special order, with the customer having his own vision down to the last detail working perfectly. Checkout the matching dash gauges and diamond stitched upholstery in the photo images. Stunning!

Outside a good showing from the owner / drivers and clubs in attendance, but numbers are still down on yesteryear and what possibly could be seen as the heyday of the kitcar scene. Displaying and demonstrating for the weekend saw the Cyclekarts of Great Britain. If you are new to this, Cyclekarts Great Britain started informally in 2018 with an official club being launched in 2022 to promote Cyclekarting in Great Britain, enabling members to enjoy an annual programme of events.

So what is Cyclekarting?… Cyclekarts are compact, lightweight sports machines, home and handmade by their owner / drivers using basic D.I.Y. skills and hand tools. Their inspiration comes from the heady and innovative world of pre-war racing cars. New members to the club looking to get started will find encouragement and technical support in their first build from both the group and the forum. Checkout www.cyclekartsgb.com for further info.

As the day came to a close and we packed up kit for the journey home, around the showground owners are talking of dodging rain on their travels. Leaving the showground we are still in full sunshine, but after 30 miles the skies are getting heavier and ever darker ahead. Figuring the rain must now only be 10 miles ahead as we travel south, we turn 90 degrees to the east and find welcoming blue skies ahead. Huge sigh of relief and a round of smiles!!! Returning home and pulling onto the drive, we have made it and beaten the rain!!! Tomorrow though will be a different story as we are booked to attend Sywell Classic Pistons and Props in Northamptonshire.

Photos by Jordan Howlett

August - Knebworth Motor Show 2024

Knebworth House, Hertfordshire.

Its 7.30am and I head off south for a short seventy mile run down the A1 to Knebworth Park. This is always a pleasant drive and such an easy venue to get to. Apart from the one time I was driving down before sun up in a modern classic show car and was the unfortunate recipient of a forty foot artics unwanted amorous advances as it decided to switch lanes and sent me spinning across the carriageway with more gusto than Louie Spence after his first coffee of the day. If he wanted an autograph that badly, he only needed to ask!

This is Classic Motor Events new look show for 2024 since taking over leadership of the event from Gemini Events post pandemic. As I pull into the show ground I am quickly directed by the event staff to my display area for the day and I can immediately see that exhibitor numbers seem down on what I would have seen pre-pandemic at this premier venue.

Over the next hour or two a steady stream of club and individual vehicle exhibitors continue to enter the show ground with things starting to look up and the organisers breathing a sigh of relief. For some reason entries still seem down on pre-pandemic numbers for some events around the country.

Quite why this slow recovery for some events is happening is unsure but the signs of improvement are looking better for the future.

At the head of the show ground The Motion Picture Motor Club were set up with a small display of impressive movie and iconic sports cars, whilst the arena played host to driver and restorer interviews throughout the day. Retained from the Gemini days saw the annual decibel dual which attracted a good number of participants from exhibiting vehicles all flexin’ their right foot for the 2024 trophy.

Around the show ground live music, traders and refreshment outlets kept visitors sufficiently feed, watered and entertained throughout the day. This is a very well organised show in a prestige venue with something for the whole family.

A great day out and well worth attending in 2025.

Photos by Christine Howlett

August - Stamford Car Show 2024.

Stamford Meadows, Lincolnshire.

Held within the picturesque town centre meadows and booked to capacity weeks before the event. This show always delivers for exhibitors and visitors alike.

Arriving at the show ground, its another glorious sunny Sunday and the meadows are filling up nicely with a constant stream of prestige sports cars, classics, American muscle, bikes and trucks. We are quickly marshalled to our display area for the day by the very well organised Round Table event Marshals. Once set up a quick stroll around the show ground saw some very familiar faces polishing and prepping their exhibits ready for the day.

10am and with over 500 cars and bikes now on display, the footfall visitors through the gate started to arrive and the show ground was quickly alive and buzzin’. Visitors to the event could browse the automotive works of art and trade stands. The annual charity duck race was again scheduled for the afternoon with individual ducks selling well to visitors and exhibitors alike.

By midday Mums, Dads and Grandparents are gracing the showground coffee and food outlets, while others are eyeing up their early morning prepped picnic hampers. This is a very relaxed show and finds many returning year on year for a catch up with familiar faces and friends on a sunny Sunday.

4.30pm and vehicle exhibitors are saying cheerio and slowly starting to pack up kit and leave the show ground for another year.

Thanks must go to the Stamford Round Table for organising this annual event and if you’ve not been to the event or this beautiful Lincolnshire town before, its definitely one for the calendar in 2025.

Photos by Christine Howlett and Karen Harley

August - Rushden Classic Car and Bike Show 2024.

Rushden, Northamptonshire.

After a very wet start to the 2024 show season the sunshine once again came through and joined the party for the fourth annual Rushden Classic Car and Bike Show.

Held within the grounds of Hall Park and organised by the Rushden Historical Transport Society this years event promised to be a good one… and it certainly held up to its promise. With a packed showground sold out weeks before the event, whatever your preference, whether Classics, Sports Cars, Trucks or Bikes there was something for everyone.

Around the showground over forty trade stands and stalls offered crafts, gifts, food, drink and ice’s to relieve you of that small change in your pockets.

To keep exhibitors, visitors and listeners up to speed on the days attractions Northamptonshire’s Beat Route Radio was in attendance to highlight some of the outstanding exhibits with driver interviews and a good old splash 70s, 80s and 90s hits.

Throughout the day saw the Mainline Big Band with vocalist performing hits from the 1920s through to present day.

For me the bike of the show had to be the Royal Enfield custom build which was a three year project with bespoke extended swing arm to give the bike a better stance, with modified Douglas rear mudguard and modified front forks. To the tank gold leaf had been custom applied to add a bit of sparkle and bling. This was the owners first build and you can see from the attention to detail that there will be many more ideas brewing in the pipeline for future builds.

Photos by Christine Howlett

July - Kimbolton Country Fayre & Charity Car Show,

Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire.

Another glorious sunny Sunday saw exhibitors, drivers and families turn out in force for the annual Kimbolton Country Fayre & Charity Car Show. This is a real family show with main arena entertainment, a live stage, prestige and sports car displays, refreshment outlets, fair ground, craft and trade stalls and much more!!

Held within the beautiful grounds of Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire and organised by the Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle in partnership with the Sporting Bears, this event is a must and annually pencilled in on many kitchen calendars.

Marshalling for exhibiting drivers was as always very well organised with separate entry lanes depending on your display location. Within this beautiful location cars exhibit throughout the tree laden grounds, to the open square and around the castle.

An early quick stroll around the showground found all traders setting up shop while exhibiting drivers prepped their cars with their own favoured brand of polish and tyre shine. With the waft of breakfast burgers, bacon rolls and hotdogs drifting around the showground, it wasn’t long before one of our drivers said “Okay, who’s up for a bacon roll”… Instant show of hands followed with a round of smiles!!

On the live stage the Galaxy Swing Band entertained throughout the day with their mix of Swing, Jive & Jazz. While the main arena played host to a variety of country activities to include falconry flying, sheepdog trial and beagle displays. Inside the Castle a state room had been set aside for a special display of the 00 scale Kimbolton Model Railway. This model was operated by members of the St Neots Model Railway Club.

Thanks to the ongoing dedication and efforts of the Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle and the Sporting Bears, the event was another great success. If you haven’t been before, why not give it a go in 2025. You’ll have a great day out… And if you’ve got a sports car or classic, why not bring it along and join in.

Thanks to the ongoing dedication and efforts of the Rotary Club of Kimbolton Castle and the Sporting Bears, the event was another great success. If you haven’t been before, why not give it a go in 2025. You’ll have a great day out… And if you’ve got a sports car or classic, why not bring it along and join in. Have Fun!!

Photos by Christine Howlett