To be clear, this is just fun. There are no actual prizes and no science behind the judging. Its just our view from visiting and writing about the classic car scene over the past year. We welcome your comments but remember, keep it fun and friendly.
Best club/community:
There are many different types of classic car community. Some are based around a specific make or model, others around events such as touring or motorsport. But the key to a successful community is one that has mutual support, technical knowledge and respect. A lot of organisations , whether virtual or IRL (in real life) are great examples.
Our pick for the community that best represents Yorkshire classic car enthusiasts is Unofficial Yorkshire Classic Cars on facebook. Their posts are always relevant, the page is well managed and the members offer both technical support and encouragement. In addition to their facebook page they hold regular meets as well as supporting other events. The Facebook page also has a comprehensive list of events. With over 5 000 members this must be one of the largest Yorkshire classic car based communities.
(20+) Unofficial Yorkshire Classic Cars | Facebook
Best event:
There are almost as many different kinds of event as there are types of car. Historic racing and rallying, concours, coffee and cars, classic car shows, modified and performance – there is something for everyone.
I think anyone who takes the trouble to organise an event deserves a medal. But the point of an award is to pick just one. Running a close second was the Elland Festival of Speed. This is a town centre show with an excellent range of classic cars .
But my winner in this category is Yorkshire Elegance. This is a concours where some of the worlds best classic and vintage cars compete for honours. These events are relatively straightforward to organise in London and the South but far more challenging here in Yorkshire. I applaud the enthusiasm and organisation and their commitment to the quality vehicles on display.
Best destination:
In the past decade there has been a growth in car themed destinations, many of them taking the form of cafe’s for the car enthusiast. All these destinations provide good food, a liberal sprinkling of cars and value for money. Our winner is NY500 a cafe near Pickering, North Yorkshire. Our reason for them taking the prize is that they have an excellent event space with a regular programme of events from club meets to rallying. A well mantained facebook page keeps fans up to date with events.
Best film/TV or documentary:
Brawn Grand Prix: The impossible story. There have been a rush of motorsport films and documentaries either completed in 2024 or being filmed. Our pick is the inside story of Brawn’s championship winning season. A classic underdog story of an under resourced team taking on the best in the world, and winning. The best thing about the story was how the other teams rallied round to keep Brawn on the grid. But then when they started to when it all changed resulting multiple court cases. You can still find it on the BBC i-player.
Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story – BBC iPlayer
Classic Car of the Year (chosen by Tony Lofthouse) We’ve featured an eclectic range of cars over 2024, from Volvos to Vanden Plas’ and Sunbeams to Skoda, but my favourite has got to be the rare Citroen DS Convertible. Designed and built for the French carmaker by coach-builder Henri Chapron, the model debuted at the 1960 Paris Motor Show. Only 1365 DS convertibles were made and the famous teardrop shape won many admirers. Today, these cars are achieving six figure sums. What a fabulous car. It even looks great as a die cast toy!
Best Restoraton (chosen by Tony Lofthouse) I’ve had the pleasure of following a few classic restorations this year, but the rebuild of a 1964 Jensen CV8 by Adrian Tingle was a real treat. From picking up the car in an online auction in 2018, Bradford-based Adrian turned to some of the best restorers in the county to help him bring this British motoring icon back to life. The project became his passion and Adrian even stored the car’s body shell in his dining room before getting into the main rebuild. Adrian did a fair bit of the car’s restoration himself and by Summer 2020 the Jensen was ready to return to the road again. It’s fair to say that ever since the Regal Red finished CV8 has been turning heads where ever it’s turned up.
Readers choice:
We have only scratched the surface of the classic car industry with our awards. Why not tell us in the comments who you would give an award to. Best dealer, service company, personality. If they make your classic car experience better why not give them a shout out.
Thank you for choosing “unofficial Yorkshire Classic Cars” as club/ community we must be doing something right 👍🏼🚗