Over the years I have attended many different types of car shows, from your local club show in a park to Goodwood and other prestigious events. It has surprised me that attending these elite shows has generated some negative on line comments.
My view is that there is room for all these events and you should attend only those events you are comfortable with. If a show is too expensive or exclusive for you then don’t go. If people are prepared to pay the entry, then that’s ok by me. Its like restaurants, very few of us can afford to eat at the really top restaurants but I wouldn’t heckle those that do.
I should also like to add that I have never felt uncomfortable at any of these elite events and the owners have (like at most events) been only too happy to tell me all about their cars.
I did however attend Yorkshire Elegance this year and was stopped dead in my tracks by a………… Reliant Robin. Yes that 3 wheeled car that you could drive on a motorcycle licence. I appreciate that these cars are now classics, but to see one nestled between a Lancia Integrale and a Ford RS200 stopped me in my tracks.
I must confess that my father owned one of these cars and it was a constant source of embarrassment for me.
This particular Robin is a special model known as a Reliant Robin SLX and was built to special order for the owner at the end of the final production run. It has less than 1 000 miles on the clock and comes with a walnut dashboard.
I think it proves one thing. The organisers are interested in the rare and interesting and even a Reliant three wheeler can hold its own among Lancias and Aston Martins.
It does not matter what make or model the vehicle is, if it’s rare or a classic, then it has a place at a car show, in my humble opinion, there is no place for snobbish attitudes at classic car events and happily, I have never come across any.
I agree but I am quite active on social media and so a small minority feel it’s ok to have a go. I’m sure they wouldn’t say it face to face.