Author Topic: The 2015 National Rally  (Read 24782 times)

richard

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #45 on: September 09, 2015, 03:17:29 PM »
Hi Jean ( I just love saying that ; ) ) 1983 okay so 32 years ago and that's a long time but was it driven on the field or road ?
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Grant Kearney

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #46 on: September 09, 2015, 06:15:54 PM »
Richard,
The last time Gordon's Gordon made a public appearance was in 1993 at Hatton.  Had rather hoped that it might make a guest appearance at Hatton again this year, but sadly not.
The only Gordon I have seen that was driven was the blue and yellow one that Gordon Gunter used to own.  However I doubt it was road legal.
The last time I remember seeing Gordon's Gordon being driven was in 1983 at the National held at Sudeley Castle that year, the year we caused chaos by getting all the microcars driving around the arena nose to tale. There is a video of that somewhere.  Jean

Looked for the footage Jean and yes, your memory is spot on !!.  Absolute chaos and clearly before 'public liability' insurance was needed !!.  The Gordon is trailered but is driven around the arena, however the  Allard Clipper is driven to the event......

richard

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #47 on: September 09, 2015, 08:38:15 PM »
Great we have Gordon Fitzgeralds Gordon driven at Sudeley and Gordon Gunters driven at Hatton but still no idea if either were driven on the road . So let's pose the question , has anyone in the world driven  a Gordon on the road post 1960 say ?
« Last Edit: September 09, 2015, 08:42:19 PM by richard »
outside of a dog a book is mans best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read .Groucho Marx 1895-1977

Rob Dobie

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #48 on: September 09, 2015, 10:39:50 PM »
I used to take out an old mate called Anthony Gordon for a drive in my car sometimes in the 1980s. Does this count?  ;D

Great to see pictures of Bob's Bobbette (Tourette) at the National. Takes me back to 1976 when I had my Tourette on the road, all legal too.
Ain't got nuffink now except memories.

super-se7en (Malc Dudley)

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #49 on: September 16, 2015, 12:59:13 PM »
This weeks classic car buyers weekly has a full page spread of the national plus a three page feature on micro cars in general.
It shows a good selection of cars and a favourable report on the rally.

Rusty Chrome (Malcolm Parker)

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #50 on: September 16, 2015, 09:57:12 PM »
Thanks Malcolm
Malcolm
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Mark Green

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #51 on: September 16, 2015, 11:15:32 PM »
Now that I am back home I must Thank Malcolm and the Frisky Gang for an amazing time and a job well done at the 2015 National Rally!  They went well above my expectations on our recent visit and put on a fantastic event. Everyone I talked with was wonderful and friendly and someday I hope to return. To see so many different micro cars in one place was a dream come true and I must tip my hat to all and say Thank You!
1958 FriskySport

milnes

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #52 on: September 16, 2015, 11:18:33 PM »
Hey Malc, what issue number or date of Classic car buyer are you are talking about?
I need to stop buying!

super-se7en (Malc Dudley)

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #53 on: September 16, 2015, 11:48:08 PM »
It came out today. Issue 297

Big Al

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #54 on: September 17, 2015, 08:42:23 AM »
As opposed to the more glossy and arrogant Classic Car Bias Weekly, complete with Ben Heath's Contempt section, which has featured a few Microcars, as well as Invalid Carriages, over the years.

National - Now hearing about the additional work created by the on site eccentricities. Like locking the access gate at 8 pm so a micro guard had to be on hand to get folk in, for instance. Its this hidden running about behind the scenes that tends to sap the energy of our dear organisers.

Other comment was the unacceptably low Messerschmitt turnout, again. Now I happen to know there is a bit of a Schmitty gang not far to the north of that area. So there should have been a core group of them, supported by more far flung cars. I met quite a few of them, but they had not bought their cars along. Several could have pushed them there!  There seems to be a mental block between Schmitters and the National Rally, unfortunately. The MEC historically did much to combat that, but since their hibernation, and the lack of a whipper in, things have drifted back to disappointingly low attendance. But then several Micronauts suggested they were happy that there were not to many Schmitters there, as they found them 'unfriendly', for want of a better term. Oh dear, the fression continues.

Discussion turned to the number of rare cars present. Disappointment was expressed, but then mitigated, as the very success of a massed rank of Friskys put them out of mind as rare. It is probably the case that a good half of the Frisky owners could have bought some other rarity along, instead. So there was not a shortage of rare cars, it happened that quite a few were the same sort of car. If anything the shortage of rare cars is possible due to the underlying fact that rather than a lot of people owning one or two rare cars, a fewer number of people now own a lot of rare cars. The same might be said of the main types, but many more have been restored. So I am not sure.

Such was the busy nature of the day I met no one who had counted up the cars. It looked like over a 100 to me, and there will have been some turnover of cars during the weekend, due to other commitments. But then an event is not just judged on the number of cars. We remember some previous Nationals for the numbers of cars, but others for that much sought inflaming of enthusiasm that can happen, when the many gather to celebrate a thing they have a passion for. If it were easy to light that touchpaper, then every event would be brilliant. Clearly the news coming back is that this last National was meeting those credentials, and would seem to have sent folk home with some enthusiasm to get out into the garage and get some work done.

This is, or was, an event to build on. My belief is that its in the right area, The Cotswold, the old stamping ground, is now considered South. Not least with the South West not attending in any numbers, confused by the availability of Beaulieu, Dorset Steam Fair and the new dominant feature down the coast, Goodwood, pressing the dates foreword from mid September into the August Bank Holiday. If these events are on the same weekend then being 'South' is not the attraction that will gain extra cars. I fear a National v Beaulieu clash is going to become a common and unavoidable situation. Therefore the centre of gravity shifts North, and Hatton becomes effectively about as South, as perhaps, one wants to go.

For me the venue was good. But I was not present for a weekend, which is really the test. But I heard no complaints other than another on site eccentricity of closing the Toilet block at, 10 pm, I believe. Quite bizarre and while unhelpful to the ladies, an inducement for chaps to take to the hedge. Is that really a sensible policy on Hatton's behalf? Makes the venue edges a bit, eer, tacky! If I had kids I would be rather put off going for any event there!

A note on Beaulieu. As had been expected there was a shortfall of stall holders. This was resolved by offering Irish jumblers a discounted trip over. The PR trumpet well claim all sorts of nonsense, as a result. So the friends of friends who were down there were a bit miffed to have paid in full, only to see preferential treatment offered to a fair few 'newbies'. Also the quality threshold dropped, and there was more 'car boot'/ephemera stalls to car parts stalls, than ever. The telling comment was it is now possible to walk the jumble in a day, as you can discount so many stalls as not selling car parts. That would have been impossible during its heyday. Like the Veterama, you needed a weekend to know you had been in every box. Goodwood has attracted the top end and professional stalls to its international event. It seems to be dictating the weekend booking in the year as the premier attraction around that time, not Beaulieu any more. Most of those who attended Beaulieu reported finding little they wanted. But I bet the attraction, and tradition, of going means many will continue to go, come what may.

All food for thought
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AndyL

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #55 on: September 17, 2015, 09:24:01 AM »
Regarding autojumbles, I guess at the end of the day, there is only so many old parts to go around, and once they're sold and either used or stashed away, the pickings become smaller.

Internet sites like ebay, gumtree etc. also make it easier to sell parts and often for better rates than you would achieve at a jumble.

Cars built in the 70's and 80's are now old enough to be considered possible classics, but not many mass produced vehicles seem to really fire people up from those decades, and i suspect most people interested in the classic car movement are old enough to remember those cars when new, and merely now regard them as old bangers.
1959 LHD 3-wheel Isetta.

Chris Thomas

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #56 on: September 17, 2015, 09:28:39 AM »
Dear Al

If you leave out the Ford Consul Classic and the other non microcars at the event, I counted 108 cars on display at the national on Sunday.

Chris Thomas
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super-se7en (Malc Dudley)

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #57 on: September 17, 2015, 09:36:18 AM »
Al
I would like to correct you regarding your statement on toilets.
The main toilet block was open 24 hours and lit at night.
The luxury toilet block we provided was in use from 7am to 11pm and left open all night although the generator feeding it shut off at 11pm so not to keep the campers awake.
I am surprised that you herd such complaints.  this reinforces the statement that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

DaveMiller

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #58 on: September 17, 2015, 10:19:46 AM »
Is the lack of rare microcars a problem?

It is, after all, a "microcar", rather than "rare microcar", rally.

The early days celebrated the large numbers of "usual" microcars, which were then the remnants of the popular models used regularly for transport, as a family's only car.

Nowadays, the cars are kept as a hobby, and the public seem to particularly enjoy seeing the models which they remember.

Big Al

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Re: The 2015 National Rally
« Reply #59 on: September 17, 2015, 12:26:46 PM »
Andy, I tend to agree, except when your dealing with large or heavy stuff, as the Jumble avoids the need to use couriers.

I think it also suits folk who trade in untraceable cash, spending or buying. The on line resource sites for selling have begun to coral persistent sellers into being trade, this does not fit with the experience some people want, or will trade in.  I have dropped right out of doing eBay selling, for instance, though there are other reasons too. So the trade and enthusiast still like jumbling. But you need a reason to go, most times.   


Thanks Chris, I would have thought it was more, so there you go. A good mood increases perceived car numbers! My fav was a Gilbern 1800GT hiding in the public car park. I want one of those.


Malcolm - Well that is interesting. We had a similar prob at Weston Park. No lights in the toilets. A lot of folk treated this as that the block was not usable. They are either frightened of the dark, or in all those years from birth they have yet to discover the geography of their bodies. Do you really need the light on to releave yourself? But clearly folk were disincentivesed at Hatton, including a chum who is a particular bog specialist, well he seems to be in there every hour, on the hour!
I would not class the re-telling as a complaint, but more of an observation, as clearly a solution was found. I just hope it was the main facilities mentioned!

While talking about lights in loos. At Toddington we had a loo block on loan. We rigged up an on demand generator, so that it only lit if someone broke the sensor beam. It gave them 5 minutes to complete there needful activities. Saturday afternoon enter Mr Pratt, who insists on creating a none existent campervan plot next to this unit, despite our attempting to get him to set up elsewhere, leaving the area around the block where, clearly, there was going to be a noise free to park with our service vehicles as a wall, as it was on Friday. This got to the point of abuse to Bob, the main man that year. So it was that those sat up to 3 am around the fire, including myself on late gate duty catching those attempting to sneak in the site for free, continued to trip the generator every tenth minute it was not tripped by natural need. Mr Pratt got more annoyed, so once again it was suggested he moved, and we would willingly help him, somewhat lubricated by then, admittedly. His pride was to great to loose face, so swearing at us, he continued to have a rotten night, as we paid some youngsters to keep up the treatment. I had my protagey (how the hell is that spelt) of the time with me (he has had various trikes, but cannot afford a Microcar sadly), for one. I think the other was Chopper Charlie's lad. Anyway, I was up early to take on pre breakfast duty, and the organisers associates continued the treatment. No doubt some of you will think I am a member of the nasty bastards, no mates club, but I have suffered at the hands of these sort of people before, not least at Weston Park where I would have happily thumped one guy. Anyway Bob condoned it as the guy was an arse, I was happy to join in.

So yes the noise of a generator is an irritant. Its amazing how often toilets are the cause of complaints, or unrest. I have observed it is often those who have bought a kharsi with them in a camper/caravan that used to make most issue. Which begs the question as to why, if they are so bad, do they not use their private facilities? Well, I think its because they prefer to export. The tent equipped tend to just be happy there is a handy clean facility, and get on with it. You got to laugh!


Dave, I do not know if its a problem. Some go to see rare cars, I think. For them there are probably never enough. The owners go as its an excuse to meet up, which is probably the most important thing to them. I hope so. Your observation is correct.
I was attempting to point out this years event actually had not got a shortage of rare cars. The Friskys excelled themselves into commonality. I really enjoyed that, while being no great fan of the Frisky, myself. You never stop learning and it was busy in that line.

Messerschmitt set, Goggo Darts, Heinkel 175, Fiat Jolly, Autobianchi, Fairthorpe Electron Minor, Borgward, Isuzu Trooper
Citroen BX 17TZD & GTI 16v
Held - MG Magnette ZB & 4/44
For sale - Vellam Isetta, Bamby, AC Type 70, Velorex, Church Pod, Reliant Mk5, KR200,  Saab 96, Bellemy Trials, Citroen BXs