The Classic Car Live event in Mondello brings models into the open that even diehard classic fans thought they'd never encounter again, writes KILIAN DOYLE
ACCEPTED WISDOM is that in a recession, the first things to go are the luxuries. If ever something fell into that category, it’d be the classic car. For what are they but expensive toys?
But, as the 1,000 classic cars proudly displayed at Classic Car Live in Mondello last Sunday attested, it’ll take more than a silly old recession to get some hardy souls to divest themselves of their beloved playthings.
The place was buzzing. There were hundreds of different makes and models, from exquisite – and frighteningly valuable – Maseratis to regal Rollers to brutish American muscle cars. We even spotted a lowly Daihatsu Charade cowering sheepishly in a corner.
It was a bit like a Star Trekconvention for petrolheads. There were Ford Capri owners in open-necked shirts, flaunting their hairy chests and sovereign medallions, Mustang drivers in Ray-Bans and leather jackets, Jaguar owners in driving gloves and tweeds, and Mercedes owners huddled away from the hoi polloi in their own enclosure.
Thousands of people happily wandered about in the sunshine, ogling cars, munching chips and shopping for automobilia. Elderly couples poured tea from flasks, while young parents pushed buggies through a sea of metal. Not even the inevitable rain, when it put in a brief appearance, could dampen their ardour. And nobody had the bad taste to mention the emissions cloud the size of Luxembourg floating above.
As Mondello’s Fergus Brennan explains, Ireland’s classic car scene is blossoming and interest has never been stronger. While there is a show on somewhere nearly every weekend of the year, he says Classic Car Live, now in its second year, is different because it offers people the chance to not only show off their cars, but also to bring them out on a proper track, be it for one of the parade laps, fast track sessions or historic races.
“It’s a bit more interesting than just looking at them parked in a field,” he says.
The pre-1955 race is one of the day’s highlights. Featuring a bevy of beautiful cars, including incredibly rare machines like the 1913 De Dion Curtis Aero – powered by an aeroplane engine – and a stunning Frazer Nash BMW, it was dominated from the off by a 1930 Bentley with an 8-litre engine that blasted off the start line. Sadly, it handled like a battleship and was overtaken by a divine 1954 Lancia Aurelia GT, which romped home in spectacular style.
Another highlight was the Historic Racing Car Association race, although to call it a race is hardly fair, as the cars entered ranged from Davrian Imps with 998cc engines to a pink monster of a Porsche 911 Turbo that left everyone for dead. This mismatch didn’t stop everyone giving it their all, particularly the legend who was driving his Lotus Elan on three wheels around every corner.
There were two fast track sessions in which 40 cars, ranging from Ford Escort rally cars to huge-engined BMW motorway cruisers, pitted their skills and nerve against each other. It wasn’t supposed to be a competition. But if anyone who took part tells you they weren’t giving it their all, they are lying.
The main focus of this year’s show was the 50th anniversary of the Mini, over 200 of which showed up – from stripped out track rockets to comedy bread vans. The finale was a parade lap of 150 Minis. It was a hoot, and a reminder of why over 5.3 million people bought these cute yet tough little cars over their 41-year production run.
So why do people love classic cars so much? There are as many reasons as there are models of car, but the general consensus is that they have soul, a characteristic missing in today’s identikit boxes where often the badge on the bonnet is the only difference between them. With a few exceptions, most modern cars are missing the inappropriate bulges, extravagance and sheer stylishness displayed by older designs.
“They get into your blood,” says Brennan. “The car you fall for may not be the best looking, fastest or most expensive. There’s just something about them that grabs you.”
Jennifer Halton (22) is in a 1977 VW Beetle stuffed with her giggling mates. When she first saw it five years ago, she fell in love. “There’s nothing quite like it out there. There’s something romantic about driving a classic, they just have more style.”
Others have equally poetic reasons. Pat Ging, bedecked in scarf and driving goggles, is driving a stunning 70-year-old goose grey Standard Flying 8 Open Tourer. Why this particular make? “Because a Standard was the first car I was ever in, being brought home from the maternity hospital.”
Geoff Long is sitting beside his 1960 Turner Sports Mark 1 when we approach. He explains how this dinky little machine – of which only 600 were made – always puts a smile on his face when he drives it. “It’s full of personality and character,” he says, lovingly. But don’t classics break down all the time? “Do they?” he asks with a wry smile.
We questioned a dozen people on what car the novice seeking to enter the world of classic car ownership should go for, and got a dozen different answers. However, nearly all agreed the buyer should get the best possible example of their desired model they can afford, arguing it’s a false economy to skimp on a car.
Even niggles can end up costing a fortune to remedy, particularly on rare models where availability of parts is an issue. Watch out that it’s not infested with the dreaded tinworm.
“The recession means there are real bargains out there at the moment, and will be for a while,” says Noel Simpson, owner of a 1979 MGB. “But the thing about classics is, the older they are, the more they’re worth. It’s a sound investment.”
Many of those surveyed sounded a note of caution. Even if you find a mint example of the car you’ve set your heart on, you have to accept there will be issues.
That’s part of the charm, according to Mark Allen, keeper of a flock of BMWs. “If you want a car that everything works on, buy a new one.”