Race Retro

[midgetman]

Al many of us have run the cheap FIA kill swittches only go have them fail. Forty quid is a bargain if the damn things work. You can buy cheap or you can buy good. Rarely both.

What do people want from a show? By very definition it's cars sat still and there's only so many permutations. No-one's making new historic cars. A trade show? Well the organisers have to pay the bills and my numerous customers seemed to like it!

All in all I think this is okay.

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by midgetman

What do people want from a show? By very definition it's cars sat still and there's only so many permutations.

Dancing girls?

Sorry not to have made it this year but didn't miss the journey there and back! Max, I'm with you and have always treated the show as a chance to chat to suppliers and organisers on stands, and fellow racers bump into while meandering about. A very social occasion.

[Al Weyman]

Max 48 quid for a simple mass produced probably in china whoever is selling it switch is too much its as simple as that. Last time I went it definitely was better, sorry thats a personal view but there seemed to be a few more interesting cars on view and if auctions are going to hold events where you already pay 25 quid to get in surely they should let people in to browse whats on offer for free, I have never been charged to go to a British Car Auction, its just greed and self defeating. I or anyone could have gone in and got interested in something and bid without thought of buying anything before I went in. I even overheard exhibitors moaning there wasnt as much space taken up this year.

[Peter Mallett]

I'm sorry I missed this, I was really looking forward to my first visit.

[Alan Raine]

My visit this year was somewhat brief! I arrived last friday at 10am but had to leave at 12.30 to get back up to Cheshire to finish work that had to be at the printers by 5pm!!

To be honest I didn't see an awful lot as I kept on meeting people but I did get to sit in, what for me, is one of the iconic Special Saloons of the 70's

[chunder]

What was interesting was the Silverstone girls pulling just about everyone over to actually get you to go into the auction!

I have heard of missing the point but surely wouldnt they be better trying to promote a historc meeting?

And really what was the point of the Group B thing again? They werent promoting an event or a rally? Just there with loads of Isle of Man stuff everywhere?

On the other hand teh Imp area was briliant, and the Alpine's, nice but all the same really, but wow how many?

I know a few stalls that usually go but didnt as it did little for them, sad to say, but this economic crisis just keeps on biting the hand that feeds it.

[johngee]

It was a good show for us at 360MRC. We were a bit light on printed literature as we have revised our scheduled meetings for 2013 (for the better we think) very much at the last minute, so it was a good opportunity to be able to talk that through with a number of our regular competitors.
It was great to see so many friends and Claire and I are pleased with the continuing support. Thank you!

[zefarelly]

Errr . . . .are you sure? There's 100's of thriving businesses out there. It is, like all the others just a massive trade show.

Originally Posted by midgetman

No-one's making new historic cars.

A trade show?.

[Al Weyman]

Well if it is just a trade show surely £25 was simply too much. I went to a trade show on Sunday which was equally interesting in its own way and as it was a trade show to potential customers it was as you would expect free.

[chunder]

Haha, Al, you know why they charge!

For one they have to pay Moss's fee! then pay to hire the venue and then take advantage of all us muppets who dont have anything else to do!

At least it doesnt cost a tenner to park and then have to subsidise a "free" bus service!

But I get your point. Did enjoy the lovely lady on the sort of "poor mans Goodwood in Northampton" stand though, my word she was a bit of lovely.

And is it wrong to admit that the only car I wanted to drive was the 50's stock car on the Brisca stand with the flathead in it! Guess the oval racer in me never dies, forget your Jags, MG's and Alpines!

[midgetman]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Errr . . . .are you sure? There's 100's of thriving businesses out there. It is, like all the others just a massive trade show.

What I meant was - and with pudgy fingers couldn't get over on my phone - the consensus of opinion was that it was "the same as always". My point being there is a finite pool of cars labelled "historic" and you won't see anything much different if you attend dozens of shows/events during a number of years.

E.e. If you go to Autosport show you will get the latest whizz bang single seater or whatever, but there can be no new whizz bang single seater in historics. There may be a whizz bang modification to Lotus Cortinas and to demonstrate it the supplier has to display a Lotus Cortina, at which point the disinterested say "it was boring, there was nothing but Lotus Cortinas on display and I've seen them before".

I didn't mean to imply no-one was building cars for historic racing any more.

As with many shows, I reckon that a spectator needs to go once every three or four years.

[zefarelly]

Quite, I have missed the last 3 . . .I did want to go but work got in the way, and the income pays foor a days testing . . . which is far better an investment of time and money.

likewise, last time I went to autosprout show was 5 years ago . . . I was working all weekend, did my head in, not been back since.

[chunder]

Good points all, I think maybe you feel so bored that you will do anything o just get out and about.

Those of us that would love to compete or do something but simply havent the space or infrastructure to do it are maybe worse!!!

i havent been to Autosport for many yeras, mainly because of their appalling pricing, and the sad thing is I know a this is the reason a LOT of my racing mates dont go!

Retro for me is made by the rally cars, which thankfully go from stregth to strength, I had a few natters, and really enjoyed that part of the show, was great to see Jim, Russell and Dai back in the saddle, and some of the cars were really nicely prepared.

But as I said before, if that wasnt there I dont think I would go back, unless I was buying specifics.

[midgetman]

Having said what I said above, I do concede that this year there was a paucity of "interesting" historic cars, and maybe that's because the organisers don't have historic racing in their veins. If they were more in touch with the scene, maybe there would be some more "must see" classics - for instance to my unknowing eyes the two cars on the Team Lotus stand looked the same. Hopefully it's just a poor year and will be better in 2014.

However, a chap bought some stuff off me yesterday and was back on the phone for some more today. He was a Race Retro virgin and thoroughly enjoyed himself, thought it was an excellent show.

[chunder]

Thatw as exactly how Iw as after the first one too!

So I think the theory of going once every few years is a good plan!

Plus last year I only went coz I won a ticket here on the site, but that was a disaster as the ticket didnt arrive and I ended up paying, then they wouldn't give me the money back, so by rights I should have never gone near the place again!

Just shows how a cold winter of miserable weather and no racing makes you more likely to be cretinous!

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by chunder

makes me more likely to be cretinous!

Must resist, really must resist!

[midgetman]

>>>>>>>>>Those of us that would love to compete or do something but simply havent the space or infrastructure to do it are maybe worse!!!

I'm interested in the feelings behind that comment. I think there have never been MORE opportunities to get involved in the Historic scene and they were all on display at RR in spades. Track days, road tours, hillclimbs, trialling, all can be done in an "older" road car without vast expenditure. Then by being involved you get to know people and the chance to be "involved" further grows with your network, even if it's "tea boy" for a historic racing team. Make yourself essential and they'll even pay for your ticket!

Whatever, I don't think there's any excuse for feeling excluded from motor sport just because you don't own the headline car that's flavour of the month.

[chunder]

Interesting

My main reasons are storage, trailer and tow car! I would simply love to get invovled in something, but am not into the sort of marshlling, organisation side.

I would love to drive of course, but I dont have a garage or somewhere to work on a car, I know I could rent somewhere, but am hopeful one day some kind old soul would offer me a dry barn!!

Not that keen on things like trialling or sort of road rally type of events.

My main interest would be in racing or rallying, but then you have the costs of entry fees and the like, same as any motorsport.

But seeing some of the stuff on the classic saloon car site for instance makes you think, I wonder, there must be something !

But having to have a daily driver makes it tougher. I dont feel excluded chap, just havent the space to be impulsive!!! NAd I would need to be impulsive here as being rational would mean you would never buy anyting historic!!

My dream is to race some old hector in VSCC, some things that farts and splutters but feels like you are doing 100mph, I love all that stuff!!

[Derwent Motorsp]

PR for journalists:


Great to see so many of you in the press office over the weekend at Race Retro. The feedback from visitors and exhibitors has been brilliant, with many claiming it to be the best show yet.
Once again the visitor figures have increased, with the show having showed steady progression in its ten year history.


We'll put an official press release out in the next day or so but for those who want some quick facts and figures here are the initial result…


Approx visitors in 2013: 28,935 (28,500 in 2012)
Number of exhibitors: 275


Silverstone Auctions generated premium inclusive sales of more than £1.4 million. 64 per cent of the road cars on offer were successfully hammered away, with a further nine competition cars also finding new homes.
Among the highlights of the road cars successfully sold were a stunning 1967 Aston Martin DB6 which sold for a premium inclusive £123,750, while an exceptional 1952 Land Rover 80” Series 1 sold for £32,850, more than double its pre-sale estimate. The 1953 Connaught AL10 Historic Grand Prix Car, driven in period by legends such as Roy Salvadori, John Coombs, Kenneth McAlpine, Ron Flockhart and Bill Whitehouse, fetched £196,875. A 1985 Ford Sierra Cosworth Group N rally car, was the subject of a hard fought bidding battle, eventually selling for significantly £39,900. More unusual home-grown lots also finding new homes were a 1995 Austin FX4 London taxi and a 1962 Leyland Routemaster bus, which sold for £20,250.


Special guests included: Sir Stirling Moss, Murray Walker, Tiff Needell, Barry Lee, Win Percy, Barrie Whizzo Williams, Bob Dancer, Len Terry, Norman Dewis, Stan Dibben, John Cooper and Ken Sprayson.


Murray Walker said: "This is my first time at Race Retro and I'm so impressed, not only with what the show has to offer, but the passion of the enthusiasts attending. I've had a wonderful time meeting some of my dear old friends that I never thought I'd get to see again. In the immortal words of General Douglas McArthur, 'I shall return'."


Chasing exhibitor quotes/stats but there are some good visitor quotes on the show's Facebook page for those who want them