Restoration Show NEC

New Show
Anyone going to this Show, Look like it only a small one in 2 halls at NEC between 12 and 13 April.

Practical Classic are doing a live show over the weekend with Barn finds/Auctions auto jumbles and trade stands

I've been to the show today and all I can say is very disappointed, not what I was expecting, it appeared to be a down scale Classic Car Show in two halls with cars on display, silverstone auctions  a display of barn finds and usual stands selling tools,cleaning products,die cast models auto jumble.

I thought with it been advertise as a restoration show there would be upholsters auto elect,body shops ect showing there trade.

Also trade must be slow not much discounts on offer.

Thanks for your comments, I could not decide to go or not, and to be honest thought it would be much bigger looking at the web-site

I went and it wasn't terrible, it is nothing compared to the one in November

I did win the spark plug challenge tho

I was in two minds if to go, didn't - can wait til November!

Well done on the win Jelly! What did you have to do? Change some?

Yea 4 spark plugs out of a mini  cyclinder head as quick as you can

Well done. What did you win? The spark plugs?

no a 150piece halfords socket set

plus the top 5 over the year go into the final to win a spitfire car

Oh nice one!!  

…shame not a spitfire aircraft!!  

You don't need the socket set… Donate them to the raffle!!

This year was the first event and we all know that it takes ages to build up a show. Look where we started from and how much the AGM has improved in 10 years. 

Firstly thanks to Cabrioanna for the tickets. Yes it was just a small show with many of the cars in 'as found' condition and mostly pre 1960s.

One or two interesting cars though. Brian Rollins first car, http://home.bt.com/lifestyle/motoring/motoringnews/pensioner-finds-his-first-car-59-years-later-11363893575548  The Volvo P1800 from The Saint TV series and a car once owned by Dame Vera Lynn but with most of the concentration on British cars with the odd French one thrown in unless you are an  oldie like me enjoying some nostalgic memories , there was nothing to get excited about.

 As stated above there were very few 'specialist' traders and certainly none that are not represented at all the regular shows through the year and so the chances of finding any new sources were almost non existent.

Listening to the 'experts' on the stages it became obvious that even they felt restoration at nuts and bolts level is a labour of love and far more cost effective is to wait till the right fully restored vehicle comes up for sale!

Silverstone Auctions had a large array of real barn finds for sale although these were behind a picket fence with a £10.00 entrance fee to view despite the sale raising in excess of £1m.

So to sum up, unless you are about to start or have just completed a full strip down to bare body shell and want to display the before or after results this is not a show for displaying your pride and joy.