It looks like the classic car season has come to an end like a balloon bursting. Where has the summer gone? I have been to a number of shows this year and made some new friends, meet old friends many times at the shows. I know that I haven’t posted for a while again, my excuse is that I have enjoyed my car so much I can even begin to tell you just how much. Opening the garage door on a Sunday morning and getting that smell of classic car. The smell of metal, engine oil, transmission fluid and petrol all mixed together in a very fine subtle unmistakable aroma. It’s like women smell a bunch of flowers with passion. Petrol heads just can’t get enough of that classic car smell. Pulling the cover of still makes me smile stand back and look at her before I get in her. I shut the door, I don’t slam it. Pump the gas to prime the carb and turn the key, the V8 rumble bites the air and fills my ears with decibels. It’s all very poetic and mushy maybe. But, I still feel like that driving the car to a show. I look at every single person on the road a nutter and they are going to something stupid and drive into me. I am in a state of hyper alertness driving as a result.
That way of thinking is the safest way to be, the only time I can relax is when I see other classic cars near the venue, they all have the same opinion as me and also think that everybody else is a nutter who is going to drive into them as well. The thrill of driving a classic car is with me and will never go, I meet up with the guys from Mustang Maniac and drive in convoy. For four years I was driving in my daily driver to the shows just longing to be a part of the scene. Now when we park up we hand out the statutory banter and men type abuse as we do. After wandering around checking the other cars out I get my chair out and watch the world go by the front of the car. It’s a bit like fishing without catching anything. Every so often I get comments on the car and lots of questions about the car from interested people. My best day was where a father had just bought a Lincoln Continental as a project car to do with his son. The questions they were asking me was the same questions I was asking four years ago when I started my journey of restoration. I tried to help them as much as I could with hints and tips. It was a joy to be honest to spend what was an hour or so of having my brains picked. So I have a few of my favorite pictures of the shows I was attending to finish the year off.
Although this is not an actual picture of my car, I just love the reflection in the back of this van. It was taken as a real quick snap shot from inside the car waiting to get into the show.
There remains only one more event that I will be going to and that is the Birmingham NEC CLassic Car show where I exhibited last year. I won’t be exhibiting this year as I didn’t see hardly anything last year. Although being a part of that show was amazing, I was hard work and there was the odd moment where people didn’t give a fig about the cars and would rub their hands all over them, coats being dragged over the paint, etc. I don’t want to risk the damage to be honest.
Car Detailing:
I have been very busy cleaning my car obviously at the shows and after when I get back home. I have been adding reviews under my newer section on the menus “Car Detailing Reviews”. The products have all been honestly reviewed from Meguiar’s, DoDo Juice, Chemical Guys, Poor Boys World, Autoglym etc. Some I liked and some I wouldn’t even give away from the likes of Simoniz. I have one or two products that I shall eventually get around to reviewing at some point. Some I have already done, and there is even a few detailing tools to be tested as well.
Where do I start with all this lot? 😉
Some of these products I have had for a while now and used on my various cars over the years. Some are very new as I move into the complex world of car detailing, and not just cleaning a car. I already have a few favorites of the new breed, but how do they compare to the old school products?
Meguiar’s Ultimate Wax Paste reviewed click here
DoDo Juice Red Mist Tropical reviewed click here
It will be interesting to find out. What will I be doing with my time now as I won’t be showing the car and I wont be restoring the car? I know – clean it!
I will be posting again soon don’t worry. 🙂
I know what you mean about the classic car smell – everytime I open the garage on my 1951 Saab I smell it.
It just makes you smile every time. 👍☺
With my car, it was bought and brought home when I was away. As soon as I came home 4 hours later, it had already filled the whole garage with it’s lovely aroma. You can actually smell it four or five feet AWAY from the garage with the door closed, so it must be pretty powerful.
Oh, and PS, a question I’ve wanted to ask you: does your Mustang have a name?
That is strong smell, I just go in my garage to smell now and again. 😀 I do have a name for my car “Suzi”. Doesn’t get called it very often but more often as my “little baby” The wife just shakes her head when I say that and juse leaves me to it. 😂
Yep, that’s right. Mine’s called Kermit because he’s green and funny looking.
That’s pretty cool. Used to have a car called Bellamy after David Bellamy because it had growth all over it. 😣
That’s naming in a different context indeed! 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed the show season this year in your own car after such a long wait. Lovely to see it out in the sun, shame we don’t get more warm dry weather. Mind you, I think this summer was pretty good in the end, fairly dry and some good hot days ideal for cruising around in a classic car.
Thanks for the comments. For most of the shows I was lucky to see sun only two I got some rain, then I realised just how much technology has moved on with a simple task just to demist the screen. I can’t complain the car is out and I drive it when I can. Looking forward to more shows. I think I may have to upgrade the blog soon as I am running out of space! 😲
Thanks for a great post. I especially enjoy your photos.
Thanks Richard.
Hey Mart! You will forever be wondering if the next goofy bloke will be pummeling your beauty. Not a drive goes by that I don’t worry about the general “a car is just a means from point A to point B” driver. There are times when I’m coasting down my favorite stretch and someone is following way too close. First- it blocks my rear-view mirror and Second- just pass already! I’ll get into the left lane and pretend than I’m turning just to let them pass.
Finally-I absolutely love the pictures of your products. Some work, some don’t. But the amazing part is that what works for you might not work for me. Our cars know what works. When are elbows are moving and we keep double checking… it doesn’t always matter how much we spent. It matter how our hands feel when we shine, it matters what we see when we stand back and take another look.
I remain forever proud that you have reached this point and I’d like to think that you put together that table for the wifey that took up space in the garage. 🙂 Most of all … if you had a dollar for all the times I told your story over here across the pond-you’d be rich. Drive on my friend. Windows down… always!
Hi Debbie, what a reply. I am so with you, I have pulled over in my car in a layby on a narrow road “to look where i am going” even though i have that sat nav on. Then i can enjoy my drive again without worrying.
The products like you so rightly say work better on one car than the other. I am trying to find the best of the best and totally agree that that my opnion and results may well be different on your car. To be fair, there isn’t a huge difference in them. As long as they keep my little lady protected and she look gorgeous then I will be happy. I thought it was just me that gently strokes the paint after a good wax and buff. 😀
Thanks for singing my praises and I have lost count of the number of times that i told people that I am a member of the Mustang Club of St Louis. Then i explain I have my fav blogger from the USA did that for me. Thanks again. 🙂
As for the table and chairs – yep they are in the garden and being used this year. I even got a matching swing seat for her too. the only thing in my garage is the car and the wonderful smell of classic car when I open the garage.
Windows always down this side of the pond too (except for when it rains at a car showw, grrrr.)
Good stuff!
Thanks 🙂
Looks like a lot of fun. And that is a whole lotta cleaning, waxing and shining products.
The trouble is once you buy something better the other products don’t get used and so they could go to waste. such is progress I guess.