Last weekend I attended a car show in the beautiful village of Lavenham in Suffolk, not far away from me. The weather was forecast to be cloudy and rain at five in the afternoon. That would be perfect as the show was to finish at four. I would get home before the rain. The morning arrived and I looked at the sky, broken clouds with a hint of sun, do I or don’t I go? There was an outside chance that there would be rain, my car might get wet. I have a ‘paid for’ weather app and it’s usually right. Then I have my lovely wife who simply said “it’s gonna rain, you might as well stay at home and do a little more decorating.” That killed it – I was going. I’m not saying I hate painting and decorating, but I would rather stick certain parts of my anatomy in a bear trap to get out of it. Setting of I was watching the clouds so far so good.
I arrived and was directed to the USA car club area, there was one other Corvette there and he looked pleased to see me arrive. We had a chat about the weather and we both agreed it wasn’t going to rain.
There was a few cars turning up, but not the massive influx as you would expect. The set up was good for the show, a circle in the middle where all the cars faced outwards to the other cars facing inwards to the circle from around the outside. Well that was the theory at least. The event opened, and a few people turned up to see what was going on.
The pictures above was pretty much the all the cars there and only took me half hour max to walk around. Then I got the call “Are sure you don’t want to come home as it’s raining here now?” I’m literally only twenty minutes away from home in this village. I walked back to the car and was pleased to see two more Corvettes had arrived.
We of course talked about weather, it wasn’t going to rain. I told them that my local weather girl, had predicted rain – although my ‘paid for’ app was still saying no rain. Unmistakable clouds were now forming.
The tea room was selling hot cups of tea. Then I saw it, the first umbrella went up, then the wave of rain-swept across the field.
Within a few minutes it was carnage, soft tops were going back up, bonnets (hoods) were being closed, windows being wound up, people diving into their cars as more umbrellas went up. My car was now starting to shrink in the rain. Although I was very pleased with the wax beading as I studied it.
Cars were starting up and began to leave. I, of course being the optimist put my cowl guard on thinking that the rain would stop soon. As my ‘paid for app’ said no rain.
I called the wife while running for a tent for cover, who told me the rain was getting worse at home. My ‘paid for’ that wasn’t cheap, that I bought especially for the car show weather forecasts, was still saying ‘cloudy – no rain’. Half an hour later I admitted defeat, the cowl cover came off and stored in the boot (trunk). I started up and set off home, with the language now as blue as my car! It was almost a good car show for the two hours or so that I was there. Almost home I called the wife to open the garage for me so that I could drive straight into it. The car got dried off as best I could and put the dehumidifier on full blast to absorb every last drop of moisture in the garage and from under the car.
Now that the car was dried I came into the house, and I was greeted with that look only women can give, the ‘I told you so’ look. Nothing was said, nothing needed to be said, she was right, (again). My ‘paid for’ app now said, ‘80% chance of rain’, really? I could have phoned them and told them it was raining, and got my money back while I was at it.
Oh, what did I do for the rest of the day? Yep – painting! 🙁
Putting the rubbish bin out later in the evening ready for Monday morning collection, I made a detour via the garage to check the humidity, all was quite dry in there now, so I was quite pleased in that respect. I reset the dehumidifier back down to its normal setting for my garage, the dust sheet went back on and closed up. It was such a shame the rain stopped play, the Lavenham Show is held in a beautiful village, a great little drive to get there and is always supported well with all the proceeds going to the county’s Air Ambulance trust.
Maybe next year we will have some sun.
It’s been a funny summer, despite all the good weather three of the main shows that we normally attend have been washed out. Sunshine the day before and after all three times. Good old UK! 🙂
Where would be without rain? 😀
Hey Mart, it’s good to know that the British weatherpeople are no better at predicting the weather than the American weatherpeople! But I feel your pain. We’ve had a hot and wet summer in the northeast US, and it really does affect your ability and willingness to get the old iron out to shows.
One consolation is that the overcast sky does make for better lighting for the photos. Is that a Bristol with the odd spare tire placement? We have very few of those in the States. Can’t say that I’ve ever seen one in the metal. BTW, your Mustang looks great, dry or wet.
Regards, Richard
Totally agree overcast is best fir pics and sitting by the cars too. That car is indeed a Bristol, my first one in the flesh. Thank you for the kind comments about my car as well. The car has so much wax on it as soon as the car moves the water rolls off. 👍
Same pleasure to read you every time… Hope my mustang will look so great than yours when work will be done 😉
Thank you, keep at it and you will get there in the end. 👍
The same thing happened to me this spring. Ruins the day, but we desperately needed the water. But the cars will dry. Thanks for the wonderful read and the great photos. Better luck next time.
Thanks Tim, i had a couple of hours at least. The car gets a bit of a hand full in the wet to drive too. I drive it very carefully in the wet or damp that’s for sure. Being into the car show scene we have good days and the odd bad day, i was upset the painting. 😀
Definitely the rain in the damp climate is more of an issue regarding rust than here in the desert. And I agree that driving rear wheel drive muscle cars in the rain is tenuous.
Any, thanks for the great photos, and I enjoyed your post. Had to laugh about your wife’s rain predictions versus the weather ap. Isn’t that how it goes, though?
I think my wife must be a human weather app that works. She does predict a lot things that happen, like decorating for one! 🤣
😂 Mine too! 👍