Kim Henson reports…
All words by Kim Henson; photographs © Kim Henson and Chris Adamson, as individually credited.
(Kim adds… My personal thanks to Chris for his invaluable help, as always, in contributing his photographs and notes to enable me to complete this report promptly at the end of the event).
I always feel that May is a cheerful month, not least due to the arrival of warmer weather (usually), plus the emergence of spring flowers and blossoms and a fresh crop of classic automotive events – for me notably including Beaulieu’s Spring Autojumble.
This particular annual event is one to which I look forward with an air of optimism and, yes, quite a bit of excitement. I love the atmosphere of the event, which is not quite on the scale of the legendary ‘Beaulieu Autojumbles’ held each September, but the fact that it is not so huge makes it easier to see in its entirety.
My annual visits include work and spares finding agendas, but for me attendance is far more than that, and it’s always good to meet up with fellow enthusiasts of all classic machinery while wallowing in an ‘old vehicle’ atmosphere.
Of course the main focus of these events centres on the hundreds of stalls selling classic vehicle components, also complete cars for sale (in the Automart and Dealermart areas).
Here are some of the cars on offer that my colleague Chris Adamson found of interest…
This year there was a new Vintage Market selling purely vintage wares. Think vintage and retro items such as clothing, collectibles, posters, vinyl, jewellery, homeware, furniture and toys; there were some fascinating varieties on display.
The Sunday of the show featured a Classic Car Boot Sale, with vintage traders selling items from the boots of their pre-2000 classics.
The market included live entertainment, a vintage catering unit and awards, including Best Dressed Individual and Best Dressed Stand.
On the Sunday too was held the Land Rover Rummage and, for amateur autojumblers, Trunk Traders, selling motoring items from the boots of their cars.
There was a special Classic Car Park on site, open to pre-2000 classics of all makes and models; judges selected a daily Show Favourite. Classic car participants also had direct access from this car park to the Autojumble.
Here are some of the cars that caught my eye on the Saturday (photographs © Kim Henson)…
…and here are some of the vehicles that attracted Chris Adamson’s attention in the Classic Car Park on the Sunday… (Photographs © Chris Adamson).
There were car club displays in quantity, this year including the Retro Camping Club, with a display of classic caravans, in collaboration with the Caravan and Motorhome Club Collection.
My attention was caught by the stand of the Wolseley Register, featuring a variety of cars from this famous marque, including examples from the 1930s to 1960s.
I was also drawn to the Standard Motor Club’s stall, advertising the Club of course, but also with many fascinating items on sale for different makes and models.
The Dorset branch of the Morris Minor Club again held their ‘Moggyfest’ event, with around 200 Minors and contemporary classics on show. This year’s theme was ’70 years of the iconic Morris Minor 1000’, and the club also celebrated its own 50 years anniversary. As in previous years, the undercover area of the stand included some marvellous murals forming the backdrop to a display of Minors, plus a ‘spares for sale’ section and a ‘vintage tea shop’. Brilliant.
My visit
This year I was in search of some specific components for my own classic project vehicles, also some mechanical and bodywork trim parts for a rare 1960s car, for a friend who was unable to attend in person.
Out of 10 items on my own ‘wanted’ list, I sourced nine of them. In addition to these components, I was delighted to be successful in finding a fan belt for my 1938 Flying Standard, on the comprehensively-packed ‘ABC Spares’ stand (photograph below © Kim Henson).
While, alas, I didn’t find the specific front grille required by a friend, I was amazed at the variety of nice condition grilles on offer for vehicles as diverse as Daimlers, Fords (including Mark I Escort, Cortina Mark I and Zodiac Mark III), and BMC vehicles, among others.
Body panels were on sale in abundance too. Among them I also spotted a new old stock front wing for a Morris Marina (priced at £350), a pair of front wings for an early Metro (at £275 for the pair) and used but sound front wings for an Austin A110 Westminster and a Fiat 132. I was pleasantly surprised to find for sale a ‘new old stock’ front grille panel for a ‘perpendicular’ Ford Popular of the 1950s, and an unused front panel for a Standard Eight or Ten from the 1950s. What marvellous finds if you needed one of these for your vehicle!
(The three photographs below all © Kim Henson).
Complete engines and transmission units for a variety of models were also to be found among the stalls, as well as ignition system and other electrical components for cars from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Here are some of my photographs (all © Kim Henson) taken on the Saturday, the day of my visit…
Here are some of the items photographed by my colleague Chris Adamson, on the Sunday of the event (all these photographs © Chris Adamson)…
VERDICT
As always, I enjoyed the event. Despite some cool and showery weather over the weekend, it seemed to me that enthusiasts were in attendance in considerable numbers, at least on the Saturday when I visited. Many people – including me – were taking home much-needed parts for their classics, and in some cases complete vehicles.
Diary date… I am now looking forward to the September Beaulieu Autojumble, taking place this year over the weekend of 12th and 13th September.
Last, but not least, my favourite vehicle seen at the show… This is a truly wonderful ice cream van, I feel! I have never seen another like it.
