End of Season and Autojumbles!

When the excitement of the full season of runs, shows, rallies and perhaps even racing has come to a close, if you are like me, some of your cars get put away. There will always be those winter days that are crisp and clear when the lure of the open road proves just too much and a classic just has to be pressed into service but, again, if you are like me, you will be itching to sort that little glitch of annoyance that you noticed earlier in the year and just put up with! Now is the time to make your list, either mental or physical and get down to your local AUTOJUMBLE!

I completely prefer sifting through the many stands and stalls at a local autojumble to going through ebay or goggle – this is more fun and you also get to chat to fellow enthusiasts and share a brew or a bacon sarnie in the chilly air, as well as being treated to a free ‘on the streets’ motor show as most folk come down in the cars they are looking for bits for! For example, here (below) is a Reliant Regal…

I took myself to the long running Huddersfield Autojumble (https://phoenixfairs.jimdofree.com/) last Sunday, with a small notion of picking a few things up for my Panhard or the Morgans, maybe the Riley or even son George’s Herald! (You see how it works now?) I have been attending this particular autojumble since the last century and always manage to find something really interesting and worth buying. In former years I have found a 1962 magazine with a feature which included my unique 1172 Formula racing car in a Brands Hatch group test of the Monoposto Formula, another occasion I found a picture of my friend’s Abarth Simca, one that proved something in his quest for history and which made him immensely happy! It was 50 pence.

Last week’s visit was no exception as I spent the princely sum of £21 but came home with a first edition copy of John Sprinzel’s excellent “Modified Motoring”, a long held “upgrade need” as my later edition was frayed and well thumbed. I also found a complete and “New Old Stock” gasket set for the Vanguard or TR engine, ideal for one or other of our 1950s Morgans.

Ticking my Mintex anorak box was a Technical Bulletins folder from the Cleckheaton head office, with many of the updates still carefully filed within… from the same stand I secured a copy of the 1968 Times Motoring Survey.

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Also on that stall, almost forgotten was a delightful picture book from Exmouth’s “Raleigh Press” illustrating “Popular Cars” – water stained and moth eaten, it was something I had never seen before, and the stall holder kindly did me a bulk deal of £5. So, I had a bag with £16 worth of “goodies” to take home and a fiver left over for a bacon, sausage, egg and tomato tea-cake (this was Huddersfield remember) and a mug of builder’s tea! Do make the time to get down to your local autojumble. Whilst events like Beaulieu and Newark are huge and worthy of devoting the day or weekend to, these smaller events always turn up gems and only occupy a morning. Enjoy! I always do.