MAC Visits the NEC for the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show

We love attending the NEC for the Classic Motor Show. With a fantastic atmosphere, and the chance to meet new people, discover other car clubs, and get up close and personal with some incredible cars, it’s always a great weekend and this year’s show was no exception.

On the MAC stand, we were thrilled to be joined by a wide range of cars, and we’re very grateful to each of their owners for providing them for the weekend.

It was amazing to welcome Brian Betteridge’s Ford Escort Mk3 RS1700T to the show over the weekend. A prototype RWD car designed in 1980 to compete in Group B rallying, it was originally produced for Ari Vatanen for the 1982 World Rally Championships. Brian had been searching for an example of the RS1700T for over 30 years and eventually found this model in South Africa. A nut and bolt rebuild was undertaken making it the first car of its kind to turn a wheel on British

tarmac for over three decades.

James Thacker brought his TZA 238 to the show – previously owned by Irish racing driver Alec Poole, the ‘One-Eyed Sprite’ was one of the first lightweight circuit racing Sprites, and was driven to great success by Poole in the 1960s. It was sadly damaged in July 1977 after a test day at Silverstone and left abandoned in a barn, before it was bought in 2012 and rebuilt to its original specification.

A frequent winner at our MAC Concours, Malcolm Lamb’s Morgan Plus Four Drop Head Coupe brought some real class to the stand. Built in 1953, it was one of the last 4 Flat Radiator Plus Fours to be built, but as its first dealer couldn’t sell it, it was returned to the factory to be “modernised”. However, it has now been lovingly restored to its original style.

The Lotus 20/22 Formula Junior of regular competitor Sarah Thorne also made an appearance in honour of our Lotus theme for Classic Nostalgia, and attracted plenty of visitors! This car has had a long history at Shelsley Walsh, having previously been campaigned by June Matty for nine years.

We saw lots of interest in our Driving School, as well as plenty of questions about membership and our upcoming events in 2020. It was a pleasure to meet so many new people as well as see a fair few friendly faces throughout the weekend.

We’d like to say thank you to our MAC volunteers for joining us throughout the weekend to introduce people to the club and help man the stand. It was a great opportunity to spread the word about both the club and the venue, and we look forward to finding out all about next year’s show in due course.