Classic Car Show Nec

[KerryS]

Went today, it's great, I love it.

There was a 1957 Lotus 7 for sale at £33k ...err I don't think so!!

Met Simon from Westfield, been years since I saw him.

[Norman Verona]

Kerry, if it was in original condition that was cheap. How many Mk. 1 7's remain, let alone in original condition.

What engine did it have? If it was an early 1957 car it should have a 1172 cc sidevalve, but there was few Coventry Climax FWA models. However at that prices I guess it's the sidevalve.

[M444TTB]

My neighbour is up there running a Jaguar club stand. Although his e-Type and Daimler are still in the garage here!

[KerryS]

Hi Norm. I didn't actually notice what engine it had but as you say of that age it was likely to be the 1172 SV. I did look for the handbrake over the passenger knees though. It was a restoration and in colours I don't think ever left Lotus in.

There's always a difference between price and value, the latter being in the eye of the beholder!!

[Norman Verona]

My handbrake, when fitted, is above the passengers knees. If you are belted in you cannot reach it.

I have twin pot AP race calipers at the rear which do not have handbrake mechanism. So, no handbrake or cable, think of the weight saving!

I know what you mean about highly priced over restored cars. I went to Retromobile in Paris a few years ago. I took a local Brit who didn't know much about older cars.

He was drooling over a way over restored Bugatti. The paint was like a mirror, the leather trim was soft and perfect with beautiful piping.

I said it wasn't worth a penny it was so far removed from what left the factory 75 years earlier. We walked on, turned an aisle and lo and behold, there in all it's glory was an original, unrestored Type 57. The paint was original, with the brush marks showing, the leather was dried out and cracked and torn. The wood veneer was peeling off. However the engine, gearbox and visible suspension was clean and original. I valued this car far more than the showroom model. But what does it matter what I think. Those with the money pay far more for the original unrestored cars than the over restored models

[KerryS]

There was a Type 13 on the BOC stand that I thought may belong to someone I used to work with many years ago as he had two of them but it wasn't. Thinking about it the guy's probably in his dotage now, he was quite a bit older than me.

[Norman Verona]

Type 13, the Brecsia. The first Bugatti race car.

Wonderful.

As a Bugatti addict I'm really surprised how (relatively) low priced some are.

The watch maker, Chopard own a 35B and it's a real time warp car. Nice but original.

[KerryS]

And there was a Bugatti railcar too!!

[Norman Verona]

Seen that .It has two of the engines fitted to the Royal.

I think there are only 7 Royals in existence One was found in a farmyard with the rear tyres removed and a long leather belt driving a threshing machine. I think they change hands for several million dollars now.

[KerryS]

There was one in the museum in Mulhouse

[XTR2Turbo]

There was one in the museum in Mulhouse

There were two but they sold one.

David