Goodwood double…

At last an outing, well two actually, for Mario. The first Sunday in August, luckily a lovely sunny day was the Goodwood Breakfast Club – Thoroughbred Sunday and also the Goodwood Road Racing Club (GRRC) open day at Goodwood House. Mario had a pass to park on the grid so we had an early start as we were instructed to be at the circuit by 8am! Rather a struggle after a very busy week and a good night out the previous evening.

 

The circuit wasn’t as busy as I’ve seen it but for once it was a great collection of pre-66 cars rather than looking like Sainsbury’s carpark. We were park up opposite the pits and immediately had a good crowd around us. The Fiat Arbarth was lovely, thought the engine would look good in Mario.Keeping on an Italian theme, my favourite car on the grid was this beautiful Cisitalia, recently back from competing on the Mille Miglia it looked stunning in the sunshine. This Mini might look a little scruffy but it is very very original and has been to our car show. The collection of period accessories is also great. This little Fiat 850 Coupe was fab, could see myself nippy to the shops in it but guess it would put Mario’s nose out of joint.
We’ve decided that Mario looks like an upside down Minion! Might have to dress up sometime.
After an enjoyable wander around and meeting up with friends for a natter, we left the Breakfast club around 11.30 for the short run up the road to the house. We hadn’t entered this year so we went to the public carpark which was full of lots of lovely cars. The successful entrants were parked around the carriage circle and were as varied as usual. Bella, one of Mario’s girlfriends, was on display and looking fab. The 1955 Fiat 500C Belvedere Estate is really cute and attracted a lot of votes. This AA Badge was quite unusual with the flag on the top. This E-type was a very early pre production model, you could tell by the bonnet catches which were on the outside,The car I would most like to take home was this fabulous 1954 Studebaker Commander Starliner Hardtope. `Known as the American Car with the European looks, it was awarded a medal by the New York school of fashion in 1953. This was this particular cars first outing in nearly 40 years!
We met up and picnicked with a group of GRRC members who we have a monthly meeting with. While not brave enough for the Helter Skelter (worried about the embarrassment of getting stuck) we did have a go in the Hall of Mirrors, liked this one which made us look tall and thin.
By mid afternoon we were starting to feel rather sleepy and so set off for the lovely drive home back over the downs. It was great to be out in Mario although he still isn’t running right. We have ordered a carburator repair kit so hopefully he will be 100% fit for the Revival which is getting ever closer.

Silverstone Classic

Yet another outing without Mario – he’ll be stomping his little wheels in dismay. Anyway some friends had invited us along to the Silverstone Classic and to join them in their hospitality so on a Saturday in August off we went to Northampton. We had a lovely clear run and it only took an hour and twenty minutes to get to with 5 miles of the circuit, then another hour and a half to do the last five miles! Doesn’t need saying that someone was rather grumpy!

Still we found our friends in the queue and made it along to our hospitality suite where an early bottle of wine made it all seem a little more relaxed.

I have to say that although the Silverstone Classic is one of the biggest in the country and is the second biggest event at Silvestone after the Grand-Prix, it isn’t an event I especially enjoy. The cars and racing are good but Silverstone is such a dismal place with everything so spread out between the two pit areas, meaning that you either have to queue for ages for a bus or take a long miserable walk. You can always bet that whoever you are trying to meet or the car you want to see is in the opposite area to you are. This all results in so much time being wasted.

Not going to say anymore but here are some pictures from the day, on the track and in the pits.

Classic Saloons

Pre war – my favourite race Old F1 are always good to see
Lovely mercedes in the paddock with beautiful made to measure and match luggage Great transporter Favourite car of the day, a sweet BMW Isetta It was nice meeting up with people and we had a good lunch. We didn’t stay to see Status Quo in the evening as they weren’t on until about 9am and so we left about seven and had a trouble free run home. We did have a good day but it isn’t an event I would pay to go to. Luckily we went on the Saturday when the weather was hot and sunny as on the Friday and Sunday there was torrential rain!

Coming soon, Mario at Breakfast club

Boats, planes, automobiles and a few in-between…

Sorry it’s been a while since we posted but life has rather caught up and we’ve been rather busy. Anyway as well as working hard we have had some time for some fun with and without Mario, so hopefully we’ll catch up with it all here soon…

A few weeks ago we were invited to join friends at the Henley Classic Boat Festival. We’ve been before and it was a lot of fun so we were rather disappointed when the weather forecast showed heavy rain all day! They were wrong though and it was a beautiful English summer day and decidedly hot in the afternoon. Not going to say too much other than there aren’t many better ways to spend a Sunday than bobbing along in a beautiful boat with a glass of champagne! Not sure what you call a bike for two (tandem) with three wheels (Tricycle)?

I loved this bicycle that looked like a scooter, wouldn’t it look great painted like Mario and Cynthia, trouble is the information said it was one of three known to exist.

Our friends boot is a slipper launch, these beautiful highly varnished wooden boats from the 1930’s have sloping backs into the water and often have Llloyd Loom chairs.There was a minor panic at lunchtime as one of the slipper launches slipped it’s mooring and started drifting down the Thames. We managed eventually to get the attention of one of the safety boats which came to the rescue.
While lounging in the boat having a fabulous lunch and a glass of bubbly we were also treated to an acrobatic air display. The entered boats parade in classes up the Henley Regatta course which gives everybody an opportunity to see them and listen to some commentary.The ‘working’ boat class – not sure the small child hanging on the back of the Coracle was having that much fun! A popular class is the Dunkirk little ships, they sailed past with Sea Cadets standing to attention and a Dunkirk veteran on board.
Steam Boats One of the exciting exhibits was a chance to see the Gloriana – the 94 ft long Royal barge commissioned for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and which lead the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant.

Lots of ‘boat’ stalls also took part – this boatbuilder had constructed this beautiful slipper launch and in it’s amazingly luxurious interior included this pull out draw with a picnic set.

There were also classic cars in attendance, although somehow I managed to not take any photos of most of them!  This is a proper ‘boat tail’ constructed by boat builders.On display on land and in water were a collection of Amphibious vehicles, shame Mario isn’t watertight.
The Gloriana was the big star of the show and it was great being able to look at it up close, the workmanship was stunning if a touch bling! The oars were amazing, each one painted with an oriental styled dragon/fish. The only disappointment of the day was that Bluebird K3, one of Malcolm Campbell’s water speed record powerboats, that was supposed to be on display in the water only came to the event on the back of a transporter – a small fire the day before meant it had to be taken out of the water for repair and unfortunately the crane wasn’t available to put it back in. It would have been great to have seen it, although I doubt that it would have been allowed to attempt the record breaking 130mph it travelled in 1938!
Next up the Silverstone Classic and then Thoroughbred Sunday Breakfast Club – with Mario on the grid…