Play hard and work hard, it must be Rollhard

Their 4th appearance at the former RAF base, the diligent and well-oiled Rollhard crew are almost old hats now when it comes organising their annual get together.

Firmly established as a photographic dream for those who like their cars, the leafy lanes, and post-war architecture within a haven of the UK’s premier motoring hub presents it as an ideal location for a car show.

With its venue’s historical significance, along with Rollhard’s open minded approach to cars, the scene is set for what promises to be another beautifully curated show.

Gifted the luxury of using the whole site, including the Exhibition hanger, the iconic building once housed Bristol Blenheim bombers. The area outside those colossal hangers is now known as the Paddock, which serves as the main thoroughfare into the heart of the show which is held in the technical area.

A selection of cars have been specifically chosen to line the avenues, with little nuggets of delights spotted at every corner. It’s always worth double-checking behind the buildings because you’ll never know quite what’s lurking.

The main drive, which is the focal point of the show, is where we shall start for the round-up of the event which was held on the 6th of August. The Wiggly Monkey Brewery, within the Transport Yard, provided a perfect location to chat and relax while sipping on a nice bottle of Gull Wing.

The area also housed a selection of low riders, as well as a contingent of hot hatches from Belgium.

Right in the front of the Station Armoury building, was the Rollhard camp, where a selection of rare treats were on display, including Richard Woolmer’s Armstrong Siddley. Richard’s never been afraid of embracing the weird and the wonderful, the car has to be considered completely unique amongst the world of modified classics.

Also within grasp was this beautifully Chicano Lowrider-influenced Mercedes 190E. Mica Dori’s profession as a tattooist has clearly influenced her ride, with intricate engravings and a beautifully finished interior showing off her skill. The car aligns more with a work of art than a modded car.

Paul Fosters Group 2 inspired BMW E21 is powered by a TVR V8 engine, and was built to race. The car, not surprisingly, is a regular on the modded car circuit. It’s based on a 1982 316, Paul has spent over 10 years creating this unique and beautifully prepared machine.

Close to the main gates, lurked a handful of gems, including this 1989 Trabant belonging to Rob Cannon. Powered by a Wartburg engine, which is almost twice as powerful as the original, it may only pump out a giddy 50bhp but makes life so much easier for Rob, who has used it to travel across Europe.

Scott Matthews Ford Fiesta was a basket case when he first bought it some 18 years ago, but over that time he has created a custom Fiesta with a nod to circuit racing. He knows his way around an engine, so the instalment of a silver-top 1796cc Zetec twin-cam with Weber carbs mated to an Escort GTI gearbox showcases his talent perfectly.

The registration plate gives it away, just in case you didn’t notice the body kit. RWB, RAUH-Welt Begriff or “Rough World Concept” is the creation of Akira Nakai-San, a Japanese car tuner. Every kit is hand-crafted and the selection of air-cooled beauties presented a rare opportunity to get close to the impeccable craftsmanship and finish of these cars. There are plenty of wide-body kits for 911s out there, but very few match RWB’s quality.

For the mass market, quality body kits didn’t get much better than Kamei. Established in the 1940’s mostly catering for interior comforts, Karl Meier, the founder soon moved on to protective luggage racks and by the 1960s established the brand as one of the first tuning shops. The 1980s reflect a golden age for Kamei, with this elegantly prepared Golf complete with Ronal Aero alloys as a period-perfect snapshot.

A car that was consistently surrounded by curious admirers throughout the day, we eventually managed to see what the fuss was all about. VIP Phil’s 2006 Toyota Century is really something special. Unique for a Japanese car for using a V12 engine, these cars were built for Japanese heads of state and VIPs. The very definition of decadence, it now rides on air bagged suspension and has two TVs and a rear passenger footrest built through the front passenger seat backrest.

With so many JDM cars being imported into the UK, it’s always nice to see genuine UK examples. Originally registered by Freeway, the main Mazda dealer in Hove, Sussex, it has survived partly due to its fastidious owners, and a decade’s stint in dry storage. As a result, the metal has been largely spared of the effects of the damp UK climate. Amber, the car’s current owner has added a handful of touches to the car, which owes something of a tribute to the car’s motor sporting heritage.

Fyse is well known for his white C130 Datsun Laurel, which became his signature car. However, he has long harboured a desire for Honda’s first Supercar, the NSX. Keen to imprint his experience and knowledge when it comes to all matters of wheels and suspension, his meticulous ability to know when something just sits right was ably demonstrated today.

Rollhard is not just the preserve of German and Japanese brands, the Italians get a look in too. The Panda has a tuned 1.2-litre Punto engine on throttle bodies. Owned by Joe Ward, he bought the car 3 years ago with just 3,000 miles on the clock. Bought to be used and enjoyed, we look forward to seeing the incremental development of his car.

The iconic hanger housed a selection of red cars, which presented a fascinating spectacle for the visitors, but also provided a little cover as we endured a few short showers towards the end of the day. Completely standard, Craig’s recently restored 1989 MG Maestro Turbo didn’t need to travel far to attend and has already picked up a few awards for his considerable efforts.

Air-cooled VWs have long maintained an air of appreciation in the modded community and its popularity lent itself to modifications. The Beetle, due to its sheer ubiquity had a positive knock-on effect on its lesser-known siblings.

Amongst those rare birds, there was the VW K70. It was their first FWD water-cooled car, having been developed by NSU, who had been recently absorbed by VW. A completely unique design with very little commonality with the air-cooled vehicles, it was used test the market as a limited production stop-gap model as the brand accepted the writing was on the wall for its air-cooled era.

Latin America took the VW baton and literally ran with the air-cooled concept far further than the rest of the world, finally giving up on it in 2006, after 70 years of loyalty. This Brazilian evolution of the type 3 was unique to the region and maintained a level of popularity until its eventual demise in 1981.

Also from Brazil, was this even rarer Puma GTE 1500 which was actually exported but only in tiny numbers. These glass-fibre series of sports cars utilised VW running gear and offered a sporting experience to the versatile VW platform. Very few if any made it to the UK when it was current in the 1970s, it could have been a formidable alternative to the MGB and Triumph Spitfire.

Part of the appeal of these Rollhard shows is roaming around in the car park. Fortunately, the organisers grouped up the cars of interest which makes quick work of our exploration. Let’s look at some delightful sedans that caught our eye.

This W202 Mercedes C-Class is really neatly presented, particularly with that subtle stance and those gorgeous rims. They currently offer tremendous value and are an alternative to the increasingly collectable BMW E36.

Volvo’s legendary 240 series is firmly set in the modern classic category, indestructible and still relatively easy to find, the saloons tend to be less sought after than the estates. These deep-rimmed grey-tinted alloys suit the angular lines of the car really nicely.

Lee Maxwells VW Jetta C is well-known in VW circles, and it’s more than just a VW sitting on Porsche wheels. There are plenty of engineering details and fettling that have gone into this award-winning car, and the owners have documented its renovation online via the RMS Motoring website in great detail.

Want a V6 German-built saloon with comfort and plenty of driving appeal without a cost premium? The GM’s Vauxhall Omega could be just the ticket. Never quite as popular as its compatriots, this one is fitted with the later 2.6-litre engine, and fitted with split rims that resemble the original multi-spoke alloys.

The modifying scene is synonymous with JDM cars, so it should not be a surprise to see a large contingent of Toyota’s and Nissan’s scattered around the car park at this year’s Rollhard event. The MK II models were not officially imported into the UK, with Europe receiving the Camry instead. Toyota had a myriad of large saloon models built in the 1980s, each one with different bodies and trims, the MK II was considered the sporting-luxury variant and has quite a following in JDM circles.

We’ll round up the Rollhard car park spotting session with Jack Latchford’s magnificent C130 Datsun Laurel 200L. A Norwegian import, the Laurel shared many mechanical elements with the Skyline of the era but was more oriented towards comfort. A small number were imported into the UK from 1972 to 1977, and as a result, survivors are scarce.

The great thing about the modded car scene is the social media aspect of the owners and their cars. Many have documented builds, restorations and modifications and along with the wide coverage that Rollhard attracts, it’s quite easy to be motivated to join in and try to become part of the scene.

Passion and admiration run deep at the Rollhard show, which fits in perfectly with Bicester Heritage‘s reputation for all things automotive. Some modifications may be contentious, and some people may feel that the originality of the car has been sacrificed but what it does offer is the seemingly unlimited potential of what can be done to a car. The lessons learned from the Rollhard events centre on the effort and tenacity of people who show what is possible with a little dedication so if you’re looking for a car to buy and modify why not start your search with us? There’s certainly plenty to choose from.