{"id":18879,"date":"2022-10-10T07:27:23","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T07:27:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/?p=18879"},"modified":"2022-10-10T19:04:05","modified_gmt":"2022-10-10T19:04:05","slug":"back-to-its-roots-the-retro-rides-gathering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carandclassic.com\/magazine\/back-to-its-roots-the-retro-rides-gathering\/","title":{"rendered":"Back to its Roots – The Retro Rides Gathering"},"content":{"rendered":"

Long-time friends of Car and Classic, the Retro Rides Gathering is a regular to these pages and there\u2019s a good reason why. Unburdened by conventions or a particular style or type of visitor, the Gathering’s format has been well proven, yet due to the flexibility of the ever-evolving cars, it still continues to surprise.<\/p>\n

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In layman\u2019s terms, the Retro Rides Gathering is a celebration of retro car culture, with guests’ cars, retro dedicated parking area, trade and club stands, prizes, Kev’s legendary Tat auction and delicious food but the whole glue that holds it together is that laid-back atmosphere.<\/p>\n

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Open to cars up to the year 2000, visitors are welcomed this year to a slightly different location to the usual late summer Gathering. Most people are probably familiar with the Shelsley Walsh location, but in honour of the 15th anniversary of the Retro Rides Gathering, David Murphy and his colleagues have travelled back to Mallory Park, the original location from the heady days in 2007.<\/p>\n

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Naturally, Car and Classic’s ever attentive and trigger-happy reviewer was at this event and we\u2019re pleased to say that the occasional dearth of progress and change has not affected the charm and grassroots appeal of Leicestershire’s motor sporting jewel. With over 60 years of competitive racing, which include many of the illustrious British racing drivers of the past, the racetrack also has consistently held the record for the fastest 100-mile-an-hour lap, suggesting that there\u2019s far more than meets the circuit than first considered.<\/p>\n

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There was plenty of race action to be seen on the day, with visitors also given the opportunity to try their luck in breaking on the circuit. Alas, Car and Classic stayed mostly within the confines of the static car displays, because as you\u2019ll find out, the selection of cars and people was too great to resist. With an estimated excess of 1000 cars on display and trackside, the inevitable phrase of \u2018something for everyone rings true.<\/p>\n

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The anticipation of the early morning drive up to any of the Retro Rides Gathering events is a bit like Christmas morning, in which you know what you\u2019re getting but the joy of unexpected gifts is what makes it special.<\/p>\n

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Sam\u2019s and Yasmin’s Toyota didn\u2019t need to journey far and stated that they could have walked to the venue but that would have deprived us of Sam\u2019s signature car. His 1973 Toyota Celica was one of a handful of 70\u2019s Japanese cars spotted at the show, and a legacy of the Retro-Rides long term appreciation of cars from the orient. Sam has also quit his day job and is now started up a business transporting cars. Have a look at ratchetandcrank on social media for a genuinely friendly and reliable service.<\/p>\n

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As we wander through the rows of cars, it\u2019s so easy to tunnel vision on rare and unusual cars, but a second pass in the retro car parking area is often rewarded with fascinating discoveries. This long-nosed Citroen 2CV6 suggested that something interesting was going on under the bonnet. We didn\u2019t find out much about the car on the day, but we believe that the car is powered by a 1.3-litre engine from a Citroen GS on an Ami platform.<\/p>\n

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A contrast to the subtle modifications of the beaky 2CV6, this very \u201990s modification was a snapshot of a divisive yet huge area of customisation. The legacy of bad boy bonnets, the baked bean can exhaust, bass-bins and outlandish contoured spoilers did much to upset people for a variety of reasons, and for that, it has to be worth a mention. The scene was huge, with dedicated shows, and magazines and while it had a whiff of lad culture to it, it proved to be popular with female owners too. We are briefly reminded of the hedonistic but never boring scene by celebrating this Vauxhall Corsa which epitomises the era perfectly.<\/p>\n

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We came across a few other cars that also display unique styles which attracts huge followers. Off-roading and performance have long been connected, particularly in countries with inhospitable terrains. This 1998 Ford Explorer Prerunner is believed to be unique in the UK. Powered by the 4.0 V6, the Prerunner as you might have well worked out are trucks with lifted front ends, wider stance and longer travel. Commonly seen in endurance desert terrain races in the States, the closest British equivalent would be the green lane rural routes without the frantic pace or perpetual dampness.<\/p>\n

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One of the long-established themes with many Retro-riders is the stance and attention to alloy wheels. The discreet and tasteful treatment on this Porsche 924, a car well-known in Retro Rides circles, were a rarely seen modification on the base model Porsche when it first appeared about 12 years ago. This car has pretty much managed to remain intact over the years with successive owners cherishing it.<\/p>\n

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However condition is not the be-all and end-all at the Retro Rides Gathering, and there are plenty of less-than-perfect cars and ongoing projects to gain inspiration from. A genuine limited edition model, Vauxhall had surplus bodyshells of their discontinued Dropsnoot Firenza<\/a> coupe, so the remaining stocks were loaded up with 1256cc engines and sold as the entry-level Viva E model. Not surprisingly the majority that survived would have been used to re-shell the original Droopsnoots, so it’s always good to see a rare variant of a once popular model.<\/p>\n

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Another much admired 1970s car which often attracted appreciation on the Retro Rides forums is the Triumph 2000\/2500 models, particularly in MK2 form. For a long time, they were undervalued compared to its step-sister Rover P6, but the Michelotti styling proved amenable to modifications by those who saw what was happening in Japan at the time. This superb example, with a pair of twin exhausts and JDM style alloys, shows the potential of these fine cars.<\/p>\n

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A really good turnout for MK3 Vauxhall Cavaliers, the owners club were established as long ago as 2007 and offered the chance to photograph two ‘Classic’ spec models flanked by an SRI in a unique setting that is unlikely to be seen outside classic club meets. The Classic was a runout model, released in the summer of 1995 just as Vauxhall were preparing the replacement Vectra for production. Based on the 1.8i base model, they all came with body-coloured bumpers and mirrors. Just under 3,000 were produced.<\/p>\n

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A Retro Rides Gathering partnership that has been nurtured over the years, sharing the love of modified cars and hill climbs, is the Quick 60: Hillclimb Shootout Challenge. Split into four major classes, each with a subclass divided by vehicle age, Quick60 is a competition for everything from a standard road car to fire-breathing monsters. Gizfab, a fabrication customisation crew put together this 825kg 220bhp Twin-charged K11 Nissan Micra. As to be expected the results are deviating.<\/p>\n

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Unfortunately, we missed much of the trackside action, having been preoccupied with the static selection of cars. However, Julian Rowlands, a long-time Retro Rider bailed us out and managed to capture some of the guest cars that were trackside at the event including Bev Fawkes\u2019 modified Reliant SE6 Scimitar GTE, known as \u2018Blue Thunder’. Powered by a Group 2 Cosworth twin-turbo V6 engine, the 500+bhp car has been active since the mid-90s.<\/p>\n

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Another entertaining special was Ian Medcalf\u2019s Fiat 500. Also on a Cosworth thread, it was originally powered by half of a BDA homologation engine but now uses a 143Hp Swiftune A-Series engine with Weber carburettors. With its Tubular Space-framed chassis and Fibreglass body, very little of the Fiat DNA remains which has helped to cut its weight down to 425kg. As Colin Chapman once said, \u2019Simplify, then add lightness\u2019.<\/p>\n

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For a 1980\u2019s obscurity, it doesn\u2019t get much rarer than this Bertone Volvo 780 coupe. Having previously designed and created the unhappy-looking 262C, the 780 resulted in a far more successful union. Sadly only ever produced in LHD mostly for US markets, and therefore excluding itself from official UK imports. A handful of the 8,500 examples have been privately imported over the years, with this later version powered by the 2.0-litre Turbo engine option finding itself in the UK around 4 years ago.<\/p>\n

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Continuing with the box of 1980s surprises and rarities, this subtly modified Renault 18 Turbo ticked all the boxes for us. This 1984 example has been adapted slightly, losing the trim and wheels in lieu of a cleaner look. By substituting the traditional softly suspended ride of the standard model, the Turbo specifications transformed it into a tenacious handler. Renault managed to harness the Turbo engine’s abilities, with emphasis on flexibility rather than peak power which made both the 18 and its sister the Fuego Coupe a good introduction into the world of Turbocharged family cars.<\/p>\n

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Guess who got their act together and got on board with the Retro Rides crew? The Late Break Show and friends of Car and Classic, Jonny Smith pulled in a neat display of cars that not only complemented the whole vibe of Retro Rides Gathering but added a little extra dimension to the day. The ever industrious Mr Smith crawled out from under his car and put together a last-minute gathering of their own, after the cancellation of the Big Brake live event in August. Jonny\u2019s passion and enthusiasm for retro and modified cars ensured that the stand displayed around 50 fine selections of invited cars, many of which will be familiar to the followers of his shows.<\/p>\n

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Taking weight saving to another level, this is claimed to be the world’s lightest Porsche 911. Tipping the scales at only 627kg, we can assume that owner Ritchie is a fan of drill hardware. However, upon closer inspection and considering the level of detail applied, it appears that each hole as well as the removal of unnecessary parts has produced something akin to a work of mechanical art.<\/p>\n

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Staying on the classic sports car theme, this Lamborghini Espada is one of the Late Break Show\u2019s genuine barn-find cars. The finding of a long-lost car and resurrections both inspire a certain fascination that frequently fuels a slight frenzy on social media. The additional mystery behind the car, found in a Lake District barn follows the thread of someone buying the car, parking it up and simply disappearing. The car was ultimately purchased by the current owner for the sum of \u00a325,000 at a general auctioneers.<\/p>\n

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It wasn\u2019t just exotica on their stand, Ian Gemmell\u2019s Hillman Avenger had been a regular rally sports competitor since it was built in 1974. Furthermore, this car was borrowed for an event by Colin McRae in the mid-80s on what is believed to be his first outing in a rally car. It was completely restored in the early 1990s and has since been used a little more gently, but it is still occasionally seen being driven at events like the Festival of Speed. Making more sense, particularly in terms of a financial outlay than a Ford Escort, the Avenger is something of an underdog as both a classic and competition car and that’s a good enough reason as any other to seek one today.<\/p>\n

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Another car that caught our eye was this humble U11 Nissan Bluebird Estate. Despite its similar appearance to the previous generation of Bluebird, the U11 series was an all-new design and was the first of the model to adopt an FWD layout. Not that it would have made much difference to the thousands of appreciative owners who valued the Bluebird for its no-nonsense philosophy of motoring, but it also paved the way for the successful collaboration between Japan and the UK to produce the next generation of Bluebirds in Tyneside. Interestingly (to us anyway) the U11 remained in production to 1990, overlapping the T12\/T72 models as Nissan never made estate versions of that incarnation and felt it was necessary to include one in their lineup. Now you know.<\/p>\n

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Let’s finish of this brief round-up of The Late Brake Show by marvelling at this unique and unique Seat Camper van. Essentially the same car as the Marbella, which in turn used the MK1 Fiat Panda as its base. This 1991 Seat Terra Camper Van Fernilee High Peak is one of a batch of vans converted by Danbury and serves best as a day-trip van, rather than a tool for an excursion in Europe. Fitted with running water and cooking facilities, all you need to do is load up on Pot Noodles and providing you can cope with the occasional uphill struggle, it’s possibly one the cheapest ways to obtain a camper van. If you can find one.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of Fiat Panda\u2019s we found this MK2 example in the car park. It is outside the perimeters of the pre-2000 cut-off entry point for the show but owners of these great little cars will be able to rejoice in a few short years, as the potential for these cars is already being recognised. Ably demonstrating Fiat’s ability to market and build genuinely entertaining small cars, its impact was somewhat overshadowed by its tarty sister, the 500. However, the near box-like dimensions, 5-door practicality and durable engines make them perfect as perfect little cheap runabouts.<\/p>\n

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Never a Retro Rides Gathering without a Datsun\/Nissan stand, and their almost uninterrupted presence of the club since 2007 was maintained by a selection of very clean Nissans and Datsuns. This year, there were no fewer than two 510s, both LHD imports that demonstrated their following and ongoing enthusiasm. Before the traditional classic car media picked up on what is best referred to as the Japanese BMW 2002, Retro Rides forum users started uploading photographs of what the Americans and Japanese were doing with their cars. The 510\u2019s initial success came from its motor sporting pedigree, as illustrated by the Khambhaita Brothers’ Swedish imported example. The 1971 car is a tribute to Shekhar Mehta\u2019s rally achievements in the 510 before he moved over to the 240Z.<\/p>\n

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Still with Nissan, we have that man again, Mr Ed Ratley and another one of his fleet. He spent the night trying to get some sleep in the back of his Nissan Caravan and concluded that it is not an aptly named vehicle. Still, it looked sensational and it is a shame that very few still exist in the UK. it was a Japanese import, which is the most sensible way of obtaining one, but before you rush off searching online to import one, make sure that it\u2019s complete. Ed told us that items like the side window frames are close to impossible to find.<\/p>\n

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More Japanese goodness? Alright then, let\u2019s have a look at long-time Retro Rides Gathering moderator, rmad aka Simon, co-creator and loyal supporter since day one of the Gatherings and his superb Toyota Space Cruiser. Introduced just before the MPV trend reached Europe, the Toyota was a genuinely new approach to family motoring, having beaten the Renault Espace to the UK by 2 years. Not surprisingly, it was well received by the British public, who appreciated the equipment, visibility, and space and proved to be entertaining to drive in the process. Never afraid to use his cars, it is called into action on an almost daily basis.<\/p>\n

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Car and Classic successfully managed to catch the ceremony of the five cars that were awarded prizes. In time-honoured fashion, the winners were chosen by the judges for style, effort, originality and how it fits into the Retro Rides Gathering family.<\/p>\n

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Jons Triumph was a deserved winner of the \u2018Dare to different\u2019 award, appealing to the judges simply because it was not only carried out on a modest budget of 5K but it shows what a little imagination can do to an overlooked car. The Triumph Toledo is a development of their FWD range of saloons, and while the RWD continue to attract attention, there\u2019s something about the underdog that has long resonated with the vibe of Retro Rides.<\/p>\n

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Frankly, an insane creation that has been executed with such a high degree of confidence, so had to win something on the day. It is slightly more than just a wide-bodied VW Beetle, the car is powered by a Honda S2000 engine mounted up front. Owner Michael won the \u2018Best engine\u2019 award.<\/p>\n

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A unanimous agreement by the judges flagged up this rare ‘Old Hots’ style RS56 Toyota Crown Utility wagon as the worthy winner of the \u2018Truck\/van\/wagon\u2019 award. Originally built as a commercial vehicle with operational rear doors, Tony imported this car from Finland during lockdown as a cosmetic project. He applied a series of very carefully measured details to complement the original bodywork and paint.<\/p>\n

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Josh\u2019s Toyota MKII is another car that warrants attention, as it’s a bit more than just a lowered mid-80s JDM import. Having raised the suspension points of the car and then lowered on to air cups, he took home the \u2018Cool’ award for the stance and detailing of the car.<\/p>\n

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Finally, we have Dougie, and his Californian imported w108 1972 Mercedes 280 SE. A regular at past Gatherings, previous visitors may recall seeing the car as a rat rod. After several years of hard work in his garage, in which the interior was refitted and treated to a significant amount of bodywork and paint, the judges made this beautifully finished car this year’s Retro Rides Gathering \u2018Car of the year\u2019.<\/p>\n

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A few weeks ago we had a chat with David Murphy, Retro Rides founder at the mighty Silverstone Classic, who was also absorbing the atmosphere of the day. We asked him what we should expect for the forthcoming Retro Rides Gathering and he gave us a performatory answer, which if you know him is the direct mark of the man’s no-nonsense character. However, our attention soon turned to music. As the screeching of tyres, burning clutches and roar of engines surrounded us, we had a lively conversation about music, both old and new. A passion that often runs parallel with many classic car fans. Having taken up far too much of his time, we parted ways and it got us thinking if Retro Rides was a band what would it be?<\/p>\n

I found a straightforward answer to my question. Retro Rides events are uncompromising, unique and never one to follow trends and more often than not, often sets them. And that\u2019s why I compare the Retro Rides Gathering to Marks E Smiths’ band, The Fall. So we’ll end this summary of the day by paraphrasing what the great John Peel once said of the legendary band. ‘Always different but always the same’.<\/p>\n

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