2 days Ago By Jack Mortimer
With the days getting longer, temperatures rising, and the roads decidedly less salty, many petrolheads see the dawn of spring as the perfect time to get to work recovering their cherished classic . As a result, it is no surprise that thousands of car lovers took to the Birmingham NEC for the Practical Classics Restoration Show , promising three halls worth of historic vehicles in all conditions, many of which were being restored throughout the weekend. Owen Burgess from the YouTube channel OG Cars used the show as an opportunity to work on his 1990 Yugo Sana (one of around six known to exist in the UK), and was surprised to gain help from other attendees.
He explained: "Well, initially I was hoping to get the clutch and gearbox in. I've had a lot of issues trying to find the right parts for this car, admittedly. There's a lot of Fiat parts used by the Yugo, though, so I was able to find a Fiat X1/9 clutch, which is now engaging and disengaging.
"But James and Aaron from the Young Retro Motor Club stand have basically come over and helped me with all sorts of other parts that need doing. So we've got the head gasket and all the parts associated with that and new front brakes. They just came over and decided to help, and I'm really grateful to them.
" One of the Practical Classics Restoration Show's key elements is the barn find area, in which a significant number of models that were recently discovered after decades of being hidden away in garages and warehouses are displayed for all to see. A key attraction of the area this year was a late 80s Skoda Rapid coupe that had covered just 10 miles. The model affectionally nicknamed 'the poor man's Porsche' was used as a showroom display vehicle, but put into storage once the dealership closed in 1991.
Other models in the popular section of the event included a moss-covered Citroen BX Estate, a 1935 Austin 7 that was rescued from the crusher more than three decades ago, and an original Ford Escort that last took to the roads in 1991. Another key staple of the show was the extensive car auction, with the majority of one hall featuring no fewer than 170 different classics going under the hammer from CCA - ranging from unloved projects to cherished Cadillacs and Ford Cosworths. Arguably the most famous car up for grabs over the weekend was a seemingly pedestrian 2010 Land Rover Defender 90 in pale green, which was previously the personal vehicle of King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Only having covered around 24,000 miles, the simple yet striking Land Rover fetched a staggering £67,500 - around £10,000 more than a brand-new Defender 90 S. Another interesting lot in the show's auction was a rather dusty Ford Capri 2.8i which was previously restored by the seller, only for the performance coupe to be stolen.
Whilst the car was successfully recovered without damage, the incident caused significant stress from the owner, keeping it in a garage for the next 12 years. The owner had the last laugh, however, with the Capri selling for £12,093. However, not all models on display at the Practical Classics Restoration Show were old bangers.
As always, the show was home to the final of the Pride of Ownership competition, in which 20 hopefuls brought their freshly-fixed classics along to be judged by motoring experts. Models on the large stand ranged from a 1960 Morris Mini Minor, owned by three generations of the same family, to a vivid green 2010 Ford Focus RS. However, it was Rory Clague's 1985 Vauxhall Nova Saloon that won the competition.
In all, the Practical Classics Restoration Show proves that classic cars do not need to be in showroom condition to be interesting - often just a little bit of help from the friendly community available to them..
