Once again, the Volvo Owners’ Club was delighted to have a stand at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show at the NEC Birmingham.
The March show has a slightly different feel to the November Classic Motor Show, with a much greater emphasis on restoration, maintenance and hands-on work. Across the three days, many clubs and exhibitors were carrying out live restoration and repair demonstrations, giving visitors the opportunity to see first-hand how a wide variety of jobs are tackled.
On the Volvo Owners’ Club stand, Rob McCartney gave demonstrations on the workings of the SU carburettor, including some of the common problems owners may encounter and how they can be resolved. His demonstrations generated plenty of interest and proved popular with visitors throughout the show.
We also had a superb selection of four Volvos on display:
1971 Volvo 1800E – Sam Chandler
Sam’s beautifully presented 1800E was in outstanding condition and attracted plenty of attention. Sam is one of our newer, younger members, and it was particularly encouraging to have both him and his car representing the Club. Encouraging the next generation of Volvo enthusiasts is something we are very keen to continue building upon.
1972 Volvo 164 – Ian Ferguson
Ian Ferguson’s impressive 164 added another important chapter of Volvo history to the display. Ian has been a member of the Club since 1981, so it was especially pleasing to welcome Ian, his partner and his car onto the stand.
1973 Volvo 1800ES – Paul Cassell
Long-standing member Paul Cassell brought along his lovely 1800ES. Many Club members will already know Paul and his car, and it was great to have them both with us once again.
2009 Volvo C30 – Amy Brinkley
For the first time, we featured a C30 on our NEC show stand, kindly provided by another of our newer, younger members, Amy Brinkley. The car attracted a great deal of interest from visitors. Although the C30 was produced for only seven years, it has developed a very enthusiastic following and good examples are becoming increasingly sought after.
While the March Restoration Show attracts fewer visitors than the November Classic Motor Show, it remains a hugely enjoyable and worthwhile event. We were particularly pleased to welcome eight new members who joined the Volvo Owners’ Club during the weekend – thank you to everyone who stopped by the stand, chatted with us and signed up.
A big thank you must go to Sam Chandler, Paul Cassell, Ian Ferguson, Amy Brinkley and Rob McCartney for their support, together with our regular NEC team of Jaki Ragg, Andrew Anderson and Chris Wickers, whose help once again made the weekend possible.
We are already looking forward to returning to the NEC for the Classic Motor Show in November, when the Club will be celebrating important anniversaries for both the Volvo 300 Series and Volvo 480.
