The Practical Classic Restoration Show at the NEC was a huge success and I was thrilled to be invited to talk on the main stage on a variety of subjects from what is the ideal first classic to how do we preserve heritage skills and inspire the next generation.
The crowd were absolutely great, with the Q&A sessions throwing up some very interesting questions which certainly got me thinking. And it was great to see so many younger enthusiasts in the audience, showing that our hobby will continue for generations to come.
I was on stage with some real titans of the classic car TV industry, Darren Collins, Ant Anstead, Mike Brewer and Paul Cowland as well as the fabulous host and overlord of Practical Classics magazine Danny Hopkins. We had a good old chat on stage and although I don’t think my argument won over Mike Brewer to the idea of EV classics we certainly had a laugh.
The show is massive, second only to the the November Classic Car Motorshow also at the NEC. There was a fantastic display from the team at Gilbert-Michaelson showing superb restoration skills and techniques. The auto jumble area is also huge with and amazing array of new and used classic car parts.
Tools are very important to me and it was great to see so many fabulous tools on sale, I spent a fair bit of time with the wonderful people at Draper Tools who also supply our workshop, so it was great to see what was new in the range.
The barn find area is fascinating, some models don’t seem that old to me and seeing cars that I helped to develop back in the ’90s on display as a classic did make me feel a bit old!
If you are interested in buying a classic the auction area would have been perfect for you, I spent hours in there drooling over some amazing cars, trucks and bikes, including a classic mini pickup with a mid mounted GT40 V8! You really do see all sorts at the NEC show.
But as ever the best bit was talking to so many wonderful people, listening to stories and swapping hints and tips. It’s a fabulous environment where people’s passion for a great hobby highlights what a great community this really is.
I’m already looking forward to the next show!












