Bits & Pieces - August 2019

THE BEAULIEU AUTOJUMBLERS’ NEWSLETTER Autumn 2019

Costin-Nathan unveiled at 25th Spring Autojumble Beaulieu’s 25th Spring Autojumble echoed to the roar of the newly restored Costin-Nathan racing car as it was driven by its original creator Roger Nathan as part of the packed silver-themed anniversary event.

As many as 15,524 event-goers attended Spring Autojumble – an increase over last year’s total of 15,132 – and the unveiling of the Costin-Nathan was an extra highlight in addition to the 1,000-plus stands, which were packed with motoring bargains.

Roger Nathan – who created the 1965 Costin-Nathan with Frank Costin – drove it to success in the 1966 Coupes de Paris race at the Montlhéry circuit, becoming a David slaying the big Goliath race teams.

Roger said: “It’s been wonderful and a great privilege to have a second chance to drive it, like having a second life!”

At the unveiling of its restoration, Lord Montagu said: “The Costin-Nathan is a wonderful example of a racing car and you can see the innovation in its design with wood, metal and aviation technology. I am delighted that it will be going on display in the National Motor Museum.”

For the Costin-Nathan’s Californian owner Michael Plitkins, it was the first time he had seen the unique car after buying it by phone at auction and commissioning its restoration.

The former Wheeler Dealers mechanic chatted with fans about his new book Grease Junkie - A book of moving parts, which tells his life story.

Blast from the past The Dorset branch of the Morris Minor Owners’ Club celebrated the silver event with its popular MoggyFest and recreated the front cover of the first Spring Autojumble showguide in 1994, which pictured a Morris Traveller laden with spare parts en route to Beaulieu. With a Traveller in the same rare colour tracked down specially for the show, every detail was replicated to mirror the original image.

TV presenter and inventor Edd China also made a dramatic entrance as he drove into the show on his motorised sofa Casual Loafer, before a book signing on the stand of show media sponsor Practical Classics.

Michael, who flew in for the show, said: “I’m really pleased with how it has turned out. When it came up for auction, I decided this was a rare opportunity to buy a racing car quite rare in design and completely original in concept. I got in touch with Roger and commissioned him to oversee the restoration. It’s tremendous, utterly fantastic.

I love the car.”

BITS & PIECES Spring 2019

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Mini 60 Display With their celebratory Mini 60 display at Spring Autojumble, the Mini Cooper Register gathered 60 classic Minis in a line-up marking six decades of the British motoring icon.

Keep it in the family The Best Stand trophy, donated by Lolly Lee in memory of her father and autojumbler Terry Lee, was awarded to Matt Beale and his Weston-super-Mare family for their colourful sale of oil cans, historic signs, petrol pumps and automobilia.

The collection covered milestones from the earliest Morris-Mini Minors and through the 1970s Clubman, right up to the last Rover Mini Coopers. Rare and remarkable cars included a Mini Cooper police car, ex-BMC Works rally car, luxury Mini Countryman estate converted by coachbuilder Harold Radford and 1980s Mini Sky special edition.

Lord Montagu presented club members with celebratory glasses to mark the anniversary.

At the heart of their stand was a vintage petrol pump which had been painted silver for the occasion. The stand was selected by Practical Classics Editor Danny Hopkins for embodying the spirit of the event and the trophy was presented by Lord Montagu and Lolly Lee, who said: “The stand is like a flashback for me, it’s just how my father’s stand used to be.”

Winner Matt said: “We have been coming to Spring Autojumble for 10 years and selling for four years and I’ve been fortunate enough to turn my passion of collecting into a business.”

Matt’s son Cameron said: “Over the past few years, our stand has grown and grown and we have bought a bigger caravan to fit the stand!”

Judith’s Jottings What’s new from the Events Manager Goodbye to old friends

Welcome to a new team member

We were deeply saddened to hear about the recent loss of two friends of Beaulieu, who will both be greatly missed.

Long-standing autojumbler and engineer Dave Richmond passed away suddenly in June. He was always a familiar face at the event with his Red Field stands selling spare parts, particularly for the MG T-type which was one of his favourite cars. At the heart of the show for many years, Dave will certainly be missed at the International Autojumble.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to new member of the events team Nat Harrop, (pictured) who joins us straight from university.

The new Events Co-ordinator is passionate about cars and has already undertaken the more glamorous tasks of presenting prizes at Beaulieu Supercar Weekend and dancing the jitterbug at the Hot Rod & Custom Drive-in Day! Just ask Nat if you need any help at his first autojumble.

In July we also received the unexpected news about the sudden passing of André de Groot, Beaulieu’s European representative.

Attending shows across Europe and promoting Beaulieu events with great charm, André was a key member of the Beaulieu team and always a very welcome visitor to the autojumble press tents.

Our thoughts and best wishes are with the family and friends of both Dave and André.

Autojumbler’s insurance Following concern over the closure of the Autojumbler’s Association, we are pleased to report that Bloomhill Insurance Solutions will continue to act as insurance agents for the Autojumbler’s Insurance Policy. They have been running this policy for the last few years and intend to keep the same policy conditions and cost per member.

They will be contacting all existing members before the renewal date.

If you would like to join the policy, you do not need to have previously been an Autojumbler’s Association member in order to apply. Just contact Bloomhill Insurance Solutions direct.

International Autojumble will also offer the last chance to find the Autojumbler’s Association stand at the show, so please call in to see them in their usual place at the top of Red Field.

Be aware

Dave Richmond

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André de Groot

We would like to remind all exhibitors to be extra careful when loading and unloading stock at the beginning and end of the autojumble and to keep an eye on their valuables, to prevent anything from going missing.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

Experience of a first-time Beaulieu autojumbler Motoring journalist and autojumble novice Sarah Bradley had her first experience at becoming a stallholder at this year’s Spring Autojumble. After ‘inheriting’ a hoard of stock, she enjoyed her first taste of running a stand . . . with plenty of bartering, bargaining and bantering. Read her story which ran in the August edition of Octane magazine and its Editor has kindly shared with Beaulieu.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

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Sculpture exhibition At Spring Autojumble, you may have seen a number of eye-catching sculptures being installed in the grounds and gardens of Palace House. These were among 350 stunning pieces that, for the first time at Beaulieu, formed a summer sculpture exhibition featuring the work of over 60 internationally acclaimed sculptors.

News from the workshop Incredible machines have been stirring into life this summer to join daily motoring parades, while the workshop engineers have put a historic steam-powered fire engine through its paces and a globe-trotting motorcycle has gone on display. The National Motor Museum’s recent blog told the latest stories from the workshop.

Gobron-Brillié gets steamed up It may seem odd but the 1907 Gobron-Brillié fire engine actually uses fire to fight fire, with its steam-driven Merryweather Valiant pumping gear. In order to pump huge volumes of water, a fire has to be lit to bring the boiler of this small steam engine up to temperature.

Despite being over a century old, the Gobron-Brillié is kept in full working order by the workshop engineers. As part of its maintenance schedule, its boiler and pumping gear were recently tested. Museum Manager and Chief Engineer Doug Hill used his fire service experience to control the hose.

A very unusual machine, on loan from a private collection also turned many heads.

The 1964 Amphicar Model 770 is a rare survivor of one of the most daring motoring designs of the 20th century, capable of 70mph on land and 7 knots on water.

Its watertight steel body-shell was powered by a rear-mounted 1147cc Triumph Herald engine and drive could be switched between the rear wheels and two propellers. Due to its high cost, less than 4,000 examples were built in West Germany between 1961 and 1967 but today these eye-catching machines are highly sought-after.

Unlike a modern fire engine, the GobronBrillié is not fitted with a water container but relies on the availability of ponds and rivers.

TV and film cars star in parades

After the successful revival of Beaulieu’s motoring parades at Easter, more cavalcades for the summer have featured the gadget-laden Jaguar XKR from the James Bond film Die Another Day and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

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From the atmospheric ruins of 13th century Beaulieu Abbey to the Victorian flower garden, the unique collection made Sculpture at Beaulieu a huge success with visitors. Sculptures included a kinetic stainless steel Spitfire by Richard Cresswell, standing at 11ft high and turning in the wind, as well as a full-size bronze Icarus figure

by Nicola Godden, whose work graced the Olympic Village in London.

An instantly recognisable comedy classic also took part in the summer action. Del Boy’s famous three-wheeler Reliant Regal Supervan from Only Fools and Horses, which is usually on show in Beaulieu’s On Screen Cars, was checked and serviced by workshop engineers to get it ready to take part in the parades.

is one of the few cars which was acquired by him rather than his father.

It was originally owned by Gerald Carey, Lord Montagu’s tutor at Walhampton School and it was the occasional ride in the car which started his affection for the halftimbered model.

By the time Lord Montagu was old enough to drive, the Morris had given more than ten years of service and was due to be replaced.

Lord Montagu took the opportunity to buy the car for £400, but his father was not impressed by the tatty Traveller.

Lord Montagu later sold the Morris to a friend who restored her to her former glory but bought her back more recently. The car is now kept in a private garage and can be seen driving around the Beaulieu Estate, or taking part in the holiday motoring parades.

Lord Montagu’s Morris Traveller Also taking part in the parades was Lord Montagu’s 1967 Morris Minor Traveller, which

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

Steph’s globetrotting Honda After 74,000 miles around the world, adventurer Steph Jeavons’ Honda motorbike has become the latest addition to The Motorcycle Story in the museum.

Aviators, racing drivers and globetrotters in autumn series

The trusty 2013 Honda CRF250L was Steph’s two-wheeled companion for the four-year solo record-breaking trip, which saw her become the first Briton to ride on all seven continents.

Extraordinary adventures with daring tales of motor racing, aviation and around-the-world journeys are all part of the National Motor Museum’s autumn programme of talks.

Starting the season on Saturday 21st September, David Bremner will be Following in Grandad’s Flight Path as he fires-up his incredible recreation of a vintage aeroplane, the ultimate tribute to his World War I pilot grandfather.

After discovering old aircraft parts in his grandfather’s shed, relics from a 1915 Bristol Scout flown by his grandfather during World War I, David was inspired to build an exact replica. It took six years of painstaking research before the ambitious build could begin but the completed Bristol Scout triumphantly took to the air in 2015.

David’s Bristol Scout will be roaring into life for the evening, giving eventgoers the chance to see and hear this incredible machine. The start-up at 6.15pm will be followed by the screening of a documentary of the build and a talk with David.

On Saturday 19th October, Ivan Dutton: a life of motoring passion and achievement will remember the on and off-track career of the 1973 Production Saloon Car Championship winner. Ivan will recall his days working in the Chequered Flag workshop, before taking to the track in 1963 at the wheel of a Jaguar Mk1.

Following his championship victory a decade later, he went on to form his Bugatti restoration company, before his twin

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

passions for racing and all things Bugatti saw him compete in a succession of these revered machines.

On Saturday 16th November, pilot Paul Catanach will be relating his tales of living life on the edge in Gone Bush as he describes his experiences flying across the Australian Outback.

Combining a career change with emigration, Paul embarked on his flying career after gaining his commercial pilot’s Licence in Queensland, before becoming a flight instructor. In his greatest adventure, he took a job in the Northern Territory transporting freight night and day in clapped-out aircraft. Experiencing the delights and perils of the dry and wet seasons of the extreme Australian climate, not to mention the trials of passengers, live freight, other pilots and wildlife, Gone Bush will tell of his hair-raising experiences.

Affectionately nicknamed Rhonda the Honda, the plucky motorbike took Steph through 54 countries including Thailand, Chile, Turkey, Panama, Canada, Egypt, Australia and even Antarctica. She encountered the hottest, driest, wettest and coldest environments, including some of the longest and highest roads, with challenges ranging from tackling the frozen landscape of Antarctica to getting caught in a Himalayan landslide.

The journey took in some of the longest and highest roads and tested the Honda’s reliability to the limit – and during the adventure, Steph politely refused six marriage propsals!

The adventuring spirit continues on Friday 6th December, as Pat and Ness Garrod relate their incredible travels around the world on two wheels, in Bearback: The World Overland.

the mountains of the Andes, across the deserts of Africa, deep into the jungles of Indochina and beyond the Arctic Circle, their four-year trek became one of the longest journeys undertaken by a couple on one motorcycle.

Putting their medical careers on hold and riding off into the sunset on their trusty motorcycle, nicknamed The Bear, the intrepid couple covered 100,000 miles unsupported as they travelled across 64 countries and 6 continents. Over

All of the talks will take place at 7.30pm in the Lecture Theatre of the National Motor Museum’s Collections Centre, apart from Following in Grandad’s Flight Path which will start in the National Motor Museum at 6.15pm.

Tickets are £10 (or £7.50 for Friends of the National Motor Museum Trust) and are available from Theresa Browning at friends@beaulieu.co.uk or 01590 614792.

All profits help support the National Motor Museum Trust. For more information about membership of the Friends of the National Motor Museum Trust and lecture series details see www.nationalmotormuseum. org.uk/the_friends.

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Celebrating Golden Arrow 90th anniversary The National Motor Museum Trust released unique archive footage from Major Henry Segrave’s personal films to mark the 90th anniversary of Golden Arrow breaking the Land Speed Record.

Rare Lord Scrumptious car joins Chitty exhibition A rare 1912 Austro-Daimler 27/80 Prince Henry that starred as Lord Scrumptious’ chauffeur-driven car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has become the latest addition to the National Motor Museum’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50 years exhibition.

The Austro-Daimler is one of just four known surviving examples of a model known as one of the world’s first sports cars – and its off-screen story is as astonishing as its on-screen exploits in the much-loved musical film.

Taken from a set of Segrave’s home movies, the remarkable footage of the 1929 Land Speed Record-breaking runs at Daytona Beach, Florida, is a fantastic insight into the exhilarating pursuit of ultimate speed.

The remarkable scenes show excited crowds gathering on the beach to watch Segrave break the Land Speed Record in the Irving-Napier Special Golden Arrow, while photographers and cameramen clamoured for extra shots. The run is even disrupted by overzealous spectators who broke through the police cordon onto the sands.

Eventually, the car thundered to set a new record of 231.446mph.

Only about 50 of the exclusive Austro-Daimler 27/80 Prince Henry were built and this car has been in the same family for more than six decades. The current keeper’s grandfather, vintage and veteran car dealer Cecil Bendall, bought it for £310 in 1956 from the estate of Herbert Whitley who founded Paignton Zoo. Bendall restored the car before using it to compete in numerous Veteran Car Club rallies and Vintage Sports-Car Club motorsport events, and often provided historic vehicles for filming.

The car starred as the transport of Lord Scrumptious and was driven by spies during the kidnap of Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which was released in 1968. By a decade later, its sophisticated 5.7 litre engine was in need of a rebuild and Bendall later hoped to drive it in the Land’s End to John O’Groats Trial but sadly passed away before the project could be completed. His grandson Tristan Jensen has since picked up the baton, with the goal of getting this impressive machine back in action to drive in historic motoring events once again.

Tristan said: “A busy life, family and many cars are slowing down the progress. However, all of the new parts have now been made and the engine just requires assembly. I am planning to enter events again in 2020.”

After many years off the road, the Prince Henry has been dusted down to join Beaulieu’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50 years exhibition and will remain on display until the exhibition ends on November 3rd.

A longer version of the video adds extra detail to the record-breaking story, covering the team’s arrival on the SS Majestic in New York in February 1929 and showing footage from the trial runs. The film also revealed that the team didn’t travel light – along with the Golden Arrow, there were six mechanics, 21 cases of spares, 500 gallons of petrol, 200 gallons of oil and two touring cars!

D-Day anniversary display The Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team put their miniature boats and tanks to the test at Buckler’s Hard over the summer, with two special demonstrations for maritime anniversaries.

Marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the team brought along a selection of miniature replicas of some of the ships used in the decisive WW2 campaign. Although tide and weather conditions conspired against a planned re-enactment of the Normandy landings, scale model landing craft delivered model tanks to the shore to storm a 45 square foot replica of a Normandy village.

Then in July, as a full-size replica of Battle of Trafalgar’s HMS Pickle visited Buckler’s Hard, the Portsmouth Model Boat Display Team took to the water with their own remote-control recreations of sailing ships from the battle, firing their canons with pyrotechnics, while visitors had the chance to see some of these incredible models, including galleons, frigates and destroyers, up-close in a static display.

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BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

Top Gear’s new series cars on show

A collection of cars from the filming of the brand new series of Top Gear – with new presenters Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff alongside veteran Chris Harris – have been put on display at Beaulieu.

Car shows bring out the stars Beaulieu has recently welcomed several exciting filming projects, including four high-profile car shows.

Hit show Car SOS chose Beaulieu to unveil one of its latest projects, a Ford Escort Mk1 Mexico for episode nine of the awardwinning programme’s seventh series.

The Car SOS team gathered a selection of classic cars together on the Events Arena for the surprise reveal. The unsuspecting owner, who thought he was just out for a day out with his family at Beaulieu, was speechless as presenters Tim and Fuzz presented him with his rejuvenated car. The episode will be broadcast on the National Geographic channel.

The National Motor Museum also became the perfect backdrop for new prime-time ITV4 car show The Car Years. With its world-famous collection of more than 250 vehicles, the museum was the natural choice for presenters Vicki Butler-Henderson and Alex Riley to go head-tohead with their favourite cars from chosen years.

Winners of the car battles were picked by judges including former F1 drivers and broadcasters Tiff Needell and Karun Chandhok, motoring writers and presenters Erin Baker and Quentin Willson, former Top Gear Stig and stunt driver Ben Collins, motoring author and vlogger Richard Porter and world-renowned motoring auctioneer Chris Routledge.

Discovery Channel show Goblin Works Garage chose Beaulieu’s Simply Ford as the perfect place to unveil its rebuilt 1965 Ford Mustang race car. The three presenters talked to Ford fans at the show to hear their positive reactions to the rejuvenated muscle car.

Most recently, Channel 4 show Great British Car Journeys brought former Doctor Who Peter Davison to take a drive in the Doctor’s famous car Bessie which can usually be seen in Beaulieu’s On Screen Cars. In the passenger seat was his co-star Christopher Timothy, who also appeared alongside him in All Creatures Great and Small and more recently joined the cast of EastEnders. Lord Montagu enjoyed meeting the celebrity pair and his chat with them will be featured in the programme when it is broadcast later in the year.

BITS & PIECES Autumn 2019

Visitors to the World of Top Gear can get up-close to the six most memorable motors from Series 27, including the Triumph Spitfire, Subaru Brat and Nissan Leaf electric cars, the Overtaker hearse and the Austin Allegro estate and Matra Bagheera from the Borneo jungle.

The Borneo film saw Paddy and Freddie tasked with buying rare, but cheap, classic cars in episode four. Paddy bought a Matra Bagheera, France’s forgotten 1970s sports car, while Freddie went for a rarely-seen estate version of the Austin Allegro. Despite the challenging terrain and climate of the jungle, both cars completed their adventure.

The unmistakable bright blue Overtaker from episode three started life as a normal Daimler hearse, until Paddy decided that the tired coffin-carrier would make the perfect second-hand family car.

Top Gear has also turned its hand to electric vehicles. Chris swapped his classic Triumph Spitfire’s petrol engine for an electric motor, while Freddie added plug-in power to the rear wheels of his Subaru Brat pick-up and secretly kept the original engine upfront. Meanwhile, Paddy started off with a standard Nissan Leaf which he modified.

Andy Saunders becomes ambassador Car customiser Andy Saunders has become the new show ambassador for Beaulieu’s Hot Rod & Custom Drive-In Day. Arriving in style in his freshly re-engineered 1937 Cord 812 Westchester Tetanus, Andy judged and presented his first Andy Saunders award for the most eye-catching modified car of the show. He picked Michael Castle’s Pro Street 1980 Ford Cortina, which delighted show-goers with the roar of its brutal 8.2-litre V8 engine.

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26 October 2019

From 3pm. Fireworks at approx 7:30pm

Out of this World t h a n ni vers ary of t h e moon l and ing Cel eb ra tin g 50

Arrive early and enjoy the attractions of Beaulieu before fireworks, live entertainment and old time fairground amusements.* amusements

See website for more details including ticket prices.

beaulieufireworks.co.uk 01590 612888

www.classicmotor.co.uk

01204 657212

*Additional charges apply

| beaulieu.co.uk BITS & PIECES Spring 2019 a Produced by the PR Department | John Montagu Building | Beaulieu | Hampshire | SO42 7ZN | 01590 614603 | pr@beaulieu.co.uk