The revamped Bromley Pageant of Motoring proved popular with visitors, particularly those on their first visit to the sprawling show in Norman Park, Kent on 8 June. “We were surprised by the scope of the event,” said a couple who’d come from Upminster, in Essex, whose sentiments were echoed by others who hadn’t been before.
This year’s attendance – of 16,349 – was up on the previous year, no doubt helped by the good weather.
Several vast stands – among the 100-plus clubs around the venue – formed the centrepiece of the event, including a mouth-watering Aston Martin Owners Club array that ranged from a couple of marvellous pre-war MkII tourers to current models. V8s featured strongly, the highlight being a fabulous ’78 Series III in factory special-order Verdi Medio (above).
Nearby was the now-traditional Renault Classic display, featuring a Dauphine, plus three R6s, an immaculate 20TS, two Vel Satis hatchbacks and a fine set of Alpines that included a pair of A310s, one belonging to Paul and Cynthia Fraser-Sage.
Sports cars were out in force, too, with three huge groups of Mazda MX-5s and no less than 45 cars from the Stag Owners Club – in virtually every colour that they came in.
It wasn’t all cars from the south-east, either. Several of the furthest-travelled vehicles were on the Gay Classic Car Group stand, with members coming from as far afield as the Midlands and Crewe. It was also one of the most diverse selections, spanning a delightful Ford Model T tourer to a mint Vauxhall Carlton, a rather nice Citroën GSA Pallas SE and a couple of Range Rovers.
As always at Bromley, there was a strong contingent of Transatlantic machinery.
Sven Larsen from Bournemouth brought the magnificent 1950 Nash Airflyte Ambassador that he imported from the US in 2011. The fantastically original four-door had lived in a South Dakota museum for some years and had been sympathetically refurbished in California. It still had the factory-option mattress to go with the seats that fold to form a double bed.
Rarities could also be found around the one make parking area, such as a delightful mustard-coloured Honda N360 – alongside a sweet S800 coupé – and the vivid Vert Tibesti Citroën Méhari restored from the ground up by Paul and Angie Levine.
Traders reported decent business in the autojumble, while there were also plenty of tempting vehicles in the Cars for sale area.
From around the club stands...
