Practical Classics’s Classic Car and Restoration Show with

Discovery 2019

NEC Birmingham 2019.
Welcome to the Cavalier and Chevette Club
Your friendly Vauxhall - Opel Club since 1994
© Cavalier and Chevette Club 2023 We acknowledgement to Vauxhall Motors Ltd
The Practical Classics’s Classic Car and Restoration Show 2019 with Discovery has to go down as the best one of these shows we have attended. We had a massive amount of publicity in the press before the event with regards to the Cavalier Mk1 WNA258S “WINNY”. With Coverage in Classic Car Weekly, Classic Car Buyer and Practical Classic. The event website also featured the car as did the Show Guide with a half a page on the car under the heading “Clubbing together for a great cause” and our stand a photo of the car with Vince Poole in the exhibitor listing. Also Fred Coombs Chevette HS featured in an email that the organisers sent out regarding the event on the Saturday. The event started early for on Thursday morning, with a well packed Vectra B Design Edition (heading for the meeting point at the Toby Carvery at Stonebridge Island. Soon I was joined by Mark Westwood and his wife with their Red Cavalier Mk2 SRi. After a short wait every one else arrived at the same time, more by luck than anything else. Fred Coombs with his Chevette HS, Graham Meakes in his Cavalier Mk3 GSi 2000 along with Mike Shewan as passenger. And Phil Scaiffe with a flatted truck with WNA 258S on the back. They proceed to strip the brakes down and replace the front pads and the rear shoes. As well as check the car over which, considering the age of the car is very solid. (Phil I believe is providing a more in depth up date else where in the Newsletter so I won’t go to in depth into what work was carried out). We had a steady number of press come on the stand Friday interested in all the cars but also asking how we were getting on with the Cavalier Mk1. Bymid-morning Paul Ellson had arrived on the stand with a bag of goodies for the car out of club stock. Classic Car Weekly took a picture on the Friday of the Car and some of us which appeared in the following weeks issue. After a very long day we headed straight out to get something to eat in Resort World, before heading for our Hotel’s. Saturday came and we were joined on the stand by Simon Downs and Jeremy Lettington. After a breakfast again at Weatherspoons we headed off to the stand. Fred arrived after another trip in to the show in his Taxi Mustang. Phil, Graham and Mike proceeded with the fluid change on the radiator and change of the fan belt. A through look round the auto-jumble for Coolant and fan belt the day before came to nothing so we ordered on online with a view to Simon and I heading off to collect form somewhere in Birmingham on the Saturday. Simon and I headed of into deepest Birmingham collected the coolant. However, the fan belt was not available to collect so we headed back with a work around idea. Phil, Graham and Mike were hard at work with the rewiring so that the car would start on the Key. A big thanks goes to Dave Deakin from Chevette and Kadett who assisted at this point with the wiring. The New inhibitor switch was fitted. While this was all going on Fred, Mark and Myself were dealing with lost of members of the public who had come on to the stand to look at all the cars. Saturday afternoon was busy. After the show we headed off to Resort World for something to eat. Comic Con was also being held at the NEC this week end so there was a fair few people dressed as characters out of Harry Potter and Games of Throne walking around or standing in a queue. After we had something to eat we headed for a bar which we had been in previously for a drink. (Note: Phil make sure next time you don’t leave any bags behind in the restaurant). We then retired to our hotels. Sunday arrived and we were joined by Richard Watt and Claire Samuels. After another pitstop at Weatherspoons we headed for the stand. Phil, Graham and Mike set to work bleeding the brakes and checking over the car to make sure every thing was ready for the grand switch on at the end of the show. We had more members of the press visit the stand and also potential new members. Remember the Mustang that Fred had been coming in from his Hotel as a Taxi? Well Fred and I went over to Dream Rides and went out as a passenger in the car. All too soon the end of the show arrived with the usual sound of the horns. We packed up the stand and then the moment of truth. Phil fired up WINNY and the car drove out of the hall and on to the transporter under its own power. I would like to say a big than you in no particular order to Graham Meakes, Mike Shewan, Phil Scaife, Mark Westwood and his wife, Fred Coombs for providing there cars and helping on the stand and working on there cars during the event. I would also like to thank Simon Downs, Jeremy Lettington, Richard Watt and Claire Samuels for attending and helping man the stand on various days. Also I would like to say a special thank you to Paul Ellson for travelling down to the event with a bag of bits for WINNE and for Dave Deakin from Chevette and Kadett which his help on the ignition on WINNE. Also a big thank you to all the club members that visited the stand over the three Days, New and Old (Not enough space to name you all but you know who you are). Our application is in for the 2020 show but before that we await to see if we are in for the 2019 Lancaster Classic Motor Show with Discovery in November. If you are potentially interested in exhibiting at this one please let me know (you don’t have to work on your car at this one). Kevin Bricknall (602)