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Car of the Year 2010

The Classic Motor Show marks the end of the show season for Classic American and is the highlight of the Footman James Car of the Year competition – it’s no less than the Grand Finals! Once again the American section was bristling with American iron in the form of displays from clubs, as well as plenty of lively music action and dancing on the Milk Cow stand.

Classic American’s stand was nestled in the heart of this year’s American section, surrounded by the Mustang and Corvette clubs on one side, the AACUK on the other and the Vintage Hot Rod Association and NSRA on the other (the Mazda MX5 Club were on the other side, but we won’t go there…). Despite the economic gloom, a lot of people seemed to have decided to forget about it all for a few days and let their hair down, spending the weekend enjoying old cars. And why not? As the UK’s largest indoor classic car show, there was lots of stuff to sink one’s teeth into, from club stands, to restoration demonstrations and one of the best auto jumbles anywhere… even free whisky if you fancied it!

And if you wanted a break from classic cars, then in the hall next door was the Classic Bike Show, and on the other side the MPH show, with wall-to-wall Jeremy Clarkson and modern performance cars. Several old faces from Classic American’s past made an appearance over the weekend, including the magazine’s first editor, Tony Beadle, and Paul Guiness his successor, plus 2008 Car of the Year winner, Peter Teager.

But of course, the most important thing for most people was the cars. This year’s stand had a few extras apart from the Car of the Year heat winners, including the superb 1967 Pontiac Firebird (December’s cover car) belonging to Dale Bennoit, a George Barris original custom that many will recognise as Alvin’s Acorn (see Classic American issue 207, July 2008) which owner Gary Hill brought along – even the Classic American station wagon got in on the act...

• Read the full article in Classic American January 2011

Words: Ben Klemenzson
Photography: Joe Dick & Christopher Tilley