Well what a week! Brexit is a reality and it has already resulted in the implosion of our political parties, turmoil on the markets and stern words/actions from our EU counterparts. At a time when our elected representatives need to be completely focussed upon enacting “Article 50” and planning our EU exit strategies, they are fighting amongst themselves for who is/was right/wrong and who is going to lead the parties into the future.

It would appear that our politicians didn’t expect Brexit so made no contingency plans (Cameron’s was simply to resign) and the “Leavers” didn’t expect to win, so had no actual plans either - and so far have only admitted to propaganda failures and empty rhetoric.

And Boris Johnson’s decided not to step up to the vacant leadership role at the Conservative party. If he did, he would have to clear up a lot of mess of his making.

Brilliant!

But I have no intention of writing a mopey, depressing or dark post. 

Because on the side of brightness, Adele was brilliant at Glastonbury (I watched her on the telly) and so were Coldplay, ELO and ZZ Top.  In all the doom and gloom (politics and weather), it seems to me that music brings people together better than referendums.

And that brings me to cars, which appropriately for this post, are also good for bringing people together, not to mention transporting them to the getting-together location.

If you haven’t already guessed, this post concludes my June vehicle related article extravaganza. It’s all about cars…

…again.

Because on the 19th June I went to the American Auto Club International (AACI) Summer Open Nationals event at Billing Aquadrome.  It has taken me a while to get around to the write up because, to be frank, there have been some distractions. But a review is still worthwhile because it was a cracking outing and you might want to go to the next one.

​In a similar way to the National Street Rod Association fun run (attended on 5th June – review available), concessions circled the main show field and US automobiles of all decades formed the equivalent of a massive car park in the middle.

Outside of the concessions perimeter, there was also a collection of HGV tractor units that included some imposing, beautifully detailed, vintage Kenworth and Peterbilt rigs.

I wandered around the showground for a few hours taking photos and dreaming about owning car after car. There were a number of vehicles on show that I recognised from my previous trip; there were a lot for sale too. I found myself reflecting that for the same kind of money as an era equivalent UK Ford or Vauxhall, you could have an American car instead. And boy would you get more car for your money – size, specification, power, style, distinctiveness, opposite sex impressing potential etc. One Mustang I photographed was even right hand drive (and from the factory).

Admittedly there would be some challenges too – outrageous fuel consumption; the size of the average UK garage/driveway vs the length/width of the average American barge; the safe navigation of UK B roads; the negotiation of smaller UK roundabouts; and in the case of some of the big 70s Cadillacs, people thinking you are either a pimp, an entertainment agent or a drug dealer. 

Perhaps surprisingly, parts availability might be less of a problem than you’d face owning a UK historic.
   
So the next time I have some money to spend on a classic car, *SHOCK ANNOUNCEMENT*, it might not be another Vauxhall Viva derivative. 

Whilst the 60s/70s muscle cars fired my imagination/desire the most, it was an eighties car that stopped me in my tracks.

One exhibitor had brought along a black Firebird that was modified inside and out to look like KITT from TV series, Knight Rider. For all I know it could have been a genuine show car, seriously, it was that good.

As I mooched around, I realised that I was smiling a lot and feeling a genuine degree of happiness. I got chatting to some vehicle owners who were, justifiably, proud of their machines; I engaged with some stall holders selling their wares; I took so many photos that my CF card got full and needed clearing down…so that I could take some more.   
Over 300 photos later (336 in all - those are just the ones I have left), I was making my way out of the ground when a race engineered 1964 Dodge Polara rumbled past me. Having been too slow to get my camera out of its case, I turned around and walked all the way back to the arena to find the car and take a picture.

I was pleased I did because doing so meant I met up with a neighbour/buddy of mine from down my street. And having been on the verge of leaving, I spent another happy hour at the show.  Having advised Mrs B. that I’d only be out for a couple of hours, by the time I got home, it had been four.

But by way of luck, the 19th was also Father’s Day and that meant I was cut loads of slack. I can report that the day saw some great gifts/cards, some great cars and no grief. Thank you Mrs and junior Baldwins.

And thank you to the AACI for organising an exciting show, I’ll make sure I go again next year.

In the meantime, if you like the review/photos, you should know that the AACI late summer open nationals take place at Billing on 19th August 2016. Whilst I won’t be able to make that date; maybe you’d like to go. Put it in your diary.

I’ll be going to Billing again though in July. The VBOA all Vauxhall car club rally is on the 17th.

Click on any image below to enlarge it.

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Over the last few weeks my blog posts have been particularly transport themed – my usual topical randomness usurped by a surprising degree of consistency.  

Motorbikes and motorcars and motorcars… 

…and motorbikes because today saw the Daventry Motorcycle Festival take place. I had to go of course, the fact that similar types of outing have recently occurred was not a barrier to further wheeled excitement. 

Though I’ll admit that I went on my own (again) because my vehicular fascination is not shared by my nearest and dearest. Not that that bothers me very much if I am honest - dragging Mrs B. or my daughter around an event like today’s would be miserable for us all. 

However, I’ll be honest, it’s a shame that my lad isn’t bothered either. Though afterwards, I appreciated that he pretended to be interested in the 130 photographs that I actively encouraged him to view.

Anyway, back to the event. Since I launched this site in 2011, the annual Dav. motorcycle event has had a write-up - and this year’s was equally deserving.

Why not read the previous reviews – all take slightly different perspectives as I try not to write the same article year after year.  

2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 

The format for the 2016 festival followed that established in previous years e.g. the streets in use, the route of the ride in, the event timings. Fortunately the weather today was bright and warm (unlike in 2015) and the turnout of riders was much greater than last year. The ride-in arrived at approximately 10am and that kicked the event off. 

I enjoyed the spectacle of Daventry coming to life – people and machines were all over the place. The town centre had a liveliness about it that it lacks for the vast majority of the year and I congratulate the organisers and the local council for making it happen.

I share a small selection my photos below. 

For those of you that like my Forest Gump “life is like a box of chocolates…you never know what you’re going to get” unstructured approach to blog content, I’d like to be able to confirm that normal service will resume shortly. 

But there’s an American car show next weekend that I fancy going to.

​Expect 24424.

Click on any of the images below to enlarge.

Having only just published a post entitled “Car Sunday”, I can report that the second weekend in a row had its fair share of car related wonderment too - so much in fact that Car Sunday 2 (the sequel) felt like a necessary post.

On 5th June, by way of a fluke, I attended the National Street Rod Association’s Billing Fun Run.  The unplanned outing occurred as a result of agreeing to visit my in-laws who have a house boat moored in the marina at Billing Aquadrome. The visit just happened to coincide with the event. Result!

In previous posts I have written about Vauxhall car club events at the Northamptonshire holiday park, but I had never been to a hot rod event there, or anywhere else for that matter.

Here’s what the NSRA stated about its event:

BILLING FUN RUN
Our first major hot rod show of the year, held at the Billing Aquadrome. Weekend activities and entertainment, trade stalls, Saturday cruise, huge show ‘n’ shine car show for pre-1972 hot rods, street rods, and customs; open to the public on Sunday.

Here’s what I observed:

When I walked into the showground, concessions circled the main show field like Wild West wagons protecting their travellers (which is a kind of appropriate simile given that the vast majority of vehicles were American). Food, drink, models, memorabilia, car parts, clothing and vintage collectibles were all available to tempt the cash out of passing wallets.

Inside the ring, the motors on display were colourful, playful, artistic and even beautiful. The custom paint jobs, the out-there designs, the money no object expenditure, the body modifications, the obvious efforts invested, the attention to detail, the spotless presentation were awe inspiring.

And as for the noise, the occasional rumble, or full blooded roar of V8s as vehicles moved around the site, were as guttural and powerful as lions broadcasting their presence on the savannah.

For me, I wandered around like a kid in a toy shop; a Hot Wheels (HW) toy shop. Life sized models of the kinds of vehicles you only normally see in the HW range were everywhere. So many spectacular cars were on show that I didn’t know where to look first. I loved all the vehicles but the late sixties, early seventies muscle cars were particularly special. The Plymouth Road Runners and Barracudas, Dodge Chargers and Challengers, Ford Mustangs and the Chevrolet Camaros were simply marvellous.

In the blazing sunshine, over the course of an hour or two, I took 163 photos and some are shared below for your enjoyment. One car pictured (the green one) had me scratching my head because I didn’t know what it actually was – after some post event time web researching, a Plymouth Fury III is my conclusion.

All in all, the NSRA event was a petroleum-fuelled car nirvana where any petrolhead could feel like they were experiencing something life affirming/enhancing. I am going to go again next year, in fact I am already excited about the prospect.

As the Baldwin family left Billing later that afternoon, a number of show cars were leaving too; I drove down the A45 towards the M1 with the windows down to listen to the roar of supercharged trio of “Hillbilly Racing” Plymouth V8s at full chatter (a Roadrunner, THE Fury and a Duster). The sound was elemental, exciting and moving, like driving in the grip of a thunderstorm.

And storm is this week’s link to Top Gear. The Sunday car fun continued at 8pm because Top Gear was on the telly.
Episode two was entertaining and I’ll happily admit that I am already a convert to the Evans and LeBlanc format.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments and the guests - Jenson Button, Sharleen Spiteri, Tinie Tempah, Seasick Steve and Damian Lewis (and presenter Eddie Jordan) - added some real value.

Frustratingly though, I have since read the BBC News coverage knocking the viewing figures of its own showcase production - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36458510 - and that just makes me cross. If you ask me all the negativity is just a storm in a teacup (now the link makes sense).

My recommendations for any of you still feeling grumpy about the departure of Clarkson, Hammond and May…

​…are get over it and get watching the new presenters/series.

Click on any of the images below to enlarge.

​Up until last Sunday (29th May), the 2016 F1 season had been a bit of a damp squib for me, lacking in excitement and engagement and high on frustration. Watching Nico Rosberg winning race after race without actually having to race/overtake anyone (other than off the line) was boring and Lewis’ technical challenges were “shout-at-the-telly” annoying.  Learning that Hamilton’s mechanics had been switched with Rosberg’s and reading that the Mercedes team bosses could see no links between that act and his subsequent mechanical issues, didn’t help my feeling that our three-times-world-champion was being dealt a duff hand.

In Spain, the crash that took Hamilton and Rosberg out of the GP altogether had been the highlight of the season because at least that allowed Verstappen to win his first race for Red Bull. And it stopped the pundits from talking/writing about Rosberg’s unbeaten run and his likelihood of winning the 2016 drivers’ championship.

The Monaco Grand Prix, usually dull and processional, was the best race of the year so far and the event that has reignited my interest in this season. In the wet/damp, Lewis showed his true race-craft and he totally outclassed his team mate, who was told to get out of Hamilton’s way by his team and ultimately, could only finish in 7th.

Hamilton’s win was dramatic and I hope that it is the catalyst that blows open the championship.

Unlike Rosberg, in all the previous GPs (bar Spain), Lewis has had to race hard for his results and I am hoping that Rosberg will now have to race hard too if he wants to claim his title. The points gap between the two protagonists is 24 (reduced from 43 by Monaco) and whilst that gives Rosberg some comfort, Hamilton has reeled in that kind of deficit before. Thank God, the race is back on.

And back on brings me to Top Gear.

The new series started on Sunday night and Mrs Baldwin and I sat down in front of the TV at 8pm hoping that the TG magic was still evident.

The pressure on the production team and presenters Evans and LeBlanc to pick up where Clarkson, Hammond and May (CHM) left off, was enormous. In fact, I wrote a post in June last year on this very topic - you can refresh yourself here:

http://www.adrianbaldwin.net/blog/evans-gets-the-top-gear-gig

I’ll admit that I watched with mixed feelings because too much of the format was the same – the studio, the sofa & coffee table, the Stig’s introduction, lap times in super/hyper cars, special guests, we have seen Reliant Robins done to death, cars versus guns etc.

​I had hoped that more would have evolved. The tarmac “star” test track being changed to a rally cross variant was good, but more could have been done to create some distance from the CHM era. I am however also a believer in the maxim “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” so I understand the challenges that Top Gear and the BBC faced and appreciate that the collective had no chance of satisfying everyone.

Change it too much and there would be uproar and change it too little and there would be uproar. There is a “change it just enough” middle ground that will hopefully be discovered in coming weeks.    

Since Sunday I have read/listened to some damning media commentary and have heard colleagues voicing their discontent…

…but despite all the negativity, I can report that Mrs Baldwin and I chuckled throughout, enjoyed the programme
and we are looking forward to this week’s edition. The chemistry between Evans and LeBlanc was good, the humour was evident, the production qualities undiminished. 

Mrs Baldwin actually prefers Evans to Clarkson – she thinks Evans is a brilliant all-rounder and that Clarkson is a cock. And despite how highly I rate Clarkson, I have to concede that she won’t be alone in having that opinion. 

Evans and LeBlanc deserve their chance (Clarkson blew his and he isn’t coming back to Top Gear) and all the dissenters ought to save their vitriol until the series is over. Damning it on episode one isn’t fair. Though it is long in the past, remember, it took Clarkson a while to get into his stride too. 

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