Had a great day out, and really enjoyed meeting fellow Alfa folks. Headgasket14, - many thanks for pulling it all together. My GTV project might be ready in time for next year!
Many, many thanks to all of you who supported this show. 28 confirmations, 28 attendees! What a show for the 1st full Alfa stand. Many of you have said what a great show it was and have already said you'll be back next year, and many thanks for that in advance. I've got some pics, but probably won't get them on till tomorrow. God knows how many members of the Public came, and this is without doubt, the biggest free car show in the UK. Well done all, and many thanks once again.
I'll add my thanks to Headgasket14 too.
It was a fine show with many interesting cars.
Great turnout for the Alfa group to fill the max space.
Good to meet some of the many on this forum.
Another great show at Nowton Park. Thanks to Headgasket (Phil) for organising the 'Alfa stand'. I think we put a lot of the other 'car clubs' to shame with our turnout. Great to meet and chat with other Alfa owners.
Loved all the American stuff on show :thumbup: to the point where I think I might actually be American :yikes:
Oh and if anyone has lost a folding chair (and an empty bottle of Coca Cola), I have taken it hostage and I'm ready to negotiate the ransom :bandit: PM me or the chair gets it (the Coca Cola has already met it's fate at the hands/lips/stomach of someone else)!
Thanks Phil; a great day out and awesome bunch of Alfa's. So happy the weather worked out ; actually burnt my head a little, always the mark of a great day out!!:jester::thumbup:
Great event, a splendid turnout especially of the later models, where are all the other classics, I know they are out there and perhaps next year they can be on parade and show the true Alfisti and the unknowing public what real cars look like? ( Nothing like being confrontational!
So, many thanks Headgasket alias Phil, (what a ridiculous system this is just to preserve anonymity) for all your hard work in getting our group together, I for one appreciated this and perhaps we could all meet up again at Helmingham Hall in early September as this is also a superb event in magnificent surrounding and with over 800 cars?
However, I do have two serious suggestions which perhaps could be passed on to the organisers. these are:
1. There need to be more loos scattered around the site, the main location resembled a swimming pool in certain cubicles which was a bit inconsiderate for those wearing flip flops especially as they didn't have any soap!
2. This was a charity event with no charges raised on the car owners participating in the show. Yes scouts were going round with buckets but this was not effective. I think this is most generous of the organisers to allow entry in this way, but,it does not achieve the aim which is to raise money for the charities who supporting those less fortunate than ourselves.
If they want to reduce administrative effort in the collecting of monies etc there is a very simple method of achieving this by having more stewards at the entrances with open topped buckets. Every driver of an event vehicle is previously notified that they will be expected to hand over a note (£5 or £10 whichever is considered acceptable by the organisers) for which, the driver is giving a brightly coloured plastic sticker which can be licked and placed on the windscreen, a check can be made during the day of any cars without a sticker and the driver is asked to pay up. I do not think this is unreasonable in order to participate in this superb event and would raise a minimum based on yesterdays turnout of a further £5000.
I have recently attended an event where this occurred and it was extremely successful with the minimum of administrative effort required.
Anyway just two thoughts and my thanks for getting together such a friendly and pleasant bunch of enthusiasts, I will now look forward to attending next year.
Fabulous day, please pass on our congratulations to the organisers, we were there almost to the end and there were lots of litter pickers collecting the litter ensuring the place was left clean and tidy.
Agree with Tatem014 that the charity element needs to be better organised, I never saw a bucket at all.
There were other loos within the trade car area but not well publicised.
With you on the loos - they're designed to service the small café and kids playground. They're no adequate for the number of visitors.
The event was so successful that the visitor car parks were full by 11am with some big queues. The problem with it being free is it makes it very difficult to limit numbers of visitors or cars. Issuing tickets (or indeed hiring in loos) adds to the cost so I'm not sure how that could be done without making at least a nominal charge. I do wonder if some sort of part and ride arrangement might work using the lorry park.
That all said the problems are pretty much all due to the event being so successful and no wonder. What a great show, so much variety, something for everyone no one being judgmental and what cars should or shouldn't be on show and a really good vibe.
Well done Phil - next time we must get those Suds and Alfetta and 116 GTV in the main group. My favourite was the supercharged Renault Dauphine and amazing piece of restoration. The very honest Citroen CX GTi caught my eye too.
Apologies for the noise on exit, one of the VeeDub guys shouted 'Rev it up mate' at me and I hate to disappoint
Have just checked comments and noted that my posting re yesterday has vanished just like snow on the desert sand is this finger trouble on my part, probably.
Thought this was great event and thoroughly enjoyed meeting such a happy band of Alfa owners. A great effort by Head Gasket (what a silly system this is just to preserve anonymity) alias Phil and many thanks for all your hard work in getting 29 owners all in the same place at the same time. What about a similar gathering at Helmingham Hall, this is a superb location and with over 800 classic cars present is not an opportunity to be missed. Who knows we might even be awarded a stand prize.
I do however have two serious suggestions to make and these are:-
1. There are not enough loos for the numbers attending, the main location in some of the cubicles by the end of the day resembled a swimming pool which if you were wearing flip flops was not very pleasant especially as no soap was available.
2. The organisers were very generous in allowing the show cars to enter free of charge and rely on the scouts to collect money. This was not at all effective and since this was designed to raise funds for several charities the method of collecting money needs to be rethought.
For the last two years I have attended a classic car event where notes were placed into an open bucket by the driver and in return was given a brightly coloured plastic label which when licked could be put onto the windscreen. Stewards could then verify quickly if payment has been made.The size of the note could be decided by the organisers, eg, £5 or £10 and all participating drivers notified when applying to take part. Very little administration costs are involved and with plenty of stewards available at the entrances prompt access should not be a problem, Based on a 1000 cars being present this would ensure a minimum of £5000 being raised and I do not think anyone could possibly object when participating in an event of this size.
It was shame that the prizes were awarded to Americana, Fords, a Vauxhall and also a superb Renault Gordini Dauphin , what a pity the selectors didn't appreciate the style and panache of the Alfas on parade. Perhaps next year.
Anyway a superb event and one which all being well hope to attend next year, so my thanks also to the other owners for making this such an enjoyable occasion.
It was shame that the prizes were awarded to Americana, Fords, a Vauxhall and also a superb Renault Gordini Dauphin , what a pity the selectors didn't appreciate the style and panache of the Alfas on parade. Perhaps next year.
The prizes are sponsored by varying companies. The People who come as representatives of said companies judge who they would like their trophy to go to, so there is no say in the matter.(Obviously there could be the who you know rather than what you know could have an element):biglaugh:
However, in my opinion, all trophies won have been richly deserved throughout the past years. My car of the show was the 50's corvette. My, did I want to steal that car or what!!!
However, the rat bugs were a marvel of creative engineering.
Over the years, we have raised £0000's for the charities, and Getting companies to sponsor and lend stuff is a very hard job for the mere 6 people who organise this. I would think it is very difficult to get a mobile toilet company to lend us some toilets, especially as at this time of year, is when they make most of their income.
There was a mobile toilet caravan in the main dealer meadow.
The club are always looking for new members, and volunteers to help with the show, especially as there is no such car show as massive as this in the uk, which is free. The main buckets were and always are on the Public car parks where we make some fabulous money via donation. Without the main dealers, we would not be able to host the show, and the mere fact that it is free is why it attracts the biggest diversity of motor vehicles. The charging of show entrants is not on the horizon at all, and we would like to keep it that way.
There is just not another car show in the UK that can match this one. There were cars from all over the UK and as far as the North west and the South west of the country. 100% of all donated money from the Public goes to the charities instead of a proportion after costs like some shows. This show RELIES on local companies coming through with free stuff to use, and my word, they do this so generously. I just LOVE this show!!:thumbup:
Just to add my thanks to Phil and the event organisers. A first show for me, met some great people and came home with a shopping list of Alfas that I want to add to my drive!
and some more. Plenty more of the show in general on alfabook. (A joint venture).
I believe by chatting to alfa owners who didn't have cars there, we may be able to drag AROC in next time as well.
Sorry folks about the duplicate posting, I was scanning through later postings when I noticed an error on the first posting. Hit the edit button and low and behold it vanished, thought I would repost after trying to get my memory back which is always diufficult.
Rechecked the 2nd posting later and guess what the original posting had resurfaced, the wonders of technology and the problems of not being a techie!
Sorry folks about the duplicate posting, I was scanning through later postings when I noticed an error on the first posting. Hit the edit button and low and behold it vanished, thought I would repost after trying to get my memory back which is always diufficult.
Rechecked the 2nd posting later and guess what the original posting had resurfaced, the wonders of technology and the problems of not being a techie!
What a great show!! Never been to that particular show before and it was superb. I must admit I spent most of the day chatting to complete strangers and drooling over their cars. The little orange Volvo 66 was a fantastic sleeper and how nice to see a Royal Mail Ital van!!! I do like quirky stuff I must admit.... Phil, you organised a great stand and it was a pleasure to meet you and some of the other members. Really enjoyed it :thumbup:
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