If the owners of pre-war open tourers sometimes doubt the hardiness of more modern car drivers, the increasing popularity of winter gatherings for all types of eclectic classics can be proof that enthusiasts are determined to show up and be part of something all year round. The Scramble at Bicester Heritage on 8 January was a perfect example of the trend: quickly filling to capacity with far less of the usual hushed shuffling around cars as dawn broke over Oxfordshire and sun softly graced the former RAF airfield's historic WW2-era brick buildings.
Some 7000 people attended, setting a January record, including a notable 1000-plus under-15-yearolds and, by mid-morning, both the Technical Site grounds and airfield were packed with pre-'90s classics. The centrepiece of the day was a curated collection of 'winter wagons' arranged outside the 1771 clubhouse.
Of the expected landmark models making up the display were Volvo's own 240 GLT from its heritage fleet - finished in glossy red paint and a Humber Super Snipe Series 3 Estate, as well as three pre-war woodies: a 1929 Rolls-Royce 20/25, 1937 Bentley 414-litre Shooting Brake and a 1938 Ford V8 wagon. The Rolls woodie was PG 6659, the car thought to have once been owned by the father of Stirling Moss, and it retains the towbar with which it reportedly towed Stirling's 500 racer to his first event. The Bentley had a similar history of practical glamour: converted by Vincents of Reading in 1949 from its original tourer coachwork, it was owned by Mulberry founder Roger Saul, then served as a delivery van for the Champagne house Comtes de Dampierre. Joining the Ford V8 were other Americans to tell the story of the famed family station wagon: a 1972 Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser and a Mk1 Ford Taurus from the 1980s, both wagons that have since cemented their images on the big and small screens.
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Classic & Sports Car.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 2023 edition of Classic & Sports Car.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
RAY HILLIER
Double-chevron oddity proves a break from the norm for this Crewe specialist
SHORT BACK & GLIDES
Eccentric enthusiast Captain RG McLeod's series of Manx-tailed Bentley Specials reached its zenith with this unique S2 Continental.
People's choice
The diminutive but multi-million-selling Fiat 850 packed a remarkable diversity of form and function into its compact footprint
PLASTIC BREAKS FROM THE NORM
Glassfibre revolutionised niche car-body production, but just occasionally strayed into the mainstream.
A SENSIBLE SUPERCAR
The cleverly conceived four-seater Elite secured Lotus a place at the big players' table, but has it been unfairly maligned since then?
"I had a habit of grabbing second place from the jaws of victory"
From dreams of yachting glory to the Le Mans podium, via a stint at the top of the motorsport tree, Howden Ganley had quite the career
Still going strong
Herbert Engineering staked its reputation on the five-year warranty that came with its cars. A century on, this Two Litre hasn't made a claim
One for the kids
General Motors was aiming squarely at the youth market with the launch of the Pontiac GTO 60 years ago, and its runaway success popularised the muscle-car movement
A NEW BREED OF HERO
Launched at the turn of the millennium, the GT3 badge has already earned a place alongside RS, CS and turbo in Porsche lore.
Brits with SIX appeal
The straight-six engine is synonymous with a decades-long legacy of great British sports cars. Six variations on the sextet theme convene for comparison
