More than 26,000 people – fractionally up on the 2023 total – attended the Classic Car & Restoration Show at the NEC in Birmingham from 22-24 March. They were treated to a wealth of barnfinds, rust and restoration plus demos, displays and live projects from more than 160 car clubs.
Visitors were also treated to interviews and expert panels featuring Ant Anstead, Richard Hammond, Paul Cowland and Gary Mavers. Dominic Chinea from BBC’s The Repair Shop, Dream Car Fixers’ Sheldon Nichols, and Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics boss Derek Mathewson all made their Your Shout stage debuts.
The Footman James Barn Find display saw 20 unearthed classics vying for the visitors’ votes. It was Derek Drinkwater’s 1950 Cadillac Flower Car that won the trophy and the audience’s heart.
At the other end of the scale, the Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership competition, also with 20 finalists on show, saw Colin Fidler lift the trophy with his 1956 Austin A35. Second place went to Mervyn Spencer’s 1965 Morris Minor while David Shepherd-Jones came third with his 1970 Mini Clubman.
The Sporting Bears Motor Club raised £19,250 from operating Dream Rides throughout the weekend with cars ranging from an Aston Martin Vantage to a Ford Model T.
Show Director of the Practical Classics-backed event, Lee Masters said: ‘Seeing the clubs work together to share their knowledge and skills was really heart-warming. We had all ages working on cars which gives you real hope for our community as we embrace our heritage as well as nurturing future generations.’
The 2025 Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show will take place from 21 to 23 March.
