Alongside the UK’s NEC Classic Motor Show in Birmingham was held MPH The Prestige and Performance Motor Show. Showcasing their wares to tens of thousands of visitors at the hugely popular show were Autoglym, the specialist car care and vehicle valeting product producers. And as they do each year, Autoglym invite a stream of classic marques to compete in their Celebrity Concours and Autoglym Invitation Concours Trophy, held on their stand.
After nine months of detailed concours-standard craftsmanship, the Mercedes 280 SL Pagoda we restored won Best Car of Show at Mercedes-Benz Owners Club National Concours. Held at Kelmarsh Hall in Northants, UK in August 2006, the event was attended by Mercedes-Benz owners from all over Europe.
So having been kind enough to invite us along, we were more than happy to oblige.
As you’d expect, there was a stunning array of cars on display, including ones from celebrities such as pop star Jay Kay from Jamiroquai, with his Ferrari Enzo and Porsche Roadster on show. Not far away, BBC Top Gear presenter James May’s Rolls Royce Corniche rubbed shoulders with TV chef James Martin’s Ford Mustang, and rally legend Patrick ‘Paddy’ Hopkirk’s famous Mini Cooper looked as if it was itching to start the Monte Carlo Rally all over again.
However, among all these and several other magnificent motors was our stunning Ford GT40, with its powder blue paintwork looking immaculate for such an accomplished, high performance race car. And also on display was a 1964 E-Type 4.2 Series 1 Roadster, fully-restored by JD Classics and owned by our client, Mark Evans.
This was Mark’s very first concours competition. And seeing he was up against such a spectacular array of cars, we were all over the moon that he came in for a very well deserved Second Place in Autoglym’s Invitation Concours Trophy – Mark’s first concours award and yet another feather in the cap for JD Classics.