People came from near and far to the picturesque Lyneham Estate on the outskirts of Plympton for a day of motoring nostalgia on June 3.
It was the setting for the Saltram Rotary Club’s first ever Classic Car Show, put on to help raise funds for the Devon Air Ambulance.
BSA, Austin, Morris, Leyland, Hillman and Sunbeam were just some of the bygone motoring brands which visitors were able to see close up, all having been lovingly cared for and in some cases restored by their owners.
vintage vans, campers, military vehicles and motor cycles to make up the compliment of vintage and classic motors
There were also plenty of past models of existing brands such as Ford’s Capri, Citroen’s CX Callas D and various MG’s among many others exhibited for the enjoyment of the visiting public. Some vehicles displayed historic versions of the now defunct tax disc.
As well as cars there were vintage vans, campers, military vehicles and motor cycles to make up the compliment of vintage and classic motors on display.
A bright sunny day and the visually delightful backdrop of Lyneham House and its pond provided a suitably tranquil setting for this step back in time.
One car in particular at the show had significant local history – a black 1953 4 door Morris Minor. The current owner is only the third to have owned it. The vehicle was first sold in 1953 to a person in Laira by the Barton Motor Company which was situated on Mutley Plain. It was issued with the registration HJY 44 by the then Plymouth Vehicle Licensing Office which around the same time also issued HJY1 which currently appears on the Lord Mayor of Plymouth’s official car.
the car was stripped to its shell, sandblasted and then repainted and reassembled to produce the fine specimen which was on show
HJY 44 is quite a rare version of the Morris Minor in that it has a split windscreen, necessitated by the curvature of the vehicle’s roof. A design change a few years later smoothed off the curves for subsequent models enabling a larger single windscreen to be fitted.The exhibited Morris Minor still has working trafficators – indicators on stalks which pop out from the B post between the side doors to signal an intention to turn left or right. The first owner later sold the car to a motorist in Plympton before it was subsequently transferred to its current owner in 1979. The vehicle underwent a significant restoration in 2001 when the car was stripped to its shell, sandblasted and then repainted and reassembled to produce the fine specimen which was on show to be appreciated by visiting enthusiasts of historic motors on June 3.
For those interested in two-wheeled transport there was a display recalling the days of telegram boys delivering messages on motorcycles. Three BSA Bantams from the sixties and early seventies were on show. The oldest, from 1961, was issued new that year to Exeter GPO before being later transferred to Cheltenham and eventually sold on to an outside buyer in 1966. There was also a 1962 version initially allocated to Barnet GPO where it saw three years of service before being sold on and a 1971 model which saw its early days with Bristol GPO. Andrew James used the Rotary’s event to show his car for the first time. He said he ‘had a great day’ and fellow exhibitor Ben Parker said he ‘very much enjoyed it.
(Story courtesy of the Plympton Podcast where more pictures from the event are available in the albums section at www.facebook.com/PlymptonPodcast)
