Fast Marina Magazine

Maybe its me or this hellish weather but I am seriously considering giving up the whole marina thing. Its been the same shows and the same cars year in year out.Its now getting too expensive to do 14 car shows in a space of 5 months up to your knees in long wet grass and pouring of rain half the time. Decent autojumbles are few and far between.Take away the toy stalls and the bric-a-brac stalls and there is not much left.
Same with ebayers on this "rarity" theme ( worst thing that ever happened.) most items are advertised as extremely rare(not). You can always tell the rarity of the items by how many bids they have (none).
Show organisers are going over the top as well charging anything up to £8 to show you car that you have spent a lot of money on and a lot of fuel to get to their event. I dont mind a couple of quid to cover the programme and the odd coaster thats fair dos but some go overboard (we tend to give these a miss).
Attendances across the board are well down this year . We are averaging only 6 so far which is even more than some of the bigger clubs. Dont know what its like down south but up here its been really bad.
Oh well rant about over. I will put a new MOT on the estate next month and see how I feel then I might sell it visor and all and taxed to March.

Oh dear Larrry, surely its` not that bad mate , put it down to the crap weather, everyone is just p*ssed off with it, not just the car show movement either, the Airshow fraternity, horsey types, Flower show buffs and even the Steam show at Netley has been cancelled this year (First time ever!), what you need is a good holiday in the sun, load up the estate and head for the south of France for a week or two, that should do the trick , if this bloody rain doesn`t stop soon i will probably load up the Convertible and follow you down there!
Chin up mate, there`s always next year

You don't have to go to shows to enjoy a classic car. I know several people who never take their cars to shows, and I only ever took JWC twice (usually because I was out of petrol by the weekend ).

If the shows and high entry costs are pissing you off just don't go and enjoy your car elsewhere, the amount car tax costs now you may as well get your money's worth out of it

As for the weather though

Hi Larry, like Frank said the weather is crap at the moment, myself and two others have just been to this years Nationals in Norfolk, it was a cracking weekend it was dry on Saturday but wet all day on Sunday! ( Show and Shine!! ) but even though it was wet, we all had a good day and spirits was still held high! I think was down to either good company or the fact all us Marina/ital owners are just gone in the head!! we travelled 855miles last weekend to get wet, and to be fair it was a laugh! So chin up and be there at next years Nationals!


Sent from the Bat Communication Device!!

I had a good time as well with a wet car on the outside and on the inside
Spent loads as I stayed 3 nights so I did not rush up to Suffolk as I had wife and little one as well. Could have gone home after Sunday as the weather did not look good but as I had booked 3 nights I stayed.
I thought the turn out was amazing with more than some years (Not including the 40th though)

Plus its everything that is getting more expensive not just Marina owner ship.
Can you let me know what items have no bids on them, as I think I may go for them as everything I bid on has 5 to 10 other bidders fighting for it
Bit like that exhaust chrome trim on Ebay

Hi Larry

When the weather is s**t it drives you down doesn't it?

And you are definitely right about autojumble, the two exceptions being Peterborough and Beaulieu, I don't know whether there is a Scots equivalent?

I don't do many shows, maybe 6 a year, they are usually a step away so I get to drive 50-100 miles each way and find that I get as much enjoyment from the drive there and back as I do from the show.

The National the other weekend had a great road run from a centrally located layby, via an outdoor air museum, to the seaside at Southwold, for an ice cream and fish and chips - we got 29 cars on the run. Likewise the Presidents weekend on IoW includes a road run.

Which has made me think about more road runs, treasure hunts and group visits to outdoor museums and such, rather than static displays. You get to use your car, you are with other owners for a bit of crack, you get to see some of the countryside.

With the countryside you've got around you in Scotland it must be possible to find a target location (museum/exhibition) and work out an interesting way to get there and back.

Why not give it a go?










Chris
www.marinacoupe.co.uk

Just got word today that next weeks show at Ayr is also cancelled due to ground conditions. The next one is now a month away. As for road runs its not feasable as we are so spread apart. Maybe as Uncle Frank says its the weather or I need a new project like an IOW "J" plater.

Yup you're bored and need a new project.







Chris
www.marinacoupe.co.uk

You could be right there Chris. Love the big estate and it goes great but it needs painted properly and i dont have that kind of cash now that i am retired.

The weather has been naff Larry and it has p*ssed me off for the last week or so as I have been trying to get my remote central locking fitted for about a week now but the weather has always stopped me. I managed to start the fit out last night in between showers then thankfully I was day off today and the sun was actually shining for a change so I finished the install

Now that Reynard is taxed, tested and on the road again I will try and get the odd show in but as you know my job is mince and trying to get a Sunday off is so bloody hard these days and the Sundays that I am off there's no shows on. Bloody typical

I've never taken any of my cars to a car show, I just repair them because I like them and I hate the thought of driving something boring.
The thing is old car bits are getting scarce, especially for BL cars because hardly anyone remanufactures them, and a massive amount of cars have been scrapped by now.
Its a nightmare buying bits in NZ, but I'm constantly surprised by how many people stop me in the street and offer me bits for free (I've never turned any down:).

The most pleasure I get from any of my cars is just to take them for a long drive with my favourite music and just enjoy them in the way they were meant to be used.
When they work that is
All the best Larry

Feel a lot better this week. Took the estate into Glasgow last Sunday at it runs like a dream. Nice and comfy now with it having the brown velour interior out of an SDL estate. My next objective is now to give up smoking and put the money towards bodywork and a good respray rather than an iron lung I have a pair of saloon rear arches. will they fit the estate.They match up near enough.If all goes to plan and a bit of willpower it will look stunning for next years shows.

Good man
Glad to hear your feeling better.
I quit smoking about a year ago, I'm not gonna lie it was a bit tough, but it does feel better, I dont get anywhere near as out of puff pushing the coupe in and out of the lock up now

Good to hear that your in better spirits now Larry! Stopping smoking is something positive to aim for and this is one of my goals. The hardest bit for me is setting the date to do it but I am determined to quit and use the money I save for my cars. Reynard is going great too but he badly needs a set of tyres which I will get before the journey down south.

JoshWard wrote:You don't have to go to shows to enjoy a classic car. I know several people who never take their cars to shows, and I only ever took JWC twice (usually because I was out of petrol by the weekend ).

If the shows and high entry costs are pissing you off just don't go and enjoy your car elsewhere, the amount car tax costs now you may as well get your money's worth out of it

As for the weather though

I've taken mine to Classic car on the prom a couple of times..as entry was free. But my car get's used daily, rain or shine. I don't own anything else nor intend too.

I get enjoyment out of just driving it about all the time..the looks i get are priceless, and you wont believe the amount of nice comments i get at the petrol station