Area 4 - Portway Classic 2016
It was with some trepidation that we opened the gates on Sunday to Portway Classics & BBQ 2016 in the ‘back yard’, as our American friends recently visiting called it. Even though last year’s event was a roaring success, there was still the underlying fear of the ‘what ifs’. What if nobody turns up? What if we run out of cake? What if the sun doesn’t shine?
Well, people did indeed turn up. AMOC turned up with both the oldest and the newest cars on the day with a 1933 Le Mans (Hugh & Lynn Williams) and a 2012 V8 Vantage S Roadster. Otherwise the variety of vehicles on display was every bit as diverse as last year, ranging from a trials-prepared VW Beetle, to a 1948 Bristol 400, a ‘Goldleaf’ Lotus Europa and an Alvis TD21.
We hosted a collection of four Land Rovers – the earliest a 1950 80” Series 1, through to a Series 3 work horse in daily use by our local landscape gardeners (transporting everything from potted plants to blue lias for their speciality dry stone walls).
The event also attracted a selection of up and coming modern classics such as the BMW Z3, a couple of Mazda MX5s, Porsche Cayman and a 1997 Vauxhall Astra Estate – when did you last see one of those on the road?
Cars came from as far away as Manchester (AMOC member Wayne Godwin) to as close as 300 yards up the road – we discovered an enthusiast on our doorstep with an MGC.
We didn’t run out of anything, thanks largely – no, entirely – to our fabulous tea ladies and cake bakers; Barbara King (AMOC), Lin Lant and Jackie Bridges (IVCVC/MGOC) who supplied and sold a phenomenal amount of cake, coffee and tea along with jam, chutney and raffle tickets. Their efforts, along with generous donations of prizes and money, raised just over £375 for three charities, The Macular Society, St Margaret’s Hospice and the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance.
The sun rather excelled itself. Possibly the hottest day of the year so far – I did note a few sensible souls seeking out the shade of the trees. The rest of us enjoyed mellow car themed music from DJ Gil. AMOC’s own Area Rep, Andrew Fawkes, and his band Straw Dogs – actually half the band augmented by talented young drummer Alfie Creber, son of band member Rob - entertained us with classic rock covers (and the painting theme from TV’s ‘Vision On’!). Local band, The Legendary SnakeSnakeSnake completed the musical line up with their unique sound which they describe as Johnny Cash meets Hayseed Dixie and The Ramones. A kind of country, cowpunk vaudeville, mish mash. You had to be there!
