A post war classic, the 1948 Bristol 400

I seem to have now picked up the bug that Helena had when she returned from holiday, although it isn't hurting me and I can still keep going. At lunchtime we managed to go to the vintage car and bike show, called Wheel Nuts, which is held annually at the school where she works. The intention is to raise funds for the school where the funding short fall in the last year in particular has reached a somewhat critical position.

The weather wasn't promising, but the rain held back, only falling in relatively brief flurries so that we could find shelter under various tents and awnings scattered about the extensive school grounds. The vehicles were organised in to several different locations,but the vintage motor bikes were thinner on the ground this year, which was a pity. The classic Vincent and HRD models that I loved to ogle last year were absent.

Just after we arrived we heard the distinctive sound of four Harley-Davidson bikes, or Hogs, as they are often nick-named although I don't know why. The four riders were classically attired in black leathers and once parked they took off their helmets to reveal three big shaven heads and one hairy one. Woodpeckers has blipped them so you can see for yourself. They turned out to be quite tame. I particularly liked the official AA motorcycle and sidecar, suitably painted yellow. In 1971 I had a classic British made Ariel Red Hunter 500cc single cylinder motorbike with a sidecar, so I can relate to the experience of riding one.

We wandered about quite happily and both of us took a range of pictures, and I have posted some of them on my Flickr gallery here.

I particularly like the various new colours of the resprayed cars once they are done up, which you can see in the gallery. My blip picture today is of a 1948 Bristol 400 2-litre classic, made in the city of the same name which is only 30 miles from here. The company making them originally manufactured a range of fighter aircraft during the two World Wars and only after 1945 did they start producing cars. The 400 series was based on a BMW design that was made available as part of war reparations, and they proceeded to make very high quality vehicles and still do so today, in quote limited numbers.

I nearly blipped a portrait of Tony, sitting inside his 1990s made replica of a 1930s Mercedes sports car. The body is a replica but the chassis and all moving parts are more modern and he says he uses it all the time, 'as I am a bit of a poseur', he told me. He too lives in the city of Bristol, and you can also see his portrait in my gallery, which I rather like.