Practical Classics Restoration Show Birmingham NEC 2022

The Practical Classics Restoration Show 2022 at the Birmingham NEC has come and gone but it was worth the rather long wait.

There were some really nice cars this year in what continues to be a really great show, not as big as the other one, but manageable with a range of cars on display and a wealth of knowledge to be had from the owners.

The love stage was as good as ever, the restoration theatre was showing all sorts of skills and you could meet the stars of Practical Classics Magazine too.

Barn Finds

The barn finds section is always a big draw to the show as it always has a wide range of unloved cars and failed projects that just might see the road again. At least we hope so. I’ve picked my favourite of the show.

1959 Dodge Sierra Station Wagon

This had to be my favourite, I love the style of full size station wagons from the USA and this one being a fifties example. Sadly, suffering some accident damage in the past saw the car being put into long term storage, never to return to the road.

From the looks of things, it’s seen some vandalism and it’s been eaten, or at least the interior has. It’s a project for someone pretty brave, though the outside looks fairly decent, it’s going to be expensive to get this car back into shape. Of course it’s worth it…

Lister Le Mans

The Lister Le Mans is one of those cars that you’ll hardly get the chance to see. A bespoke creation based on the bodyshell of a Jaguar XJS and the block of a Jag V12 engine and they turn them into a cross between a Group C racer and a luxury GT. Only the scuttle panel and door skins remain of the outer bodywork, everything else was hand done including the sloping rear screen.

Simply fabulous and it ticks all the boxes of a desirable high performance blue chip car. Costing over six figures new and with a 7.0 litre V12 and 500 bhp they were rapid.

The Supercharged “Ultimate” version with 604 bhp did over 200 mph and 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. That’s quicker than a Ferrari F40 which it shared the same rear tyres with, they’re enormous.

Now you’d probably expect the Le Mans to be worth quite a lot, and it is, but not nearly as much as that slower and more common Ferrari making these a comparative bargain. Word has it they’re pretty civilised too.

It was also popular, getting pictures wasn’t easy.

1936 Standard Flying 16 Avon Bodied

Standard was one of the biggest producers of cars in the UK, certainly up to the 1950s. They bought the Triumph Motor Company after the war and continued long after Standard had disappeared.

The chassis and engines that Standard produced often ended up at the neighbouring coachbuilder in Coventry, Swallow Sidecars or SS, which later became Jaguar. William Lyons used them to build the range of SS sports cars. These are highly desirable and can be very expensive to buy, which is why you won’t see many of the larger Standard saloon cars. many of them were converted into SS sports cars, due to the common chassis and engines.

The one seen here is possibly the only one of the Flying 16 to retain its original engine as these aren’t cost effective to rebuild. It also has those great looking disc hub caps. An elegant and very nicely made British saloon, rare too.

1988 Nissan Bluebird Turbo ZX Executive

The Nissan Bluebird Turbo ZX is a car I’ve often admired. Built in Britain in Sunderland the Bluebird was a success putting volume motor manufacturing into the North East.

The turbo ZX variant was the performance model with a 1.8 turbocharged four cylinder engine making 135 bhp. It was pretty light, certainly compared to any equivalent from today. It meant performance was decent, 0 to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 120 mph. You could even gat a hatchback version.

In all white with white body kit is so very 1980s with the graphics down the side, and that’s a good thing.

Danny Hopkins Jensen Interceptor SII Ex Sir Hugh Fraser - House Of Fraser

Practical Classics Editor Danny Hopkins has been restoring this interceptor for many years. Acquired as a bodyshell from a workshop it transpired it was one of Sir Hugh Fraser’s, of House Of Fraser fame, old cars. He had more than one of these in his time.

I’ve always liked the style, a really nicely designed grand tourer with a rather large Chrysler engine and Torqueflite automatic gearbox. By the time the Series II had been out a while the power had some down to around 250 bhp, but still gave the car decent performance, especially when compared to the competition.

The fuel consumption wasn’t great, the 440 Hemi engine isn’t known for economy. The 330 bhp Six Pack versions offered with 3 two barrel carbs in 1971 would have only got you to the next fuel station faster. But what a way to do it.

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Finally, I think I’d like one of these. Maybe in Black, Smokey & The Bandit style, but this gold one was striking. I think the colour suits the car too.

These always seemed to be pretty big, but not so much these days. Now they look like a fairly usable proposition. Even in Firebird trim they would make a nice car. I met a guy once who had one in a standard UK single garage, not that there is such a thing as a standard size in reality. But it proved that it’s not the unrealistic proposition that they may appear.

A few different engines appeared over the years, but the ’78 with the 6.6 surely has to be the one to have.

There were many interesting cars at the show, from the better than new condition VW Golf Mk2 GTI five door to the rather expensive Ferrari Mondial. Yes, if you look in the gallery you’ll see how much it is should you wish to buy it.