DRIVE IT DAY LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY!

Drive It Day 2016 is fast approaching. Held this year on Sunday 24 April and backed by the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs (FBHVC), it commemorates the 64 cars that left London on the first day of the Royal Automobile Club’s Thousand Mile Trial. Motoring was in its infancy; the fact that 46 vehicles finished after a gruelling run through Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland before looping back to London set a precedent.

The subsequent preservation and enjoyment of historic vehicles is at the heart of every Drive It Day event running the length and breadth of the country – car clubs, venues, old vehicle gatherings and online groups all play an important role.

The Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens (FIVA) has confirmed Drive It Day as its headline event for the UK during its World Motoring Heritage Year. The British Motor Museum at Gaydon and Brooklands Museum will be welcoming classics on Sunday, April 24; a growing list of Drive It Day events can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/zcx6csh

DRIVE IT DAY TIPS
For many enthusiasts, Drive It Day marks the start of their classic’s season – many older vehicles are tucked up over the winter months.

  • Prepare the ground before the weekend! If your car is in storage, make sure it’s easy to pull the car in and out of the garage. If you haven’t visited in a while, things may have seized, stuck or deteriorated.
  • Ensure your car is fit before the event. Some Drive it Day events are static – others have cars covering distance. A test run before Sunday 24 April should highlight any lurking problems.
  • MoT test bookings may pile up locally in anticipation; if your car needs testing, make the appointment sooner, rather than later!
  • If you haven’t already, pack a bag of basic spares – ignition parts, spare bulbs and so on – along with a set of tools should you need to make running repairs.
  • Some larger Drive It Day events require registration. Check with the organisers if you need to pre-book – on Sunday, April 24, check social media for any last minute itinerary changes, especially if you’re travelling from a long way away.

Beetle Mania at VolksWorld!

Sandown Park in Esher, Surrey played host to the prestigious VolksWorld Show over the weekend of 2nd and 3rd April. With attendance up by around 5%, over 20,000 people flocked to the race course for the country’s finest display of Volkswagens. Born out of air-cooled veedubs originally, naturally the displays were focused on VW Beetles and VW classic campers and buses. But there’s now a growing influx of high quality T4, T5 and T6 VW campers, many of them with custom interiors and paintjobs.

VolksWorld is part of family of motoring events run throughout the year by specialist motoring publisher, Kelsey Media. Here is a look at the latest upcoming motoring events:

  • Japfest, Silverstone – Sunday 24th April
  • International Ford Show, Sandown Park – Saturday 30th April and Sunday 1st May
  • Bromley Pageant of Motoring, Norman Park – Sunday 5th June
  • Classic Ford Show, Santa Pod – Sunday 5th June
  • Performance Vauxhall Show – Sunday 12th June
  • Japfest Rock, Rockingham – Sunday 26th June
  • Mini World Live, Rockingham – Sunday 10th July

For details on all the shows, visit www.kelsey.co.uk