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Bromley Pageant of Motoring
Sunday 14th June 2009.
I booked a three car stand again this year for the club. Bromley billed as the biggest one day car show is a massive event with something for everybody. A big one make car park for individual entries was packed solid A V8 Pilot was spotted by Maurice Brown who was trying to find the owner. Was this a club member? We were blessed with excellent sunny weather all day. I drove to the event in my Ford V8 Pilot with my wife Carol. A good view of the Thames was to be had from the top of Dartford Bridge on the M25 before turning off at Junction 4 and into Bromley on the A21. Norman Park is a good location for such an event. Once there I met Brian Mayrick in his blue V8 Pilot. Brian has been putting a lot of effort into this car of late and it is responding nicely and was an asset to the stand. Next onto the Stand was Stan Ward in his 1934 V8 Model 40 Roadster. Yes, we are starting our 75th anniversary celebrations for the 1934 Model 40. A special feature at Gaydon to follow and then the big one at the NEC. One of the more popular pre war Ford V8s the Model 40 took centre stage on the Bromley stand. This is a right hand drive car that has always been in the UK and Stan continues to keep it in immaculate condition. Always worth doing a stand at an event as we had many people stopping who remembered the Pilots so Brian Mayrick was kept busy talking to the interested people. The Model 40 puzzled some who said `this is not a Pilot`. I thought at least we must be getting somewhere over the years, people now realise that not all Ford V8s are Pilots!
Elsewhere on the field member Ron Harris was displaying his Fordson V8 7V tipper lorry. Ron was kept busy answering questions about this lorry and was getting this immaculate lorry noticed by many people. Ron has recently fitted a new old stock steering box to the lorry and says it now handles much better.
Back on the stand and members Maurice Brown, Graham Kempton Johnson and Steve Garton came along. Also Stan Ward brought along an ex Ford Dealer service mechanic Vernon who regaled us with stories about servicing the Pilot in the `good old days`. One interesting story related to paint colour and how his company was respraying eighteen month old V8 Pilots dark green as many people did not like the `Pea Green` original colour. Apparently a considerable amount of secondhand trade ins were done like this. If anyone owns a dark green Pilot that looks original this might be one that was done in about 1952!
An unlikely contact was a man in a mint 1947 MG TC. He came over to the stand and told me he also had a 1932 Ford Model `B`. He used to buy parts from Bert Thomas but this seems to be another unknown car to us and it is not registered with any other car club either. He may join us I gave him a form! You always get your share of people saying ` Is this car for sale` and I said to several that I have had my V8 Pilot for thirty five years now and I haven`t wanted to sell it in all that time. One interesting response though, was from a gentleman who said `You will accept my offer if I win the lottery next week`. Everyone who pays to come into a car show is entitled to dream about owning their favourite car. I wonder if he will win!
I feel this was a worthwhile day for the club. We also had a good spot right opposite the arena, so a grand stand view of the days proceedings! Thanks to the members who supported the club at this venue.
Your roving reporter
Chris Sanders.
