What We Found at the Battlesbridge Mid-Week Meet

The weather was good, the Cobra was ready, so it was time to head back to Battlesbridge! I wasn't disappointed either, another good at turnout at the Battlesbridge Midweek Car Meet, with plenty of interesting cars to see. There were classics, American cars, hot rods and plenty of other interesting machinery. But as always, it's not just the cars that make these meets enjoyable, it's the people, the stories and those little details you sometimes discover when you stop and have a chat with the owners. And there were a couple of cars that really caught my attention this time. First was the tiny Vespa 400. I honestly thought it was a Fiat when I first saw it! Then I discovered it had a little two-stroke engine, and a gentleman nearby explained how its clever oil-feed system worked. No need to add two-stroke oil every time you filled the tank , fascinating little bit of engineering. Then there was the early white roadster near the entrance. I couldn't work out what was going on with the gearbox. It had three pedals linked to the gearbox, as well as the normal accelerator pedal, which really puzzled me. So, naturally, I had to ask the owner! It turned out to be a Model T gearbox, with two of the pedals controlling first and second gear, while the third pedal, positioned higher up, operated reverse. Great to see some of that old-school engineering still being used today. How about that for some old-school engineering? That's what I enjoy about these meets. You never quite know what you're going to discover, and there's always someone with a story to tell. From beautifully restored classics and American cars to hot rods and home-built creations, I just enjoy seeing the passion, imagination and engineering that goes into these cars. Another great evening at Battlesbridge — although sadly, the outdoor meet season is slowly coming to an end. So I'm making the most of these evenings while I can! #RealWheels #ClassicCars #HotRods #CarShows #AutomotivePassion