I was at the Bromley Pageant yesterday (and it didn't rain until the last hour!!) and it was very apparent that our marque was very poorly represented at what is the largest one day classic event apparently in Europe.
No MB club presence (they were at Enfield a couple of week ago though
) and only 3 Pagodas in total including mine. There were only around 8 MB cars in the one make parking area in total. Although muted in previous years this was the worst turnout I have ever seen at Bromley and did little or nothing to raise awareness of MB classics in general or the W113 series in particular which I thought was one of the stated aims of our fraternity.
Perhaps it was the recent quite revolting and "unseasonal" persistent rain we have endured (always a bankable result with a concurrent hosepipe ban!!) and the less than certain forecast that our cars would not get wet that kept our members (but not the owners of water soluble MG's and Alfa Romeos and hugely valuable Aston Martins etc) away. Perhaps the MB club were at another function ??
I met one forum member there and was really disappointed that more members had not attended.
Three Pagodas, all white. My recent restoration attracted a lot of attention and two offers of £50K which was nice and would just about have covered my costs (but not my time) and left me wondering where to get another one to play with!
My specialist insurers were there and photographed the car in every detail inside outside and underneath. I was then told that the insurance value should be amended to £75K (well I suppose it will earn them more money from me at least!!).
Obviously because our cars are so valuable I shall now consign mine to a nitrogen filled humidity controlled chamber on axle stands until I am forced to replace the mechanical sections with an electric propulsion system charged by fluctuations in air pressure and temperature. I mean it just wouldn't be right to expose her to airborne pollution or water or to actually drive it again. It appears (if yesterday's data is a representative sample) that many other MB owners have a similar philosophy!!!
I only mention it ...
Steven.
