On November 4–6, 2005, 30,000 people went through the doors of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England to see the annual Classic Car Show, the main show event for the UK “off-season” period.
With a record number of exhibitors, car clubs, special displays, and a much bigger autojumble section, this was the best rendition of this venerable event in recent years. Sir Stirling Moss was on hand to officially open the event and then spent two days making appearances at public sessions and visiting many of the displays. He spent hours on the Classic Team Lotus stand signing autographs and talking to fans.
The best club exhibit by far was the Sunbeam Talbot Register’s superb display of three team cars from the 1953 Alpine Rally, which were driven in that event by Stirling Moss, Peter Collins, and John Fitch. These were Sunbeam Alpine Mk.1 cars—the Moss car having won the Alpine Gold Cup, while Peter Shimmell’s car, driven by Collins, retired in the 1953 Alpine Rally.
