Wednesday 30 January 2019

FIRST FIVE FINALISTS FOR LANCASTER INSURANCE PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP SPRING FINAL REVEALED





FIRST FIVE FINALISTS FOR LANCASTER INSURANCE
PRIDE OF OWNERSHIP SPRING FINAL REVEALED

The first Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership final of 2019 is shaping up to be one of most hotly-contested yet, and as anticipation builds ahead of the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, the first five in the Spring final can now be revealed.  

Held at Birmingham’s NEC from 22-24 March, the first finalist is the Volkswagen Type 2 ‘Splittie’, loved around the world, and the 21-window De Luxe Micro Bus owned by John Smith since 2015 is sure to attract plenty of attention.

Built in December 1964 as a right-hand drive vehicle for the UK market, power comes from a 42bhp, 1.5-litre engine and it still sports the original factory colour scheme. The subject of a six-year nut and bolt restoration that began in 2004, it has even featured in a German television programme on classic cars.

Annie Lloyd’s 1961 Bond Minicar Model G has been in her family for around 25 years and she inherited the car from her late ex-husband. Keen to keep his name alive, this quirky three-wheeled British classic which the owner calls ‘Mr Bond’ has appeared at numerous shows and always draws a crowd. With the bodywork in need of a refresh it is currently undergoing some restoration, but Annie promises it will be ready for its appearance at the NEC.

Show visitors who prefer a more modern classic certainly won’t be disappointed by Paul White’s 1990 Eunos Roadster. Better known as the Mazda MX-5 in the UK, the car was bought by the current owners’ grandfather in 2002, and when he sadly passed away Paul decided to keep the car in his memory. Having restored the paintwork, it now looks stunning and has won awards at a number of car shows.

No Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership display would be complete without an American classic and the 1970 Dodge Challenger RT owned since 2006 by Robert Nauer is guaranteed to stand out.

The original ‘GoMango’ orange paintwork is certainly striking, but not only has the car covered less than 48,000 kilometres but it is also rare. It is one of the few remaining examples built at the AMAG plant in Switzerland and has appeared at shows on both sides of the Atlantic.

And last but not least is another modern classic in the form of a 1992 Toyota Starlet GT Turbo. It belongs to Sammie-Jo Webster and was bought by her father back in 2006, before being given to her as a 21st birthday present. Once used as her daily driver and in delightfully original condition, Sammie-Jo is keen to promote the ownership of classic cars amongst young people.

Andrew Evanson, Senior Operations Manager at Lancaster Insurance, comments: “This announcement is always exciting and the first reveal of the 2019 Spring finalists has not disappointed. Here is a great selection of classics from around the world and with MX-5s also celebrating their 30th anniversary this year, I can’t wait to see these incredible cars on display and hear the stories behind them.”    

A total of 20 wonderful classics will be competing for this year’s Lancaster Insurance Pride of Ownership spring final, and with fifteen finalists still to be announced visitors to the show can look forward to a tough choice when it comes to voting for their favourite.  

 For more information on the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show, with Discovery, as well as all the ticket prices and booking details, visit www.necrestorationshow.com

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