Motormouth’s Mutterings- Terenure Classic Car Show

When “Incoming call- Stephen Boden” comes up on the iPhone, it is always one worth taking. “Are you coming to the Classic Show at Terenure” was the question this time.  Most of the larger classic shows tend to clash with my motor racing comittments, but this one didn’t so I answered in the affirmative.

Stephen and a few buddies have recently formed the “Rusty Old Vehicle Club” for a bit of Boden-esque craic and banter amongst like minded petrolheads. Having won Best Stand at the Terenure Show in 2015, they had decided to make it bigger and better this year. To this end, he was looking for cars with a story behind them and the adventures of Dad and his Merc 350SL are well documented- in fact it is still proudly wearing the badging and decals from the Circuit Deja Vu event in Killarney earlier this year. “Leave them on!” said Stephen before assuring me that although we needed to be there before 10am, there would be coffee and bacon rolls on the stand on arrival!

A subsequent chat with AXA’s Myles O’Reilly meant that my MSL Motors Mazda MX-5 was also going to be on display, on the main stand, as AXA were sponsoring the event once again. There is great interest in the latest generation MX-5 and as the Mk1 is now seen as a classic, Myles liked the idea of displaying both together, right at the front on his impressive display.

The morning started early, with a trip to Dad’s. We had been caught out before with a dead battery and a dodgey battery charger but Steven O’Connor of Clane Motor Factors had sourced an all singing all dancing Sealey charger for us with a boost facility. Dad loves gadgets and to his disappointment, the Merc fired up immediately leaving the new toy on the shelf, as yet unrequired.

When I grew up, Dad has a series of classic cars- an MG TD, an ex Booth Poole 1098cc Midget mk2, a Cortina 1500 GT Mk1 etc and we were on classic car runs pretty much every Sunday, unless there was a Mondello race meeting.  I used to love washing and polishing the cars before we left and it all came flooding back as I pulled out the hose from Dad’s garage as well as the polish and tyre black too! The Mazda, I had had cleaned professionally, but the Merc had to be done in the driveway, for old times sake!

Reliving my youth polishing @jacknulty s #MercSL before the @IrishJagClub Show at Terenure today! pic.twitter.com/h1SGNnDNeX

— Leo Nulty (@TopOfTheTower) July 3, 2016

We took off in the direction of Terenure, stopping off at Rathfarnham shopping centre to meet buddies Marty Fagan, Eddie Tucker and a few others, so we could arrive in convoy! Considering the volume of cars entering, the organisation was superb, police directing classics in the gate of the college and then others splitting them into pre booked and others to speed the process up. In no time, we were in and the MX-5 was parked on the AXA stand, in the company of some very impressive machines and a lovely Mk1 for company. I then jumped in with Dad and we headed off in search of The Rusty Old Vehicle Club stand.

The @MSLMotorGroup #Mazda #MX5 meets the Mk1 on the @AXA_Ireland stand at the @IrishJagClub Show at Terenure today! pic.twitter.com/Tq6k5px4YS

— Leo Nulty (@TopOfTheTower) July 3, 2016

The stand was that big, we couldn’t have missed it and Stephen, resplendant in a pair of shorts, waved us into a spot right beside a beautiful Alfa Giulia and a stunning Fiat 130 Coupé. True to his word the BBQ was cracked up and no sooner were we out of the car then we were handed two cups of tea and two sausage and bacon rolls.  Not sure how we made the cut but Stephen had put thought choice into who he invited and the banter had already started as the camping seats were set up. Liam Ruth, Johnny Flynn and Billy Crosbie (displaying his immaculate ex Eddie Jordan Crossle 30F) were all in the group and everyone was in top form. Amongst the cars on display were three Mudpluggers, one of which the aforementioned Mr Ruth had for sale for very reasonable money. If you read the blog on my last escapade with Stephen Boden (HERE), you will know I got hooked on Mudplugging, but having far too many cars already in stock, I made an effort not to even ask about it- as I could easily have purchased by mistake, it wouldn’t be the first time! We were all delighted when Robin Rhodes arrived on the stand on his new electric scooter. He is a huge Formula 1 fan and we chatted for some time. Robin always praised young talent in motorsport and his views on that have not changed- telling us to watch out for Paschal Wehrlein and Stoffel Vandoorne.

Dad and I wandered round the show, met loads of people we knew, both from classic car circles and Motorsport, got the obligatory 99, rooted through the Autojumble, had lunch in front of the main stage and generally had a ball. I also spent a bit of time with an old mate Jason Doyle, who through his new Gentleman Classics company, had a beautiful Alfa Spider and Mini Cooper replica for sale. When we eventually got back to the ROVC stand for the final time, many cars were beginning to leave, the gazebos were being taken down and (thankfully) the mudpluggers were being loaded up.   Not only was Stephen celebrating his birthday (and yes there was cake!), he was also delighted that one of the cars on the stand, the 130 Coupé, had won best in class on the day! As we the thanked Stephen, he said he was looking forward to reading the Motormouth’s Mutterings report on the day- well here you go!

Finally, when I went to collect the MX-5 from the AXA stand, Myles thanked me for displaying it and said it had attracted huge interest all day. He must have been right- all of the brochures I had left on the seats were snapped up.

Like I said, it’s always worth answering a call from Stephen Boden! By the way, if you are a classic car fan, I will be performing MC at the Dalkey Vintage Festival in aid of The Down Syndrome Centre on August 1st. If last year is anything to go by, it should be fantastic- and what else would you be doing on a Bank Holiday Monday?

Until the next time,

Leo

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