Concours d'Elegance - Hooe's Old Motor Club 40th show

This was the 40th year of the show which has grown from a modest gathering of enthusiasts with their cars outside the village pub to a huge event comprising hundreds of exhibits and visitors pouring through the gate at Hooe sports ground.

Once inside, there was every chance to linger over the many vehicles lined up around the showring, with their owners on hand to discuss every shiny nook and cranny, as well as a number of trade stalls and attractions such as vintage bicyles.

Phillip and Marie Lefelle had brought their 1923 Bentley over from Hove to take part in the show.

Marie said: "I think this is one of the best shows in the South East of England. Over the years we have been to a lot of whows and I think there is a very high standard of motor cars at this show. We regard this show as run by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.

"Anyone who is local and doesn't come here is really missing out."

Cars were driven regally through the showring during the day as they were shown by their drivers in a number of different classes - all compered by chairman Ron Wanmar who gave expert commentary throughout.

The classes included veteran, Edwardian and vintage classes all predating 1930, then pre-war classics such as the Austin Seven Tourer, the Morris Oxford Six Saloon, and the Lanchester E18 as well as a dazzling array of immaculate Rolls Royce, Fords, a Chevrolet, and MG TA Sports.

The more modern post-war era selection included a Ford Zephyr Mk 1 Saloon, a Bristol 401 Saloon, a Ridley RMPH Roadster and a Hillman Minx, right through to the Morris Traveller Estate, Sunbeam Tiger, and Triumph TR4 from the 1960's onwards.

Attractions outside the ring included the well-tended Ruston Hornby oil engine used by Bexhill Waterworks in 1927 to pump water. The engine is now restored and part of Polegate Windmill Museum where engineer Bob King looks after it.

Bob said: "It's super - we enjoy taking it out."

The engine has had an eventful career and was once called into service during the Canvey Island flood in the 1950s which claimed many lives. It has seen many years service and yet when the engine was stripped down five years ago, nothing was found wrong with it.

"We had a look inside and we were so suprised," said Bob.

"It was mirror-finish in there still. When you think about it, this was 10 years old before I was born in 1937...amazing."

One of the many visitors to the show was Robert Van De Klugt on holiday from Holland.

He commented: "It is very good - much bigger and even nicer than I thought, because it is this little village so I expected to see twenty or thirty vehicles. This is smashing. And all the ages are there, from the beginning of the 1900s, 1910s and 1920s right through to the 1970s. It is very good."

A particular beauty on display was the Wolseley 16/20 which belongs to Caffyns in Eastbourne and forms part of their historic collection.

It was brought over to Hooe by Brian Kemp who said: "It is a privilege to drive it. There is always a lot of interest in it. We come here every year and there is always plenty of interest shown in the car."

Eric Allen of Hooe's Old Motor Club commented of the show: "I think it was the best one we have had in years. We had packs of helpers this year...It is usually left to about ten people to do it all, but this time we had dozens help setting it up and taking it apart. And we had quite a few people - I noticed we had people even from Australia and New Zealand. But then you have to consider some of the cars are the only ones of their type left in the world - they are very rare."