Midas Owners Club

Malvern Kit Car Show and the Club AGM

Published on June 7, 2024 in Uncategorized. Closed

MALVERN KIT CAR SHOW 1-2 JUNE 2024

On the Saturday there were 4 Midases, 4 members without Midases, the club mascot and his kennel-mate and 7 Red Arrows. Under the guidance (scoutance?) of Neil, the event shelter was put up and the food hidden from the club mascot and his kennel-mate.

Some members braved the cold night under canvas, and on the Sunday there were 9 cars, 6 members without cars, and the club mascot complaining about how hot it was. Eventually we found all the vital parts needed to have another famous free barbecue, after which we held the AGM and summary of the year in the shade of the event shelter. It was good to have lots of helpers to take down the event shelter and to pack everything away in the trailer. And the club mascot’s kennel-mate helped tidy up the left overs without needing to be asked.

Roy’s Decathlon was chosen to be one of the exhibits for display inside the hall, and the other cars were all entered in the Concours. John Crowson was this year’s guest judge, the there was the usual close contest in Mark 2s, requiring a tie-breaker and then a recount to separate the winner of Best In Show, Meredith Phillips.

Meredith Phillips’ MK2 won ‘Best in Show’

Concours Results

Mark 1 – no entries

Mark 2 – Meredith Phillips

Mark 3 Coupe – Alistair Courtney

Mark 3 Convertible – Sue Jefferson

Cortez – Justin King

Excelsior – Neil Franklin

Most Improved Midas – Derek Green

Runner-Up – Roy Forrester

Best In Show – Meredith Phillips

Roy Forrester presents new member Derek Green with the ‘Most Improved’ award.

John Crowson easily won the award for the Furthest Distance Driven to the Show in a Midas despite those following the detour around Worcester to get there.

Classic and Restoration Show 2024

Published on February 25, 2024 in Uncategorized. Closed

Once again the Midas Club have a stand at the Classic and Restoration Show at the NEC.

The dates are 22^nd to 24^th March and there is a discount code (both club members and friends can use this) The code is S24CC878, quote it when ordering tickets on line.

Help will be needed each day of the show and on the preceding Thursday to erect the stand and set out the displays. Please contact any of the committee members if you can help. If helping, members will get passes to enter the show.

Ticket information here https://www.necrestorationshow.com/ticket-information

Club Memberships are now due for renewal.

Published on January 1, 2024 in Uncategorized. Closed

Members who do not pay by standing order, please arrange payment £20.00 as soon as convenient.

If your details or car info needs updating please email the Membership Secretary

The 2023 Classic Car Show https://www.necclassicmotorshow.com/

Published on October 11, 2023 in Uncategorized. Closed

Once again the Club has a display stand at the Classic Car show. The dates for this years show held in the main exhibition areas of the NEC are Friday 10th to Sunday 12th November.

Club members will have an email with details of how to access the discounted tickets.

What to expect.

On the Club stand should be three cars. A Mk3 Convertible; a car which won the on-line concourse event and has to be one of the best convertibles with various sensible upgrades. The second Midas is a Mk2 Coupe, recently assembled from a kit which had languished in a Scottish garage unbuilt, unmolested and filled with all the extra components needed still boxed or wrapped. The picture of the car with bits laid out ‘a la’ plastic kit is as iconic as the interior colour and trim.

See this at the show, it’s probably the most original and authentic Mk2.

Also on show the car which won the Club’s on line concourse competition during ‘lockdown’

The third car is a mystery guest as the theme of the show is ‘partnerships’ so will it be a GTM, Marcos, Pastiche or one of Richard Oakes many kit car designs such as the Nova, Blackjack or recent ADO Midget?

Whilst the Show’s content is predictable (cars, bits, chat shows etc.) the individual entries and variety of exhibits make it a worthwhile event. Do your bit for charity as well by supporting the Sporting Bears who provide rides in all sorts of classic and sports cars, even a Traction Engine has put in an appearance.

JBO 11/10/23

The National Kit Car Show Malvern 2023

Published on October 1, 2023 in Uncategorized. Closed

With a change of venue from Stoneleigh the club’s AGM was held at the National Kit Car Show at the Three Counties Show ground in Malvern. Set to the East of the Malvern Hills the venue is a series of flat display areas, covered hall, and large camping area. The venue suffered none of the restrictions on space which Stoneleigh (the previous venue) had due to the incursion of HS2. The new venue didn’t seem to attract the same number of cars or visitors, perhaps next year will improve as it’s reputation as a venue grows.

The AGM report has been in the club magazine, but for non-members the significant event of the afternoon was the transfer of the role of Club Secretary.

Roy Forrester taking over as Secretary from Tony Moss. Thanks must go to Tony Moss for all his work in the past, and his help organising the various shows we attend.

Retiring Club Secretary Tony Moss (left) hands a Judges award to the new Secretary Roy Forrester.

The Minikits stand paid tribute to the late Barry Stimson. A fine Rochdale Olympic and Gilbern Genie.

Easily accessible from the M5 the event is one which is a must for Kit Car enthusiasts. JBO 1/10/23

STONELEIGH 2022 – The National Kit Car Show

Published on May 6, 2022 in Uncategorized. Closed

This year’s show returned to its traditional May Day Bank Holiday Weekend slot and started to show signs of recovery. Last year’s show was postponed until the end of August and only one show hall was available (the other being used as a Covid vaccination centre). The weather was a bit better last August, but the turnout of kit cars was massively down on pre-covid numbers. The turnout for the Midas Owners Club reflected the trend with 10 Midas cars of all models present, up from last year’s half dozen.

Okay so this is still a long way off the 20+ that the club would get a couple of decades ago, but it is a step in the right direction. And with 10 excellent examples in attendance the club’s officers decided that we should hold the traditional concours/awards to go along with the club’s barbecue and AGM.

“Most improved by owner” went to Simon Camm for his mid-engined 1.8VVC K-series Gold Coupe

“Best underbonnet” went to Roy Forrester for his very tidy Mk2 Decathlon

“Most original condition” went to Craig Williams for his Mk3 Gold Coupe

“Best in every other category” went to Brian Badcock’s Mk2 Coupe

The “Furthest traveled in a Midas” category was won by John Orson, but unfortunately he disappeared before we could get a photo of him with Tony. However, if John had stuck around (and we had some trophies) then it might have looked like this:

The Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show

Published on March 25, 2022 in Past Events. Closed

After a two year absence we were back at the NEC for the PCCCR show. This year we were without club secretary Tony Moss who couldn’t attend due to an operation. This didn’t put off the club members who laid the carpet and set up the stand on the Thursday before the show :

The club presented three excellent examples of the Midas marque on a thoroughly professional looking stand and were rewarded by three days of warm interest from the show-goers. As usual we spoke to many visitors who remembered the cars from the 1980s and one, or two, former Midas owners.

Next on the calendar is the National Kit Car Show at Stoneleigh, which returns to its usual May day bank holiday slot.

2021 A slow restart, but a restart nonetheless

Published on March 5, 2022 in Uncategorized. Closed

Coming after the COVID-19 enforced washout of 2020 and early 2021, only a few event organisers were brave enough to put events in 2021.

Two that did were club favourites The Mini Action Day at Castle Combe and the National Kit Car show at Stoneleigh. Both events were smaller and quieter than in previous years, but both proved thoroughly enjoyable for the Midas Owners who ventured out.

Midas Owners Club Area, Mini Action Day 2021

Castle Combe restricted entry to car owners and direct guests, but that didn’t stop club members partaking in their favourite activities:

Justin King explored the track, while Tony Moss examined the inside of his eyelids.

It was a wonder that they could put on a show at Stoneleigh in 2021. The main exhibition hall had been turned in to a COVID vaccination centre and half the parkland was being dug up for HS2. However, the Kit Car community pulled together for a show in August rather than the traditional May.

The Midas Owners Club shared a block with our friend in the Mini Marcos Owners Club:

CONCOURS D’EXTRAORDINAIRE – The Winners

Published on May 24, 2020 in Uncategorized. Closed

The polls officially closed at midnight last night and the votes from both the Facebook group and the Midas Forum have been counted up.

Category 1. Best Exterior.

First Place with 11 votes on Facebook and 4 votes on the Forum is No 4. Red Mk3 Gold Convertible belonging to Richard Streets.

Second Place went to No8. Red Mk3 Gold Coupe belonging to John Orson with 12 votes on Facebook and 1 on the Forum.

Third Place went to No1. Red Mk2 Coupe belonging to Ralph Woodrow.

Category 2. Best Interior

First Place with 6 votes on Facebook and 1 vote on the Forum was N06. The unfinished White Mk2 Coupe belonging to Ian Hardy – perhaps indicating that the original design is best after all.

Second Place was a draw, both with 6 votes on Facebook, between No8, John Orson and No10, the Blue Cortez of Justin King

Category 3. Best Underbonnet

First Place with 15 votes on Facebook and 6 on the Forum went to No.4 Richard Streets’ Gold Convertible with an incredibly tidy and well presented engine bay.

Second Place with 6 votes on Facebook and 2 on the Forum went to No.7 the BRG Mk2 Decathlon of Roy Forrester.
Third Place with 4 votes on Facebook went to No 10. Justin King’s Blue Cortez.

The judged categories.

After examining the photos closely the judges have decided on the winners. There were no entries in the Most Used category, which was going to be judged on average monthly mileage.

4. Originality – closest to factory intent

First prize goes to Roger Dewsnap’s Black Mk1, now looking much like it did in 1984.

The judges thought that Chris Nicholls’ Black Mk3 Gold Coupe, Ian Hardy’s White Mk2 and Roy Forrester’s BRG Mk2 Decathlon all merited a mention too, for all were very close to original except for one or two minor details.

5. Innovation – best upgrades from original spec.

First prize could only go to Justin King’s Blue Mk4 Cortez with too many upgrades to list – it took CKC two features to write up all the work that Justin has done.

The judges also thought that the improved dashboard on Jon Evans‘ White Mk2 and the re-trimmed interior of Ralph Woodrow‘s Red Mk2, were both very neatly done and worthy upgrades.

6. Most Ambitious Rebuild

Perhaps, we should have set a tighter definition for this category as the judges couldn’t decide between a finished rebuild that was ambitious in respect of working to a tight time constraint and another that has only just started and is ambitious in the amount of work required.

In the end the judges decided to call it a draw between Tim Brack’s plan to totally rebuild his red Mk2

and Sam Dewsnap‘s refurbishment of his father’s Mk1 (see Originality above) , completed in just three months. The work on Roger’s car can be seen on You Tube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGEO4MHxZGU&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3tON-kVOxvDBE_9A4AUpITxuoGvHgeCTR2FNFPi_lqUgChtbT3MYHmSDI

Thank you to everybody who sent in photos of their cars and thank you to everyone who voted. We may not be able to use our cars much at the moment, but at least we can still discuss them.