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The club took the opportunity for a double-header weekend: The AGM at the National Kit Car Show, Malvern, and the 40th anniversary celebration at the National Metro and Mini Show, British Motor Museum, Gaydon.
This proved to be a success, especially for the members who drove down from Tyneside. As one of them said “having two different shows on consecutive days made the long journey worthwhile”.
As well as dozen members’ cars we were also joined by a Mini-Jem and the “Bangers and Cash: Restoring Classics” team – watch out for more news about the Bangers and Cash Midas later in the year.
With the club’s are located near the doors to the museum and backing on to the arena, we drew plenty of attention and members were kept busy all day.
As part of the club’s 40th anniversary celebration, our current treasurer, Colin Oberlin-Harris, presented the club’s founder and first club secretary, Colin Spencer, with one of our anniversary caps.
With so much to see around the show, not to mention in the museum and the collections halls, we hope that the club returns again next year.
Running from the 8th to the 10th November this year’s show proved as popular as ever with total attendance figures back to pre-covid levels. The Midas Club Stand was once again in Hall 5 but we had a spot against a side wall rather than in the middle of the arena.
After setting up on the Thursday the stand (as pictured above) was ‘good to go’.
All three days saw an almost constant stream of visitors, some knowledgable but most who needed some explanation of both the individual cars and the Marque itself. Viewed from left to right are car No1 the first production Mk1 : the extensively modified Mk4 Cortez which seems to feature regularly in the motoring press : a newly refurbished Mk3 convertible now owned by a previous Midas Cars employee.
It was good to see more Club Members than usual which must be a good omen for the Club’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration. Planning for this is already underway.
Once again the Midas Owners Club has been allocated a stand at the November Classic Car Show. In preparation for this we’ve been busy planning and producing some new display screens to replace the ones used in previous years. The digital displays will still feature showing both cars and events.
Midas and Mini Marcos Owners can benefit by using the discount code CCCNOV811.
The code gives a £4.00 discount off single-day adult ticket prices or £2 off family, child & multi-day tickets. The club discount will be applied to Advance ticket prices before midnight on Thurs 7 Nov and Show Open ticket prices thereafter. Full ticket information at: www.necclassicmotorshow.com/ticket-information.
WANT TO HELP OUT?
If you can help by ‘manning the stand’ on one of the days please email the club secretary (email in the front of your magazine) with your preferred day.
We used Northwest Banners in Tameside for help with the artwork and printing. Top quality people to deal with. You can reach them via their website.
https://www.northwestbanners.co.uk/webstore/
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.
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
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.
Once again the Midas Club have a stand at the Classic and Restoration Show at the NEC.
The dates are 22nd to 24th 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
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
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
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
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.
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:
