NEC Restoration Show - 22-24 March 2024

[rbgosling]

With the dust barely settled on this year's show, applications for next year's are already open! No rush though, we have until 5th October to request a stand, and (supposedly) there is no priority given to earlier applications.

Let's leave it until closer to the time, then we can see who would like to come and what projects they could bring.

[rbgosling]

Well, with talk now turning to the November NEC Classic Car show, that's reminded me of next March's Restoration Show.

I've had a couple of reminders about applying for a stand for The Lotus Grand Tourers. If everyone is happy about this, I'll go ahead and put in an application.

If anyone has an idea of a 3-day on-stand project they would like to bring along and carry out during the show, please speak up! Also half-finished, or not-even-started major projects would give the stand some real interest and a talking point relevant to the show's concept, whether you have active work going on during the show or not (but work is very much encouraged!). Yes, it's still 7 months away, so no need to commit now, I'll push for more concrete plans as we get closer to the event.

https://www.necrestorationshow.com/

[Alan_M]

Hi Richard, now having 3, I’m sure at least 1 of them will need some work that I can bring along - possibly the prototype? I need to source and replace the carbs on it with the correct ones, so that may be a possibility?

[Pete Boole]

Hopefully there'll be no more health shocks so my Elite may be available.

Pete

[rbgosling]

That would be ideal Pete!

[richardw]

Well, with talk now turning to the November NEC Classic Car show, that's reminded me of next March's Restoration Show.

I've had a couple of reminders about applying for a stand for The Lotus Grand Tourers. If everyone is happy about this, I'll go ahead and put in an application.

If anyone has an idea of a 3-day on-stand project they would like to bring along and carry out during the show, please speak up! Also half-finished, or not-even-started major projects would give the stand some real interest and a talking point relevant to the show's concept, whether you have active work going on during the show or not (but work is very much encouraged!). Yes, it's still 7 months away, so no need to commit now, I'll push for more concrete plans as we get closer to the event.

https://www.necrestorationshow.com/

Many thanks Richard - that’s one less thing on my ‘to do’ list!

Richard

[rbgosling]

I've just clicked that 2024 will be the 50th Anniversary of the Elite!! With (hopefully) Pete's example, from the launch year, on the stand, we should certainly make some fuss of the occasion. Any ideas?

[Alan_M]

I've just clicked that 2024 will be the 50th Anniversary of the Elite!! With (hopefully) Pete's example, from the launch year, on the stand, we should certainly make some fuss of the occasion. Any ideas?

The show organisers often suggest a theme - have they done that for this show?

If having a first year Elite, how about a first year theme?
I can bring the first year (prototype) Eclat Excel, could we get a first year Eclat?

[Pete Boole]

how about a first year theme?

I like that idea Alan

Pete

[rbgosling]

Oops - just realised I've made a personal logistics cock-up. I've agreed to go on a family holiday starting on the Sunday of the Resto Show, all now booked and irreversible.

I will still act as planner, organiser, and contact for our attendance at the show. However:

• I will not be able to attend on the Sunday (I will be there Thursday-Saturday);
• I will therefore not be able to put my car on the stand, since I will have no way to retrieve it after the show - so there may be space for another car instead;
• I will need a volunteer(s) not only to pack away the display equipment, but to remove it from the NEC on Sunday evening, and store it until I or Richard W can retrieve it.

Many apologies for this, but I cannot see another way out of the situation now.

[AndrewWebber]

I have a similar confession, having said my Elite is available for future NEC shows if wanted (again), I am now not returning from a skiing trip until late on the 23rd March so it's not really available for that one.

Andy

[Alan_M]

Hi Richard, I did offer to bring a car - possibly the prototype Eclat Excel, but I’ve not heard anything one way or the other, so assumed it isn’t included in your original plans, but I’m pretty sure I could arrange to bring it, or possibly the SE that I have just finished painting, but that one I would need to sort covered transport for as it currently has no doors or glass.

I will have a set of carbs that will need rebuilding and/or a diff that I could replace seals in.
Also possibly rear bumper removal and replacement of breather hose, and who knows what else by March.

I pass fairly close to Worcester regularly travelling from S. Wales to Leicestershire, so happy to talk about dropping off stand stuff.

[rbgosling]

Many thanks Alan - all those sound interesting projects, and stuff done on a bench/table (like the diff or carbs) can certainly add to the display alongside the larger cars/bits. Any help with the display equipment will be very welcome too.

At the moment I'm still waiting to hear what stand we will get - Richard W and I had a chat with Alison, the organiser, during the November NEC show, to request a larger patch - then we can firm up what we can bring and display.

[rbgosling]

Excellent news - we now have our stand allocation. It's a decent size stand, nearly square, 10.5 x 11.0 m, no pillars or other intrusions. It's in an great location too - Hall 5 (where the Pride of Ownership display, live stage and "celebrity" displays, and Dream Rides are located), fairly central but towards both the entrance and the stairs to Hall 4, so we should get plenty of footfall there. A significantly improved position compared to where we were in 2023, right in the corner of Hall 3, I'd say. We back on to our friends at the Sunbeam Lotus Owners Club, and have a slightly bigger stand than the MGOC next door! There's no sign of Club Lotus, or any other Lotus groups (although there are still some unallocated stands, so things may still change), so we and the Sunbeams may well be the only standard-bearers for Lotus at this show.

Provisional Layout.

With this space, I reckon we can realistically fit 4 cars/chassis with room to work around them, I'll have to give some thought to the optimum layout. On this basis, given those who have offered cars and what would fit with our plans this year, the four to display will be:

• Pete Boole's under-restoration Elite
• Mark Robinson's Elite Coupé prototype
• Matt Oxley's Esprit body
• Matt Oxley's Esprit chassis

Pete and Mark's cars are significant as they are both very early cars, and so fit with our theme of 50th Anniversary Of The Elite. Matt's separated tub and chassis I think will be an excellent attraction and talking point, and appropriate to the overall restoration theme of the show.

If any of these cannot make it for any reason, there are alternatives we could turn to. My car (frustratingly) will not be on the stand, as I mentioned before I leave on holiday on the Sunday so I will not be able to drive it home after.

Alan - If you can bring along your diff and/or carb rebuild, with a table/workbench you can carry the work out on, that would certainly add some additional interest to our stand.

Cheers, Richard

[Pete Boole]

When do we normally get notification of the build-up-day times? Would like to give the transport guy as much notice as possible. Thanks

Pete