Goodwood Revival

[Lucky]

Got some photos sorted from this years' Revival if anyone's interested?

I have to say, I didn't massively feel the love this year. All the usual things that make it cool were in place; the dressing up, great cars, period stuff, yada yada. But the weather was, not to put too fine a point on it, crap, and life in general sucked so that drained some of my mojo. And it's just soooooooo bloody crowded. Plus the stupid prices of everything; needing special paddock passes, stand passes, everything that mitigates the overcrowding you have to pay through the nose for which sours the day rather.

Then there was getting smashed up the arse at a roundabout on the way there. By a chief engineer at McLaren, of all people. Who was very nice about it, admitted 100% fault and everything but could have done without it lol. Anyhoo, enough moaning, have some photos

Plenty of paddocks you could enter just as Joe Prole, and plenty of awesome cars in there to drool over. The impossible elegance of engineering in Maserati Birdcages


Birdcage cockpit by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Leafspring could do with some oil, mind


Birdcage wheelarch by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Some sportscars eschewed highly-strung Italianate exotica to propel them and went with good old 'Murican barndoor engineering


Sadler Chevrolet Mk3 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I especially like the little silicone rubber sock to waterproof the dizzy


Sadler Chevrolet Mk3 cockpit by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Cooper went with a Climax engine... once used to power fire-engine hose pumps. Signature probably adds a few quid to value!


Cooper Climax T49 d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

TVRs were consistently startling with their pace (and *whispers* reliability) throughout. And so pretty


so wot is it by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Even pausing for a cup of coffee (which, by the way, came in a china service with coffee pot, milk jug and elegant cup... only at Goodwood!) you can find excellent weirdness just used as set dressing


Edsel by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

"that" horses' collar in full frontal expose


Edsel f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

And almost hidden round the back, used as a promo tool to advertise fizzy posh pop for Tarquins, a ludicrously-named and preposterously-finned Ferrari Competizione Berlinetta 250 GT Speziale. As you do


Competizione Berlinetta 250 GT Speziale by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I love a Gullwing at the best of times, but even more so when it looks like a total thug. So at odds with their normal elegance and all the better for it


300SL Gullwing by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Guilty evidence... match the paint stripes and dent on the wing to the decoration on the Brick Chicane and you have forensic proof as to why this Cooper was docked a 10-second penalty for course cutting. And subsequently was demoted from first to second place


Cooper Jaguar wing by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Nice to see some cars beyond the "usual" Goodwood fare that turn up every year. Little Gordini is ugly-cute, if that's actually a thing


Gordini Type 23S by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Disco Volante (that's yer actual Italian for "flying saucer"!) just simply stunning


Alfa 3000 Disco Volante by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Alfa 3000 Disco Volante cockpit by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Normally I spend a lot of time when taking photos to try to minimise the background interference.... or to put it another way, unprepossessing fools blundering into shot and screwing it up. The Revival is the one place where I don't mind. In fact, most people add something to any pic with their costumes and sheer .... I dunno... vibe


HWM Jaguar & friend by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


HWM Jaguar d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I dunno why, but I gravitate towards 50s sportscars every time. I love them. Way before my time, and maybe that's why, but to me they reflect the last truly heroic epoch of racing when men were real men and could cheerfully drive across Europe, give it Larry in some 1000-km race on public donkey tracks and then drink and shag the night away. If they were still alive. Anyway. Have a Maserati


Maserati A6GCS by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

eBay listing might read "some original features. Plenty of patina"


Maserati A6GCS dash by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Of course, there are also plenty of the other Italian maker. Mrs Lucky makes me take pics of yellow cars. I can only apologise


Ferrari 500 TRC by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Normal service resumes. Cheeky overbite


Ferrari 340MM by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Ferrari 500TRC by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Ferrari 500TRC cockpit by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Aston DB3 was not the prettiest of things, though undeniably effective. And presumably was happy to inherit first place from the bruised Cooper Jaguar


DB3 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

DB3S a lot better looking but apparently also slower. Looks aren't everything. As I tell Mrs Lucky on numerous occasions.


DB3S by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Interesting tyre-warming system in place


DB3S d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Always got time for a C-Type or two, too. Wonderful purity and economy; nothing there that doesn't need to be.


C Type by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


C Types by Nick Liassides, on Flickr



So, Mrs Lucky having finished her porcelain-themed tea break, we wandered off from the far paddock to take in some of the general vibe. Which is pretty much all we could do since half the place was barred without correct access paperwork and the other half was heaving and I couldn't be arsed! Still, there were the usual amazing displays and period reconstructions, such as the "showrooms" presented as they might have been in 1959 should you have desired a new-fangled Austin Seven or one of those funny *whisper it* German things


Austin 7 Mini by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

To be fair, you didn't have to have a German 328 or derivative if you still felt rancour after the War; there were plenty of plundered... errrr... war reparation... versions available from Fraser Nash or Bristol or whomever. But the original is generally best


BMW 328 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


BMW 328 f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Never seen one of these before, a BMW 3200 Spider, so that was nice. Vignale coachbuilding probably explains the flair over Teutonic efficiency feel. Michelotti's bronze signature on the bonnet was a particularly nice touch


BMW3200 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


BMW3200 dsh by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


BMW3200 wing d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


BMW3200 bdg by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Motorrad BMW by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

We wandered into the Earl's Court Motor Show (in 1/10th scale, but still an impressive reconstruction considering it's a fascia glued to an old aircraft hangar, you'd never know) where TVR was the theme in residence. Mostly due to the first public launch of the new Griffith. Which is undeniably good-looking, albeit a little bit the bastard child of a MkIV Supra and a 3rd-gen RX-7


Griffith s by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Griffith by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


TVR girls 6 plus Griffith by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Griffith r by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Very much like the wing vent/exhaust combo


Griffith wing by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

There were a whole raft of significant TVRs from the company's tangled past, many of which were obscured by 60s-themed laydees who might have started out looking happy but three days of constant smiling at leering punters (like me) had reduced their charming smiles to more like the rictus grin of the vanguard to the zombie apocalypse. And they kept getting in the way of taking pictures of the damned cars *ahem*


TVR girls 2 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


TVR girls 1 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


TVR girls 3 plus Tina by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


TVR girls 5 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


TVR girls 4 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

When you could get a clear shot it was well worth it, as there were some genuinely spectacular cars there. Such as the mad White Elephant, the world's most exclusive shooting/brake dog carrier


White Elephant by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

One of only six (and the only non-black one IIRC) Typhon... no, not a miss-spelling, it's named after the Greek Father of Titans from mythology


Typhon by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

And the steel fist inside a tupperware glove that is the utterly insane Speed Twelve


Cerbera Speed 12 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Cerbera Speed 12 r by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Although, let's be fair...even more "mundane" and "ordinary" TVRs are well worth a second look


3000M by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


420 SEAC by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Sagaris d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Griffith racer by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Blackpool's finest were not the only strange fruit on offer. Maserati had their usual beautifully-presented stand where Mrs Lucky did her usual schmooze of blagging a sit in Ghiblis and such while I concentrated on the more heritage end of things. It still upsets me profoundly to see a Chelsea tractor with a Maserati badge, so I prefer to ignore it as much as possible


3500GT Spider by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Aston would tempt you in with a luscious DBR1 ... and to be fair, that's quite a draw


DBR1 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

...and BMW with a double-strike combo of impossibly tidy 507


507 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

and very un-German bonkersness of the crazy Z1


Z1 d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Bloody hell, Flickr is so much more laborious to do this sorta thing with than Photobucket was More to come laterz

[MelloYello]

Thanks Nic. I am over these big shows that charge a lot, cram you in like sardines and then rip you off at every turn.

Which is why I am glad you suffered for us, to brings this entertaining round up conveniently to our peepers.

You did get a bit leery on those girls aye

[Lucky]

Yeah, sometimes you have to suffer for your art

As always, the attention-to-detail that pervades the entire place takes your breath away. Some of the exhibitors and stall-holders commented that it all comes from Lord March. I guess his theatrical background gives him the eye for just what's needed, from the broad canvas right down to the little fake pigeons on the building ledges


Outside Broadcast by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

You can't get into the main paddocks without paying for a paddock pass, although Mrs Lucky blagged us in on the strength of her charm offensive. With hindsight the fact she's a Member of GRRC might have lent more weight, but never mind. Anyway, this gave us a chance to get up close and personal to some of the unobtanium on display


250MM by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I suppose that a 330GTO must be, like, 80 better than "just" a normal 250GTO?


330 GTO by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Arresting though the GTs were, my attention is always distracted nowadays by the pre and 'tween-war racers. I love the difference between them, how many ways there were of answering the same question, and seeing the evolution of car engineering unfold right before your eyes like stop-motion


Alta 2 litre d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Alfa 308C by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Alfa 308C d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

sumptuous though the curves are on the Alfa 308C, the very un-Italian blockiness of the Tipo B is probably more of an acme for the old lady of Portello


Alfa Tipo B by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Still wearing her Sucderia Ferrari livery from when Enzo's mob were just another team on the grid


Alfa Tipo B d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Tipo B by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

They may never have really got their day in the sun, but the persistent offerings from Talbot (and Talbot-Lago) made a significant contribution to the evolution of racing car technology, pioneering independent front suspension amongst other revolutionary concepts


Talbot-Lago Type 26C by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

And MG? well, maybe not pretty but beauty never won races


Parnell-MG by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


MG Bellevue Special by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Assymetry alert for all those with itchy teeth


MG Bellevue Special d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

ERA were one of the mainstays of voiturette racing, and occasionally formula regulation changes meant they overlapped into the top flight. I guess everyone's image of an ERA is the square-fronted upright splay-legged things, but they made some truly startling bodywork treatments as well


ERA E-Type GP1 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

It's what Darth Vader would've raced, I reckon


ERA E-Type GP1 f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Although there were also plenty of the more archetypal spraddle-legged giraffe things


ERA 14B by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Even while trying to concentrate on cars in relative peace (maybe that's why they charge for paddock access, to keep them a bit quieter? Nahhhh, it's the money, innit) it's impossible not to get regularly distracted by people-watching


Blue ladies by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Sorry. Right, back to cars then. Like most of the great old marques, Delage had their time at the top. Everything conspired to give them total domination for a couple of glorious years; the formula change fell right into their laps as their Swiss watch-precise little eights were ready when others were playing catch-up.


Delage GP1927 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Delage GP1927 d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Delage GP1927 cockpit by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Delage GP1927 r by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Although this poor old one could do with some love. It's kinda immaculate as far as the fetlocks, then looks like an elephant sat on the rest of it


Knackedy Delage by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Knackedy Delage d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

The common perception of Bugattis is one of impossible elegance and beauty, but sometimes it's nice to be reminded that underneath the glorious design and beautiful skin they were weapons; tools, and used hard. The Type 59 known as Grand-Mère (grandmother) is just such a tool. Despite having been owned by a genuine King, Leopold in fact, in no way are you left believing that it's anything other than a car made to go as fast as it possibly could and damn the aesthetics


Type 59-57 Grand mere r by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Type 59-57 Grand mere by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Type 59-57 Grand mere ckpt by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Type 59-57 Grand mere f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I guess this pristine Type 35C is more what people think of a Bugatti being like


Type 35C by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Type 35C bay by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Whilst maybe this Type 73 shows why they were better left un-streamlined


Type 73C f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Type 73C by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I do seem to be wittering on a lot about Maseratis in this report, but then again, why not? I've never seen so many 250Fs in one place... come to think of it, I've only ever seen two in the same place before and I thought that was doing pretty well. I doubled that score here! Get a child from pretty much 1970 back to draw a racing car and it'll look like this


Maserati 250F blue by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Maserati 250F fettling by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Maserati 250F red by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Other Maserati offerings were perhaps slightly less pleasing to the eye, it can't be denied


Maserati 6CM by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Maserati 4CM by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

And we're back to the GTs, having managed a circuit of the paddock. There were a veritable phalanx of Fezza GTs in varying strengths of flavour


250 GT SWB-C stripes by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

I love their little monocle bonnet-mount auxiliary windscreens


250 GT SWB-C by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Some Ferraris were rather less enclosed, though. One of the earliest actual Ferrari cars as opposed to cars simply run by Ferrari, and still very much showing the Alfa heritage


Ferrari 125-166 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Ferrari 125-166 d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Anyway, shall we have some good old British meat and potatoes to go with all that carbonara? How about the unfeasibly well-proportioned Aston Project 212?


Aston Project 212 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

And there were plenty of (marginally) less rare but no less sexy Astons. In fact, an entire battalion of DB4GTs in any colour you fancy. Red, white and errrr.... green, anyway. I sadly couldn't find a blue one for the truly patriotic thing


DB4GT red by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


DB4 GT white by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


DB4GT green by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Still love this Italian/American crossover Fiat/Cobra transporter. Still decidedly upset by the decal spacing on the front


Fiat Cobra transporter by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

One of my favourite ever racing cars, the Lancia D50


Lancia D50 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

A car that's great not only for it's typically Lancia, typically ingenious, typically insane engineering features (such as the bonkers pontoon fuel tanks) but also because more than any other it probably saved Ferrari. Their own GP effort was mired and directionless and it's not beyond the bounds of hypothesis to suggest the marque might have gone under or become a second-string voiturette firm had Lancia not had the decency to go bust. The Italian government handed everything Lancia-shaped to il Commendatore and he promptly stuck Ferrari Cavalino Rampante badges on them, faired in the fuel tanks, and won at everything like a boss. Never looked back


Lancia D50 f by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Funny, innit. Dunno if there's a rule in the Ferrari playbook that says anything with a Dino nameplate has to be adorably pretty. If there is, they want to take a long hard look at the 308GT4 cos that's horrid. However, everything else...


246 Dino by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Mudguards you could shave with. Or at least dig the garden


246 Dino d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Think Wales has never had GP entrants? The Kieft-Climax begs to differ


Kieft-Climax GP by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Kieft-Climax GP d by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Another pic that archetypally sums up Goodwood for me. Mungo and Rupert woefully discuss tactics and mechanical failure. Jeremy regales Jocasta with tales of derring-do against Gerald whilst dicing at the chicane. Jocasta looks for an escape, or at the very least a liveried flunky to refil her champers flute


Connaught conversations by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

... and another Connaught without the commentary


Connaught A-Type by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

You know you've arrived when you can enter an Austin J40 for little Jemima as well as your Offenhauser-engined Kraft


Kurtiss-Kraft Offenhauser &1 by Nick Liassides, on Flickr


Kurtiss-Kraft Offenhauser by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

Another superb transporter before we leave the lower paddocks, then. Seems Cobra owners get all the best trailers


Cobra transporter by Nick Liassides, on Flickr

[codge]

Hi Nik,
Great stuff again, thanks.
That tyre warming exhaust in the wheel bay brings back some memories.
Ford did it on the Mk2 Consuls and Zephyrs and I think some Renaults did it?
Of course the exhaust rotted away in a couple of hard winters.....I guess high performance sporting machinery would not have to suffer salted winter roads.

[DKWW2000]

Great pictures, great commentary thanks Nick, have missed your show reports. I agree with Mrs Lucky, cars that are yellow always get my vote, primrose E Type roadster is a good example

[ian65]

great pictures Nik... thanks for taking the time to post..... FlickR eh? How much of a ball ache is it to link from there? I've had an account for years but never use it.

[A7RXY]

Great photos as usual Nik ..... Love the Astons ....

[myatt1972]

Thanks so much for posting that Nik, got me through the X factor without seeing a thing

[Lucky]

Ian, unless I'm missing something, the main difference is that rather than a whole page of thumbnails like of Photobucket where you can cut/paste twenty-odd link off one page, with Flickr you have to open each picture individually and then call up a BBcode box, then cut/paste that... then go back to the album. So instead of two clicks per photo it's about six. Adds up pretty quick

[KiwiDave]

I watched most of the Revival on live feeds. Still no substitute for being there but I do agree that wet weather thoroughly spoils the experience. I've done a few wet FOS events and been pretty miserable.

Loving your coverage

I'm not sure that Gordon Murray would entirely embrace your summation of the Griffith's styling cue's . Made me look more than twice though and I can see where you are coming from, or rather, viewing from.