Currently Viewing Posts Tagged Masters of the Marque

idriveaclassic all set for special car meet at Great British Car Journey

Popular retro car YouTuber idriveaclassic, fronted by Steph Holloway, will be motoring into Great British Car Journey on Saturday 6 July for a very special car meet.

Steph, who boasts a 60,000 strong following on her retro motoring YouTube channel, will host the event which gives classic motorists of all ages the chance to gather at the museum and celebrate historic motoring, compare and admire classics.

Commenting, Steph from idriveaclassic said: “As a long-time fan of Brit classics, it made perfect sense to hold my summer meet up at Great British Car Journey. I cannot wait to see classics and retro cars of all ages and conditions and look forward to swapping tales of motoring mishaps and triumphs.”

Celebrating Steph’s arrival, Great British Car Journey will host a special one-off Masters of the Marque awards at the event. The idriveaclassic Masters of the Marque event, powered by Wera Tools, will be judged by Steph with prizes and trophies for the winning classic cars.

Steph added: “All classics are welcome in all conditions and there is no requirement to arrive in a British classic or a concours car – every classic makes our community a better place and modern classics and retro dailies are just as welcome as pre-war and mid-century motors. I am really looking forward to the event.”

Steph started her popular idriveaclassic YouTube channel in 2019, using it to showcase a wide range of classic and retro cars. She has since built a huge following, making regular appearances at classic car events and hosted her own festival, Rustival at the British Motor Museum last year, in conjunction with fellow YouTubers Hubnut and Furious Driving.

She added: “There is something actually really practical and accessible – and sustainable about driving a car that was manufactured forty or fifty or more years ago – and I think that’s part of the appeal too.”

Hundreds of classic car enthusiasts and their cars are expected to descend on the attraction, so booking is essential.

The idriveaclassic event is priced at £16 per car (covering driver and passenger) with additional passengers priced at £7. Tickets include entry to the museum and children under 15 go free.  Discounted tickets must be purchased in advance here.

Founders Blog: My Missed Weekend of British Car Bliss – Reflections and Celebrations

Missing out on the most bustling weekend in the history of Great British Car Journey was a profound disappointment for me, especially as both days featured events showcasing cars from my home City about which I have become increasingly enthused.

Firstly, I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the passionate Rover and MG owners who graced us with their presence on Saturday. The venue was brimming with the iconic and often overlooked vehicles built at Longbridge and Cowley before the tragic events of April 2005. The fact that so many of these cars have survived is a pretty fair indication of how good they actually were and their exceptional quality. While I cherish my trusty daily drive, a Diesel Rover 75, the allure of taking a spin in an MG ZT, particularly in its V6 iteration, is undeniable. Kudos to Pete Stevens for his outstanding restyling work, transforming these cars from timeless and safe (not a criticism) to hot and desirable. The enduring appeal of models like the ZR stands as a testament to their greatness.

However, despite my eagerness to partake, I found myself unavoidably detained in London due to a scheduled operation planned some months ago. Consequently, I missed out not only on Longships and Octagons but also our Austin Extravaganza, our inaugural “Masters of the Marque Awards Powered by Wera Tools“.

The idea behind this series of events promoted by Great British Car Journey in 2024 is to encourage owners of a single marque to gather together, enjoy the experience and facilities at Great British Car Journey, and celebrate the complete history of whatever marque is highlighted on the day. While predominantly focused on Great British Marques, there are also (in the spirit of the six nations Rugby) events for both French and Italian cars too.

Wera Tools who make some truly amazing, innovative hand tools have generously agreed to sponsor these events so as well as provide nice trophies for the winners. There are also valuable and useful tools to be won by those cars who catch the Judges’ eyes. With upcoming events tailored for both Rover and MG enthusiasts (with Rovers Return – 120 years of Rover on Sunday 12 May and MG Summer Festival on Sunday 14 July), we very much hope that many of Saturday’s guests will make a welcome return soon. Find the complete list of upcoming Master of the Marque events here.

Yesterday, we celebrated the cars which were fortunate to be born Austins including of course Austin Healey, Nash, Princess and other brands full of Austin DNA. A great turn out saw some very worthy winners and I think the great man would have been watching with some satisfaction from a lofty viewpoint. Congratulations to all the winners and I hope to meet and greet you in person as soon as possible. Find the winners here.

This coming Sunday 21 April 2024 marks Drive It Day, and Great British Car Club has planned a great drive out planned featuring a visit to Derbyshire’s only Doubly Thankful village on some amazingly tiny roads. If you don’t know what I am talking about, use Google to find out! It’s not too late to book a space and help raise funds for ChildLine and support the Federation of Historic British Vehicle Clubs who do a great job ensuring that we can go on enjoying our cars. If you are interested in joining us on Drive It Day, either on the drive or in the attraction, there’s plenty on offer – find out more here.

So, despite the decidedly chilly weather, the classic car season is well underway for us. Though unfortunately I won’t be able to drive for a few weeks but I eagerly anticipate my return to Ambergate very soon. 

Lastly, I extend my sincere gratitude to the staff at King Edward VII’s Hospital for their attentive care during my brief stay. To those reading, especially those over 50, I implore you to undergo the annual PSA blood test—it won’t cost you anything and it may just save your life.

Great British Car Journey launches Masters of the Marque Awards

Masters of the Marque powered by Wera Tools awards and prizes

Honouring people who cherish their classic cars, Great British Car Journey has launched its own Masters of the Marque Awards – the classic car industry’s alternative awards.

The awards have been launched in conjunction with Wera Tools UK Ltd, a specialist tool manufacturer based in Derbyshire. The company has been making high quality hand tools packed with innovative features since 1936. 

 “I am delighted to have fellow Derbyshire business Wera Tools UK onboard with our new Masters of the Marque Awards,” said Richard Usher, founder of the awards and the award-winning classic car museum in Ambergate, Derbyshire.

“These awards are purposefully quirky and quite different to anything else in the industry, very like our attraction. I wanted to recognise the thousands of classic car enthusiasts who love their cars, and have personally restored and maintain them at home,” he explained.

Winners of the awards will receive a glass trophy and items from the Wera Tools range worth up to £90. 

Additionally, all visitors to Masters of the Marque events who arrive in a vehicle corresponding with the event marque, will each receive a commemorative metal plaque.

Richard added: “We get such an array of vehicles at our marque-specific events so I was keen not to have specific categories that would limit entrants or, indeed winners. Myself or the team will personally judge all vehicles and decide on which vehicles and their owners stand out to me.”

With the exception of one, there are no set categories, and the awards can only be entered by attending one of Great British Car Journey’s Masters of the Marque events

One of the awards at each event will include the ‘Car We’d Like to Steal’ title. Richard explained: “Whenever we have events in the carpark, the Great British Car Journey team and I find ourselves wandering around the carpark and saying ‘crikey, we’d love to have that in the exhibition’ to each other.”

There are currently a number of Masters of the Marque events scheduled until the end of the year at Great British Car Journey.

14 April                Austin Extravaganza
28 April               Auto Italiane
06 May                Morgans in May (including all niche British sports car marques)
12 May                 Rovers Return – 120 Years of Rover
19 May                 Voitures Francaises
26 May                Spring Mini Day
02 June               A Fiesta of Fords
09 June               Morris Minor Day (open to all Morris’)
23 June               Reliant Regatta
14 July                 MG Summer Festival
18 August            Show Your Rootes  
26 August            Mini 65th Birthday
08 September     A Triumph of Triumphs

“I welcome owners of all cars related to their respective marques to attend. For instance, latterly produced Metros and Maestros don’t bear the Austin badge but they were definitely part of the marque and so are included in the awards,” added Richard.

Entry into the Great British Masters of the Marque in association with Wera Tools is simple; just turn up to the event in a corresponding marque of car. Winners from the above events will be invited to a Grand Celebration at the end of the year to crown an overall winner.

The cost to enter is just £10 per vehicle occupant, which also gives them full access to the museum and its facilities. 

Find out all the details on how to register to attend the Masters of the Marque events and buy discounted advance tickets here

Find out more about our inaugural Austin Extravaganza Masters of the Marque Event powered by Wera Tools here.