Preparations well underway by Barnet classic and vintage car owners ready for annual High Street parade and show at The Spires

Pride of place at this year Barnet Classic Car Club’s annual show in the top car park at The Spires shopping centre on Sunday 17 May will be some of the much-cherished vehicles which the club’s committee members have carefully maintained over the years – from run-arounds to the high-end motors of yesteryear.

A parade of nearly 80 cars is expected through the High Street at 10.30am followed by the display – from 11am to 3pm – which is expected to include over 150 cars.

Councillor Danny Rich, Mayor of Barnet, will open the show which will feature music by Boxty and performances by students from the Susi Earnshaw Theatre School.

Among the cars on display will be Chris Martin’s Riley RMC Roadster – see above – which in the 1960s was originally owned by Edward Streator, an American diplomat and ambassador to the UK.

In 1992 the car underwent a total restoration, retaining all the original components.

Another attraction will be a New Era Mini conversion – registration number POP 22 – which is owned by the club’s founder, Chris Nightingale.

The car was designed by Chris’s father Ken Nightingale, owner of New Era Ltd, Birmingham. It was left incomplete and only finished off in the late 1960s.

A recent edition of the magazine Mini World devoted several pages to the history of the car — one of three versions of an early variant of the mini and the only one of its kind still in existence.

Derrick Haggerty – above right, with Chris Nightingale – bought his Ford Popular in 1973 for £50 as an MOT failure.

After a £5 repair, it passed and Derrick has used it as a regular run-around for many years. He completed a full restoration of the car in the mid-1980s and completed respray in 2000.

Another high-end classic on display will be a Jaguar 3.8 MK2 owned by George Dimitriadis – a car with a reputation as a favourite among criminals and law enforcement alike because its 3.8 litre engine could accelerate from 0-60 mph in 8.5 seconds.

It has had six previous owners and work done since purchased in 2017 includes a new petrol tank, fuel pump, brake master cylinder and electronic ignition.

Stalls at the show will be manned by Noah’s Ark Children Hospice, Barnet Rotary, a tea and cake stall, and a demonstration by the St John Ambulance Brigade.