'Moving Motor Show' they call the Thursday at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Fortunately for those of us with minimal interest in modern motoring the majority of the more interesting old cars are already in position in their various displays and paddocks so it is a fantastic opportunity to look around them with significantly less crowds than the three main festival days. OK, so you don't get to see any of them tackling the hill but there was still a fair amount of quality engine noise to be had, particularly in the Cathedral paddock, with various cars getting prep'd for the coming days' activities.
First off I headed to the Cartier Concours because there was something I knew was going to be there that I really wanted to see. The Phantom Corsair.
Just amazing. Can you imagine driving this around in 1938! Or even now!
Its owner/caretaker was standing with it, chatting to folks and explain some more about it with the drivers door open showing off the interior.
Apparently it was once described in period as having a 'clear floor' - meaning that it was flat and devoid of a trans tunnel - but because people where prepared to believe anything about it rumour spread that it had a see-through glass floor!
Right next to it was a Bugatti T57S Atlantic. One of my favourite pre-war cars as I just love the shape and the exo-skeleton construction of the body.
At a normal car show I try and work my way round logically , up and down the rows of MGs/Triumphs etc. At the Goodwood Concours I revel in the fact it is small enough to dart about from car to car in no order whatsoever as one shiny thing, then the enext attracts my attention.
Fiat Turbina, thankyouplease
Ferrari 250LM, Hnnng. I know my dad was rather partial to these.
RR Silver Ghost.
Aston Martin 'Jet'
Lamborghini Countach LP400
One of the few cars that would never fall off my lottery win list, the F40.
Porsche 911Carrera RS,
was next to a turbo flatnose.
Stunning, and beautifully coloured, Miura
Jaguar XKSS
A very Americanised Ferrari 250 Europa
The fun thing about the Thursday is that some cars are still turning up. Ever get that worrying feeling that loads of people are watching when your car won't quite start? Yeah, well multiply it by eleventy if you're in a unique Jaguar XK120 at a place like Goodwood. It did catch on about the fifth attempt.
Vauxhall wedge.
I walked through the concours a couple of times on my way too/from other areas. Then towards the end of my time there it was kindof on the way back towards teh exit so I popped by in case anything else had arrived. Yeah, it had. Only a Bugatti Royale.
Walking up past the house meant taking the inevitable photos of the sculpture display which I have to say was nice but not one of the most interesting I've seen there.
I'll get to the paddocks in another post but for now I'll finish with a display I hadn't realised/remembered was going to be there - a whole heap of LSR cars, including the complete set from Beaulieu. So nice to see them all outside in a 'Daytona Beach' setting rather than crammed in to the cramped are in the museum.
And the Blue Flame was over too. Shame neither Thrust 2 or SSC weren't there to show it who was boss
Right, so Paddock happenings to follow....
First off I headed to the Cartier Concours because there was something I knew was going to be there that I really wanted to see. The Phantom Corsair.
Just amazing. Can you imagine driving this around in 1938! Or even now!
Its owner/caretaker was standing with it, chatting to folks and explain some more about it with the drivers door open showing off the interior.
Apparently it was once described in period as having a 'clear floor' - meaning that it was flat and devoid of a trans tunnel - but because people where prepared to believe anything about it rumour spread that it had a see-through glass floor!
Right next to it was a Bugatti T57S Atlantic. One of my favourite pre-war cars as I just love the shape and the exo-skeleton construction of the body.
At a normal car show I try and work my way round logically , up and down the rows of MGs/Triumphs etc. At the Goodwood Concours I revel in the fact it is small enough to dart about from car to car in no order whatsoever as one shiny thing, then the enext attracts my attention.
Fiat Turbina, thankyouplease
Ferrari 250LM, Hnnng. I know my dad was rather partial to these.
RR Silver Ghost.
Aston Martin 'Jet'
Lamborghini Countach LP400
One of the few cars that would never fall off my lottery win list, the F40.
Porsche 911Carrera RS,
was next to a turbo flatnose.
Stunning, and beautifully coloured, Miura
Jaguar XKSS
A very Americanised Ferrari 250 Europa
The fun thing about the Thursday is that some cars are still turning up. Ever get that worrying feeling that loads of people are watching when your car won't quite start? Yeah, well multiply it by eleventy if you're in a unique Jaguar XK120 at a place like Goodwood. It did catch on about the fifth attempt.
Vauxhall wedge.
I walked through the concours a couple of times on my way too/from other areas. Then towards the end of my time there it was kindof on the way back towards teh exit so I popped by in case anything else had arrived. Yeah, it had. Only a Bugatti Royale.
Walking up past the house meant taking the inevitable photos of the sculpture display which I have to say was nice but not one of the most interesting I've seen there.
I'll get to the paddocks in another post but for now I'll finish with a display I hadn't realised/remembered was going to be there - a whole heap of LSR cars, including the complete set from Beaulieu. So nice to see them all outside in a 'Daytona Beach' setting rather than crammed in to the cramped are in the museum.
And the Blue Flame was over too. Shame neither Thrust 2 or SSC weren't there to show it who was boss
Right, so Paddock happenings to follow....
One of my tipping points with the FoS came a couple of years when John Surtees was pushing his priceless and Swiss-watch engineered Honda 125 into the tent through a mob of autograph hunters. Huge florid woman next to me turned to small mousey husband clutching his can of a certain premium lager and said "Who's that old bloke with the moped? He must be famous, look how many people are after his autograph. We should get it, too". 
Everything that's wrong about FoS in a nutshell right there... bummer not to see any runs by going on Thursday but I'm thinking well worth the sacrifice not to see anyone else, either. Hell is other people 
