Sol Classic Car Club

Classics in Coin

Central Coin was alive with classic cars on Saturday June 20th when the Club held a Concours d'Elegance and Car Display in the town, organised by Francois and Liliane, and Richard and Jean, with assistance from the local councillor for Tourism and Foreigners.

Almost 40 classics – the oldest, Nick's bull-nosed Morris from 1925, known to all members as "Horace" – met at the Venta Pedro Lucena, for breakfast and briefing. They then processed with a police escort along the outskirts of Coin and round the back streets of the old pueblo with much hooting of horns (the police car being the loudest!), to the delight of the residents who hung out of the windows waving and shouting.

Luckily those who got lost in the Saturday traffic managed to catch up before parking on the Alameda square, where there was only just enough space to fit all the cars. Apart from members of the SOL Classic Car Club and friends there were also local entrants and a contingent all the way from the Gibraltar Classic Vehicle Association.

Nine very special classics entered the Concours d'Elegance where they were subjected to rigorous technical inspection by Francois in his role as Technical Consultant. All participants in the Concours were awarded with commemorative medals: Liliane kindly distributed home-made lavender bags to every entrant in the show.

Judging was lengthy and comprehensive and in the end it was a close run competition between Barbara and Manfred's 1970 glossy black TR6, Chris Want's bright red 1957 Austin Healey and the 1962 gun metal grey E-Type Jaguar belonging to new member John Jervis. The TR6 was finally awarded first prize because of its exceptional presentation – rumour had it that Manfred had been polishing it inside and out for several weeks prior to the event!

The range and quality of all the cars on display were exceptional and the event drew in crowds of enthusiasts of many nationalities, as well as most of the population of Coin. The sun shone on the glossy paintwork – rather too warmly, it was fortunate that the square was shaded down one end by the leafy overhanging trees. Heart FM, the local radio station from Alhaurin el Grande played music from the bandstand and conducted interviews with car owners and spectators.

The public were also given the chance to vote for their favourite car which turned out to be a chocolate brown 1983 Volkswagen "Beetle" belonging to Ricky of "Coinlife". Ricky organises the English language films shown at La Trocha in Coin so there was a lot of local support!

Proceeds from the day plus a donation from Club funds were donated to the local Coin charity, Hermandad Cristo del Perdon y Asociacion Vera Cruz, who care for the poorest people in the town. The day was so successful that there is talk of making it an annual event in the Club calendar.