71 DXC unveiled at NEC

71 DXC shown to the public at the NEC show Nov 2012 on the Volvo Enthusiasts Club stand, click image for more pictures.

The 2012 Footman James Classic Motor Show

Celebrating the 50^th Birthday of ‘The Saint’ & his Volvo P1800

The theme of this year’s Footman James Classic Motor Show, held at the NEC Birmingham each November was ‘What’s the Story’ and what a story we had to tell on our Club Stand at this year’s Show.

As promised at last years event Kevin Price our Founder had, despite all the previous problems with paintwork etc, finished his rebuild of 71 DXC aka ST 1, the ‘Original’ Roger Moore Volvo P1800 used in the very first series of TV’s “The Saint”.

Many Classic Car publications, Footman James and the NEC on their websites etc had acknowledged that on the Friday morning of the show 71 DXC, aka ST 1, would be unveiled to the public on our club Stand at the Show, following a five year epic rebuild.

Preparations for the show had started early that week with Colin & May Tatlow’s well known Volvo PV 444-08 being collected from Cornwall and The Saint car being returned from Richard Felton of Specialist Upholstery in Doncaster to the Midlands. Richard had been burning the midnight oil getting the interior finished ready for the Show. Both cars were duly delivered to the Club Stand at the NEC ready for the build up on the Thursday.

Building the Stand:

Thursday morning saw Club Members arrive with their cars to build the display. First job being to lay the mountain of carpet tiles needed to cover the stand. Next the most important, ‘The Tea Shed’ which also acted as a display for the pictures telling the story of ST 1’s momentous rebuild. Cars positioned, polished etc; it was off for a good night’s sleep before the show opened the next morning.

Unveiling the restored ‘Original’ Roger Moore Saint Car – 71 DXC aka ST 1

Unveiling of the Saint car was sponsored by 71 DXC’s insurers - Footman James and was undertaken, in the company of a large crowd of visitors, by Malcolm Christopher from the original Production crew of The Saint, supported by Andy Fairchild – Managing Director of Footman James and Kevin Price, owner and Founder/Hon. President of the Volvo Enthusiasts Club.

Read the Wheel World Review of the Classic Motor Show unveiling here-

The Show:

Without doubt this was the best Classic Motor Show so far. Throughout the 3 days of the show members of the VEC Display Team were kept very busy with large crowds of visitors to our stand, eager to talk to the owners about their cars etc. – we even had a visit from ‘The Stig’.

Also at the show Colin & May Tatlow were presented by Colin Hughes with Hon. Club Membership for their contribution to the club and in particular their support of Club Stands over the past 15 years with their PV444-08, which has been a regular feature or club displays in the past.

A great show – can’t wait until next year!!

Reports of our travels will be added soon!