Haynes Meanz Cars

 I had a choice of a long (250 mile round trip) journey to the Haynes museum for a special car meet they were having or save it and do a long weekend in Wales next week. Deciding it was unfair to leave my wife a week before my daughter leaves us to go to university, Somerset it was...

The Haynes Museum is a very nice car museum - I last went over 5 years ago, so it was due another visit and they were having a big meet this Sunday. The weather was great when I left home at 8am and my TomTom satnav gave me a really good route to the museum, using the A30 which I much prefer over the soulless A303.

About half way there, the weather turned and the heavens opened - fortunately, it stopped just before I arrived at the museum and stayed dry for the rest of the day, although the car park was a muddy hell and Barry badly needs a clean now.

The actual meet was very good - all the usual suspects (Astons, Ferraris, Porsches, 80s Fords, old Brits etc), with some extra weirdness as well - my highlight was this 1924 Rolls, which spent most of it's life in Africa, hence the ivory tusk on the bonnet and the rifles on the passenger wing:

It's still used regularly, driving 5k miles last year and has never been restored - amazing.

Quite a few other interesting things - a 90s MG ZRX (or something), with a 4L V8. I remember when these came and they were generally laughed at but they've aged well, I think:

Dunno what this was but looked mean:

Beautifully built Volvo Amazon Estate:

Nice Dino:

A slammed Jaaag:

A Fiat 130 (I think?) - you can see the Ferrari heritage from the Mondial etc:

A HUGE Buick:

One of those classics I'd love to own if I could afford it:

Inside, the museum had changed a bit since I last saw it - the Red Room (my name, not sure if they call it that) was awesome, with a 986 Boxster in the middle:

This is an Alfa Romeo - stunning:

Curves and angles - which is better? It's a tricky one:

The V16 engine from a 1930s Cadillac:

An absolutely stunning 30s Duesenberg:

An immaculately restored '65 Mustang:

If I ever repaint Barry, this might be the scheme I'd use:

And finally, a very rare (1 of only 3 in the UK) Scirocco Cabriolet - damn ugly but pretty special:

All in all, a good, if not rather long, day out and I had a fun hoon on the way home. 

Barry is feeling a bit 'loose' sometimes - I'm not sure if this just me finally getting used to his intricacies, the shocks due replacement or the almost bald rear tyres. Tyres are due to be replaced this week - see if that changes anything...

BTW, forgot to mention that Barry broke the big 100K mile barrier on day 1 of our Alps trip and has now just ticked over 103k miles - a few more years left in the old guy yet...