Stoneleigh 2022

[Westyman]

So, for tthe first time in my 20 plus years lurking this forum , theres been no post about this years National
Kit Car show @ Stoneleigh - a sad sign of the times perhaps - happy to discuss.

I made the trip - did anybdy else ?

[anonymous-user]

I was hoping to go. Ended up laying a patio instead.

What did you think of the show

[Westyman]

I Think "Poor" is the best description I can come up with

[anonymous-user]

That's a real shame. It's amazing what lack of publicity does

[Westyman]

it was actually quite well attended , public car park was busy and there were lots of people around the ground and in the hall
( not halls !) - the problem was the lack of manufacturers and the almost total lack of trade stands - just nothing to see or buy.

Edited by Westyman on Monday 2nd May 23:03

[daytonavrs]

Yes. Only for a short time but it was definitely worthwhile ( and on the door only £10 for some reason ).
I haven't been out to car events so perhaps more glass half full than empty so I didn't mind ? If others have experienced far greater years then I can understand if they were downplayed about it though.
Who could resist looking at Ford GT40s and more. Got to also see some Furys in the flesh which was useful as I'd only seen in pics so far and that is what I'm hoping to buy next.

[Richard-G]

I've been to every show since 2018 and it's definitely slowed down. It may have suffered due to the fact the covid delayed show was at the end of August 2021. I think next year with a full 12 months break it'll be a bit more 'missed'

Some great cars and really lovely people though!

[sociopath]

I don't mond paying a fiver to get in. I do mind paying a fiver to get into an empty show.

I think Stoneleigh is finished. Apparently the charges for trade stalls are extortionate, that's why no one was there.
If they made stalls free they'd get more, which would attract more buyers, which would attract more sellers etc.

I gave them some leeway for last year due to covid, but this year was equally as bad, only think I bought was an overpriced burger and a £2 bottle of water.

Won't be going again. I'll stick to kitfest at santa pod, at least I can go down the strip if I want, and might give Newark a try, although it's run by the same people as stoneleigh so a bit concerned it will be the same

[piper]

I went yesterday, paid £15 each for three of us so £45, turned up at mid-day, very disappointing all round and certainty not worth the money, if fact it was a rip off, won't be going again.

[Richard-G]

piper said:

I went yesterday, paid £15 each for three of us so £45, turned up at mid-day, very disappointing all round and certainty not worth the money, if fact it was a rip off, won't be going again.

i paid £15 as well, seems a shame that a few posters wont be going back. I expected this year to be better in all honesty but im prepared to give it a try next year, it has been such a good show, real community feel and no pretentiousness at all. The lack of corporate BS is really appealing!

i usually have a bit of an issue with the lookalike cars but the owners are very passionate and the Lamborghini countach kit was amazingly detailed!

one of the guys from the events co have just asked for feedback, [e-mail]

[Largechris]

Was always curious to go, and once again missed it again this year.

But blimey is that their whole website? One page? And a few random photos on Facebook?

I know putting even a small show together is probably demanding, but not to have an exhibitor list or anything?

[markiii]

It was a bit st TBH for 15 quid

Very few manufacturers and sod all trade stands. Worst year I've seen.

Not really making me think it's worth it next year

[markiii]

Richard-G said:

piper said:

I went yesterday, paid £15 each for three of us so £45, turned up at mid-day, very disappointing all round and certainty not worth the money, if fact it was a rip off, won't be going again.

i paid £15 as well, seems a shame that a few posters wont be going back. I expected this year to be better in all honesty but im prepared to give it a try next year, it has been such a good show, real community feel and no pretentiousness at all. The lack of corporate BS is really appealing!

i usually have a bit of an issue with the lookalike cars but the owners are very passionate and the Lamborghini countach kit was amazingly detailed!

one of the guys from the events co have just asked for feedback, [e-mail]

Any idea what kit the Countach was? Best I've seen

[Richard-G]

markiii said:

Richard-G said:

piper said:

I went yesterday, paid £15 each for three of us so £45, turned up at mid-day, very disappointing all round and certainty not worth the money, if fact it was a rip off, won't be going again.

i paid £15 as well, seems a shame that a few posters wont be going back. I expected this year to be better in all honesty but im prepared to give it a try next year, it has been such a good show, real community feel and no pretentiousness at all. The lack of corporate BS is really appealing!

i usually have a bit of an issue with the lookalike cars but the owners are very passionate and the Lamborghini countach kit was amazingly detailed!

one of the guys from the events co have just asked for feedback, [e-mail]

Any idea what kit the Countach was? Best I've seen

i think (im 99% sure) it was a Prova
https://www.provadesigns.co.uk/

most of the 'homage' kits i can see straight thru but that one was really good, i spoke to the chap with the below car before and i think he said it would cost around £30k to do it properly, 40k if you really went to town.

[Richard-G]

Largechris said:

Was always curious to go, and once again missed it again this year.

But blimey is that their whole website? One page? And a few random photos on Facebook?

I know putting even a small show together is probably demanding, but not to have an exhibitor list or anything?

as i said, i find the lack of corporate bullshizz appealing! They just need to sort the halls out! Might be an indication of the health of the industry though.

[Frankthered]

piper said:

I went yesterday, paid £15 each for three of us so £45, turned up at mid-day, very disappointing all round and certainty not worth the money, if fact it was a rip off, won't be going again.

Last time I went (can't remember what year it was now, maybe 2018, but might have been even earlier than that) I couldn't make the Sunday and went on the Monday instead - arrived late morning / early afternoon and found quite a few people were already leaving. Mostly from the club stands outside as the weather wasn't great, but I've a feeling that some of the traders were packing up early as well.

I was faced with the same scenario this year - couldn't make Sunday and was on the fence about Monday and didn't bother because of the two hour drive and crap weather - sort of relieved!

I would suspect Sunday was a better day to have gone, but it doesn't appear to have been great either.

A show like this needs (IMHO) the support of the manufacturers first, the trade stands and the clubs are kind of equal second. (Just my view.)

If the manufacturers don't want to support Stoneleigh, that's their choice - Covid is still disrupting things like this, so maybe next year (or even Newark) will be better, but it's equally possible that the Covid break has shown the manufacturers that they don't need a show.

If that's the case, then the show essentially becomes a big club meet (a gathering of many clubs if you like) and maybe doesn't need the venue?

[Chris-S]

Went last year on the Monday and it was dead. This year, had planned on Sunday but the weather was poor so shifted to Monday again. A tad less bad (!) than last year, but not by much, and admission prices are too much for what you get.

When I first started going, kit car driver and passenger(s) got free entry, then they started to charge for passenger, then that charge went up, now this year, charges up again and they charge for kit car driver too.



For what it delivers, I doubt I’ll go again.

[Tempest_5]

I took my eldest son to this on Sunday. It was the first time I had been since 1994.

We got there a bit late due to the M40 being shut by an accident during the morning. It was a bit disappointing from a content pov but about what I expected from watching the industry for a fair while. Whilst there was nowhere near as many trade stands compared to the early 90's when I was into the scene, what were there, I felt were of a very good standard. Junior was losing a bit of enthusiasm with his engineering course at college but what he did see at the show appeared to get his enthusiasm going again.

The electric Chesil/Westfield was interesting to see. I had a chat to one of the Westfiled people on the stand who discussed the electric Westfield they had created. He reckoned the prototype/development car was good for 180 miles before needing a charge. Performance was as expected, though without the added fun/drama of carbs and exhaust noise. It was a shame there weren't more electric displays but given the cost of going electric I can understand why only the big players like Westfield are doing it at the moment.

The cars in the owners club areas were nice to see. Junior tolerated me going the full nerd. Unfortunately due to our late arrival a lot of cars had been and gone.

Overall I'm glad we went even though I wasn't feeling great, I was just getting over Covid. Anyway some photos of the day.

Chesil electric gubbins....



















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