Show and shine day... I had polished the Rod when I arrived Friday and that
was it, this Run was for enjoying driving around Belgium and with as many Rods
as I could not for showing. I knew my 34 had no chance of winning anything
anyway, Steve Marley had said he had put my name forward for the long distance
award. Though he also said some dude from Sweden had traveled twice as far as me
so that put paid to that... shame as the long distance was a beauty
trophy.
No hurry to get up today, so a major lay in, was just what the Doctor ordered
and a leisurely walk up to the complex for Brunch. It was great as we walked
from our chalet to the eating places there were Rods being polished all along
the route, I did a few Bon Jour's and a few C'e Manifeque's (or how ever ya
spell it), or did I say " Awreet nice car Mate" I cant remember
now ;>)....
After some sustenance (a Burger) it was decided to venture into Ostend to try
and find a warehouse to buy some cheap Backy. 
I
had a quick look round the show and shine field, no new Rods as you had to be
there all weekend to enter (fairer way) there really was some nice material in
the show field. The Streamliner was a notable Star at the show and the dude that
owned it guarded it like a Rottwieler when any Kids dared venture so close they
may touch it, but it was a beautiful piece of engineering. Though I never saw it
move it did look Cool, but Hi-Tec and 50's music pounding out of its mega Base
sound system did sound out of place :>)
This gorgeous Phone booth T was just glistening in the Belgium sunlight,
and man was it just so right. Paint, stance, interior, wheels etc it was a
Stunner and a Uk car aswell Nice one. Next to it was Nick Taylor's Kugel
roadster, again just so perfect it hurts. A French woman was 
trying
to get Nick to open the Hood so she could look at his engine. It took a while to
understand what she was asking but even when Nick understood he did it in his
own time (he is just so laid back). When he did open the hood to reveal the
engine bay their was a gasp of awe from the assembled crowd. I have seen in the
engine bay a few times and it still bowls me over every time I have a look, it
is just so mega clean and just void of all the bits an engine usually has how do
you do that? No wires, pipes, cables anything it is just amazing. I asked Nick
if he had driven it over and he said yes which is great to know it is driven,
though if I had used my eyes I could of seen it was, at it had some unflattering
black plastic fenders on which Nick and his miss'es where rapidly removing for
the show and shine. I had a good crack with Nick and his miss'es a real nice
couple and a real nice Rod. 
One Rod & engine that caught my eye was this 30's Volvo with a Late model Volvo straight 6 motor, late Volvo running gear wheels in fact everything Volvo even a Volvo colour so I am told, now how neat is that. It actually looked real cool and a refreshing change from the boat anchor 6's that are usually Rod power trains and to keep to one vehicle manufacturer is even extra impressive not a Hot Rod but a Cool Street Rod for sure. Modern wheels work well with the engine and colour choice. Who would dare use this combo in the UK? This is why I enjoy the European Rods so much, they do do things different and give whole new idea's to our scene which is very refreshing I think.
Though there are plenty traditional Street and Hot Rods as we know them to satisfy anyone's taste.
John Golding's beautiful and excellent 32 Coupe was there and I haven't got a
blo*dy photo of it Grrr. I guess I thought I had taken one already with it being
such a great Rod but once home I find I hadn't damn!
Nice T Sedan and the ever excellent 34 Of Phil Mallis and his mate's gorgeous
Flamed 32 these guys came via Hull and an overnight Ferry journey and a 10 minute
drive to the venue but then they where making a holiday of it and carrying on to
France and who knows where cool eh!
We
decided we best get off and look for a cheap Backy warehouse, so of to Ostend
we did go. After a few miles I spied up ahead a few Rods in a gas station with
the obligatory bonnet/hood up. And lo and behold it's me ow'd mate Ralph and crew
now with a big blocked Zephyr that was broken, so I had to stop didn't I. Seems
the Guy ( Big Nige) had a hot start problem. I was told it was the typical
big block problem *hum?* so I listened and it went click click click Ah Ha I
spouted. I know that one, if its a hot start problem it would turnover slow this
clicks so its either a duff battery or a bad earth. We traced the earth and it
was hardly adequate. So a make shift earth was constructed with a jump lead and
Viola the baby started. The Grin on Nige's face was a picture Man is that all it
is!! Jeez he was just so relieved as now his hot start probs where sorted by Hot
Rod Doctor Dave Holmsey Holmes Terrrr! The Zephyr in question was well
cool with its massive rear tyres, wheelie bars and chute on the boot a proper
drag car on the street.
So Sod the tobacco warehouse we decided to go a cruising with the Outlaws as these guys were called Cool eh! After driving round Ostend for what seemed like an age, we were struggling to find a parking place. So Dick Lamb who was our leader for the day ;>) just drove up a pedestrian way and parked up on the side and we all followed. I said "are you sure we can park here Dick?" He said "I don't know and frankly I don't give a Fug!" Ok fair enough, we caused such a stir with the locals I think they thought they had been invaded again :>) We had a nice saunter along the Ostend Prom and a sit in a Sea front Bar for a coffee and it was just so nice and civilized. After a few hours and an omelet a piece (don't ask) we thought we had best get back. It was a bloody nightmare, it seems all the signs had been swapped for one way ones now. We just went round and round in circles with traffic jams everywhere and trams coming at you from all angles. It was such a relief when we did finally get out of Ostend we just all floored it and had a ball along the wide open roads back to De Haan! As we entered the town of De Haan My eye was drawn to the local Car Park that was full of Rods Brits and European ones Jeez what had we missed Oh well no good now I thought might aswell carry on to Sun Parks. Later I heard they had stayed in De Haan for a while then found an empty stretch of road and done some Graffiti style side by side if ya know what I mean *wink* fancy missing out on that eh Bummer!!!
Sunday night was just a wind down, beer and chat night. Swapping stories and generally taking the piss time. I asked Nick Taylor how he had got on in the show and he said sheepishly "I won didn't I"... "well done mate" he said it was very embarrassing winning with all them great Rods being there and having to go up in front of everyone and get his trophy. Modest to a fault, it was a well deserved winner in my eyes and you cant fix the participants choice. All to soon it was time to leave and make our way back to the chalet. Now my wife and I had been back to our chalet no problem every night. So this night we decided to go the scenic route round the duck pond and here was our down fall. We came out onto the track in a different place to where we knew and were soon met by some guys who said " you are on the same row as us and we cant find our chalets". I said " Follow us I know where it is, its this way trust me".... Derrr it wasn't they said "we aren't listening to you we are going back to the beginning and trying again".. As we walked back and neared the place where we started from I said "I know it now its this way" "Sod that" they said "we aren't following you again"...... After about 20mins and passing a white Cosworth Sapphire 3 times I did finally admit I was lost *hum*? The chalets may have numbers on them but the roads don't say which numbers and it was very badly lit and the roads all looked the same... Help!
Not one to be beat I used my uncanny sense of direction
and went for it, as we passed the Cossie again I heard then saw some people who
I recognised as Adam Sayer and Dick lamb and a whole bunch of others who were in
chalets near us.... And I heard Adam say it is this way definite... as they
crossed our stern onto the pond where we had started this maze about 30mins
ago... We finally made it to our chalet and a good 20mins later I heard the
cries of Relief and excitement as Adam and the others had finally found there
way back home.... The Belgium's I think have either a very good sense of
direction or they were taking the P*ss out of us Brits this weekend. Apparently
one night someone had been found in a distressed state as they had been walking
round for over 2hrs and just couldn't find their chalet Man it was a weird set
up!
Home tomorrow Night Night..