Coachmakers motor to Royal Automobile Club Midsummer Drive-In

On a rather overcast afternoon (but thankfully a clear evening) members of the Royal Automobile Club and invited guests converged on Woodcote Park clubhouse for an evening of great conversation, interesting cars and dinner, writes Liveryman Ian Forbes.

From left: Past Master Mike Davis, Liveryman and Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club Ben Cussons, Master Coachmaker Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey

Coachmakers were represented by Master Sarah Jane Adams-Diffey, consort and self-designated ‘Baldrick’ Simon Diffey, Past Master Michael Davis and Vivienne Davis, Nick Lyford and his very sprightly 94-year-old father, and new Liveryman Ian Forbes, with his wife Leanne and son Stirling.

Around 100 eclectic and interesting vehicles were on show. The cars range from pre-war through to the latest as represented by two showroom fresh Ferraris, an 812GTS and a Roma. Among the other striking cars on show were two Zagato bodied Bentley Continentals GTZs lined up side by side, and the car declared the overall winner of the day, a delectable early 60s Triumph Italia 2000 Coupé designed by Giovanni Michelotti and built on a TR3 chassis by Alfredo Vignale in Turin.

After inspecting the cars accompanied by a Pimm’s or two, we all adjourned inside where we were treated to a two-course dinner of roast rump of lamb followed by a generous chocolate mousse. What followed was a jocular, if rather competitive, announcement of the winners of various classes of the Drive-In. The fact that we were all together once again sharing common interests, nice food and excellent company was proof that ‘Surgit Post Nubila Phœbus’.