V-ATE Meet

Words and pics: Dave Biggadyke

Having visited the V-Ate Pit Stop Diner back in May, we brought you coverage of their All American gathering in the September ’22 issue. Such was the success of that inaugural Sunday afternoon event the man behind it all, Bob Wilding, had to introduce ticket-only admission for future themed car meets. That was purely to limit the number of vehicles attending though and there was no charge for the tickets.

As such, come the All American and Hot Rod Meet on the last Sunday in September only those with valid tickets could gain access to the privileged parking area. Despite all tickets being allocated well in advance of the day, there were some empty spaces. I can only presume that was down to people applying for tickets but then not attending for whatever reason. Shame on you. If you couldn’t make it, common courtesy should prompt you to contact the organisers so your space could be allocated to someone else.

Attendance was by no means sparse though, and there was a varied mix of

vehicles to check out. Understandably some were later-day American muscle cars and pick-ups, but alongside those was plenty of CC fodder to feast your eyes on.

As the weather wasn’t as balmy as it was for the May gathering, people understandably started to drift off somewhat earlier, apart from those still sampling the delights of the diner itself of course. This was the last car-themed gathering of 2022, but we’re pretty sure they will be back on the calendar in 2023.

The V-Ate Pit Stop is located alongside the A17 at Sutterton, Lincolnshire. Even if there isn’t a gathering on at the time, if you’re in the area it’s well worth dropping in for a bite to eat. Check it out at www.v-ate.com CC

Since the V-ATE meet, Pete Rowland has sold on his ’51 Chevy Fleetline, the car now residing in the Newcastle area

Colin Noddings came along in his 383ci Chever stroker-powered ’37 Ford cabriolet, a car we featured in the November ’22 issue

Curved ‘screen pillars indicate this Chevy Impala rolled off the production line in 1962

John Arthur’s ’64 Plymouth Valiant convertible is a new car on us. Word is the ragtop was a substantially longer build than anticipated ‘There was plenty of CC fodder to feast your eyes on’

Pete Senneck lives just up the road from the diner so it would have been rude for him not to pop along in his Pro Street Chevy Nova

The battle scars on this ’59 Chevy Apache pick-up hint that it has had to work for a living sometime in the past Above: Tony’s ‘62 F100 pick-up runs a front clip and all-round air ride by Bomber County Speed Shop in Grantham

Right: Another recent feature car in attendance was Kim Leonard’s Model A. The Pinto-powered Sport coupe appeared in the December ’22 issue Bomber and Mary Stevenson are now officially V-ATE meet regulars in their ’30 Model A coupe

Super clean ’67 Mustang ragtop looked impeccable, right down to the detailed engine bay Above: Scott Halliwell’s 351 Ford Windsor-powered ’34 coupe features a Neil Tadman interior Mustangs spanning several decades look hard even when parked up, such as this very yellow ’69 Fastback

If it wasn’t the only van on show, it was certainly the only one I picked up on. Despite it looking pretty much stock, this ’78 Chevy van is still a cool ride