Ad hoc classic car meets

Something very strange happened in 2020 with the onset of the first humanity-threatening pandemic for a century: the classic car world’s voraciously expanding universe contracted so quickly that it collapsed upon itself

After decades of everything getting bigger, grander, pricier and more organised, we were thrust back into the Dark Ages and the huge events we had become accustomed to weren’t happening, so everyone was forced to go back to their roots Just like the well-worn Hollywood trope of a city-slicker sophisticate rediscovering the simple charms of their rural hometown, people met if and when they could and found it comforting, and good No planning, no queues, no cost, just enthusiasts with a common interest sharing their passion at word-of-mouth events regardless of marque, condition or value You could pop out, get your old car fix and be home before anyone even realised you’d gone

Of course, these DIY meets had never really gone away, it’s just that most of us stopped having time to go to them because we were preoccupied with the other, bigger stuff Now, however, they are top of many people’s lists of favourite events and that is only right because, without thriving roots, nothing else can survive – let alone grow James Elliott

1 Our coffee machine galvanises us! Every morning the seven members of our team have coffee together, it’s our culture

2 I had done very little circuit racing when I found myself at Goodwood in a Ferrari 250GT Tour de France in 2015 I came third and got addicted Another goal is to do the Safari Rally in my Lancia 037, but we have some eligibility issues to sort

3 After selling my first Ferrari 250GTO someone involved with the sale gave me a Patek Philippe World Time as thanks It was a classy gesture that really got to me.

4 My grandmother gave my dad this Rolex and he wore it every day When he passed away, it came to me and now it’s my daily

5 We asked Keith Bluemel to write a two-volume book on the 12 Ferrari 550 Prodrives for us and it will launch at Rétromobile in February. It has been an enormous passion project and every one of the team has contributed hugely

6 After leaving Brooks/Bonhams I joined CARS UK and then RM when it launched in Europe I conducted my first auction in 2009, then went to auctioneering school in the US and was let loose I loved it and still get a kick whenever I do charity sales.

7 When I set up my own business, I sold my Daytona so we could survive two years, but we sold an F50 straight away The vision was always to grow a great team rather than focus on an individual, so winning Team of the Year at the Historic Motoring Awards was a great accolade.

8 These boots represent Countryside Max I lived in cities until two years ago when we moved to a new family home and business surrounded by fields I love it We’ve put in a mile of hedgerow, planted 650 trees and joined 1% for the Planet

9 I bought this fixed-gear track bike when I arrived in the UK in 2006 I have several bikes and try to cycle five days a week –it’s good for my head and my fitness

10 We always had interesting cars and I was with dad when he bought this SZ in 1989 When I had just started my first job with Simon Kidston at Brooks, I needed cars to consign to my first sale so dad selflessly let me sell his treasured Alfa A friend tracked it down to Germany and I was very emotional buying it back

11 I bought my Toivenen Lancia 037 (second in the 1000 Lakes) 15 years ago and my Martini obsession grew from there. Much of it – like this 1982 crew jacket and ‘arm-cooler’ – comes from the Baldi twins, who were mechanics in Lancia’s halcyon days and now look after our cars The Didier Auriol chair came from an Integrale I owned The navigator seat I had wasn’t original so, of course, I had to buy a correct set, which meant I then had a spare driver’s seat.

1954 HWM JAGUAR n XPA 748 - One of the initial three Jaguarengined sports racers produced by HWM n Competed at the Prescott Hillclimb in 1954 n Superb restoration by marque expert Brazell Engineering n Regular frontrunner, winning the 2022 WoodcoteTrophy at Silverstone Classic at the hands of Martin Stretton and Gregor Fisken