The journey: Restoration show - The final day

Day 3. Sunday was the last day. and well... it was a fuzzy start for some after the National Car Club Awards. And the reason? Watch this:

That's right... WINNERS! The GCCG won Car Club of the Year 2019 . It really was the cherry on the cake for an amazing day. The atmosphere in the room was electric and the pride palpable. I can't claim the credit. The team that run the club, organise the many local and national events, and curate the shows and exhibitions deserve a massive pat on the back. Their dedication makes the club so enjoyable for everyone else, and when you put all of this together, the results are super special.

However, after a late night we were back to it all day on the Sunday. It was just as busy as the Saturday. People flooded in. I was joined by my partner Phil for the day which was a real tonic against the physical and emotional tiredness that I was now feeling. Also, some of my closest friends turned up. Most of them have, in some way been involved with the process of getting Bess back. Whether it was hypothesising about how we could find the car over a beer, keeping my emotions in check when we finally found her, or driving a pick-up truck and trailer to winch her out of the garden and get her home, I couldn't have got this far without them. I don't doubt that they'll be an integral part of getting her road worthy again too - Love you guys. You know who you are.

We were once again surrounded by people. One of the first visitors to Bess ended up spending over half an hour giving me advice. Mark from South City Garages had worked extensively on 50's cars and owns an E-series pick-up truck. His has a V8 and has been lowered. His knowledge of the engineering aspects was vast. He was also helpful in highlighting some of the hard to find parts, suitable alternatives and where to get them.

Paul Wheeler also came to find me. He's spent 13 years doing up his stunning yellow '55 VeloxE. Again, his knowledge proved to be hugely valuable and I'm sure he'll be a great point of contact for reference and parts in the future. I was also joined by Roy. He had some fantastic memories of his dads Velox. He even produced a picture of it that was saved on his phone. I was elated to see how people reacted to seeing our old Vauxhall. It clearly brought back some wonderful memories for so many people.

Taking all of this, and adding it to the huge sense of personal pride I have at managing to track Bess down, the joy it's brought to my grandad, and the support I've been given from friends and family, I couldn't be happier right now. It's exactly the fuel I needed to move this massive project to the next step. So what is next?

Well, a few more weeks of hard work on the day job before taking some time out, and starting the forensic task of stripping and cataloging the car. I've got some brilliant contacts for welding and panel work, whose work I've been able to see first hand. Once the car is stripped, I'll need to get the shell over for some extensive patching and fabrication. I'd like to keep the engine and interior at home, and renovate them myself. More to come on this in future updates.

All that remained now, was to get Bess back home. Once again, Bill at NGM Services was a true gent. His fastidious eye for detail, approachable manner and caring nature meant that I could hand over this incredibly valuable cargo with absolute confidence. Bess was quickly being winched on board the beautiful (and almost brand new) covered truck. I have no doubt that we'll be using them again. After a cuppa and natter with Bill on a much needed comfy seat, we sent him on his way and collapsed on the sofa.

The end of one of the most memorable weekends of my life. A huge thanks to everyone that helped make it so special.