Not a Club event, but we were happy to use our contacts to help promote this annual event at the iconic Ace Cafe on London’s North Circular Road. Happy to report that the event was well supported with what appeared to be the best attendance of Eastern Bloc cars and bikes seen here for several years.
You can read up more about this famous cafe at: https://london.acecafe.com/
This was an enjoyable joint weekend in the West Country for IFA Club members / SALT regulars.
Thanks to Malcolm and Helena McKay (and daughter Fifi) for showing us their eclectic collection of vehicles on the Saturday morning, and to Julian Nowill and Ed Hughes for later opening their equally impressive collection of Eastern Bloc vehicles for our pleasure.
On the Sunday, we convoyed on to the Haynes Motor Museum near Yeovil.
First rendezvous by the Somerset coast.Malcolm’s well-travelled Trabant P50Leg stretch high on Exmoor Leg stretch high on Exmoor Leg stretch high on Exmoor Lovely KubelwagenDunster for lunch Dunster for lunch Dunster for lunch Leaving DunsterAcross the QuantocksAcross the QuantocksAcross the QuantocksJulian Nowill and Ed Hughes collectionJulian provides the expert commentary Julian Nowill and Ed Hughes collection Russian Seaz Oka – the only one in UK. Julian Nowill and Ed Hughes collection Izh Oda … the only one in UK.Setting off SundaySunday morningHeading EastTwo-stroke cousins at Haynes Motor Museum Two-stroke cousins at Haynes Motor Museum Yes – it is a Trabant!
Blame the virus – what should have been our final main event of the year turned out to be the first!
We returned to the ever-popular Peak District and the National Tramway Museum, Crich. Many memorable Red Oktober meets were held here until the Museum moved away from such events – well we were back albeit, at Museum request, without military re-enactors.
As with all IFA Club events, all vehicles with an Eastern Bloc pedigree were welcome. As well as the Trabants and Wartburgs (and a bicycle!) from IFA, Eastern Bloc manufacturers represented included Skoda, Yugo, FSO Polonez, MZ, Jawa and Moskwich. We were especially pleased to welcome several DKW vehicles with which our IFA vehicles share a mechanical pedigree.
Photos below, in mostly random order, give a taster of the day. Thanks to Lorraine Clutterbuck, Reg Tubby, John Killick, Dave Richards and Fendy Photography for sharing photos.
Blue and yellow Warties At The Green Welly Stop – attracting attention At The Green Welly Stop – James does some marketing. At The Green Welly Stop – OstBloc line-up. At The Green Welly Stop – rear view.It can only be Scottish IFA Day!!In the inside lane, like a good little Trabi.John Miller’s 353.Carl McIntyre’s visiting Lada.The intrepid drivers.James gets brave. Throwback to 2018 at Cultybraggan Throwback to 2018 in Crieff Mirror full of IFA.Leaving Helensburgh.Taking over the car park in Luss.