Buon Compleanno! – BIAMF 2010
OF ALL THE times to strike, swine ’flu had to pick the week leading up to the 2010 BIAMF. Not only is it one of our favourite events, but this year the 100-year-old birthday boy, Alfa Romeo was the featured marque along with Aprilia.
So despite not venturing further than 20 feet from my toilet for the past three days and being Britain’s largest producer of phlegm and snot for the same period, I dragged my palid carcass down to Bristol’s city centre. Closely resembling a crew member of U-96 from Das Boot, I did my level best not to cough and splutter my way through the crowds.
Once again, the event was bigger than last year – but I do have to confess that I did avoid the rammed motorcycle bit precisely because of the aforementioned reason. Satellite streets off Corn Street which were a third full in 2009, where completely packed in 2010.
Yes the more times you go, the more cars you recognise, but BIAMF always has a few surprises up its finely tailored Italian sleeves – and no sooner had we arrived than our eyes were treated to a real rarity.
A 1959 Triumph Italia 2000, which had just been imported from Switzerland by its new owner, Tony Ranson. Alright, so it might have the engine of a tractor – Standard-Triumph’s 2.2-litre four-cylinder – but only 40 of the original 329 run are thought to have survived. Built on a TR3 chassis by Vignale with coachwork designed by Giovanni Michelotti – it really is a beautiful piece of work and clearly one of the stepping stones which ultimately lead to the TR4. What a start!
Understandably the main drag, Corn Street, was devoted to Alfa Romeo and amid the plentiful FWD moderns, there were many gems. There was the 1954 Touring Superleggera 1900C Supersprint SII which made an appearance in 2009, a fair few Montreals, an ES30 SZ, a lovely Duetto, a couple of superb steel-bumpered Alfetta GTVs and two silver Junior Zagatos – both of which have at some point belonged to our chum and Zagato guru, Franco Macri.
Mental note: why is it that we managed to bump into more old faces this year than last? It must have been something to do with illness and Sod’s Law, so apologies to all for my lack of hand shaking.
Lamborghini and Lancia were two marques which fielded some ‘new to the BIAMF’ exhibits. Two familiar Lamborghini Isleros were joined by a Diablo, and a superb Espada was left behind with a little bit of Gez drool on it. Meanwhile I got distracted by a blue MkIV Maserati Quattroporte penned by Marcello Gandini – well, it was the first time I experienced a fast test run in a press car as a green work experience journo student. Hmmm, I wonder how much they go for these days…?
St Nicholas Street was the realm of the Lancia which included two kitted-up Monte Carlos and one beautifully original turquoise specimen. There was a Gamma and a Gamma Coupé, a lovely Fulvia 1600HF (no, not a Fanalone), a superb Beta Coupé, a couple of Integrales – of course – and some rare FIATs. Amid the hoard of Nuova Cinquecentos (which included a cracking Ferrari-liveried 900) were plenty of strangers to the UK’s roads, including: a beautiful 130 2300, a glorious Dino Coupé and a stunningly preserved MkI five-door Uno. It isn’t really until you see a pristine Uno for the first time in ages, that you can appreciate it’s wonderfully clean crisp styling – which isn’t something you can say about many contemporary hatchbacks…
Yes there were Ferraris, most not really newsworthy (er, a Mondial, a 360SC and a couple of Dino 246GTs); plus there were some cars of dubious taste (notably a Coupé FIAT with a horrible Maxie P bodykit from 1999); and there was only really one modified motor on show – a bonkers, wide-bodied Nuova Cinquecento with some sort of flat-four power.
So has the BIAMF stood up to three consecutive visits? Yes, despite me wondering around in my own snotty-feversome fog, I didn’t just manage to drag my bones around, I actually managed to enjoy myself. There’s still plenty of room for the event to expand and as long as the organisers keep seeking new and varied cars, well, we’ll keep on returning.
Related articles:
