The third Andover Festival of Motoring was a roaring success as over a hundred vehicles furnished the high street today (Sunday 24th September).
Visitors were impressed with the packed showcase of vehicles from the classic beauty of a 1972 Panther J72 to the loud roar of the engine from a more modern Mustang.
The event was managed by the Andover Town Centre Partnership and any donations received are going to Andover Rotary Club.
Over 100 classic, sports, modified and vintage vehicles were on show with thunderous blasts of an ear splitting sound-off of combustion engine roars as owners revved their engines.
Young people were treated to rides and face-painting while exhibitors were entered into a competition to win a Porsche Cayman Experience donated by the team at Thruxton Racing. The Best in Show category was won by a 1921 Austin 12.
The judges for the day were the Worshipful Mayor of Test Valley Cllr Carl Borg-Neal and and Mayoress Maria Neal. The Mayoress says, “There must be a couple of thousand people here today. There were no spaces in the car park! I just like cars that take me from A to B, but this is such a great event for the town”.
Marques on show included Ferrari, Mustang, Dodge and Porsche as well as more common names like Volvo, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. A lorry cab from local company Ken White Distribution was opened to allow young people to sit in its cavernous driver’s seat.
One of the vehicles on show was a Panther J72, one of only 360 that were produced by the Panther Westwinds Company in 1972. It’s owner Julian Chen from local dentist New Street Dental Care says its designer was a patient of his. “I think cars are sexy and I admire the people who design them.
“The J72 designer Robert Jankel who also invented a widget that attaches to the carburetor, which is now in most car engines.
Dr Chen’s J72 was Panther Westwinds first car, is powered by a Jaguar engine and is modelled after the Jaguar SS100. Although the asking price for the J72 was around twice that of contemporary Jaguar models, the car generated enough requests for Jankel to produce one car a week during the car’s lifetime.
More photos are stories will be available on the event’s Facebook page.
