Rustival 3 With Expert Writer, Andrew Roberts

There are many and varied ways to arrive at Rustival 3, but in my humble opinion, few can equal travelling from Leamington Spa to Gaydon in a gold 1998 Range Rover P38. Having the security guards wave us onto the main concourse put me in mind of the uniformed team waving in the P5 3-Litre at the start of the famous Rover PR film Assignment P6. 

The fact that this Range Rover, owned by the distinguished motoring writer and editor Sam Skelton, was making highly entertaining noises only added to the occasion. Rustival is an event where all cars are equal. You might find a Ford Transit Mk. II motor home that had enjoyed a long career, a Vauxhall Nova (with Opel Corsa wheel trims to confuse passersby) and a first-generation Citroën Berlingo.

And this was a mere fraction of the delights of Rustival 3. We recently featured Gemma Wade’s Toyota 1000 Publica, and she brought all the way from Scotland a 1987 Toyota Corolla, which surely must be one of the few surviving examples. On arrival, we noted Andy Smith’s splendid (and ultra-yellow) Citroën Visa Series 3, which we wrote about a few weeks ago and Suraj Karavadra’s remarkable Hindustan Ambassador in Indian taxi livery. The last-named caused not so much double-takes as triple-takes from so many visitors.

Still, the delights of Rustival 3 continued: a Citroën DS, an orange-coloured Volvo 145 with shades of Margo and Jerry Ledbetter, and the remarkable SsangYong Rodius, a vehicle that could not be mistaken for any other. There was a Renault 18 Estate that had one amazed by its sheer rarity and a Chamois Coupe that went by the nom-de-Singer of ‘Rosie’. 

Perhaps the most accurate summary of Rustival 3 is “Attractions for Everyone”. There were cars from my (fast-vanishing youth), such as the black Citroën GSA. There were cars to make me feel ancient, such as an early Peugeot 106 owned by a 19-year-old enthusiast. Not to mention models of cars that once graced the television screen – the Volvo P1800 instantly put me in mind of:

Plus, there were vehicles that I would read about in copies of Car and Motor brought home by my father, but only occasionally see on the road – Rustival 3’s blue Wartburg Knight immediately comes to mind. Other entrants reflected the passage of time, not least a five-door Rover 100 that demonstrated, once again, how wrong Alan Partridge could be.

Such an event represents a vast amount of work, so everyone who enjoyed Rustival 3 owes a great debt to Stephanie Holloway, Matt Richardson, and Ian Seabrook. Danny Hopkins, the Editor of Practical Classics, was the genial compere of Rustival 3, and the ideal host of the prizegiving, while the rainstorm at the end was in the best tradition of UK outdoor shows.

The ethos of Rustival 3 is that ‘All Are Welcome – All Are Equal’. Your car might be hand-built and in concours condition; it might be a mass-produced family saloon with an interesting patina. Each has a fascinating story. All too soon, it was time to leave – with the sound of a ZAZ Zaporozhets in full spate still ringing in our ears.

Here’s to Rustival 4!

With thanks to Carly Spencer.