Palio said:

I'm hoping to see a full compliment of Panda's when I arrive in the morning - no-one's told me that emergency back up plan Q is needed, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

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You'll be able to smell the petrol fumes before you actually see me and Betty, tomorrow -- I'll probably have to pull the choke out to get into the Premier Inn car park...!

Apart from that, all good...! See you there...!

Palio said:

Just bumping this up in case people have forgotten!

It's the NEC this weekend, and we are all off to exotic Birmingham tomorrow.

I'm hoping to see a full compliment of Panda's when I arrive in the morning - no-one's told me that emergency back up plan Q is needed, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

Please pop along to see us in Hall 8 stand 310.

Look for the flying Panda's, assuming they survive the journey. We had 3 deaths this morning when they went pop (all blew in the same place), but fortunately I had spares, and these seem to have stayed in one piece so far. I really don't want exploding Panda's on the M40 tomorrow.......... Also the ridiculous risk assessment I had to do to allow us to take balloons up there didn't consider random exploding Panda's, so I didn't do a very good job on that..........

There are still Friday and Sunday passes available from me. If you're going and don't have a ticket, please let me know asap.

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plan Q is: a certain panda coming early on sat morning to get on the stand, . otherwise a certain panda/130 coupe owner/door handle tester will be there.

bobparkey said:

I'm heading up on the Saturday , looking forward to it

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psst! with palio,vmanc,purple haze not on here! at the nec! I too will be going saturday morning and sunday! door handle testing! tormenting the above people! should be good!

A little reportette from setting up day...!

It started out so well... (I feel a Queen song coming on...); with Betty still pretty clean and shiny after her trip home from Vernon's....



However, there was a bad accident on the M40: meaning (1) it took me 90 minutes to do a 12-mile journey (but nowhere near as bad as Vernon and Barbara's five-and-a-half hour marathon... -- also delayed by accidents...); and (2) I got diverted down some very muddy and wet country roads (as did V and B).

We got there in the end (albeit in instalments...), though!



After four hours of cleaning and waxing, etc., this is probably the best Betty will ever look...!



I think this picture speaks for itself...!



And here is the star of the show... -- sure to pull passers-by onto the stand... -- Panto! in all his nearly-completed glory; cunningly set up by Vernon with an axle stand, to show his work-in-progress status....



To finish with, here's the stand as I left it, this afternoon... -- banners, etc. to be erected in the morning. It's gonna be fun...!





PS: I'm not going to enjoy the mile-long walk, each way, each day, to Birmingham International railway station much, though.... :bang:

lucky you are alowed to set up the day before, we did a modified show there once at we had to set up at about 5 or 6 in the morning

dave said:

lucky you are alowed to set up the day before, we did a modified show there once at we had to set up at about 5 or 6 in the morning

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the blue panda looks blinged up! who`s that man? panto`s comming along ok, the 130 coupe is the star of the stand

Updates tomorrow! All the cars are here, sundry disasters avoided, and just back to the hotel.....

Just to prove homeward does clean cars:





Stiggy behave!!

The cars are all looking terrific, particularly Betty which is such a great colour - they should bring this back for the 500, it would look great.

Shame about your journey - the M40 was shut for over 5 hrs, I live in Leamington and it was gridlocked all morning.

I hope the show goes well

Cars all look great, good luck with the show one and all

Oh yeah, tell Vernon to take his Christmas jumper off, it's November :devil:

Palio said:

Just to prove homeward does clean cars...

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...although I got here this morning, and four separate people (who shall remain nameless...) told me I'd missed the same spot, just under the windscreen....

I'm expecting you all to be in suits and ties when I get there tomorrow

scout500 said:

I'm expecting you all to be in suits and ties when I get there tomorrow

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Panda suits! :idea:

homeward said:

A little reportette

And here is the star of the show... -- sure to pull passers-by onto the stand... -- Panto! in all his nearly-completed glory; cunningly set up by Vernon with an axle stand, to show his work-in-progress status....



To finish with, here's the stand as I left it, this afternoon... -- banners, etc. to be erected in the morning. It's gonna be fun...!





PS: I'm not going to enjoy the mile-long walk, each way, each day, to Birmingham International railway station much, though.... :bang:

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looking fantastic..,
wish I was going now ,

have a great time,
Charlie

homeward said:

...although I got here this morning, and four separate people (who shall remain nameless...) told me I'd missed the same spot, just under the windscreen....

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Just remember, any complaint or criticism is actually a subtle way of volunteering to do the job.

Hopefully I'll meet some of you on Sat.

portland_bill said:

Just remember, any complaint or criticism is actually a subtle way of volunteering to do the job.

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Shows what a grand bunch they are... -- they'd already cleaned it for me...! (But that still, obviously, didn't stop them from showing me where they said(?!) it was...!) :worship:

Have fun, tomorrow... -- sorry I won't be there....

Good luck guys the effort that has gone in is admirable, I hope you get plenty of much deserved interest in the motors and more impotantly the outfits

We'll going to have to miss it as time needs to be used on the panda this weekend........engine is still sitting on floor, timing belt kit still to fit, gearbox to bolt back on then refit and connect back up.....3 bits of welding new mot booked for thursday

Sorry was looking forward to going

What a fun day...! (Although I ran out of stamina, with a couple of hours to go... -- it's a very big show: with lots and lots and lots to see and do...!)

Lots of Panda talk -- including the pros and cons of Punto engines; Alfa leather; 'interesting' wheels; why they're better than a 2CV (on the next stand); how many miles they're capable of; how much I'd let Betty go for (answer: she's priceless...); and would I be willing to sell them purple haze's Bianca...?

Here's the stand before the hordes arrived, this morning: after we'd put the banners up, and attached the Pandaloons...!





A nice lady, with a very nice Yorkshire accent, asked me where Pinky was. This isn't the answer....



The lady looking after the Roller asked me if my nickname was Captain Slow. How did she know? Answers on a postcard to the usual.... (Today's show attendees are not allowed to answer...!)

Where to, be dady...?

And to end with, the only non-FIAT I would take away from the show, had I the space, the money, etc., etc., etc.. (A slightly different shade to Betty; but still utterly gorgeous....)

AndyPanda4x4 said:

Good luck guys the effort that has gone in is admirable, I hope you get plenty of much deserved interest in the motors and more impotantly the outfits

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Thanks! A big pat on the back is due to Palio, who organized it all; and coped with the NEC's elf and safety regs... -- not to mention managing to arrange and fit various FIATs rather nicely into a twelve-metre square...! :worship:

Apart from that, the love, effort, and attention to detail, from all those attending, in making their cars sparkle and look like new is astounding...! Truly inspirational.... :slayer: