Past Events

2006 MID SUMMER PICNIC

4th-6th August 2006. Horns Corner, Catsfield, nr Battle, E Sussex

For two years running now the 1066cruisers have been at the same venue, something that they can now call home. And this is obviously the recipe for success. For the Sunday show blew the organizers away. The weather reports were not looking very promising for the Sunday but that didn’t matter too much as we have a whole weekend ahead.
Friday morning and the cruisers were on site nice and early erecting marquees putting up barrier mesh and generally setting out the show field and with a record amount of people pre entered they needed an early start. Once again Mick and Mandy were there with there food wagons (01932) to make sure everyone was fed and however the Sunday rodder’s breakfast is being looked into as rodder’s too much beer and an early start don’t go together. Mid day and the pre entered had started to turn up. Tec Warriors, Scavengers, Invicta’s, Medway Rod & Custom, Wessex, Tuff’n’Rumble, A.A.C, Pontiac Drivers Club too name but a few clubs and of coarse lots of non belongers.

The campsite was now filling rapidly and the cruisers were getting ready for the Friday night auction. These auctions are put together by items donated by traders and people that come along to the show. The Friday night band kicked off at about 8 pm, a blues band called Whippin post, steady when you look it up on the internet as you get all sorts of dodgy stuff listed. Then at 9 o’clock the auction starts as the revellers are now under the influence. Not long into the auction and two villainous villains from the TEC Warriors up to no good come storming through the centre of the marquee in club jackets and some ghastly looking y-fronts but do not fear as in hot pursuit was the caped crusader Batman, don’t know what it was all about but it raised a lot of smiles as I’m sure that is what there intentions were. The auctions raised a lot of money and a lot of laughs.
The campsite was quite rowdy after the marquee shut and people were quite reluctant to get up Saturday morning. But in time they did and the field was now shaping up for the cruise. This is not to the Nationals standard but the cruisers have never had this many cars for a cruise probably getting towards 70 cars. The cruise made its way through some of the historic 1066 countryside and ended up on the promenade of Bexhill on Sea which to those of you who don’t know is the birthplace of British motor racing. In the early 1900’s they used to race along the prom, nothing changes there then. The cruise after a refreshment break then headed back to the campsite where the 1066 cruisers had laid on a ploughman’s lunch for everyone who had pre entered. (sorry to those at the end of the queue, people at the front ate your dinner. Catering for 350 hadn‘t been doe done by us before). Once the cruise had returned and lunch eaten there was a big rumble and the ground started to shake and in came an old Kenilworth big tractor unit looking like something out of the film Dual turned up. It was monstrous, not shiny but in great condition, it certainly caused some interest.
On to the evening and the stage was set, the band were finished setting up and the table cloth laid. This had nothing to do with us but in the middle of the marquee was a table set with cutlery, plates, napkins and candelabras. The marquee now started to fill with your usual rowdy rodders and then along came the Medway Rod and Custom(Mr C). with the gentlemen in tails jackets and bow ties and the lady of the table in a ball gown. The dinner arrived, an Indian Take-away. every time the lady stood up so the gents did, fantastic.
The band who were on tonight ??????? Were sponsored by Kiwi Kev of Crap Conversions who was also the drummer in the band. These guys were brilliant. The auction was then under way. We had again many items raging from t shirts to model cars. As it got under way again there was a scuffle in the crowds but fear not in bursts a rather larger than life wonder woman this time from the Southern Rebels the auctioneer now had a glamorous assistant. There were some great items donated and you’d get bored with the list so thanks to all. But at the end of the auction one of the candelabras from the Mr C table was offered for auction, this was hand crafted by Jonathon Sutherland (this’y’up). It was made of ally and the candle holders were cut flames it was very roddy and very classy. Thanks Jonathon it raised £225 and I’m sure we could have sold it ten times over. The last item was a fully built and dressed 350 crate motor, that had been donated but wasn’t on view. People looked in disbelief as this engine although not seen could possibly sell for a few hundred quid so they thought they had better put a bid on. Now if you’ve been to a cruisers do before you’d know about spoof items. We had now got to £3k and the atmosphere was electric, a call was now made that the engine had been delivered strangely late but now we could all marvel at the brilliant blue Ford paint, the bright chrome and all the fantastic detailing of this 6inch long model of an engine. The model sold for about £?????. In the morning people were still baffled and asking how much money the engine had made.
Showtime, Sunday morning and in they poor. ..They just didn’t stop coming in, the weather was great. The show field had filled up before organiser had realised and now were panicking, we moved the car park boundary’s, they came in and filled it. The public car park was now also filled. We were squeezing rods, yanks, bikes and trikes anywhere and everywhere. The quality of the machinery on the field was stunning, cars of old like Alan Humphries gasser pop and Steve Bradshaw’s pro street tina and then on to newer things like ?Kevin Boniface’s superb 57 Chevy Belair and Paul Harrison’s cracking 57 Chevy Station wagon. Lee Day had bought along his subtly widened Morris Minor and Lee Darby came along with his crowd pleasing 53 Chevy truck dragster, he started it up at various times during the day. The Hastings trike club had a gathering of around ten of all shapes and sizes of trike.
The sound off took place with Lee Mersh performing in his black rodded Beetle against Josh White in his Mustang and John Tudor in his Super tough Camaro with Big Ron Haffenden winning in his Capri dragster. He did hand the title to second place John Tudor saying it was a little unfair.
There were so many fantastic cars at the show it was going to be really hard to find an outright winner but we did, and it went as followed. trophies donated by House of Hastings (toolsbypost.com)

Top 3 in no order
1 Michelle Ross 1929 Model A roadster
2 Robert Sobkowiak 57 Chevy Belair
3 SV 6393 A Tudor sedan
Best American Cliff Jarman 1958 Mercury Montclair

Best bike
Jon Marsh Harley Davidson + bike sound off

NASC pick
Richard Scott Flamed 32 roadster

Sound off
John Tudor Pro Street Camaro

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2005 MID SUMMER PICNIC
7th August 2005. Horns Corner, Catsfield, nr Battle, E Sussex

What is it with the rodding, custom and yank scene. Is it the old friends
that you meet up with during the summer season, is it the new friends that
you make during the short rodding season or is it seeing all the stunning
machinery that is hidden away in garages through out the country. I think it
has to be a blend of all them that makes for an absolutely perfect weekend.
The 1066 cruisers are really hoping to have found a show site to call home.
After years of an almost nomadic existence moving from one site to another
they have come across a site right under there noses in a village called
Catsfield right next door to Battle, heart of 1066 Country.
The cruisers bit the bullet this year and decided to get in a band, a full
sized marquee more toilets and a shower (this never worked hot, but it was
there and full powered cold). This did mean however that costings have gone
through the roof. The cruisers have never had to charge participants before
as it doesn’t seem fare to charge someone to show there car. But if they
are to make any money for charity as they are a purely non profit making
club, this is how it had to be. The money was to be kept low (£10per adult
and £5per child)and this included a food voucher a drinks voucher and
entrance to see the band on the Saturday night as well, so as you can see
the cruisers were not going to make a fortune at this anyway. And on the
Sunday entry per show car was a nominal £3.
All this in mind the pre-entries were still pretty good number wise and
quality wise, well they were going to take some beating. The event was over
the weekend of Friday 5th - Sunday 7th August. The Friday morning was to say
the least damp, but the outlook was very good. As the day went on and the
weather got better the cars started to arrive. With a small gathering
turning up from the Tec Warriors (Margate) to lay claim to the first part of
the campsite and from then on they just started to pour in. A contingent
from the old Tuff’n’Rumble Gathering were next to turn up with a real
assortment of rods, yanks and race cars. This is proving that people
didn’t mind paying the entrance fee. By late afternoon the campsite was
looking good with members of the Southern Rebels taking the mid field David
Thickens not in his usual ride(34Sedan Daddy’s Toy) but a rescued Vauxhall
Wyvern saloon that was now turned into a gold metal flaked step side truck
this was put up for grabs for a very reasonable £5750. Jonathon Sutherland
came along in the twice featured This’Y’up Ford Sedan and along with
that his brilliant little tot rod, again with Jonathon came a good number of
the old BHRA club with a collection of Y,s and the burn out king from
Thorney Island in his 54 Chevy Bel Air.
The Friday night was always to be a bit more of a laid back affair, people
coming in and just chillin. The first of the charity auctions happens on the
Friday night with some of the smaller items being sold (these items are all
donated, we are always looking for bits to put in so please contact us, and
a big thanks to those who did). This auction raised a lot of laughs but more
importantly just under £400. Then it was down to the disco which usually
leaves itself to run, this year it was down to Rob (where’s the race car)
Faulkner to muster the music playing a good old bit of rock’n’roll,
rockabilly and skiffle.

Saturday and Mick and Mandy’s chuck wagon(01932 828205) was under
pressure to provide the breakfast, and with the 1066cruisers giving everyone
that entered for the weekend a food voucher this seemed like a good time for
most to cash them in. Saturday afternoon saw the cruise heading off with
over forty cars trailing there way through the picturesque (very congested)
market town of Battle (1066 and all that). Then eventually into Bexhill
seafront to the cruisers meeting place(1st Saturday @ 7.30pm) The Mermaid
Inn where we had permission to park on the promenade lawns, this caused
quite a stir in town which was the birth place of British motor racing.
Saturday nights auction is always very entertaining as the participants and
the auctioneer are usually well hammered and of course its all for charity
mates. The items in this auction were again all donated and quite a change
as it is not all car related stuff. Sporting gear and handbags were in
tonight’s line up, along with some very special items. So-Cal Speed
shop’s Pete Chapouris signed a mechanics jacket that fetched well over
£100. A big thanks to Adrian Flux Insurance who was another major help in
the proceedings. Many models and t-shirts went through and we ended up with
the final lot which was a radio controlled 1936 Coupe, this stirred everyone
up as everyone wanted it, it went to Mick Harrison for a silly amount of
money. But he has something that we haven’t seen over here, quite the same
yet. We all then rocked to a newish local band aptly named 1066. The
Saturday auction raised an amazing £994 so a thanks to all contributors,
sponsors and buyers alike.
Sunday morning and a few sore heads start moving around the camp site
early, the sun was starting to power through the broken crowd. This is going
to be the start of a truly 1066 cruisers record breaking day. The front row
was forming and I don’t think you could start off with a better line up,
Gus Patel’s cool truck, and Julian Gardener’s awesome looking Camero
with superbly detailed engine producing somewhere near an incredible 700bhp,
Julian is taking the car to the States in October not just to have his own
car for the Old Town Kissimmee cruise but to race it in the Chevy Super
Nationals at Orlando so if anyone is holidaying over the pond mid to late
October then keep your eye out for the yellow and green flames of Julian’s
Camaro. The second row was equally as impressive including Lee and Linda
Day’s Morris 8 and Plymouth Saratoga respectively, then there was Andy
Geekie’s pale blue GMC truck complete with matching trailer and to
compliment this was a home built Harley that could have quite easily have
been built by the Tutel’s or Arlon Ness the quality of this perfect blue
and flamed was really amazing. Steve and Kim Bradshaw brought along there
mk1 Tina which for saying had it’s paint laid on some eight years ago was
still looking daisy fresh a credit to the original build. The show field was
filling quicker than the cruisers had dreamt of and with such quality cars.
The chuck wagon did have a queue all day and for this we must apologise,
nobody expected the amount of public or participants that we had but it has
already been addressed and sorted out for next year and again sorry to those
in the queue or indeed put off by it. Still more cars enter into the arena,
Colin Burbage in his 37 club cabriolet, Invicta Roadsters put out a good
contingent of Pop’s and a gorgeous pair of early ford trucks Frank Carroll
turned up in his flawless 34 coupe along with John Martinez in his stunning
37 sedan and Ian McCoubrey’s 48 Chevy panel van (I want one). Other clubs
to visit were the Pontiac drivers and the A.A.C. The cars were stunning and
to mention everyone would take forever, at this point we would like to thank
everyone for bringing along here toys as it made for a fantastic show which
beat all records for the cruisers and have certainly got some serious hard
work to beat this one next year. The site has been secured for next year
which is pretty amazing in itself, so is this somewhere we can call home.
Just before the prize giving there was the sound off competition in the
line up was Josh White in his 66 circuit racing look Mustang coupe he was
out to grab another trophy from the weekend after he was awarded one from
the TEC Warriors for performing a burnout at Thorney Island in his VW Passat
estate. We had numerous cars up for contention including Wulf in his T
bucket and Andy in a big block powered mk1 consul some guy in a beetle with
a zoomie tube exhaust gave it his best shot but the overall winner was Andy
Geekie on that fire breathing Harley.
There were so many real quality cars that turned up that it was going to be a very hard choice,

the diversity of the cars making it even harder to pick.
The public choice is always going to be the, I like that one, because of the
colour or I’ll get the kids in that or I won’t get the kids in that but
we had a four way tie which included Frank Carrolls bright red coupe, Roy
Palmer’s yellow peril Caterham, Keith and his slightly customed T-Bird
and a very clean Pontiac Firebird. Another member of the public was asked
to cast a vote and it went to the Firebird. If we had a top 10 it would have
still been very close but as we only had a top 3 well here it goes. Trophies
sponsored by the House of Hastings (toolsbypost.com)
TOP THREE IN NO ORDER
Steve Bradshaw Ford mk1 Cortina
Dave Day Chevy 3100 Pick up
Gus Patel 55 Chevy Big Back Window Pick up
PUBLIC CHOICE
???????? Pontiac Firebird
SOUND OFF
Andy Geekie Harley Davidson Chop
BEST AMERICAN
Pontiac Catalina

So with the show all done for another year it just needs a huge thank you to
all that came along in what ever capacity, whether showing or spectators,
sponsors or spenders. We are looking for a major sponsor for the event and
I’m sure the next one is going to be far bigger and better. The site is
now booked for next year so remember to book in early for next year , keep
an eye on the website 1066CRUISERS.COM