Beaulieu Guide

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Finding your way around the Autojumble is simplicity itself. From the site plan, you’ll see that the Beaulieu site is divided into three fields – Green, Red and Yellow.

In Green Field you find what you might call the professionals. It’s also the site of the Control Centre from which the event is administered.

Central to Green Field is the 2000 sq m Grand Marquee, an essential part of any visit that houses some of the leading specialist literature and accessory dealers, automotive art dealers and the stand of the National Motor Museum Trust, where surplus items are sold to help fund the Trust’s work. Model dealers are also found here. The emphasis in the tented area is on quality, and prices can be higher than elsewhere. Near the marquee you’ll find the smaller tented stands of marque specialist spares dealers, some literature, suppliers of specialist services like instruments, radiators and lamps, more models and posters.

Scattered throughout Green Field are big stands with restoration projects for sale, ranging from the truly exotic like one-of-a- kind veterans to affordable starter classics. Remember that you can find parts for most cars at Beaulieu – a few years ago a complete running Austin Seven was built from scratch using components purchased around the Autojumble during the weekend.

Also in Green Field you’ll find the stands of organisations like the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs and the Veteran Car Club. I was a committee member of the FBHVC for ten years, and I can testify to the sterling work that it carries out to defend the hard won right to use our vehicles on the road when we please. It also monitors the endless stream of legislation that pours out of Westminster and Brussels that might affect historic vehicles, and lobbies against harmful changes. The FBHVC is happy to answer your questions on legislation and related matters, while the VCC – the world’s oldest historic vehicle club – is your source of information on pre-1918 cars.

Red Field tends to have more general stands. These vary from private owners making a one-off clearance of unwanted spares to specialist dealers in lamps, automobilia, mascots, electrical spares and spark plugs. The Vintage Sports Car Club and the BSA Front Wheel Drive Club are among the clubs whose stands are staffed by a consortium selling both their own and friends’ autojumble.

You’ll also find items as diverse as pedal cars, trophies, mascots, petrol pumps, enamel signs and a huge variety of components from brand new parts, “new old stock” components and used components ranging from near pristine to near scrap.

The north area at the top of the field will accommodate Sunday’s Trunk Traders, who will be selling surplus secondhand car parts from the boots of their cars; you may find some unexpected bargains here!
Yellow Field may be furthest from the entrance, but I’ve found some real “must- have” items here in past years. Indeed, there have been some of the most rewarding stands here in recent years. The stands in Yellow Field are often those of relative newcomers who are awaiting their turn to move up into Red or Green Field when a rare vacancy occurs, for many stallholders in the main fields come back year after year, and they like to maintain the same spots so that regular autojumblers can find them easily.
Because some of the Yellow Field folk are beginners or maybe “one-timers” clearing their garages, you may find their prices are keener or that they have the odd rarity among a lot of dross: either way, it’s well worth looking…

My tip to anyone looking for unusual items is to start at the edges and work in towards the centre – in past years I’ve proved that this is the way to beat the other searchers to that hard-to-find item you need to complete your restoration!

GETTING AROUND THE AUTOJUMBLE

Eating and drinking

Mobile catering units and licensed bars are sited within the showground – the bar and catering units in this area will remain open until 11 pm. There will be a dedicated exhibitors’ catering area located near to the shower/toilet compound. Refreshments will be available in the Brabazon Restaurant in the main Beaulieu complex from 10am to 6pm. The Brabazon Restaurant is open to exhibitors on Friday and Saturday night, offering sit-down meals and bar facilities.

Don’t be strapped for cash!

Most stallholders will accept cheques covered by a bank card; some traders have credit card facilities. But don’t fail to take enough cash to cover your likely needs, as some stallholders will accept nothing else. Cashback is available in the museum shop. Thomas Cook Limited will operate a Bureau de Change on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Classified Advertising Boards

Items for sale, or wanted, can be advertised on the special Classified advertising boards in the catering areas in Red and Green Fields.

Delivery Service

A free delivery service to the car parks for you and your bulky purchases is available in the area adjacent to the Left Parts Tent in Green Field. (Please note: vans cannot stop en route.) Visitors are not permitted to bring vehicles into the Autojumble at any time.

First Aid

The First Aid point is in the services area in Green Field.

Lost Children

If your children lose contact with you, they should make their way to the Information Caravan in Red Field or the St John Ambulance Centre where you can meet up with them.

Lost Property

Anyone losing an item should report it to the Information Caravan. Likewise, anyone finding an item is requested to bring it to the Information Caravan.

Public Address Announcements

Announcements are restricted to organisers’ announcements or emergency announcements such as lost children.

Further Information
Beaulieu Enterprises Limited, John Montagu Building, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Hampshire S042 7ZN. Telephone: Beaulieu (01590) 612345, Fax: (01590) 612624. E-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Website:

THE AUTOJUMBLE AUCTION

Auction sales are a long-established part of the Beaulieu tradition, for the first dedicated historic car auction sale took place there on 16 July 1960, when prices were still astoundingly modest by today’s standards: only two of the 115 lots – both veterans – changed hands for over £1000, a drophead Speed Six Bentley sold for just £330, and nobody at all wanted a brace of Tipo 8A Isotta- Fraschinis or a 36-220hp Mercedes two-seater, rare models that are now so keenly sought after that they would easily command substantial six – maybe even seven – figure bids at auction. Another notable difference was that in 1960 overseas buyers were conspicuous by their absence. Entry fees were modest, too – £2 for a car, £1 for motorcycles and three-wheelers, inclusive of catalogue and auctioneer’s fees. Maximum commission was just £15!

In the ensuing 45 years, the auction scene has changed radically, and prices – and fees – have risen dramatically. Now several auction houses have specialist departments catering for historic cars and auctions are held most weeks and in many venues. The cars that make the headlines are usually the top-drawer cars with a good provenance, for which prices can run into millions. However, there are still bargains to be had, and if you want to see how it’s done, why not buy a catalogue and go to Saturday’s Bonhams auction at the Autojumble?

SPRING AUTOJUMBLE

The popularity of the September Autojumble led to the creation of a Spring Autojumble in 1994. While it has fewer stalls than the September event, there are still plenty of bargains to be had during the two-day event. Traditionally, the quieter day of this two day show, an enhanced Sunday programme has seen an increase in visitors.

The Spring Autojumble also features a MotorMart on the Beaulieu Arena with around 200 vehicles on offer,
backed up by a DealerMart offering a selection of classic cars for sale.

A unique feature of the Spring Autojumble is the offer of free stands to car clubs: 45 clubs took the opportunity to participate this year, with the Wessex Car Club and The Bug Club both displaying a number of members’ cars.

The Walkabout Auction on Spring Autojumble Sunday gave exhibitors the opportunity to sell off surplus items of stock they didn’t want to take home with them. For just £1, exhibitors were able to buy a box to fill with bits (larger items went alongside), that were auctioned at the end of the afternoon by a guest auctioneer. The big attraction of this easy way of buying or selling those last bits from the show was that there were no auction fees to pay!

This year there were 30 lots on offer, attracting bids of up to £50 a box. However, some prices paid were simply giveaways – a box full of vintage brochures, handbooks, and lubrication charts sold for just £4!

Sunday features again included the Sodbury Sortout, with stands selling all things Land Rover related, while the sunshine brought Trunk Traders out in force, with over 60 amateur jumblers selling their surplus parts from the backs of their vehicles.