Best Ever! is the Verdict on 1995 Moss British Car Festival!

That’s what the attendees at this sun-drenched extravaganza told us as they reluctantly left the beautiful Flag Is Up Farms equestrian center on the final day.

From early on Thursday through to the superb Sunday car show, over 400 participants enjoyed a feast of British car related activity mounted by our Special Projects wizard, Harry Haigh, and his hard-working Moss Crew.

Tents, RVs and other (sometimes primitive!) accommodations were soon filling the lawn of the show site surrounding the stunning display of British automotive machinery that was staged there for everyone’s delight. It was during the first two days that we began to see, what I would term the “Breakdown of the Barriers”! People, no matter what make or marque of car they were driving, began to become indistinguishable from each other. To see MGs and Triumphs flash their lights at each other while driving around the lovely country side of the Santa Ynez Valley, or to witness Healey drivers offering to assist Mini owners with the loan of tools, was encouraging for the British car movement as a whole, and typified the spirit of the occasion.

While some enthusiasts took the opportunity to pay a visit to the Moss Motors facility in Goleta, others were able to order their requirements at Central Control during the event and have their goods delivered to them onsite! Needless to say, the 15% discount on all products ordered during the Festival was well received!

The emphasis was on fun and family fun at that, with Dads taking their kids along on the rally and funkhana, some even letting their offspring do the driving! We saw some real sibling rivalry in the darts tournament which lasted until late in the evening on Saturday. During the day, the younger clement were well looked after while their Moms were taken into the quaint Danish enclave of Solvang from whence they returned bearing famous brand name shopping bags! The kids, meanwhile, were busily engaged in running the Pinewood Derby races or were being taken around the ranch on one of the many hayrides which made tours during the event. Several Moss customers were also able to participate in a focus group led by our VP of Finance. Roger Adcock, at which an interchange of ideas and suggestions to make customer relations even smoother were discussed.

Cleaned up, after supper, everyone repaired to the giant marquee where a live country and western band entertained until the day was over.

The road rally was a real “tester” and required consummate skill to successfully complete this well thought out T.S.D. event, sponsored by Castrol, within the required parameters. Each contestant sported a Monte Carlo-style rally plate on the front of their car and several of the more serious vehicles were equipped with state of the art timing machinery such as Halda. Our thanks are due here to all who assisted in timing, marshaling, etc. on this well received aspect of the Festival.

Equally enjoyable was the “Wine Country” rally where drivers and their partners visited some of the famous Santa Ynez wineries. The winners received their reward in taking home some of the world famous products from these masters of the grape!

Sunday morning dawned bright, but became a little overcast which was just as well for those who labored to present their car to fullest advantage in the Popular Choice car event. What an event! Row after row of beautiful British machinery included a clutch of DeLoreans and several of the little cars for which the British automotive industry was renowned in the late ’50s and early ’60s including Morris Minors. Minis, 3n Austin A35, even a Morgan 3-wheeler which posed proudly alongside its larger Malvern stablemates!

Then there were the big guns! Superb Jaguars, spectacular Jensen Interceptors, although, as usual by far the largest contingent on the field were the ubiquitous MGs. Triumphs and large and small Healeys. Choosing the winners was a very difficult task, but in the end the People’s Choices were just that and reflected the high standards apparent in the presentation of all the cars. Everyone seemed delighted when the stunning, sexy Ginetta was chosen as Car of the Show by a select panel of knowledgeable enthusiasts.

The awards ceremony was high lighted by the presentation of two “free round-trip airline tickets to London courtesy of one of our major sponsors, British Airways. Here we must also acknowledge the invaluable support of our other sponsors including Zymol automotive products , GTE Mobilnet, Castrol, and Armorall.

All too soon it was time, after the prize presentation, to say a reluctant farewell to Flag is Up but everyone left vowing to return in 1996 when the fourth Moss British Car Festival promises to be bigger and better then ever! Watch these pages for details and reserve your spot early!