Reims or Rust

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What is it about auto jumble's that makes you want to drive a very long day to an industrial estate in the depths of France?
It's the smell and feel of rusty old parts, that butterfly feeling you get when you find that elusive part to complete a restoration or to start another. We also want to be the first to find those parts and to be the next owner. If you throw nostalgia, good company, food, drink and France into the pot, you have the perfect recipe for a vintage enthusiast's weekend away.

Four of us made the trip this year to Le Salon Champenois du Véhicule de Collection, in Reims. It's a grand auto jumble in the car-park of the Parc des Expositions, combined with an exhibition in the main halls made up of local classic car clubs, organisations and event promoters. This year's celebrated manufacturer was MG; with a rather comedy circus theme that seemed to be throughout the exhibition halls. Some clubs and organisations had really gone to town to make you feel like 'The circus' had come to town, whereas, others had 'just made do' having raided the local 'time warp' department store of their stock of 1970's mannequin's and had given up after the red wine started to flow during build up.

But it was the auto jumble we were interest in. All of us looking for different parts. Bob needed a gearbox for his Robinson cyclecar, Andy, was looking for pedal-cars and Marchal lamps, Graham, belt drive rims and me, anything Cyclecar, motorcycle or early bicycle. But dealing with French auto jumblers is like playing poker with a blind clairvoyant. Firstly, nothing is priced, secondly, there is a sliding rule of pricing depending on if they've met you before or if you're not French. This seems to also fluctuate as the day goes on, once the red wine is opened and they have that sinking feeling that they may have to take it all home again. If they still have what you are looking for by this time, then this is the time to go in for the kill. But joking aside, the whole experience is another reason we love auto jumbles.

After two days of hunting, Bob found his gearbox for the Robinson, Andy found three lovely 1930's pedal-cars and a sack full of Marchal lamps, Graham found some belt drive rims for his OTAV Cyclecar and me? Three engines, a gearbox, a front axle, a steering wheel and two 1890's bicycles. A splendid weekend had by all, but next year; I'm going back ready to haggle with red wine and foie gras. 

(Text and images by Tim Gunn and Jean-Jacques Cherdo)
        

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