The Northern Ireland Italian Motor Club

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All Ireland Italian Motor day 2007

2007 saw the biggest gathering of Italian vehicles ever held in Northern ireland. The "All Ireland Italian motor day" was held at the Cultra Transport museum. Over 90 vehicles attended from as far away a tipperary. The weather was very kind to us and everyone had a very relaxing and enjoyable day. Below is 5 sets of photos taken on the day. By no means all the photos that were taken but they show the vast variety of Italian machinery that turned up on the day. The NIIMC would like to say a Big thank you to everyone who made it possible.

Ferrari 60th anniversary relay, Northern Ireland legg.

17th April was the Big day. A convoy of Ferrari's had came up from Dublin in the morning and I had worked it to meet up with them at the Sleave Donard Hotel at Newcastle. I got there at 14.30 and this was the site that greated me.

There were over 30 Ferrari's gathered and some really rare cars. Most notable was an F50 and the 550 Superamerica in the above left photo. Ferrari GB had also supplied a 612 Scaglietti in blue and liveried up as a Police car complete with blue roof lights. It looked amazing and better still it was being driven by the PSNI traffic division.

Once 3pm came everyone mounted up (get it, prancing horses) and off we set in probably the most expensive convoy N.I has ever seen. It was lead by a Traffic branch Range rover closely followed by the 612 Police car and the 3 official relay cars, 3 599 Fiorano's. Now as far as I know the plan was to head for the Portaferry boat and on to Charles Hursts Specialists division from Strangford. It didn't go to plan as the last few cars away got held up in Newcastle including me and we had to play catch up. Then the convoy decided not to use the Ferry route and headed for Comber instead. It also didn't help that it started to rain and I had to stop at Ballinahinch to put the roof on. All was not lost as NIIMC members Paul and Ian were also on route from Belfast to catch the Convoy and luckily Paul had Ian Sinnamon from Charles Hursts mobile who was very very helpful and kept giving updates as to were they were. Ian then passed this on to me and we all met up eventually. The official cars all passed me as I was waiting at a lay-by for them and the man in the next car (a very nice 360) waved me out. What luck, I was right behind the main cars. The view was a site to behold.

The view taken by Ian from Pauls mirror. I thought things were going to get interesting as we reached the crossroads of the Newtownards road heading for Newtownbreda as the time was now 16.45 and we were heading right into T time traffic. I was stunned to silence (and so was my mate Aiden who was with me) when out of nowere came 2 Bike Cops and moved the traffic out of the way for the convoy. Not just that, they also stopped ALL the traffic at every set of lights from the Newtownards junction right to the rear of Charles Hursts on the Lisburn Road. In all my years I have never witnessed anything like this. Fantastic. Everyone parked up werever they could once we got to the Specialist division of Hursts.

Above. My 308's on the left with Pauls 360 CS beside it. Below, 456 that used to belong to Michael Schumachar. Right, Paul thinking he is Mr Schumachar

Charles Husts people put on an excellent buffet of different Italian foods which it has to be said was beautiful. Only I didn't want to appear greedy I could have went up for seconds or even thirds. The expresso coffee was something else to. I didn't hear one person complain. Once everyone had finished the Relay Batton arrived. I was really looking forward to seeing this as it's been all round the world now. I wasn't dissapointed. It looked amazing with it's 60 little tiles depicting Ferrari's history from the 1947 Rome GP right through to the FXX. The most stunning part though was the Prancing horse on the top. It was studded in Diamionds, I didn't count them but it was beautiful. I believe the tiles are going to be auctioned off individually once it gets back to Maranello.

Just when I thought the day couldn't get any better, Ian Sinnamon From Hursts came over to me and said I would be the last man out. I have to confess at this point I had noticed people gathering in a que and going out in the 3 599's and I had joined the que never thinking for one minute that I would get a chance to get a ride in one of the cars. You can imagine my complete surprise when Mr Sinnamon said to me "we can't have the NIIMC Secretary not getting a drive"! (I didn't think he would have had any idea who I was). My surprise quickly turned to childish excitment when I was ushered into the drivers seat of the silver 599 and off I went. All I can say is that it made my 27 year old 308 feel like a Fiat 127. The excelleration is something I have never experienced before. I could fill the rest of this site about it but better not.

I've been a Ferrari follower for 40 of my 43 years so to be part of this day made me feel very proud. But most of all I felt extremely privilaged to be there in my own car at this time in Ferrari's history. If I'm honest I felt a little out of my depth, but everyone at Hursts was very pleasent and made everyone feel very welcome.

I think what summed up the day though was looking at Ian's silly big grin after he got out of Pauls 360 when they arrived at Hursts, then catching a view of myself in the window after I came back from my drive in the 599. I had that same silly big grin. In fact a lot of people there had the same grin.

A big thank you must go to Charles Hursts for all their organisation of the event and making it a very special for a lot of people. Of course very special thanks goes to Ferrari for bringing the baton and the cars to Northern Ireland.

Kilbroney 2006