Sights and sounds of American motors roll into seafront spot for bank holiday show

American car and truck owners put their pride and joy on show as they welcomed the crowds to a seafront exhibition.
Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.
Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.

The Fins and Chrome event is running until around 4pm today at Gypsies Green in South Shields as the North East American Car Club brings together around 60 vehicles on display.

Among them are 1950s trucks and cars up to modern day vehicles, with British cars and the Northern Muscle bike club also showing off their machines.

Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.
Some of the vehicles on show at the Fins and Chrome Custom Car Show at Gypsies Green, South Shields.
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North East Modified, the Corvette Club, Tyneside American and Ford RS club also also among those to support the day.

Mick Reed, who has organised the event alongside fellow member Sue Hurst, said the event gives the owners a chance to catch up, as well as give visitors an opportunity to see them up close.

"This started off in South Shields about 25, 26 years ago, then it went to Stockton and we had a year at Nissan, so this is the third year we've been back in South Shields," he said.

"It's just a cracking event for some people to bring their cars, come together and see others, but it also gives the public a chance to come and see a car they might not ever see on the roads.

Zoe Lambert, Mark Little, Mark Lambert and Tony Lambert, with Niobe the black Labrador at the Fins and Chrome event.Zoe Lambert, Mark Little, Mark Lambert and Tony Lambert, with Niobe the black Labrador at the Fins and Chrome event.
Zoe Lambert, Mark Little, Mark Lambert and Tony Lambert, with Niobe the black Labrador at the Fins and Chrome event.
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"A friend of mine came down early this morning with a 1959 Chrysler and came into the park and within three minutes people had come in to have a look.

"I think there's a lot of rarities and while we've got the American cars, we also have some British cars from the 1950s you wouldn't see on the roads now.

"A lot of people have memories of them from their childhood and say 'My Dad had one of these, I remember riding in the back' or some of the older fellas will say 'I had one of these.'

"It's special to hear things like that."

Ritchie Hauxwell with his vehicles at Gypsies Green.Ritchie Hauxwell with his vehicles at Gypsies Green.
Ritchie Hauxwell with his vehicles at Gypsies Green.

Among those with their vehicles on show is Tony Lambert, a retired engineer from East Boldon, who has a Cadillac Escalade truck, his son Mark, 32, a web designer who lives in South Shields who has a yellow Chevrolet Camaro, daughter Zoe, 27, an NHS worker and dog groomer who has a Silverado truck, and Zoe's boyfriend Mark Little, 36, a business interlligence specialist who is also from East Boldon, who has a Mustang.

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The Texan vehicle enthusiasts are members of Tyneside Amercian car club.

Tony said: "I started with this such a long time ago and started with and Oldsmobile, the oldest car company in the world.

"There's a lot of classic motors when you have a walk around the field.

Visitors can see the care and attention put into the vehicles to keep them in top condition.Visitors can see the care and attention put into the vehicles to keep them in top condition.
Visitors can see the care and attention put into the vehicles to keep them in top condition.

"It's good to come down and take a look and have a chat."

Mark added: "It's nice to see everybody, the owners of the cars, and come down and see each other.

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"We generally all have a crack on and talk about cars and how we got into it."

Also exhibiting is Ritchie Hauxwell, who has a 1974 GDX 540 T Mercury Montego MX GT and a Cherry Suburban former California Highway Patrol truck, which was issued in 1983.

He said: "We've been coming down for the last three years and it's good to see people come down.

"We also get to chat to the other owners about their different cars and exchange stories."