The Jamaica Classic Car Club (JCCC) held its first meet of the year at Hope Gardens, St Andrew, recently, much to the delight of the many automotive fans in attendance.

“The meet was excellent. The turnout was great as we saw some members come out that haven’t been seen in a while,” Shane Angus, president of JCCC, told the Jamaica Observer‘s weekly Auto magazine.

With 45 cars on show, there was more than enough to satisfy everyone’s tastes, from beloved classics to more modern soon-to-be automotive legends. The genre’s proved that there is a lot of range in the classic community, with family sedans mixing with high-performance machinery. However, the standout was the 1958 Lotus Elite.

“The new car brought plenty of interest to club members and the public at large,” Angus said.

As if the bright red paint of the Lotus wasn’t enough to attract the attention of all, its history gave it the gravitas many classic cars crave. According to the records, only 500 of these were built worldwide. The vehicle present at the event remains one of a rumoured 200 left in existence. Its current pristine state is a result of a decade-long restoration, beginning from what was described as junk.

Angus was bullish on the meet as he once again has been trying to get a classic car show off the ground.

“We’re hoping to have the show this summer, so this meet and all the rest until then will be used as a build-up to that,” he explained.

The JCCC heads out of town this month as they make their annual visit to the Orchid Show in Ocho Rios, St Ann.