Give Out, Don’t Give Up: The Breakfast Meet That Refused To Die
Breakfast of Champions

It doesn’t matter if you live in Milan or Manchester, car meets have been having a hard time of late.

Increasing (hostile) interest from the authorities, pressure from the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) brigade, and the struggle to find a reliable location to hold regular meets, means more often than not, the organisers have had to throw in the towel.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

One person who knows this only too well is Dan Grazier, who in recent years has been organising the monthly Queen’s Square Bristol Breakfast Club meets. Formerly located in – funnily enough – Queen’s Square; a rather-leafy, semi-residential part of the city of Bristol in the south west of the United Kingdom, at its peak the meet was attracting hundreds of cars and bikes fighting for just 160 spaces.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Not surprisingly, the city council eventually called time on it in 2017. But rather than give up, Dan now holds the breakfast meet at a different location in and around the city each month – recent venues have included a wheel specialist and helicopter museum – and crucially, the council seem to be happy.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The gamble has paid off, too — the breakfast meet is positively thriving, with the 150 pre-booked spaces for January’s meet at Millennium Square in the city’s historical docks filling up in next to no time. In a country still getting over its post-Christmas blowout and staring into the abyss of Brexit, that’s downright outstanding.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Of course, the lure of a decent sausage-and-egg roll from the mobile Queen’s Square Cafe probably has something to do with it. No doubt the lucky owner of this Lancia Delta HF Integrale Final Edition is making full use of the catering facilities.

57 varieties
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

At 10 years-old — and despite the threats to its existence – Queen’s Square is one of the longest-running breakfast meets in the UK. It’s hard to pinpoint a single reason for its longevity, but I’ll take a guess – you just never know what is going to turn up from one month to the next.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

I can’t think of many places where you’ll find a beautiful Aston Martin DB6…

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

…happily parked up next to an untouched Subaru FF-1 G.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

It even pulls in a few ’bikes, like this Harley Davidson chopper.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Then there’s the stuff you never see in the UK, like the four-wheel-drive, turbocharged GMC Syclone.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Only slightly more common, but no-less desirable is Rupert Bullock’s 1969 Lancia Fulvia Coupe 1.6HF.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The homologation-special Fanalone version, Rupert’s example recreates the 1972 International Championship For Manufacturers (the precursor the World Rally Championship) winning rally cars.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

These were powered by a 1.6-litre V4 (yes, really) mounted ahead of the front axle, and driving the front wheels. The original cars ran Solex carburettors, but Rupert has binned them in favour of a pair of Weber DCOEs — better-looking, better-sounding and, well, just better.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

A crowd-pulling favourite, Steve Hemming’s 1970 Skyline GT is a longtime regular of the Queen’s Square breakfast meets.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

The GT has been treated to selective upgrades over the years, including an L28 motor running throttle bodies.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

If you’re ever in the south-west of the UK, we can highly recommend taking in one of the Queen’s Square breakfast meets. Of course, if it’s still the middle of winter, you really want something more modern, comfortable and protected from the elements to be able to enjoy such an early start on a Sunday. This smart Crossblade ought to do it…

Simon Woolley
Instagram: fireproof_simon

Cutting Room Floor
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
ADVERTISEMENT

Comments



Comments are closed.

28 comments

by Oldest
by Best by Newest by Oldest
1

That white R34 is gorgeous

2
Bryn Musselwhite

I wish we had more meets like that where I'm from... Oh wait. Ace stuff man!

Author3

Thank you, thank you

4

We need a feature on that white R34. DROOL!

5

The variety here is crazy, looks like a great event.

Author6

Yep, great start to 2019!

7
sdimes r the next classics

Love the Syclone, looks to be in great shape and pretty much original.

8

Thanks for the pics of my Hakosuka, but it's a 2000 GT (GT-R Replica) FYI :)

9

Great car! If I recall correctly, you also have (had?) a Datsun shop truck, right? Great taste and thank you for the great hobby shop you're running!!! Some dream big, some dream in scale :-)

10

Amen, brother. I've been buying cool stuff from Hiroboy since 2008 or something. I'd heard of him having a Hakotura, much like C1's resin kit of the same-- but not this car in particular. It's absolutely perfect!

Author11

Hi Steve, apologies! Cool car

12

Thanks for mentioning my mobile Queen Square Cafe. I have supported the meets since nearly it's beginning. Always serving quality fresh ground coffee and breakfast baps. Where ever Queen Square Breakfast Club hold their monthly meet. Then I will continue to support it, if I am allowed to trade at that months venue. I know the organiser has worked tirelessly to keep this event going. If only the council would be a little more helpful. I am sure he would hold more central locations. I would like to thank all who turn up to these events and keep them fresh.

13

It was great, keep it up guys :)

14

Nice to get a nice pic of my little scoob, cheers ☺️

Author15

Great to see one in the metal!

16

All the cars here are just amazing
But that GMC Typhoon just stood out to me as that is a rare sight in the UK

17
mustra_performance

Its sad to look at that tortured supra ´=(

18

StingRay hood... Is that a StingRay engine poking up through there? Agreed, though.

19

That R34 is amazing, as that Panda 4x4 Sisley in the background... it's awesome to see a mint one, here they're all beaters

20

Panda!!

21

Thanks so much for showing me something in my home city !! I've never heard of this before I've got to go sometime !!

22

when is the next meet love to pop over the bridge to this one week with my Ford Anglia

decom_8e4501eaa03c03cbeb2b77b0f86f9c49_5c4ae186109a9.jpgdecom_8e4501eaa03c03cbeb2b77b0f86f9c49_5c4ae186109a9.jpg
23

More photos of Anglia, please.

24
decom_c8841c8dae07078c1a9f22b2b86de8f2_5c4b5380225f3.jpgdecom_c8841c8dae07078c1a9f22b2b86de8f2_5c4b5380225f3.jpg
25
decom_1eee3f940c32375fa8c974309635c522_5c4b52c3a0662.jpgdecom_1eee3f940c32375fa8c974309635c522_5c4b52c3a0662.jpg
26
decom_1fae96a1bea31a5569a285887d7db701_5c4b52faa300e.jpgdecom_1fae96a1bea31a5569a285887d7db701_5c4b52faa300e.jpg
27

The amount of people that will just gloss over the shot of the R63...

Author28

Isn’t that the point, though!

OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS