This time the weather was much better.  The first time that the SOL Classic Car Club planned an outing to Montejaque in January, it poured down and only a dozen cars braved the journey in the wet up through the Sierra de Nieves from the Costa del Sol, where the club is based. Yesterday in brilliant sunshine more than double that number made the trip.

As the collection of old cars purred up the narrow main street into the Plaza de la Constitución in Montejaque, they were greeted by cheers from the 20 or 30 youngsters who were waiting in keen anticipation.

The 40-odd members parked their vehicles and then chatted to inquisitive locals and eager visitors about their cars, their hobby and the Sol Classic Car Club. The atmosphere was buzzing as the mixed nationality members, from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Spain and Sweden, as well as Great Britain, chatted animatedly and shared anecdotes about their experiences before retiring to the El Elefante Amarillo hotel and restaurant for a late lunch.

Organiser and Treasurer, Bob Livermore, explained how he’d come to choose Montejaque for the original outing back in January. “I’d spotted an article in the Olive Press newspaper a couple of months before, about a hotel in the village which was coming under new management, so I decided to pop up and have a look.”

Bob explained that he liked the scenery en route, the village itself and the newly named El Elefante Amarillo hotel so much he decided to organise the January run and to book the hotel’s restaurant for lunch.  Despite the weather that trip was very successful, which was why the club decided to return this weekend when the weather was sure to be better.

The SOL Classic Car Club was established six years ago by a group of classic car owners who used to meet in a bar in La Cala de Mijas, called the Streets of London (SOL).  As sol also means “sun” in Spanish, and the club is based on the Costa del Sol, they felt this was a great name.

With a healthy 125 or so members currently, the club welcomes applications for membership from classic car owners resident in the area.

The vehicles on display yesterday included a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud, a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow , a Bentley, a Ford Mustang Convertible, a Porsche 911, several MGs, a couple of Austin Healeys, a brace of Morgans and a number of Mercedes-Benz of different types and ages, a couple of Triumphs, a Jaguar, a Roadster and a Caterham.  There were also several more modern vehicles, which fitted the definition of a classic rather than a vintage car, to make up the numbers.

For more photos by Karl Smallman, click here: Photo Gallery

© Paul Whitelock