Drive It Day Birmingham will feature cars made in Birmingham before the Second World War so every car on display will be at least 72 years old and many considerably older. The cars will be, generally, in private ownership and most will be regularly driven.
There were over 90 marques of car produced in Birmingham between 1895 and 1939. Many of these marques no longer have surviving examples but we are aiming to have as many of the Marques represented as possible.
2012 is the 90th Anniversary of the Austin Seven and so we will be featuring the Seven this year with the collaboration of the Austin Seven Clubs Association.
We are producing a book about Birmingham's pre-war motor industry that will include the stories of each of the marques in time for Drive It Day. Copies will be available on the day.

Birmingham played a major part in the development of the motor car. Small factories and workshops that in the closing years of the 1800s were producing cycles moved on to motorcycles and then primitive cars as the technical problems of producing a self propelling carriage were solved.

Many of these small motor companies dissappeared when the First World war broke out and many of the pioneer car makers went to serve in France never to return.

By the time the Second world War broke out the Motor industry had evolved and matured, shaped by the vagiaries of the economy and advances in technology. Most of the small manufacturers had dissapeared or been absorbed by larger competitors. The war changed the shape of the Motor Industry forever and cars started to look more like the ones we see today.

Birmingham has lost it's Science Museum and there are no major collections left that can be seen without an appointment. This Event aims to bring Historic motoring to a wider audience.