A long way from the tyre garages we pop into today, Michelin House was a resplendent destination for motorists of the time. Able to choose from a stock of 30,000 new shoes all housed within the basement on site, the chosen tyres were hoisted to fitting bays manned by Michelin mechanics. Motorists could wait for the dirty work to be done while perusing the Touring Office where maps, journals, and all sorts of handy stationary were on offer to plan the next European road trip. Sounds rather civilised and lovely, doesn’t it?
Thankfully today, albeit on a smaller scale, the Goodwood Revival Michelin stand can offer a similar sort of service for anyone in the market for some new rubber for their beloved classic, with tyres available to order. They’ve even got the stationary and maps available to purchase along with some very tempting Bibendum figurines and paperweights.
Oh, and one little tip. Anyone looking for a bargain set of tyres should pop down late Sunday afternoon. We spotted an entire rack at the back of the stand, and we reckon with a bit of gentle persuasion, the ladies and gents at Michelin might be open to offers come end of event. No promises, but if you don’t ask, you don’t get…
Photography by James Lynch