JUST what is the appeal of old cars? In these days of catalytic converters, airbags, navigation computers and ABS what is it that draws the eye whenever one sees the stately old vehicles of days gone by?

Whatever it is, there will be a chance to examine the fascination close up, when Worcester and Malvern Historic Vehicles Group holds an open day on Sunday, May 20.

The event has been organised by Malvern car enthusiast Mike Tucker, who will be displaying his own vintage car.

This is a 1924 Bayliss-Thomas, which was most recently brought out of the garage for the wedding of Mr Tucker's stepdaughter, last Friday in Malvern.

"This car was made, like a lot of 1920s cars, by a small engineering firm," said Mr Tucker.

"Most of these small firms were put out of business by the likes of Austin, Morris and Ford in the 1930s, who were selling cars at prices the smaller firms could not meet."

The Bayliss-Thomas was made by the Excelsior motorcycle company of Birmingham, which made cars between 1920 and 1930.

Mr Tucker's is one of only seven cars left in England.

He explained: "Two of those are basically wrecks, waiting for refurbishment and there are just two four-seaters, of which one is mine."

Mr Tucker had been a car fan since his youth, when he owned, among others, two Morgans. He returned to his boyhood interest on retiring and moving to Malvern, buying the Bayliss-Thomas from Australia, where it had been languishing, perhaps for decades.

"There are quite a lot of vintage cars to be found in Australia and the US as well," said Mr Tucker.

"It's partly because there's not such interest over there and partly because it's hot and dry over much of those countries, so they don't rust as they do here."

Once it was shipped over, the car needed some work, but luckily not much.

"It needed a new clutch and new dynamo, and the leaf springs needed some work but mainly it was all cosmetic," said Mr Tucker.

"These old cars survive surprisingly well. People always ask me what I do if there is a spare part I need or a new tyre. You can always get a part made and there are places to get the tyres."

Part of the charm of vintage cars is that driving them is a very different experience to driving modern vehicles.

"The gearbox has no sychromesh, so changing gear is quite a different process, and the accelerator is in the middle. I'm used to it now but for the first week or so I was always putting my foot on the wrong pedal."

Another appealing side of the interest is the people it brings you into contact with, said Mr Tucker.

"Everyone involved with classic cars seems to be really friendly and helpful," he said. "When I just had my car, I had a problem with the starter, and a chap who lived nearby, who is also into cars, was really helpful."

Worcester and Malvern Historic Vehicles Group's event on Sunday, May 20, is at The Fox and Hounds, Lulsley, from noon until 3pm.

The display, which is being augmented by Malvern Motorcycle Club, is scheduled to include two Ford Model Ts and at least two Morgan three-wheelers.

Lunches will be available at the pub and there will also be a bouncy castle for the children.