PETROL heads and nostalgia seekers should find plenty of eye candy as more than 800 classic vehicles head to Dudley's Himley Hall.

And among the head-turners will be an extremely rare 1958, Dudley-made Mercury motorcycle and a 1959 dark red Ford Thames 400E van, both belonging to a Quarry Bank business.

The annual Classic Car and Transport Show takes place at the hall on September 6, when entries will also include a 1927 Rolls Royce and a locally-produced 1925 Bean Tourer.

Among enthusiasts polishing up their vehicles' bodywork for the occasion are Paul Gollings and his son, Steven, aged 35, who launched their business, Villiers Services, in Merry Hill, Quarry Bank, in 1992.

"We'll be taking the Ford Thames 400E, which we bought 15 years ago, spent eight years restoring and now use for work and for going to the pub twice a week," said Paul Gollings, who lives in Mount Pleasant, Quarry Bank.

"It's only done 31,000 miles and it's won every show we've ever entered - it was voted by the public as the one they'd most like to take home at the national Ford rally last year.

"Every time I go out in it, it's been filmed and put on the internet by someone before we've even got home."

Father and son also plan to take other vehicles from their collection, including the 1958 Mercury Grey Streak 98cc motor cycle with a Villiers engine.

Paul Gollings said: "Mercury used to make push bikes and went into motorbike production for just two years - but it pushed them out of business.

"It had a little sports engine and was probably 10 years ahead of its time, with dropped handle bars.

"Ours is possibly the only one left in the world."

Famous motoring names from the 1930s on display at the Himley Hall show will include Austin, MG, Morris and Buick - and they will line up alongside classics of the 1950s, such as Triumph Herald, Ford Zodiac, Morris Minor, Austin Somerset, Hillman, BSA and Sunbeam Rapier.

Sports cars from the 1960s will be well-represented too, with entries including Lotus Elan, Jaguar E Types, MG Midgets,Triumph Stag, Spitfires and Porsche 924.

"The show is a crowd pleaser for both petrol heads and nostalgia seekers alike," said organiser Geoff Price, of Transtar Promotions in Walsall.

Last year's event attracted a record crowd and hundreds of vehicles - and Mr Price said he was hoping for good weather to bring in the crowds again.

Enthusiasts from across the West Midlands will compete with entries from further afield for the 19 trophies on offer.

Classes include custom and kit cars, motorbikes, commercial vehicles and club displays.

Forty-five American cars are expected, including Lincoln, Pontiac, Dodge, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford and Plymouth.

There will also be an "autojumble" area, with spares, tools, models, post cards and books on sale.

It is the 16th year the show has been held and the gates of Himely Hall will be open from 10am until 4.30pm, with admission prices set as £6 for adults and pensioners and £3 for children, including parking on site.