Arrived at about 11:00am Saturday with Alex and Lincoln. This year the ticket box was outside the car club display area, as opposed to last year when the club section was free, and you paid at the entrance to the Exhibition buildings. The Club Displays celebrated 50 years of Lamborghini and 60 years of Chevrolet Corvette among others. In this area there was also a display by Lorbek Motors with McLarens, Astons, Maserati, Lotus, Jag, Ferrari and Porsche. Alex and Lincoln enjoyed the moderns as much, if not more, than the classics. Once inside the building we were diverted up to the balcony area where the trade stands were. This area also held the food stalls, so we decided to buy lunch at their usual exorbitant prices. From there it was down to the main exhibition area to check out the fabulous array of classic and vintage cars which included those cars going up for auction by auctioneers Theodore Bruce. One of the more spectacular exhibits was a massive 1921 15-litre American La France which was to be auctioned. There were veterans dating from an 1891 Panhard et Levassor to a 1916 Hudson boat-tail speedster .Vintage cars dated from a 1920 Silver Ghost to a large 1926 Sunbeam 35 HP and a 1929 Bugatti Type 44. There was also George Hetrel?s 1924 Vauxhall 30/98 Tourer which was on display at his ComoGardens collection. Classics, pre and post war, including modern classics made up the biggest section of the show. They varied from a 1931 MG F-Type in pre war, to a 1948 Bristol 400 in post war, on up to a 1970 Iso Griffo with many desirable cars in between including Jags, Astons, Benzes, a Porsche 356, Allards, Chevs, Fords, Buicks, and a rare Australian Hartnett developed by Sir Laurence Hartnett, when he left GMH to build a cheap local peoples car. It was too small and complicated, however, to take on the Holden which he had helped develop. In Modern there was the new Morgan 4+4 and a Three Wheeler. Mercedes were also showing their new S Type. Plenty of Alfas, Astons, Masers, Rollers, Benzes, Lambos, Jenson, Ferrari and lots of Detroit iron. One unusual car on the Targa stand was an 8V Fiat coupe used in one of the Targa rallies. There were many more cars and exhibits on display including the new F Type Jag Sports which I got sit in, but we can only dream!
Words by John Weymouth, pictures by John, Lincoln and Alex Weymouth, and Mike Whitford.
MY FIRST MOTORCLASSICA, BUT NOT THE LAST!
I?ve had the pleasure of my first Motorclassica, what feast of classic icons! Luscious Lambos, awesome Astons, curvaceous Corvettes, pristine Porches, fabulous Fiats etc etc. Enjoyed the Club Sandwich section in the outside enclosure with the Fiat Car Club who this year won the Best Club Display. Large crowds milled around the Club Section outside all day, it was not unlike our own Breakfast Club. In fact, the Club Section created more interest than the near new exotics on display opposite (I suspect affordability was a factor). Inside the centre it took many circulations to absorb the beauty and amazing condition of the Bristols, Astons, and Lambos. Notables I have wanted to see in the flesh included a green Alfa Montreal, a Renault Alpine 110 and four Lamborghini Miuras. Hopefully next year I will be lucky enough to have my Fiat Dino invited back to see what treasures can be unearthed and presented for the common mans viewing pleasure.
Mike Whitford
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Mark Kloet and I went to the Motorclassica Friday. A great day and a excellent display of concourse vehicles. The queue was long enough on the Friday to warrant paying the extra ~$1.65 to get your tickets online in advance. (Keep in mind for 2014). Interestingly the tickets were being checked as you entered the exhibition building (as per previous years) so you did not have to pay to see the vehicles outside. However, the Club Sandwich was not on so there were far fewer vehicles to see outside than on the weekend. Still, it was a very good display outside especially the range of Lamborghini?s. Inside is a head spinning display in a stunning building. I went last year and still was entertained all day this year. Seeing Lamborginhi test driver, Valentino Balboni, talk of his career and personal experiences with Ferruccio Lamborghini was a highlight. A notable event if you are interested in the best of the best when it comes to restoring vehicles to perfection.