New Zealand’s largest garage sale goes off

14 October, 2015

Having been described as the largest garage sale in New Zealand, the McLeans Island Swap Meet and Display is a must-do for anyone who has even the slightest interest in anything automotive.

This year, close to 30,000 people filed through the gates hoping to pick up a bargain, or find that hard-to-get or missing part to complete their project parked in the garage. With more than 650 stalls, plenty of time was needed to get around and look at what traders had on offer. Thankfully many regulars occupy the same site year after year, making it easier to find your favourite stall to see what parts they have for sale this time around.

Not all sites are automotive-focused though, with all manner of things available for purchase. Everything from crafts, toys, and books to clothes, old furniture, and plants. If there is something that you want, chances are you will find it at one of the stalls.

One of the other attractions at the swap meet has to be the automotive display area. Many clubs make a weekend of it by setting up great displays, with some camping on-site for the weekend. A large area is also set aside for individuals who wish to show off their pride and joy. Whether you are a Ford, Holden, Citroën, Morris, or Lotus lover, there was enough to whet the appetite. The vintage-machinery display is always a popular area to visit with many working examples on show from yesteryear. This year’s display also included two working traction engines, giving the younger generation the chance to see how things were done back in the early days.

If you have never managed to make it to the McLeans Island Swap Meet, put it on your to-do list for next year, as, you never know, you may just find that missing part you need to finish your project.

Grand Routier — in the french tradition

10 July, 2025

Sitting in Paddy and Patsy Williams’ Dunedin garage is a stunning example of one of these rare French grand routier sedans. It is a 1949 four-door Lago-Record Factory Berline sedan, to give its full name. Daughter Cath let us know how proud she was of her dad, who had been tinkering away in his garage on this car for so many years.
Without exaggeration, it has been a mammoth task. I first saw this Talbot-Lago in mid 2019. The long-nosed, sweeping, curved four-door saloon, clothed in its misty green metallic paint, was quite breathtaking. There’s more than a little English influence in it, too, harking back to company owner Tony Lago’s involvement in the Clement-Talbot-Darracq era. The long front wings and bonnet, usually multi-louvred, highlighted with artful touches of chrome bling, are typical of the era, but these were indeed luxury length. Interiors provided leather-clad, armchair-style seating and ample legroom, with touches of wood and surprising details such as dainty childproof interior locks — a far cry from today’s lozenge boxes.
Paddy, a retired civil and structural engineer, knows his way around a lathe. He has a well-equipped garage-workshop to assist in any machining tasks along with his other passion for restoring classic motorcycles.

The Great River Road

4 July, 2025

A few years ago my family, knowing my fondness for driving, gave me the book Unforgettable Road Trips: Thirty-Six Drives of a Lifetime by Martin Derrick. Most of the road trips listed take less than a day in places like Scotland, Monaco, and Australia, plus one in New Zealand. Most of these places were too far to go just for a short drive but four of them would take several days. My interest was piqued, and those four drives were added to the bucket list. To date, I have done three of them: ‘Route 66’ (USA 21 days), ‘State Highway 6’ (NZ 10 days) and ‘The Great River Road’ (USA 22 days). You can drive all of them in less time, but you could also fly over them. We wanted a decent immersion in their charms.
The great river referred to is the Mississippi. While the name conjures the deep south, the river actually starts at the bottom of the great lakes, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico about 3800km later. The great road is more of a concept than a specific strip of tarmac, as you can drive down either side of the river on various routes. Regardless of which side you drive, time should be kept aside for detours to places such as Nashville, which is famous for something or other.

New Zealand’s largest garage sale goes off

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