Caffeine and Classics to celebrate fifth anniversary

16 February, 2018

 


 

Caffeine and Classics is a brunch-style event held on the last Sunday of every month, and open to all types of classic vehicles. Motorcycles, hot rods, muscle cars, vintage and classic cars are all welcome to come along for a coffee, and to have a look at the wide variety of vehicles that are present.

The event is held from 10am to 12pm at Smales Farm car park, Northcote Rd, Takapuna, beside the motorway, and just 5km north of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. There is plenty of easy parking.

Caffeine and Classics has become New Zealand’s biggest monthly meet. With numbers ranging from 350 to over 1000 vehicles every month, it is a great place for like-minded enthusiasts to get together.

For the fifth anniversary celebrations on February 25 there will be a free gift upon entry of a high visibility, reflective safety triangle (approx. value of $20) for the first 500 vehicles, kindly supplied by Dura Seal. The organizers of Caffeine & Classics support safe motoring, and believe that all cars should carry a safety triangle to alert traffic of an accident or broken down vehicle, and what better way to achieve this than to give one away. Thanks Dura Seal!
So come and join in. All car and bike enthusiasts are welcome.

For more information visit facebook.com/caffeineandclassics.
 

Breakfast of champions – Brink

Some older readers may recall the amusing late 60s advertisement for a breakfast drink using World Champion racing driver Graham Hill which was made while he was out here competing in the Tasman Series.
“Drink Brink” was the phrase, subtly altered by Graham’s characteristic lisp into “Dwink Bwinkl” which drew a grin or two.
Southland Mini racing enthusiast Howard Kingsford-Smith has preserved a little bit of Mini racing history when he re-created the “Brink Mini” some 25 years ago.
“I bought what remained of the original car and made a replica I suppose or look-a-like of the original Brink Mini from Cathy Henderson about 25 years ago,” Howard explained.

The motor car as an art form

We have certainly come a long way since the exhibition entitled 8 Automobiles, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in the autumn of 1951, the first exhibition concerned with the aesthetics of motor car design.
It was here that the often-used term ‘rolling sculpture’ was coined by curator Philip C Johnson, director of the department of architecture and design, when he said, “An automobile is a familiar 20th century artefact, and is no less worthy of being judged for its visual appeal than a building or a chair. Automobiles are hollow, rolling sculptures, and their design refinements are fascinating. We have selected cars whose details and basic design suggest that automobiles, besides being America’s most useful objects, could be a source of visual experience more enjoyable than they now are.”