Going South: Otautau Car Show

2 April, 2018

 


 

Otautau promotions organized another great annual show along with other local community organizations to once again cap off a successful Otautau Car Show for 2018

Southland’s Ford Falcon Club has enjoyed a long association with the show and it was pleasing to see the Otautau Car Show still so well supported.

A quiet drive out west from Invercargill, this year attracted 197 entrants who arrived at Holt Park to enjoy live entertainment, food, and a host of stalls. Alan Sadler’s amazing take on a 1949 Ford made its mark with the top show award while Graham Baird’s Plymouth Suburban scooped the runner-up slot and People’s Choice award, adding to a long list of awards at shows over the past few years.Top Bike went to Ernie Tyler’s 2002 Boss Hoss and Top Commercial went to Colin Bailey’s Land Rover.

Continuing sunny conditions encouraged over 2000 people from around Southland to turn out for another enjoyable country event. With activities such as wood chopping and plenty of competitions for the kids, the show raised in excess of $8000, with $7045 going to the Christmas street parade and $1000 going to Otautau Plunket and Community Gardens projects.

How to switch to an alternator

Car electrics can be daunting, but upgrading from a generator to an alternator need not be complicated if you know what pitfalls to avoid.
The challenges you may face when converting a 12-volt generating system to an alternator are:
• Finding brackets to mount the alternator to your engine
• Determining the wiring you want to use for your particular set-up
• Deciding whether you want to use an ammeter, an idiot light, or a voltmeter to monitor your classic’s charging system.

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”