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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.

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The winner is: Alan Sadler’s amazing customized 1949 Ford was top car at the show

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Interior of the winning '49 Ford

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Graham Baird is seriously on the lookout for a trophy cabinet as his amazing Plymouth Suburban scores another two awards: People’s Choice and runner-up, Best in Show

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Ann-Maree & Brent Robinson’s impressive Ford Mustang Mach 1

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‘Suite1’— Brenda Mathers and Scott Flynn’s appropriately named Ford Anglia panel van

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Very well done extended Holden pickup

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Cool cruiser: subtle blues for David Haywood’s mint Chevrolet Impala

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Cute mini convertible

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Lovely rebuilt caravan complemented by a 1949 Chevrolet

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

16 April, 2025

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2025 issue 399, on sale now

13 April, 2025

Who would have thought it would become such a worldwide motorsport star when Ford introduced the humble Escort in 1967?
Its popularity, particularly in Mark 1 form, is now of iconic status. Our cover story for this issue is on a 1968 Ford Escort Mark 1, Alan Mann Racing Tribute. We talked with the owner of this very special Escort, finished in tribute also to the owner’s father.
“Most children love speed, and motorsport typically comes courtesy of a parent, and Elliott is no different. His engineer father, Mark, had a love for motorcycles and going fast; however, when children came along, he swapped two wheels for four, in the form of two Ford Escorts.
Little did Mark know it at the time, but the humble Escort was about to weave its way into the family fabric once and for all.
After emigrating from London to New Zealand, Elliott recalled one evening when he was 14 being invited to tag along by his father, helping a friend convert an Escort road car into a racing car. This was the pivotal moment when Elliott remembers the motorsport bug taking over. He knew he had to have his own one.”