Going old school: Very Vintage Day Out 2019

21 August, 2019

 


 

It can sometimes be difficult to reconcile your hobbies with those of your partner, but the Very Vintage Day Out neatly straddles the divide with an awesome vehicle display featuring classic cars, muscle cars, and hot rods from the ’30s to the ’60s, as well as the Jack Daniels Miss Pinup New Zealand beauty pageant — united by the appreciation of all things vintage, pinup, and rockabilly.

Now in its eight year, 2019 sees a full programme of entertainment including live bands, dancers, a new Show Vehicle Display Hall for up to 90 vehicles, military displays, makeovers, as well as over 90 vendors on site selling a huge range of Vintage, Retro, Rockabilly and Pin Up products. The Friday night even has a 1940s Military-themed dance with big band Tuxedo Swing playing

If you’re keen to display your vehicle, you’ll receive free undercover parking on the day in Hall 1, free entry into the event for the driver and be in the draw for a mystery prize pack from NZV8 magazine and Jack Daniels — simply visit the Very Vintage Day Out vehicle registration page.

Tickets can be purchased online at Eventfinda for $22, or on the door at $25.

Saturday, 19 October
Very Vintage Day Out 2019
ASB Showgrounds, Auckland

Back from the brink – 1968 MGB GT

Auckland classic car enthusiast Kerry Bowman soon realised he had a massive job on his hands in restoring his classic 1968 MGB GT. When Kerry and his MGB first appeared in New Zealand Classic Car in March 2021, in “Behind The Garage Door”, the stripped-out shell had revealed some nasty surprises. Once the true extent of the hidden damage was discovered, the work would normally have been handed over to a professional fabricator. However, with the assistance of experts such as MG specialist restorer, Paul Walbran, Kerry has completed an impressive restoration and saved this car from the scrapheap.

1975 Suzuki RE5

Suzuki had high hopes for its RE5 Wankel-engined bike launched in 1975. It had started looking at the Wankel engine in the mid-60s and bought the licence to the concept in 1970.
Apparently all of the big four Japanese makers experimented with the design, Yamaha even showing a rotary-engined bike at a motor show in 1972. But Suzuki was the only one of the big four to go into production. Like many others at the time, Suzuki believed that the light, compact, free-revving Wankel design would consign piston engines — with their complex, multiple, whirring valves and pistons, which (can you believe it?) had to reverse direction all the time — to history.