Report and photos by Vince Johnson<\/p>\n
Historic and classic motoring is alive and well down under. On 26-28 October 2012 the city of Melbourne hosted the country\u2019s third annual Motorclassica, with a Concours d’Elegance, Collector Car Auction and displays featuring the cars of triple World Formula 1 Champion Sir Jack Brabham and commemorating the sixty years of Lotus.<\/p>\n
Last year the event was a finalist in the International Motoring Awards.<\/p>\n
This year there were 141 entries vying for top honors from the Concours judges, including two categories for motorcycles. Many of these showed they weren’t trailer queens by taking part in Thursday\u2019s Tour Classica from the Formula 1 circuit at Albert Park, driving through the city streets to the 130-year-old Royal Exhibition Building.<\/p>\n
Already inside were fourteen of Brabham\u2019s race cars, including his first, the 1947 Midget Speedcar Special. Powered by a 1400cc JAP V-twin it took Jack to the Australian, New South Wales and South Australian Speedcar titles and the 1951 Australian Hillclimb Championship. The racers had a special category in the Concours. Still the only F1 World Champion to win the title driving a car with his name on the nose, Sir Jack spent hours signing programs and sharing memories on stage with his cars\u2019 designer Ron Tauranac. His 1966 BT19, affectionately known as the \u2018Old Nail\u2019, took pride of place in the display.<\/p>\n
Celebrating a hundred years since the 1912 Victorian Motor Show, held in the same location, major sponsor the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria assembled a collection of antique, veteran and Edwardian cars. Greg Smith\u2019s 1912 Swift 8 HP Torpedo Roadster, one of two that exist worldwide, is believed to have been originally displayed at that exhibition. Nearby, but slightly larger, was Stanley Bone\u2019s 1910 Fabrique Nationale 1560 Roi des Belges Tourer. His efforts in polishing its extensive brasswork paid off, earning the car a Best in Class win over some tough opposition.<\/p>\n
Ross Kelly\u2019s 1931 MG Montlhery C Midget Racer had Brooklands race history. It placed 3rd outright in the 1931 JCC British Double Twelve-Hour race running unsupercharged, 1st in class (3rd outright) the following year in the JCC British 1000-mile race and it also ran in the Ulster TT. Of 44 built, it is the sole example in the country, resurfacing in the 1960\u2019s and restored in its racing livery twenty years later. Of similar vintage, but no doubt a more comfortable tourer, was Ken King\u2019s Rolls Royce Phantom II Sedanca de Ville, still with its original Hooper body. It was exported to Australia around 1932. Unrestored until 1998, its 14-year restoration has since earned it national and class club wins.<\/p>\n
Proving they are still out there, a barn-find Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing sat along the RACV\u2019s stand at the centre of the centenary display. This find is now firmly locked in with a prominent local collector for a very necessary transformation to bring it to roadworthy condition. Rarer than the Gullwing, and in much better condition, was the 1967 Austin-Healey 4000 Prototype restored by local company \u2018The Healey Factory\u2019 and displayed next to their stand. Three of these Rolls Royce-engined cars were built. This example was completed at Donald Healey\u2019s home in Cornwall and kept as his personal transport until 1970.<\/p>\n
Listed for the Sunday auction and older than all but two of the centenary exhibits, was a significant pre-Benz Mercedes, thought to be the oldest surviving shaft driven example of the marque in the world. Commissioned in 1908 by Du Cros in London, it was sold as chassis #371 with engine #2662 and build number #748. In Queensland, Australia by 1932 it was subsequently sold fifty years later to a family friend who commenced its restoration. It remained unsold after bidding halted at $350,000.<\/p>\n
Well bought at $20,000 was the restored 1922 Fiat 501 roadster, as was the immaculate 1955 Porsche Speedster at $136,500. Interesting history came with the 1958 Jaguar XK 150 roadster on offer. According to the International XK Register, chassis S830008 is believed to be the oldest of its model in existence. Shipped to New York on 26 February of that year, in 1990 it was imported to Australia from Arizona, passing to the current owner nine years later. The high bid of $80,000 wasn\u2019t sufficient to tempt its vendor.<\/p>\n
Not all the weekend action was indoors however. Next to the Royal Exhibition Building is the Melbourne Museum and the plaza between the two became a sea of classic machinery from many of the state\u2019s car clubs. Ford Cortinas rubbed shoulders with Porsches and gave the public the opportunity to experience vehicles not often seen mixing it with the trams downtown.<\/p>\n
Antique, Veteran and Edwardian<\/strong> Vintage<\/strong> Pre-War (British and European)<\/strong> Pre-War (American)<\/strong> Post-War Classic (British and European)<\/strong> Post-War Classic (Sports and Performance)<\/strong> Post-War Classic (American and Australian)<\/strong> Modern Classic (British and European)<\/strong> Modern Classic (Sports and Performance)<\/strong> Modern Classic (American and Australian)<\/strong> Brabham<\/strong> Lotus<\/strong> Pre-War Motorcycles<\/strong> Post-War Motorcycles<\/strong> [Source: Vince Johnson]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Report and photos by Vince Johnson Historic and classic motoring is alive and well down under. On 26-28 October 2012 the city of Melbourne hosted the country\u2019s third annual Motorclassica, with a Concours d’Elegance, Collector Car Auction and displays featuring the cars of triple World Formula 1 Champion Sir Jack Brabham and commemorating the sixty years of Lotus. Last year the event was a finalist in the International Motoring Awards. This year there were 141 entries vying for top honors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":564766,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[260,17565],"tags":[17604,432,16912,17603],"class_list":["post-370030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-car-events","category-concours-events","tag-event-australian-international-concours","tag-events","tag-events-concours","tag-event-motorclassica-concours"],"yoast_head":"\n
\n1898 Thompson Steam Car
\n1904 Innes Rear Entrance Tonneau
\n1909 Renault Twin Cylinder
\n1910 Fabrique Nationale 1560 Roi de Belge Tourer *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1911 Vauxhall Prince Henry Open Tourer
\n1911 Fiat Tipo 1 Spider
\n1912 Fabrique Nationale 2700
\n1912 Renault 12\/16HP Tourer
\n1912 Rolls Royce 40\/50 \u2018Silver Ghost\u2019 Roi de Belge Tourer
\n1912 Talbot 4CT \u2018Doctors\u2019 Coupe\u2019
\n1912 Cadillac Torpedo
\n1912 Cadillac Demi-Tonneau
\n1912 Delahaye Roadster
\n1912 Swift 8HP Torpedo Roadster
\n1913 Ford Model T Tourer
\n1914 Fiat Tipo 52B Roadster<\/p>\n
\n1923 Alfa Romeo RLN Tourer
\n1925 Fiat 519 Tourer
\n1926 Bugatti Type 44 Open Tourer
\n1928 Fiat 521 Sedan<\/p>\n\n1928 Packard Phaeton Tourer *Class Winner<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n1931 MG Montlhery C Midget Racer
\n1931 Rolls Royce Phantom II Sedanca de Ville
\n1931 MG F1 Tourer
\n1933 MG L1 Magna 4-seat Tourer
\n1934 MG K1 Roadster
\n1935 Bentley 2-door Sports
\n1936 MG TA Airline Coupe
\n1936 Delage D6-70 Competition Coupe (recreation)
\n1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III V12 Drophead Coupe
\n1938 MG VA Tickford Drophead Coupe *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1938 Lagonda B12 Short Chassis Sports Saloon
\n1938 Daimler ELS24 Saloon<\/p>\n
\n1931 Packard 833 Sports Coupe
\n1933 Ford V8 Deluxe 40-77B 5-Window Coupe *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1934 Packard Eight Saloon
\n1934 Ford V8 Deluxe Fordor Saloon
\n1936 Cadillac Open Tourer
\n1936 Cadillac 12 Cyl 7-Passenger Sedan<\/p>\n
\n1947 Jaguar Mk IV Saloon
\n1948 Messerschmitt KR201 3-Wheel Convertible
\n1949 Armstrong Siddeley 18HP Typhoon
\n1949 Bentley Mk VI Special Tourer
\n1949 Riley RMC Roadster
\n1950 Riley RMD Drophead Coupe
\n1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Fixed Head Coupe *Best of Show<\/strong>
\n1955 Daimler Regency Sportsman Saloon
\n1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1956 FIAT Multipla Wagon
\n1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder
\n1958 Lancia Aurelia B20GT Coupe
\n1959 Maserati 3500GT Coupe *Spirit of Motorclassica Award
\n1961 Bentley S2 Continental Drophead Coupe<\/p>\n
\n1948 MG TC Paterson Brydon Special
\n1951 Ferrari 195 Ghia Aigle Coupe
\n1954 Ferrari 250GT Europa Coupe
\n1954 Porsche Speedster Convertible Soft Top *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1955 AUSCA Open Sports
\n1956 MG A Roadster
\n1956 Porsche 356A Coupe
\n1958 Ferrari 250GT Pinin Farina Coupe
\n1960 Triumph TR3A Roadster
\n1961 MG A Sebring<\/p>\n
\n1949 Buick Riviera Roadmaster 2-Door Coupe
\n1953 Holden 48-215 Monte Carlo (Tribute)
\n1953 Holden FJ Station Wagon
\n1956 Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan
\n1956 Ford Victoria Coupe
\n1956 Chrysler 300B Coupe
\n1957 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop Convertible
\n1959 Cadillac Convertible
\n1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 *Class Winner<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n1962 Citroen Chapron Convertible Soft Top
\n1964 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe
\n1965 Mercedes-Benz 220 SB Fintail Coupe *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1966 Daimler 2.5L Sedan
\n1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe\/Roadster
\n1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe\/Roadster
\n1970 Aston Martin DB6 MK2 2-Door Coupe
\n1971 Aston Martin DBS V8 Coupe
\n1973 Citroen SM Coupe<\/p>\n
\n1962 Triumph TR4 Roadster
\n1962 Jaguar E-Type Coupe *Preservation Award
\n1967 Austin-Healey 4000 Prototype
\n1968 Fiat Dino Spyder
\n1969 Lola T163 Can-Am Sports
\n1972 Jensen Interceptor II Coupe
\n1972 Ferrari 365 GTB\/4 Daytona Coupe *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1973 Project 500 Jet Car
\n1975 Maserati Merak SS Coupe
\n1976 Lamborghini Urraco Coupe<\/p>\n
\n1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Coupe
\n1965 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
\n1966 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible
\n1967 Ford Shelby GT 500 Coupe
\n1969 Ford Mustang 429 Boss Coupe
\n1969 Ford Mustang Fastback *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1969 Buick Stage 1 Coupe
\n1970 Holden Monaro HT Coupe
\n1970 Holden Torana GTRX Concept Coupe
\n1971 Ford XY GTHO Sedan
\n1971 Oldsmobile 442 Coupe<\/p>\n
\n1947 Midget Speed Car Special
\n1949 MGTC Special
\n1958 Cooper Climax
\n1959 Cooper Monaco CM\/4\/59
\n1960 Cooper T51 Formula 1
\n1961 BT1 Formula 1
\n1963 BT6 Formula 2
\n1964 BT11 Formula 1
\n1964 BT12 Indy Car
\n1966 BT19 Formula 1
\n1966 BT21B Formula 2 *Jack Brabham: A Life in Motorsports Award<\/strong>
\n1967 BT25 Indy Car
\n1968 BT28 Formula 3
\n1969 BT31 Formula1<\/p>\n
\n1954 Lotus 6
\n1958 Lotus 7 Series 1
\n1963 Lotus Elite Super 95
\n1965 Lotus Cortina Mk1
\n1966 Lotus 7 Series 2
\n1969 Lotus Elan +2 *60th Anniversary Lotus Award<\/strong>
\n1971 Lotus Europa S2
\n1972 Lotus Elan Drophead Coupe
\n1986 Lotus Esprit S3<\/p>\n
\n1914 EWB
\n1916 Indian Power Plus 1000
\n1924 8 Valve Indian Racer
\n1925 Velocette AC250
\n1928 8 Valve Arundel Special
\n1929 Indian Four Cylinder
\n1930 Harley Davidson DAH *Class Winner<\/strong>
\n1937 Indian Chief<\/p>\n
\n1948 Indian Chief
\n1948 Indian Chief V-Twin
\n1954 BSA Shooting Star
\n1958 Gilera 150cc Rossa Sport
\n1963 Vespa Piaggio
\n1970 Indian Velo 500 Thruxton
\n1971 Zundapp Ksizs Sport
\n1973 Ducati 750GT *Class Winner<\/strong><\/p>\n