Pretoria - It was a chance meeting between two old-car enthusiasts just near Loftus Versveld in the mid-1960s that saw the establishment of the Pretoria Old Motor Club, and the subsequent hosting of Cars in the Park, the country’s premier “old-car” event.
Legend has it that Erwin Kuschke was driving his Ford Model T down Park Street in Pretoria one Saturday morning when he came upon Steffan Stander driving a Model A Ford. The two sounded their “ah-hoo-gah” hooters and stopped for a chat, and that confluence saw the idea for an old-car club take root. In 1966 the Pretoria Old Motor Club was officially formed, and the rest is pretty much history.
This Sunday the POMC hosts its 37th Cars in the Park, and it expected there will be more than 2000 old cars attending, and upwards of 10 000 spectators.
That’s a far cry from the nine cars that were exhibited at the very first Pretoria Cars in the Park in 1980, and it has taken the club an immense amount of work to get the event to its current level.
Since 2006 the event has been held at the Zwartkops Raceway on the R55, west of Pretoria, and this year, in addition to the 2 000 vintage, veteran, classic, hot-rodded, customised and other special cars expected to attend, there will be over 100 motor clubs booking space around the Zwartkops race track.
Special invite display
The POMC will once again host its Special Invite display in the pit area, and this year the theme is “Pick Up Trucks”. These special vehicles date back over 100 years in terms of the history of the motor car, while today, pick-ups from the 1940s to the 1960s have found favour again with collectors of pristine original cars, as well as with the customising, hot-rodding fraternity.
The Pretoria Old Motor Club will also be hosting its own 50 Year Celebration at the show, with its members bringing some very special cars to celebrate the occasion. In light of the fact that it all began with a chance meeting of a Model T and a Model A Ford, expect to see a number of these cars in the POMC special half-century area.
The show opens to the public at 8am on Sunday. Classic cars up to 1985 will be admitted to the race track grounds, as well as special-interest later-model cars. But the drivers of these later cars will have to produce proof of club membership or have made arrangements with the organisers, otherwise they will be charged full admission fee. Contact the organisers at the addresses listed below.
The drivers of classic cars will be admitted free of charge, along with one passenger. Additional passengers will have to pay full spectator entry fee of R100. Children under 12 will be admitted free.
Drivers of bona-fide classics and special-interest cars will be admitted to the grounds from 6am onwards. These cars will then be parked at various allocations around the circuit, and required to remain in the grounds until 3pm, to help ease traffic congestion.
Amazing array of cars
An amazing array of cars is once again expected, ranging from cars built before 1910 to later classics dating up to 1985. Fords, Chevs, Buicks, Datsuns, Alfas, MGs, Cadillacs. You name it, and you’ll find your favourite car at the 37th Cars in the Park.
In addition to the cars, there will be hundreds of vendors selling food, drink, clothing, spare parts for old cars, books on old cars, and entertainment for the whole family.
Gates open:8am
Entrance fee: R100
Parking: Special parking for spectators is arranged south of the circuit on the R55. There is also an additional gate located in the suburb of Erasmia, off the R551.
More info: Visit www.pomc.co.za or contact the POMC’s chief show organiser Frik Kraamwinkel on 082-444-2954, or e-mail him on [email protected].
Star Motoring