It’s been many moons since the former Bunnings Warehouse site was a hive of activity, but the Classic Cars Orange event in the massive space has been hailed a success.
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The Rotary Club of Orange Daybreak brought together some classic cars and vintage motorbikes, and combined them with some of the best wines, craft beer and food the city had to offer at the Bathurst Road site on Saturday.
Orange Daybreak president Bob Derrick estimated around 2000 people had walked through the warehouse into one of the state’s only indoor car shows.
One of the unique cars at the event is owned by Ross and Jude Preen. Their 1968 vintage top fuel dragster – known as Banshee – is the only one in Australia and last raced competitively in 1981.
VIDEO: Ross Preen starts up his vintage top fuel dragster ...
Its age was no barrier to giving the warehouse’s walls a good shake when the engine started up.
Not every vehicle exhibited was a speed machine. Nigel Coutts’ 1920 Hupmobile Model 20 is one of around 30 or so which are still operational.
Their enduring popularity among collectors comes down to the fact that they were reliable for their time, Mr Coutts said.
“Where as some other cars were unreliable or expensive or worse, unreliable and expensive,” he explained.
Mr Coutts said locknuts weren’t around when the car was designed, so owners had to be sure every joint was tight, as well as making sure the motor was well oiled.
Mr Coutts said drivers had to pay close attention when braking, which could only be done by pulling on a lever. Not that excessive speed was a big issue, with a top speed of 55km/h.
“You can’t go fast and you can’t stop fast,” he said.
Renzo Manenti drove his Ford FG Falcon GT-F – one of the last sporting the GT bage – all the way from Griffith for the show.
What did he get for his trouble? A stray rock cracked his windscreen as he was driving past roadworks.
Fixing the 30-centimetre crack in his windscreen will cost around $800, but he is philosophical about the impending repair bill.
“That’s the risk with driving cars that you like. There’s no point buying it and not using it,” Mr Manenti said.
The vehicle is one of three in Mr Manenti’s possession, and he is working on restoring a XY Falcon.
Mr Derrick said there were already dates set aside for the Classic Cars Orange event’s return in 12 months’ time.