The Classic Car Show MyZA

The Classic Car scene just gets bigger and better every year. Hundreds of clubs around the country host events at all sorts of venues, but in Gauteng, The Classic Car Show is already acknowledged as the biggest in the region, and also the most diverse show, attracting over 1500 cars and over 10 000 visitors.

The December 1, 2013 event in the Nasrec Expo Centre will be the Third Classic Car Show hosted jointly by Classic Cars.co.za and Rolling Thunder, the Robertsham-based restoration specialists with up to 200 classic muscle cars on their books at any given time.

“For this mid-summer event we are bringing out the big guns,” says organiser Paulo Calisto. “I’m expecting up to 500 muscle cars alone, and then we will have a host of classic VWs, Kombis, Triumphs, MGs, Austin Healeys, Volvos, Cortinas, and other serious classics like Studebakers, Cadillacs and Packards.

“The muscle car contingent is a term I use loosely, because in this genre you have the proper early muscle cars like the Chevrolet Impalas, Pontiacs, Fords and Buicks, which were what the American’s called medium sedans with big engines, but in reality they are still huge.

“Then you have the cars popularly called muscle cars by most people, the Mustangs, the Camaros, the Firebirds. These were American two-door sporty cars from the ’60s, and I am expecting these cars to turn up in their hundreds at Nasrec Expo Centre on December 1.

“The beauty of these sporty muscle cars, also known as pony cars by the Americans, is that they come in all sorts of guises. Some of the guys do perfect original restorations, down to the correct wheel trims, seat covers, even the correct AM radio from that time, and of course they are matching number cars, in other words, the engine number matches the chassis number from the first production schedule. These are the most valuable, especially the ’64-and-a-half Mustangs and the ’67 Chev Camaros.

“But then you get the guys who go the full custom route, and here you must include the Dodge Chargers and Dodge Challengers. A perfect Dodge Charger, and we have more than a couple coming to the show, is worth well over R1-million today. Not a bad investment, considering they cost maybe 4 000 dollars in the late ’60s, back when the rand was worth 75 American cents!”

The various muscle genres hark back to the ’50s too, and here the most popular cars are the famous ’55 to’57 Chevrolets, known as the Tri-Chevy years, as they are considered the most classic Chevrolets amongst hot rodders.

Talking of hot rods, there will be a huge contingent of street rods, ranging in styles from the popular ’32 to ’35 Ford Model A-based rods, your classic street rod, to Plymouths, Studebakers, Chevrolets, and of course the increasingly popular American pick-ups.

All of the above genre-differentiation pretty much applies to the huge Volkswagen contingent supporting the show, which also numbers classic, Californian look and Mazda-rotary-engined disciples amongst its adherents.

The Harley-Davidson and classic bike show could almost be described as a show within a show, and these enthusiasts are supporting the show this year as the match of muscle cars, classic cars, custom bikes and classic British and Japanese two-wheeled iron is a natural fit.

The day will include live rocks bands, a show and shine, jumping castles for the kids, and a drifting competition on the Nasrec Expo Centre skid pan.

The Classic Car Show will run for the whole of Sunday, December 1, at the Nasrec Expo Centre, south-west of Johannesburg. Entrants in classic cars will be granted free admission for the driver of the car. Admission prices are R60 per adult, while children under 12 will be charged R20.

“Classic cars are a fantastic hobby that the whole family can take part in,” says Paulo Calisto. “My advice to anyone who has an interest in cars is to get into the classic family as soon as possible, because this is where you’ll find people from all walks of life with petrol in their veins.