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’s 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 from the Concours judges, including two categories for motorcycles. Many of these showed they weren’t trailer queens by taking part in Thursday’s Tour Classica from the Formula 1 circuit at Albert Park, driving through the city streets to the 130-year-old Royal Exhibition Building.
Already inside were fourteen of Brabham’s 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’ designer Ron Tauranac. His 1966 BT19, affectionately known as the ‘Old Nail’, took pride of place in the display.
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’s 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’s 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.
Ross Kelly’s 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’s and restored in its racing livery twenty years later. Of similar vintage, but no doubt a more comfortable tourer, was Ken King’s 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.
Proving they are still out there, a barn-find Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing sat along the RACV’s 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 ‘The Healey Factory’ and displayed next to their stand. Three of these Rolls Royce-engined cars were built. This example was completed at Donald Healey’s home in Cornwall and kept as his personal transport until 1970.
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.
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’t sufficient to tempt its vendor.
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’s 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.
Motorclassica Concours d’Elegance 2012 – Photo Gallery (click image for larger picture and description)
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Motorclassica Concours d’Elegance 2012 – Entrants and Class Winners
Antique, Veteran and Edwardian
1898 Thompson Steam Car
1904 Innes Rear Entrance Tonneau
1909 Renault Twin Cylinder
1910 Fabrique Nationale 1560 Roi de Belge Tourer *Class Winner
1911 Vauxhall Prince Henry Open Tourer
1911 Fiat Tipo 1 Spider
1912 Fabrique Nationale 2700
1912 Renault 12/16HP Tourer
1912 Rolls Royce 40/50 ‘Silver Ghost’ Roi de Belge Tourer
1912 Talbot 4CT ‘Doctors’ Coupe’
1912 Cadillac Torpedo
1912 Cadillac Demi-Tonneau
1912 Delahaye Roadster
1912 Swift 8HP Torpedo Roadster
1913 Ford Model T Tourer
1914 Fiat Tipo 52B Roadster
Vintage
1923 Alfa Romeo RLN Tourer
1925 Fiat 519 Tourer
1926 Bugatti Type 44 Open Tourer
1928 Fiat 521 Sedan
1928 Packard Phaeton Tourer *Class Winner
Pre-War (British and European)
1931 MG Montlhery C Midget Racer
1931 Rolls Royce Phantom II Sedanca de Ville
1931 MG F1 Tourer
1933 MG L1 Magna 4-seat Tourer
1934 MG K1 Roadster
1935 Bentley 2-door Sports
1936 MG TA Airline Coupe
1936 Delage D6-70 Competition Coupe (recreation)
1937 Rolls Royce Phantom III V12 Drophead Coupe
1938 MG VA Tickford Drophead Coupe *Class Winner
1938 Lagonda B12 Short Chassis Sports Saloon
1938 Daimler ELS24 Saloon
Pre-War (American)
1931 Packard 833 Sports Coupe
1933 Ford V8 Deluxe 40-77B 5-Window Coupe *Class Winner
1934 Packard Eight Saloon
1934 Ford V8 Deluxe Fordor Saloon
1936 Cadillac Open Tourer
1936 Cadillac 12 Cyl 7-Passenger Sedan
Post-War Classic (British and European)
1947 Jaguar Mk IV Saloon
1948 Messerschmitt KR201 3-Wheel Convertible
1949 Armstrong Siddeley 18HP Typhoon
1949 Bentley Mk VI Special Tourer
1949 Riley RMC Roadster
1950 Riley RMD Drophead Coupe
1952 Bentley R-Type Continental Fixed Head Coupe *Best of Show
1955 Daimler Regency Sportsman Saloon
1956 Mercedes-Benz 190SL Convertible *Class Winner
1956 FIAT Multipla Wagon
1956 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder
1958 Lancia Aurelia B20GT Coupe
1959 Maserati 3500GT Coupe *Spirit of Motorclassica Award
1961 Bentley S2 Continental Drophead Coupe
Post-War Classic (Sports and Performance)
1948 MG TC Paterson Brydon Special
1951 Ferrari 195 Ghia Aigle Coupe
1954 Ferrari 250GT Europa Coupe
1954 Porsche Speedster Convertible Soft Top *Class Winner
1955 AUSCA Open Sports
1956 MG A Roadster
1956 Porsche 356A Coupe
1958 Ferrari 250GT Pinin Farina Coupe
1960 Triumph TR3A Roadster
1961 MG A Sebring
Post-War Classic (American and Australian)
1949 Buick Riviera Roadmaster 2-Door Coupe
1953 Holden 48-215 Monte Carlo (Tribute)
1953 Holden FJ Station Wagon
1956 Cadillac Fleetwood Sedan
1956 Ford Victoria Coupe
1956 Chrysler 300B Coupe
1957 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop Convertible
1959 Cadillac Convertible
1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 *Class Winner
Modern Classic (British and European)
1962 Citroen Chapron Convertible Soft Top
1964 Aston Martin DB5 Coupe
1965 Mercedes-Benz 220 SB Fintail Coupe *Class Winner
1966 Daimler 2.5L Sedan
1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe/Roadster
1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SL Coupe/Roadster
1970 Aston Martin DB6 MK2 2-Door Coupe
1971 Aston Martin DBS V8 Coupe
1973 Citroen SM Coupe
Modern Classic (Sports and Performance)
1962 Triumph TR4 Roadster
1962 Jaguar E-Type Coupe *Preservation Award
1967 Austin-Healey 4000 Prototype
1968 Fiat Dino Spyder
1969 Lola T163 Can-Am Sports
1972 Jensen Interceptor II Coupe
1972 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona Coupe *Class Winner
1973 Project 500 Jet Car
1975 Maserati Merak SS Coupe
1976 Lamborghini Urraco Coupe
Modern Classic (American and Australian)
1965 Ford Shelby GT350 Coupe
1965 Ford Thunderbird Convertible
1966 Chevrolet Impala SS Convertible
1967 Ford Shelby GT 500 Coupe
1969 Ford Mustang 429 Boss Coupe
1969 Ford Mustang Fastback *Class Winner
1969 Buick Stage 1 Coupe
1970 Holden Monaro HT Coupe
1970 Holden Torana GTRX Concept Coupe
1971 Ford XY GTHO Sedan
1971 Oldsmobile 442 Coupe
Brabham
1947 Midget Speed Car Special
1949 MGTC Special
1958 Cooper Climax
1959 Cooper Monaco CM/4/59
1960 Cooper T51 Formula 1
1961 BT1 Formula 1
1963 BT6 Formula 2
1964 BT11 Formula 1
1964 BT12 Indy Car
1966 BT19 Formula 1
1966 BT21B Formula 2 *Jack Brabham: A Life in Motorsports Award
1967 BT25 Indy Car
1968 BT28 Formula 3
1969 BT31 Formula1
Lotus
1954 Lotus 6
1958 Lotus 7 Series 1
1963 Lotus Elite Super 95
1965 Lotus Cortina Mk1
1966 Lotus 7 Series 2
1969 Lotus Elan +2 *60th Anniversary Lotus Award
1971 Lotus Europa S2
1972 Lotus Elan Drophead Coupe
1986 Lotus Esprit S3
Pre-War Motorcycles
1914 EWB
1916 Indian Power Plus 1000
1924 8 Valve Indian Racer
1925 Velocette AC250
1928 8 Valve Arundel Special
1929 Indian Four Cylinder
1930 Harley Davidson DAH *Class Winner
1937 Indian Chief
Post-War Motorcycles
1948 Indian Chief
1948 Indian Chief V-Twin
1954 BSA Shooting Star
1958 Gilera 150cc Rossa Sport
1963 Vespa Piaggio
1970 Indian Velo 500 Thruxton
1971 Zundapp Ksizs Sport
1973 Ducati 750GT *Class Winner
[Source: Vince Johnson]
