Impromptu car show at the inaugural Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
Impromptu car show at the inaugural Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
It has been in the pipeline for a while - Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club is keen to add a monthly event to motor enthusiasts’ calendars to get members and like-minded petrolheads out and about in their vehicles.
The call went out earlier this month and on Sunday, August 11 the clubrooms were opened early for the inaugural TARCC Breakfast and Mystery Run.
As an unknown quantity, the club decided to provide the catering and enlisted the help of The Coffee Cartel, owned by Amy and Andre Tootill, for the hot drinks.
Club member Paula Woodhouse spent the morning of her birthday cooking barbecue breakfasts for fellow car enthusiasts. Photo / Dean Taylor
Birthday girl Paula Woodhouse was a gem on the barbecue, dishing up bacon and egg buns, while barista Amy was kept so busy in the coffee cart that TARCC president Murray Peterson, until recently co-owner of Central Cafe, stepped up to show he still had his coffee-making skills.
Barbecue breakfast, coffee cart and a catch-up before the Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
The event’s chief organiser was Craig ‘Haggis’ O’Hanlon, who counted in 45 vehicles for the run - a mix of hot rods, classics, modern American and Australian vehicles and a couple of Japanese classics.
The event had been advertised as open to any special interest vehicles and members were pleased with the turnout and variety.
Kerry and Trudy Morrison's award winning 1937 Buick was on display in the clubrooms. Photo / Dean Taylor
Open from 8am, members and visitors enjoyed warming up over breakfast, coffee and early morning chat while an impromptu car show assembled in the Albert Park Rd carpark.
Impromptu car show at the inaugural Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
Cars on show. Photo / Dean Taylor
Some of the vistors to the inaugural Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
A car at the Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
More scenes from the Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club Breakfast and Mystery Run. Photo / Dean Taylor
A visitor to the show. Photo / Dean Taylor
Shortly before departure time of 10am, Peterson welcomed everyone and announced the Mystery Run.
Te Awamutu member Shame Jamieson led the way in his 1946 Chevrolet truck as the Mystery Run departed the clubrooms. Photo / Dean Taylor
The Mystery Run departing Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club clubrooms. Photo / Dean Taylor
Cars on the move. Photo / Dean Taylor
More cars departing. Photo / Dean Taylor
The Mystery Run departing Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club clubrooms. Photo / Dean Taylor
Leaving the carpark towards Hamilton, the 45 cars assembled further along SH3 to head through Tamahere and Morrinsvile en masse to enjoy a run together to the first stop at Ajay’s Ford V8 Parts in Paeroa.
First stop for the Mystery Run was Ajay's Ford V8 Parts in Paeroa. Photo / Craig O'Hanlon
A pair of Datsuns joined the run: A 1200 Ute, running a 1500cc engine with a Webber carburettor and 5-speed transmission, and a genuine 180B SSS automatic. Photo / Craig O'Hanlon
As their advertising states, Ajay’s is more than just a Ford shop and there was plenty of interest in their huge array of automotive and vintage collectibles and treasures.
Lunch break was an own-choice affair, with options in Paeroa to Waihī to the Bay of Plenty as the run headed to Henry’s Rod Shop in Katikati.
Henry's owner Ray Thomson (right) catches up with Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club president Murray Peterson and his wife Reanna. Photo / Dean Taylor
Officially opened in July 2020, Henry’s Rod Shop is owned by former Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club member Ray Thomson.
With 14 staff it is one of New Zealand’s biggest one-stop automotive shops, taking on everything from WOF checks to repairs, rebuilds, modification and fabrication of every conceivable vehicle from American muscle cars to VW cars and vans.
Projects in progress at Henry's Rod Shop. Photo / Dean Taylor
A work in progress at Henry's Rod Shop. Photo / Dean Taylor
More projects at Henry's Rod Shop. Photo / Dean Taylor
The run ended at Henry’s after the visitors enjoyed a thorough poke around the various workshop areas and assessed the many projects in progress.
The inaugural event had been judged a success as enthusiasts headed home, which included Auckland, Ōtorohanga, Te Puke, Morrinsville, Cambridge and Hamilton.
Mystery Run participants on show at Henry's. Photo / Dean Taylor
Cars on show at Henry's. Photo / Dean Taylor
O’Hanlon thanked Ajay’s and Henry’s for opening their doors to the run.
He was heartened by comments that many of the participants were already looking forward to the first Sunday in September for the next breakfast mix-and-mingle and mystery run as a good excuse to get the hot rod or classic out of the shed.
The event will follow a similar format; start at 8am on Sunday, September 8, with breakfast and coffee available and a departure at about 10am for a mystery location.
