Rolling car museum drives through the Whanganui region in Burma Rally

One of over 70 cars heading off for a tour of Whanganui region backroads in the Burma Rally. Photo / Finn Williams

Over 70 cars from 1915 to 1993 made their way around the Whanganui region this Sunday as they took part in the Whanganui Vintage Car Club’s Burma Rally.

Club chairman Andrew Dittmer said this year’s rally was the 64th edition of the event, which was open to any vehicle 30 years old or older.

“1993 ... is the youngest if you like, and as far back as you can go for a wheeled vehicle is the oldest,” Dittmer said.

Cars taking part this year ranged from a first-generation Mazda MX5, to a two-stroke powered Saab, to a 1915 Ford Model T.

The cars lined up on Taupo Quay as they waited for the rally to get under way. Photo / Finn Williams

Rally secretary Christine Savage said people from Tauranga, Whakatane, Kawerau, Inglewood Horowhenua had come to Whanganui to take part.

The draw for this diverse range of vehicles and people, Dittmer said, was the region’s network of historic backroads.

“To be able to enjoy these beautiful old roads that we still have here and everyone is out with a big smile on their face, it’s just fantastic,” he said.

The rally was a competition, with two timed segments placed over the route where drivers had to drive to a speed they picked out before the start of the event.

The oldest car in the rally, a Ford Model T, next to one of the youngest, a Mazda MX5. Photo / Finn Williams

“Even though they’re old cars, the time is down to the second,” Dittmer said.

The drivers who set a time closest to what they picked would win prizes given to the club by local businesses.

However, Dittmer said most people treated the event as fun and an excuse to get out and about in their pride and joys.

“Most of us don’t take it terribly seriously, and we’re very thrilled if we do win a prize,” he said.

“The fun of it is driving around in your old car and showing them off,” Savage said.

Roger Corlett & Christine Reichenbach drove their 1930 Austin Seven panelvan from Marton for the rally and had been busy “driving the living daylights out of it” in the months previous.

“[We’ve driven] every sideroad within about 40-mile radius of Marton, this morning we’ve been way up this side of the river and last night we went right up the other side of the river, as far as we can go,” Corlett said.

Marton's Roger Corlett & Christine Reichenbach with their Austin Seven panelvan. Photo / Finn Williams

They’d only owned the 93-year-old Seven for three months but had driven it 2000km in that time.

Reichenbach said they had been driving it so much to make up for its previous owner barely using it at all.

“The owners before us, they’d driven it 100 miles in the last 10 years,” she said.

It was their first time taking part in the rally, which Corlett said they signed up for as another excuse to drive the van.

“It doesn’t matter where we go, so long as we’re driving it,” Corlett said.

A similar sentiment was felt by Whanganui’s Shane Hobman.

Shane Hobman and his 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Photo / Finn Williams

Hobman has done vintage rallying for over 20 years and was taking part in the rally in a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air which had its own Whanganui History.

“The car is a local car, it’s been around here since 1972, it used to be an old gentleman’s car in Aramoho,” he said.

He takes part in the rally as it’s a social occasion for him, having been in the car club for over 25 years.

“It’s just a hobby ... it’s just for driving old cars, you’re allowed to drive old cars so we drive them on the backroads of New Zealand,” he said.

Whanganui couple Pat & Sandra Carrick were also avid rallygoers taking part in Sunday’s event.

Their Morris Minor was unique as it had both the low headlight option and it was a tourer, meaning they could drive it with the roof down.

Pat & Sandra Carrick in their Morris Minor Tourer. Photo / Finn Williams

Pat said they took part in the rally for the comradeship between them and their fellow clubmates.

“We all meet up for lunch together,” he said.

If everything went well, they hoped to pick up a prize at the end of the day.

Dittmer said it was a pleasure to be able to still put the rally on, as it gave him a chance to meet new people and catch up with old friends.

“I’ve got friends here that I’ve met from all around the North Island,” he said.

He thanked the local businesses who sponsored the event, and the volunteers who helped put the event on.