Show and shine attracts large crowd

Waikato Herald

24 Oct, 2023 11:30 PM2 mins to read

Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club members Bob and Wendy Owens' 34 Ford Coupe.

The National Street Rod Association (NSRA) held its annual national event in and around the Waipā-King Country area over the Labour Weekend holiday period and gave Te Awamutu residents a chance to see more than 80 cars entered at a display in conjunction with Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club.

Sculpture Park on Albert Park Drive gave ample room for a combined display of more than 100 hot rods and American vehicles, including some South Island cars, on show at the Repco, New Zealand Rodder, Petrolhead magazine and Partsman Aeroflow-sponsored event.

Waikato NSRA mates: Left is the 1937 Hudson Terraplane built and owned by long-term member Graeme Cox and his wife, Lynne, who is Waikato NSRA secretary, from Te Poi. Right is the 1958 Chevrolet Belair Coupe belonging to John Lee of Matamata. The Te Poi couple's business, Graeme Cox Engineering, was a major event sponsor.

Crowd numbers stunned organisers, with thousands taking in the display.

Staff from sponsor Repco hard at work manning its BBQ at the Te Awamutu show.

Sponsor Repco had its BBQ on hand and was able to give over $500 from sausage sales back to the NSRA to give to its chosen charity, Kids in Need Waikato.

Charley White from Auckland drove his 1940 Ford Delux Couple to the run and picked up Top 8 V8.

Organiser Kevin Archer of Te Awamutu says with the public donations, they were able to donate more than $1500 to the worthy charity.

The charity helps 65 children in the Te Awamutu township and many more in Waipā District.

Graham Cowley shows off his driving skills in his flathead-powered creation, named "Primitive", in the grasskhana.

NSRA Nationals entrants were treated to a number of events over the weekend, including a grasskhana event and cruises to areas such as Kawhia, which gave residents and visitors a treat with an impromptu display.

Three generations of the Kilsby family from Levin having fish'n'chips at Kawhia flanked by Brian Kilsby’s 32 Ford Coupe on the right and Ronnie Boblea’s 27 Ford T Roadster on the left , which was driven on the run by his teenage son, Alex.

Archer says the park-up in Kāwhia looked amazing, with street rods filling the domain and nearby streets.

A classy line-up at Kawhia, from left: Wayne Mackie's flamed 36 Ford from Rotorua; Northland NSRA delegate Roz Dennis and husband Pete's 1967 Pontiac GTO; Jason Kaan's slammed 1979 Chevrolet Caprice Wagon from Manawatu; NSRA national vice president Tony Wass from Hastings brought his 1952 Hudson Hornet running the legendary, Nascar winning 308ci wide block, straight 6, 36 Chevrolet belonging to Rotorua's Pete Fleming.

Brian Kilsby's genuine all steel 1932 Ford 3 Window Coupe at Kawhia.

A 1960 Chevrolet Impala from West Auckland dominates the foreground at the Kawhia park-up.

NSRA organisers also thank Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club for its help and venue, Waipā District Council and Te Awamutu/Kihikihi Community Board for their support and all their sponsors.

The next major event in Waipā is the Stragglers Rod and Kustom Club 2023 Charity Custom & Classic Car Display on Sunday, November 26, from 9am-2pm at Mighty River Domain, Lake Karāpiro.

Te Awamutu Rod & Custom Club member Grant Tynan's 1956 Chevrolet Coupe was a welcoming face at the show entrance.

This event has grown over the years and is now another must-do event for hot rodders and classic car owners with several hundred cars and classic motorbikes and boats on display.