Motor lovers descend on Wanganui

MINI CRAZY: Moutoa Quay is awash with car enthusiasts as members of Mini New Zealand roll into town.PHOTO/LEWIS GARDNER 040415WCLGMINIRUN7.JPG

It was a good weekend for car enthusiasts in Wanganui, with two major car exhibitions passing through the River City.

On Saturday around 60 Minis stopped in Wanganui as part of a trip from Kaitaia to Invercargill in a re-enactment of the popular New Zealand film Goodbye Pork Pie, from 1981.

On Sunday 100 cars from the American Muscle Car Club of New Zealand passed through as part of their tour of the North Island.

Members of Mini New Zealand are stopping in towns and cities on their trip to collect donations and fundraise for KidsCan Charitable Trust. They are aiming to raise $150,000.

The run started on April 2 and will finish on April 8.

While in Wanganui the Minis had a brief stop in Upokongaro and drove through Kowhai Park, before stopping for about an hour at Trafalgar Square carpark, where they attracted a big crowd.

This is the fourth Pork Pie charity run, which was started by Murray Hemsley and Rod Harris during the 50th anniversary of the Mini.

"To mark the 50th anniversary of this iconic piece of British engineering it seemed logical to drive one end of the country to the other with a group of fun-loving and like-minded people. Following the route and adopting the spirit of the movie Goodbye Pork Pie seemed logical," Mr Hemsley said.

"Raising money for charity while we are enjoying ourselves just seemed right."

KidsCan was set up 10 years ago to support the education of thousands of disadvantaged New Zealanders.

The American Muscle Car Club is touring the North Island also as part of a charity run, raising money for a local charity in each town they stop in. Collectors at the Wanganui show were gathering donations for the Wanganui SPCA.

The show included a large number of Mustangs, as well as Cadillacs, Pontiacs, Dodges, Chevrolets, and many other American car varieties.

Both car exhibitions attracted hundreds of car enthusiasts.

-See Tuesday's Wanganui Chronicle for pictures of the American Muscle Car show.