Author: paul@classiccarafrica.co.za

CAFÉ RACERS & BACK ROAD BEATERS

The other day, someone commented on our 1963 Fiat 1500 (Millecinquecento) social media advert with a picture entitled “My Abarth modified 1500”, and it got me thinking.

MILITARY DECISION

With the Union Defence Force preferring to use Ford V8s back in the day, the classic WWII-developed Willys MB jeep is rare in South Africa. However, a small number found their way down and are sought after today.

GREAT KOMBI-NATION

For many, the words ‘Volksie Bus’, ‘Kombi’ or ‘Microbus’ might conjure up images of David Kramer, red vellies and a Kombi pulling the broken-down Volstruis Fire Department truck up a gravel pass. Others might be transported back to following an ice-cream van down the road, chasing the endless summer in a rusty old split-window with surf boards, beach holidays, a ride with St John Ambulance or the slog to school with classmates. There is one more tag we can add now – that of a collectable classic, fit for a spot in your weekend fleet.

ONE-HIT WONDER

Since its inception in 1927, Volvo has been regarded as a leader in reliability and a forerunner in development safety, but not many would include the Swedish firm on any list of motoring style gurus. Although recognised as rugged, the Volvo aesthetics tend toward the boring – but the P1800 broke the square mould for a while.

A MASTER STROKE

A combination of excellent performance and practicality combined with the ‘sheer driving pleasure’ characteristic, made the BMW 2002 an instant hit and the saviour of the German giant. These traits also saw to it that it was a natural base for tuning when going racing…

LEADER OF THE PACK

What wins on Sunday sells on Monday. This train of thought saw to it that in the early 1980s the South African Group 1 racing series was littered with manufacturers fighting for top honours and some very special machinery taking to the track.

WOOLLEY MAMMOTH

What do you do when an 8-litre Bentley or Grand Prix Bugatti isn’t enough? If you are Clive and Bruce Woolley, you build a 27-litre tank-engined Monster in the spirit of an early 1900s land speed or Brooklands racer and call it ‘Lucy’.

FLOWER POWER

It has been 65 years since the birth of the Lotus Seven, a car that is inexorably linked in most people’s minds to its designer. A luminary in his own right, Colin Chapman had a simple philosophy when it came to successful racing cars: “Simplify, then add lightness.”

THERE SHE GOES AGAIN

A long-forgotten vehicle is brought back to life with the rebirth of an extremely rare 1965 Elva MKVII sports racing car

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