Despite its geographical position, South Africa was a popular motorsport venue in the pre-war years and thanks to the efforts of East London’s The Daily Dispatch motoring editor Edward ‘Brud’ Bishop, the country hosted its first grand prix on 27 December 1934. The East London…
2 Cortinas + 2 Escorts = Y151, according to teacher Gerrie van Heerden.
He’s Irish, he’s 85 years old, he’s a top ex-racer who almost got to steal a ride on the 6-cylinder Honda 250cc GP bike, and he introduced the Honda 750 Four to South Africa. His name is Roger McCleery. Gavin Foster talks to the Grand…
Regular readers would remember our story about the first sportscar to use the German Wankel-designed rotary engine – the Japanese Mazda Cosmo. But there was another car, far closer to home for Herr Wankel, that was not only the first mass-production saloon to use this…
The world of motorcycling in the 1970s was an exciting place; revolutionary bikes were rolling off the lines in both Japan and Europe with astonishing – and literal – pace. Making a mark during this period was no easy feat, but the small Italian outfit…
It’s safe to say that having a Ferrari in your garage is high up on most petrolheads’ bucket lists. And while the keys to a set of wheels wearing the famous Cavallino badge may elude most of us until we’re too old and grey to…
If you are unfamiliar with Peter Ustinov’s The Grand Prix of Gibraltar then best you get on YouTube and take a listen. Even better, find an original LP by scouring second-hand shops or purchase one online.
Wales, the land of dragons, coal mining, the language with the least vowels and home to a rugby team that occasionally has every Springbok rugby fan biting their nails (in a 32 match playing history there has been one draw, Wales has won 3 and…
With the brutal Holden Monaro and Chevy SS machines leaving our shores, and heading down under faster than they accelerate from zero to 100km/h, we track down a pair of these Australian-derived South African legends before there are none left to see if they live…
Is there any other vehicle that symbolises South African motoring more than the Ford Cortina bakkie? Thanks to its Port Elizabeth-based development, extremely high local parts content and the fact that in period you’d see one parked on almost any street corner, farm, building site,…