Super Chevy Sunday Turns Five

Upper Hutt’s Harcourt Park was where the Wellington Chevrolet Club staged its fifth annual Super Chevy Sunday on February 8. The warm, blue-skied day brought out the Chevys and other classics in force. Although primarily a gathering for Chevrolet enthusiasts, any make of car was welcome to come along and park up.

More than a hundred classics and hot rods accepted the invitation by 10.30am, and half an hour later the numbers on the concourse appeared to have doubled.

Each child riding in a participating vehicle received a Hot Wheels model on entry. This was a nice touch that will encourage future classic car owners to come back again next year.

There was no ‘best in the show’ prize awarded, although that could be part of the next year’s programme.

Probably the rarest vehicle on the concourse was an Australian Chevrolet Master 85 coupe utility, which really stood out amongst its American cousins. The body was an original and not a custom, as some might have thought. Australia invented the ute, as we know it today, when Ford introduced the Coupe Utility 302 in 1934. Chevrolet followed, producing coupe utes in Australia until 1952, when they were outsold by Holden. Holden enthusiasts would have been pleased to see more models here than in previous years.

Rambler cars are now seldom seen at Hutt Valley car shows. Super Chevy Sunday attracted two: a 1969 Rambler AMX and a 1972 Rambler Rebel four door saloon.

Organizer Glenn Wood said, “The Wellington Chevrolet Club was very pleased with the turnout of vehicles for its fifth annual Super Chevy Sunday. Special thanks to Mainfreight for the presentation of their rigs, and to Josh O’keeffe and Max Wood for bringing along their race cars. At one stage there was a line of children waiting for seat time (in them) and photo opportunities. New band Stir Crazy sounded pretty good for a first-ever outing. All round (it was) a good picnic day for vehicle enthusiasts.”