ADELAIDE’S ELITE
> THE CREAM OF RADELAIDE’S CAR SCENE CAME OUT TO PLAY AT THE 2016 ADELAIDE AUTO EXPO
FOR the past decade, Geof Tartoosie and his team of dedicated helpers have put together the Adelaide Auto Expo & Hot Rod Show. It’s SA’S only indoor auto event, and this year featured over 1000 cars over the Friday and Saturday at the Adelaide Showgrounds. Inside the main pavilion, the pristine rides are arranged in several classes from Elite to Street, including a Meguiar’s Superstars round.
Stepping into the pavilion, you were hit front and centre with the 2016 Street Machine Of The Year winner, Chris and Colleen Bitmead’s XBOSS Falcon. It was the first time Adelaidians had the chance to view the trophy-hoovering coupe up close, and it’s fair to say it was extremely well received. While Chris Bitmead was still on cloud nine after taking out Australia’s most prestigious street machining award, he remained extremely humble and was happy to chat with eager onlookers. Surrounding the XB was a raft of Elite builds from across Oz, leading you through to the rest of the amazing metal ’n’ glass on display.
Outside, the automotive feast continued with a cruise for Aussie rides on the Friday night, and an outdoor show on Saturday, which then gave way to the all-american Zippel cruise later in the arvo.
Across the event there was the usual mix of makes and models, providing a colourful visual spectacular. We’re talking local classics, supercars, hot rods, US metal, along with a few Japanese and Euro rides thrown in for good measure. And each car stood on its own merits, deserving a good, solid walk-around to soak in the builders’ intentions.
It’s even better when the owner is on hand to offer their build anecdotes, such as the great family story of Mark and Frank Navacchi’s VC Valiant [above]. “I was handed the keys to Nonno’s VC a few years back,” Mark said. “He’d bought it new, while working at Adelaide’s Chrysler factory.” Mark started the rebuild, but then a move interstate for work saw the Valiant move into the capable hands of his dad
Frank. Frank oversaw the project’s completion, including the immaculate Mint Opal paint, pearlcream vinyl interior and mild 225ci build.
The stories were as varied as the mods that people had performed on their creations, with this year’s popular theme being blown, tubbed cars in otherwise relatively stock guise. A few were more discreet, keeping it all under-bonnet with set-ups to get the neddies down the track. And with Adelaide International Raceway up and running again, a couple of heavy-hitters were on display to tease those wanting more before the following weekend’s Summer Nationals.
Car clubs were featured throughout, with the Street Machine Association of South Australia (SMASA) proudly showing off a variety of rides, proving the Association’s all-makes, allmodels policy. The club has gone from strength to strength with over 450 individual members and 20 affiliated clubs, representing around 2500 motoring enthusiasts. There’s a heap more promised too, with continued positive talks between dedicated enthusiast Glenn Stankevicius and the State Minister for Transport to implement conditional registration for modified vehicles – a logbook scheme for legally modified cars from ’78 or earlier.
With such a strong local movement, we can’t wait to see what’s in store at the 2017 Adelaide Auto Expo, 24-25 November.