Revving up for Starship
Rev up your Holdens and ignite your Falcons, Feilding’s Manfeild Park is about to be over-run by Australians.
Since Australian car assembly operations ended in 2017, the All Aussie Car Show will forge a stronger reputation as time goes on.
The show returns to Manfeild for its eighth visit on January 26, and over the past eight years it has raised more than $15,000 for the Starship Foundation.
Organiser Dwayne Burrell said owners of about 200 historic cars usually turned up with their pride and joy. Some even let children climb into the driver’s seat and check out the bells and whistles.
A range of Holdens, Ford Falcons and Chrysler Valiants will be on display.
Turning heads at last year’s event was Con Bentley’s red and white 1968 VE Valiant Gasser, running a dual carb 318ci V8 engine. The four-speed manual beast is expected back this month. ‘‘There’s all different cars, from old to new – muscle cars, original cars to modified ones, drag cars and burnout cars,’’ Burrell, who is also the head of the Manawatu¯ Aussie Car Club, said.
Although no-one in the club had a connection with the Starship Foundation, Burrell said everyone knew someone who had benefited from its ‘‘amazing services’’.
‘‘We get some heart-warming letters and pictures from some brave little kiddies.’’
The show isn’t necessarily all about the biggest and flashest cars on the scene either. Last year, a model toy car also found a spot to show off.