HORSEPOWER DISPLAY –
CAPITAL RODDERS HORSEPOWER DISPLAY AND SWAP MEET
The annual Capital Rodders Horsepower Display and Swap Meet lived up to its reputation in more ways than one
Trentham Racecourse has cemented itself in the minds of capital-city petrolheads as the place to be a couple of times each year, the annual Capital Rodders Horsepower Display and Swap Meet being one of those. The venue, usually home to horsepower of a different type, works remarkably well for car events, with plenty of different parking areas on offer, food and beverage vendors, and as much indoor space as required. Come Sunday, May 21, the locality awoke to the sound of committee members and dedicated enthusiasts arriving before the sun was out — well, theoretically speaking; the time the sun would have been out. Having gone to school right next door to the venue, I was well aware of just how cold and miserable the weather around Trentham can be, but the day was cold even by Trentham standards. Of course, Wellingtonians being hardy folks, they didn’t stay home; instead, they rugged up and carried on — well, most of them at least. The event is open to all types of vehicles, and it was great to see a turnout of vehicles you would not normally expect at a ‘hot rod’ event — a large display from the local chapter of Skylines Down Under (SDU) being a perfect example. Of course, most vehicles present were motivated by some form of bent eight, but that didn’t stop those without one from fronting up. In
fact, the largest vehicle on display wasn’t even petrol powered, said vehicle being the monster diesel-turbo race truck of Malcolm Little. The tow rig itself was an impressive piece of work, and, understandably, both it and the race rig were surrounded by a solid crowd for the duration of the event, especially come fire-up time. The biggest horsepower machine on show was likely Mark Thomas’ Ford Customline top doorslammer. Mark had dragged his reluctant family along at an ungodly hour of the morning to get set up before the punters began rolling through the gates, and he had a steady stream of people being photographed in the car till the day’s end. Garnering just as many looks and photos were the off-road machines parked up on the stairs, towering over everything else around them. In superb contrast, parked nearby was a Fordpowered, chopped, rat rod–style Land Cruiser. And with the event being supported by local business General Metal Recyclers, the team from the business were on hand with a decent display of their own, including a cubed car and metal artwork in the form of two giant sculptures. When punters needed a break from the icy-cold wind blowing through, the place to go was the indoor traders’ area, where the hot coffee helped to bring some feeling back to frozen fingers and lips. Also to be found in this area were plenty of local businesses peddling, to an appreciative audience, wares that ranged from car parts to
IN SUPERB CONTRAST, PARKED NEARBY WAS A FORDPOWERED, CHOPPED, RAT ROD--STYLE LAND CRUISER
custom pinstriping to the usual odds and sods. Braver sellers took up residence in the multitude of covered, yet still outdoor — read, freezing — areas around the venue. These locations may have worked in their favour each time the rain rolled through and the crowds headed for cover. The main car park was an ever-changing show in itself as punters came and went. Regardless of taste, there was always something to look at or someone else to talk to. The crew from Southern Confederate Vans had the right idea, tucked up safely in their velour-lined interiors, letting the crowds come to them, while those who’d brought motorbikes along weren’t quite as happy with the situation. Gavin Doughty, the voice of anything automotive in Wellington, worked his magic on the PA system for the duration of the day. His usual mix of entertainment and in-depth knowledge kept everyone in the loop as to what was going on and what drag car was firing up and when. Understandably, the team from Capital Rodders have previously considered bringing the event forward a touch to try to beat the weather, but we are glad that hasn’t happened so far, as, despite the cold, the event is welcome at a time when not much else is happening on the automotive calendar. That said, it wasn’t just the die-hard car guys and girls who showed up — plenty of local advertising ensured that a great mix of the regular crowd came, along with those who have just a passing interest and families looking to get out of the house. They all left delighted, too. Sure, it was cold and a touch wet, but, with so much to see and do, the smoothly run event is one we look forward to heading along to again next time around.