Blast from the past at Street Hop
Classic Cadillacs, souped-up Thunderbirds and vintage Volkswagens were all on display in central Nelson yesterday.
The NBS Street Hop saw Hardy St lined with classic cars for five hours and packed with locals, with some dancing in the street.
Eclectic Antique Centre owner Maria Henare took out the bestdressed competition.
Henare said she was shocked by her win, and especially by the amazing prizes she won, which included skincare from Clique, flowers and other goodies.
The antique store owner dressed entirely in red – her favourite colour – for the event, and wore a 1950s style dress with original petticoats, house coat and a 1950s hat.
Henare also had two cars on display at the hop – a 1967 Citroen and a 2002 Holden Monaro.
The Citroen she had painted red, and the Monaro was orange – a colour her late husband chose for the vehicle.
The store owner said she loved the style of the 1950s, which expressed the relaxed pace of the decade compared to the rush of modern living.
People put more effort into their appearances back then, she said, with women hardly leaving the house without gloves or lipstick. She applauded all the people who dressed up for the competition as they were upholding that spirit.
Henare said her favourite car on display was the Impala, as she loved its look. Cars were better made back then and could be fixed with ease, compared to modern computerised vehicles, she said.
‘‘The cars were like works of art.’’ Kate Ambler attended the Street Hop dressed in 1950s rockabilly style dress.
She said her favourite car on display was the Red Thunderbird, which was ‘‘just beautiful’’.
Ambler worked part-time as a driver for the Classic Car Showroom on Halifax St. While she didn’t always get dressed up for car hops, Ambler said it was sometimes a fun thing to do.
Ambler said her job was the ‘‘best side gig in the world’’ – allowing her to drive classic cars to various car hops around the country, while avoiding the costs involved with their pricey upkeep.