MotoringPlus Time to get those classics purring
THE WELLINGTON MG Car Club is out to get owners of all makes of classic and historic cars to start their engines and begin getting ready for the annual MG Classic race meeting at Manfeild in November.
The club hopes to get as many old vehicles involved in the event as possible and spokesman Terry Collier says a bit more preparation time may be needed to get them into race condition.
The event is being run over three days for the first time, with scrutineering and practice runs held on Friday, November 13, allowing for two full days of racing to be run over the weekend.
‘‘We want to get people with the older cars and the classic sports and saloons to start thinking about this.
‘‘They are old cars and if they are going to be in action over three days rather than just two it may mean more stress for them and so it might mean a greater level of preparation is needed.’’
He says potential competitors should check the brakes and suspension on their vehicles are in good order and make sure they have road legals rather than racing tyres fitted for the classic classes at the event.
Owners should also examine seat belts and helmets to make sure they meet current safety standards, and check that their fire extinguishers have not passed their expiry dates.
The race meeting is open to a wide range of vehicles, with everything from a 1933 Austin 7 Special to a V8 Mustang able to compete in their respective classes.
Collier says the event has become best known for the popular classic sports and saloon car races.
‘‘We usually split them into categories according to how fast they are and that means that if you have got a particularly slow car and you are a new entrant, you would be put into the race for the slower cars so it less intimidating.’’
The race meeting will also include races for historic singleseater racing cars, Formula 5000 race cars, and muscle cars in which the V8 Ford Mustangs, Chevrolet Camaros and Holden Monaros will compete.
The club has also introduced a dedicated class for the Group A saloons like those seen in the Wellington Street Races of the 1980s, which will see vehicles like the Ford Sierra Turbo, the Rover SD1 and the BMW 635CSi take to the circuit.
‘‘They’ll be a lot faster than your 1933 Austin 7!’’ The race meeting has been held every year since 1985 and is thought to be New Zealand’s longest, continuously-run, classic historic race meeting.
Collier says the club relies heavily on volunteers to organise and run the event.
‘‘It is put on by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.
‘‘It is the best value for money and one of the cheapest for participants to enter because it is all based on volunteers.
‘‘The crew go up on the Thursday to make preparations and probably don’t come back until the Monday so it is a big commitment of time. People are very passionate about it.’’
Collier says spectators will be welcome to watch the activity at Manfeild during the Friday practice runs, as well as at the full race days on the Saturday and Sunday.
There will also be charity rides during the Sunday lunch break which will offer spectators the chance to be driven around the circuit in a classic car in exchange for a donation to charity.
For information about entering the event, email Ron Robertson at ron@mgcarclub.org.nz or visit the club website: