NOVEMBER EXCURSION – KIAMA CAR AND BIKE SPECTACULAR

With the 10.00AM curfew for the display cars to be onsite at the Kiama Showground it meant an early exit from the Casula Crossroads Hotel starting point. The Z car members streamed onto the Hume Motorway by 8.30AM. After carefully programming of the correct destination into the 370z’s Sat Nav, Ray had high hopes that navigation was finally going to be successful.

Then the Sat Nav froze and refused to move. Unprintable comments followed and the manual maps appeared. However, in spite of this setback the convoy made good progress along the motorway. By 9.00AM the Picton Rd turnoff was reached and the two separate collections of Deep South Zedders were collected onto the tail of the convoy. The convoy was making excellent time until Police cars, bikes and unmounted Police with the dreaded “hair dryers” started appearing everywhere. This meant a great deal of time spent scanning the horizon and rear vision mirrors for blue and red flashing lights. When there is a convoy of nearly twenty vehicles in tow it is a bit disconcerting and nerve wracking and doesn’t lead to efficient progress.

Ray and Craig (leading the convoy) had just overtaken a slower moving vehicle when a Police motor bike appeared out of nowhere with lights flashing and siren sounding. As they may have been a tad over the speed limit when manoeuvring to allow the convoy to cut in behind them – it was a bit of an anxious moment. However, the Police bike scorched past at around 160kms/hr chasing another motorist – who was eventually pulled over at the next slip road. After passing through Haywards Bay the convoy arrived at the outskirts of Kiama.

The 50kms/hr speed limit in the middle of the Kiama township slowed the progress of the convoy considerably – fortunately (with time running out) the well placed signs indicating the location of the Kiama Showground helped considerably. Arriving at the gates with nine minutes to spare, the Zedders were unimpressed at being asked to pay $5 per head instead of the original stated donation of $5 per display vehicle. OK – this is being donated to charity – but without the display vehicles (and the Z cars formed probably the biggest display contingent) there wouldn’t be a show! Organisers take note!! Problem number two then displayed its ugly head – although being booked three months ahead – and confirmed by both phone calls and E mails from the organisers within the last two weeks the allocated Z Car of Sydney spot had been given to another random assortment of vehicles (even though it had been clearly marked). Organisers note: if you want the future support of the members of the Z Car Club of Sydney – you’d better get your act together!

The rest of the day proceeded more calmly. There was a substantial display of extremely varied vehicles – Holden’s  – FJ and upwards, Pontiacs, Fords – Mustangs , Thunderbirds , Fairlanes etc. , Triumphs including Mayflower and Dolomites and the ubiquitous Morris Minors . Noted was an immaculate Chevrolet convertible and the V8 powered $150,000 GTR (displayed at the previous Kiama Car Spectacular). Jamie Whincup’s racing Holden was also one of the standout exhibits. The stalls that were available consisted of motor vehicle spares and limited snacks and drinks. A band supplied a good standard of music which was drowned out by the rather annoying and deafening sound of the jet engine car display.

It was pleasing to see the 17 immaculately prepared Z cars. It was obvious that substantial effort had gone into their presentation. The 23 Z Car members and guests who attended added to the success of the excursion.

This was also the Z Car Club of Sydney’s Show and Shine day. There was some very tight competition in a number of categories because of the superbly prepared Z car display vehicles – which made the job of the two judges Les and Terry very difficult.

However, the following is a list of the finalists in the different categories.

The Club Champion for 2016 was Ray Marsh.

– Ray