Veterans are converging on Oamaru this weekend in a national car rally that has 34 pre 1919 vehicles taking part.
The rally is held ''whenever someone puts their hand up'', Oamaru organiser John Chynoweth said, but has been run for the past four years in Te Awamutu, Invercargill and Ashburton.
This year, the North Otago branch of the New Zealand Vintage Car Club has organised the event, coinciding with the Brighton and Prince Henry runs organised by Otago.
Veteran cars are those built up to the end of 1918, and the oldest for the Oamaru rally is a 1900 Wolseley owned by Colin Winter, of Dunedin.
It will lead the fleet offtomorrow morning for the first of two days of runs around North Otago.
Other participants have come from as far away as North Shore and Invercargill.
The rally is based in the Oamaru historic precinct with the Loan and Merc Building as headquarters.
Mr Chynoweth said there was no public display but people were welcome to see the cars tomorrow and Saturday during drivers' briefings before they left at 9am for the runs.
They could also be seen at stopovers at 11am at Totara Estate tomorrow and about 1.30pm at Clark's Mill on Saturday.
Tonight, participants will gather at the Loan and Merc for a welcome and dinner.
Tomorrow morning, there is a short 40km or long 80km run, with vehicles starting to arrive at Totara Estate about 11am.
In the afternoon, field tests will be run at Clark's Mill, with dinner back at the Loan and Merc.
Saturday is a non competitive day with a run to Burnside Homestead over two routes, then to Teschemakers, followed by the prizegiving dinner at night.
