Adventures as Austins re-create 1965 trip

Recreating the journey taken in 1965 are several Austin cars, pictured during the weekend. PHOTO:...
Recreating the journey taken in 1965 are several Austin cars, pictured during the weekend. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
There were several bumps in the road when a group of vintage car owners decided to journey across the South Island to re-create a historic car trip.

Mad Dash to the Haast creator David Mills, of Dunedin, said about eight cars started the journey at 4am on Friday.

He said the idea for the trip came while researching the history of the Otago branch of the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand.

"I came across a tape recording of two men who decided to race up from Dunedin to Haast in a 1930 Austin 7 tourer for the opening of the Haast highway in 1965.

The two men, Les Nye and Gordon Sharpe, arrived in time to slip their vehicle to the front of the line of cars waiting to drive over the newly-opened highway.

"I found their route and decided it was one I wanted to take, so invited other members to join me.

"Nobody said no, so it happened."

The trip included an overnight stay at the Lake Paringa Lodge.

Yesterday several cars broke down on the journey, including Mr Mills' own 1947 Austin 8 and the same 1930 Austin 7 tourer that was used in the historic journey.

"Unfortunately, just out of Makarora on the last leg of the journey, my car broke down while I was out of service.

"The car tailing us missed me so I managed to hitch a ride into Makarora and call AA, but we were sitting and waiting for over four hours in the rain.

Mr Mills said he arrived home at 4pm yesterday.

"It's all part of the fun though. Everything was against us but we still made it."

Add a Comment

 

Advertisement