Even in its day, Malcolm McGibbon’s 1914 Renault van would not have been much use for any of those jobs, but it still has a notable reputation around Dunedin — simply for being a delivery van.
It was the DIC department store’s first delivery van, and for years it could be seen making deliveries around the city, as well as in Oamaru, Central Otago and Tapanui.
The 108-year-old vehicle was restored by the late Russell Paul, of Timaru, before being bought by Mr McGibbon, of Darfield.
"None of those things would help someone covertly make a getaway from a crime scene. A horse could outrun it.
"It’s better suited for transporting small packages and sales samples. It will still get over the hills in Dunedin OK though.
"It’ll be nice to drive it around some of its routes around Dunedin again."
The piece of Dunedin’s past will return to the city’s streets for the 68th Dunedin-Brighton Veteran Vehicle Run on Saturday.
It will be one of about 40 vehicles built before January 1, 1919.
Another ghost of the past will also be at the rally — a rare 1901 Locomobile rebuilt from the remains of the city’s first privately-owned automobile.
The steam-powered two-cylinder vehicle was owned by Thomas Kempthorne, of pharmaceutical manufacturing company Kempthorne Prosser & Co Ltd.
Vehicles in the rally will be on display in the Octagon at 10am with their drivers dressed in period costume, and the rally will be launched by Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins about 11am.
Rally committee member Stephen Kidd said this year vehicles would travel to Brighton on two different routes. Smaller-capacity vehicles would go via Sidey St, and bigger vehicles would travel via Hawthorne Ave, Jubilee St and Kaikorai Valley Rd.
"The two routes come together at the city end of Green Island, then proceed to Brighton," he said.
