Owners of 35 cars dating from 1916 to 1931 took part in the Southern Backroad Adventure last Sunday.
Katie Parish, of Gore, drove a 1923 3-Litre Bentley which has been in her family for about 50 years. It was bought by her father, Edgar Ridgen, in 1976.
"It was New Zealand’s first Bentley," she said.
"My dad did lots of Irishman rallies and back country rallies. He did about 150,000 miles in the car, totally wore it out and we got it after he died and we have spent lots of money fixing it all up."
The Bentley was first imported by Harry Wardell, who with his brothers owned Wardell Bros & Co. They were tea merchants operating from Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. In Dunedin, the siblings operated a groceries and tea shop in George St near the Octagon.
The century-old machine was still capable of keeping up with modern traffic.
"But I think we’re actually doing faster than that, that’s what it says on the speedo."
A 1931 Chevrolet saloon owned by Kevin Van de Water, of Dunedin, has the markings of age, complete with smatterings of rust and battered bodywork.
Unlike many automobiles that have been given complete makeovers, Mr Van de Water has retained the original look of the Chevrolet, leaving it appearing every bit its 95 years.
"We could take all this out and panel beat that, but then it shows to me that it has done what it was designed to do, right from square one ... it has got people from A to B," Mr Van de Water said.
The oldest vehicle taking part in the journey was a 1916 Overland owned by John Adamson, of Oamaru.
"For its era, it is quite advanced because it has got a petrol gauge ... most of them had a gauge in the tank at the back or a sight gauge," Mr Adamson said.
The excursion was organised by Vintage Car Club of New Zealand — Otago Branch committee member Nevin Gough.
After gathering at Mosgiel’s Black Sheep Restaurant, the drivers travelled along as many rural routes as they could find, going via Clydevale and Beaumont to Gore.
"Everyone leaves and goes at their own pace.
"It is just a tour, but there is a lot of stuff, crazy stuff happens on the way, as you can imagine."
This was the second time the tour took place after its inaugural outing in March last year.
