The South Pacific Packard Car Club of New Zealand [SPPCCNZ] is in town and showing off 38 vintage cars.
The group is having its biannual meeting and has chosen Wairarapa as the home for this year’s run, featuring cars from 1922 to 1956 – 28 of them Packards, an old American luxury car variant that was produced between 1899 and 1958.
SPPCCNZ chairperson Leyton Chan told the Times-Age that collecting vintage vehicles is an addictive hobby.
“Most of us own more than one, I myself own two,” he said.
“One particular club member owns 60 Packards.”
This is the first year that SPPCCNZ is doing a hub-and-spoke style event that involves participating members themselves at the Copthorne Hotel in Masterton and travelling to a destination and back in one day.
The event started on Monday when motorists drove from Napier to Masterton to set up at the Copthorne.
Tuesday’s run took them to Castlepoint and Riversdale, while Wednesday covered Carterton, Greytown, and Martinborough.
Yesterday, the car enthusiasts covered Whangaehu, Alfredton, and Mangatainoka, while today’s trip takes in Featherston, Lake Ferry, Ngāwī, and Cape Palliser.
Tomorrow includes a visit to a Lansdowne retirement village, as well as an opportunity for members of the public to check out the vintage vehicle when they’re on display at Farriers Park between 9am and 12pm.
