The annual Rotary Club of Como car show held in South Perth is one of my favourite events on the classic car calendar. It's an easy going show, with a pleasant vibe and it always draws an interesting variety of vehicles.
I attended with my new club, The KBG, which caters to interesting and unusual two, three and four wheeled vehicles. A feature of our display this year was four classic Czechoslovakian vehicles. More on that later! Let's take a walk through the highlights of this year's show.
The Vauxhall Club had a good turnout. 1959 Mk II Ford Zephyr
Vauxhalls
Vauxhalls, including a camper version
Riley and Jaguar XK
Alfa Romeo Club turnout
Abarth Lombardi
Fiat Multipla. I hear there are at least four in Perth now.
AC
The stunning aluminum bodied Jaguar XK racer
1958 Ford Thunderbird
Studebaker Larks
Ford Thunderbird
While US Fords of this period were all big engines and fins, English Ford were producing the A40.
Singer convertible
1940s Mercury
A couple more unmolested Holden FXs
Chevrolet Corvette Mk 1 and Mk 2. Pioneers of fibreglass bodywork
Holden FX and some Englanders
The Rotary Club show is a major event for the Jaguar Club. They probably made up a third of the entries.
Jaguar E-Types
Jaguar XKs
1920s British - 1926 Austin 7 Baby for the budget market, and a Bentley 8 for the gentleman.
1927 Bentley
Motoring royalty - a fine pair of Rollers.
Rolls-Royce Phantom
Replica 1936 Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
This Mercedes-Benz Adenauer limousine was voted 'best in show' two years ago.
Renault Register
The KBG's eclectic display covers a wide variety. An Alfa-Romeo, Citroen CX, Tatras....
1975 Tatra T603
The Tatras from the rear. My Tatraplan is powered by a 2 litre flat four. The T603 has a 2.8 litre V8.
1967 Skoda Octavia
1957 Volvo TP21 radio command car and 1942 VW Kubelwagen
The Kubelwagen and Velorex
For the Czechs who could not afford a Skoda or an East German Trabant but wanted more than a Jawa motorcycle, you could buy a Velorex. Originally built as an invalid carriage, the Velorex was build around a steel tube frame, covered in leatherette, powered by a 350cc twin cylinder Jawa motorcycle engine. Although originally a budget motoring solution they are now highly desirable and a good example commands high dollars.
John and Steve dress the part
Citroen Traction Avant
Citroen Traction Avants
The KBG stays to the end
With many other cars gone we can get a good view of the Volvo. These were built for the Swedish Army as command and radio cars. Powered by a 6 cylinder 3.6 litre engine and given very high clearance for rough offroading. Only 720 were built between 1945 and 1957. I had never seen this vehicle before - and nor had the military vehicle enthusiasts. The Rotary Club show always brings out something new....
The Renaults hold the line
Jaguar sidles by....
Then a Renault 4CV
And another....
