Starting my thread on this years event as we sit here on the last day in the pouring rain!!!. Now for a little history on this event. Valla Park Hot Rod Run is one of the best annual events.Put on by the Dragens Hot Rod Club from Sydney. This year is the 34th year of this run. We have missed only one but have not had a car at all the ones we have attended.Some guys have attended all and I know of at least one who has attended all of them in the same car. This year was another great event and the organisers do a great job to keep all the attendees entertained over the week of the event.Yes now most people come for a whole week.When we originally started coming in 1977 it was basically a weekend run that has grown from just a handful of cars to over 400 this year(Will confirm numbers later after the Presentations tonight). There is plenty to do for everyone and the Dragens keep improving the run each year.The run is held at The Valla Beach Tourist Park. This a privately owned resort that has self contained cabins and camping facilities.Incidentally the run has been held at the same location since 1977. Check out this: http://vallabeachtouristpark.com.au/ The Park has cabins and camping spread out over acres with roads running through the park to allow unlimited cruising.It is a great opportunity to catch up with hot rodding friends who you may only see at this event once a year. The run culminates with a run into Nambucca Heads township(who are great sponsors and supporters of the run for 34 years) and the main street is closed off and the cars assembled 6 abreast for the locals and rodders to view.This year was the first time that it rained on the parade!! Anyway as soon as I get back to Brisbane I will download my photos(about 230+) so get ready to sit back and enjoy some great Aussie HotRodding.
Good on ya mate, looking forward to your pics. Another note is that the cars need to be pre 48 to enter and to cruise the camping area, but as you know there is always a gaggle of 1950-60s cars on hand. Each year a different dress up theme is used so that the entrants can get dressed up and really have fun. This years theme was "medievil" and some guys should NOT wear tights. I know that you know this, I just added that for our northern HAMBers. Nice to see some vintage caravans and little teardrops increasing in numbers. Didn't mean to crash your thread. Cheers Rod
Back home and getting the pics ready.Had the worst drive home ever yesterday.450kms of non stop driving rain.Made it safely though. I felt sorry for the campers as we left early Sunday and saw them all soaked,tents wet etc.Not good for packing up.
I live 10 ks up the road from Valla and it has not stopped raining since midday Saturday and our rain gauge has been over flowing since Monday am, so thats in excess of 150mm or 6ins to the northerners. And still it buckets down. Rod
Now some variety.Our party tent set up between cabins.Very handy this year with the wind and rain. Also some Aussie utes
The park seemed very busy this year but suprisingly the number of cars was less than I thought it would be.According to official stats(and remember it must be pre 49 to enter) there was 321 cars with 86 rookies (first time attended with that car).many of the rookies are actually new builds as Valla is the place to debut your car. There was also a number of cars that could not register as they were post 49. We found this year(as with other years all 33 for us) was as much fun as ever.The Dragens bust themselves to put on a great run.
Each year is a different theme.This year it was medieval and on Friday they staged the games.Participants were in chariots made form wheelie bins and they had to run the gauntlet with water bombs and flour bombs being thrown at them.
Now it is Saturday and time to head into town for the parade and show and shine(ha ha!!).No shine this year with lots of showers but everyone still enjoyed the morning.
Great Pics and coverage..even got snapped in a background pic in the maroon 40 ford coupe! we packed up sunday and ventured north back to Brissie. Great effort from a few of the goldcoasters and Dion in his 32 roadster..all the way with no roof or wipers..and on cross ply's!! he survived..Great event even with the rain and a few mech hicups. can't wait for Yamba in the 54 if i can get the weekend off!
I lived in Brisbane in 1968 for almost one year. I think the area was called Indropilly or Ipswitch. Beautiful place with great weather. I had an older model Holden that looked like a 40's Chevy, great old car but the steering wheel was on the wronge side, I never could get use to that. I was into rods and customs back in the states and had a couple of each, but when I got to Australia I swear I don't remember ever seeing any rods or customs at all. I'm sure there must have been some somewhere but I really never saw any. I got into Speedway bikes and even raced a few times at Brisbane but I have always been too damn big to ever be worth a damn on any type race bike, tried flat track and motocross there also, but still no good. I gave up on racing and started to build a chopper out of some old Harley parts but had to return to the states before getting it on the road. Looking at all of your GREAT photos, Australia has come a long way since the late 60's. My 2cents
In 1958, My parents were brought to Australia for the dedication of the Southern Cross Memorial. I was 16, and did not go. That was the 30th anniversary of the first Trans-Pacific Flight. My Father was James Warner the Radioman with Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, on that 1928 flight. When my mother was interviewed on the radio, they asked about her son, (ME), and she said " He is home working on his car" They reported it as " He is home with his Head under the Bonnet of his car". I still hope to come and visit your beautiful country one of these days, and this display of good looking machines makes it even more desirable. I am very impressed with the machines that I have seen in your pictures, keep it up. Tom Warner
The Jalopy Journal
