The Swanpool Motor Festival was held at the Swanpool football oval on Saturday March 6th. So it was up early and give the 55 a tub and clean up, then the big journey of 25km out to Swanpool.
I arrived there about 9.15am and there were already 75 entrants in front of me!!.
Drove onto the footy oval and parked and instantly run into two of my cousins from out that way. After 10 minutes of the usual BS between us, it was time to find a coffee van, but seemed everybody else had the same idea with about 20 people already waiting in line, give that idea a miss.
Back to the oval for a wonder around and check out the number of cars, motorbikes, some trucks and a general assortment of vehicles already assembled. The weather was very kind to us nice sunny day and by 11.00am there were 390 entrants on the oval, it was choc-o-block.
The Benalla Aircraft Museum had 2 stationary airplane engines on display, one was a V12 Merlin, the other a 9 cylinder radial engine. When they started that up it was an orrsome sound, they then fired the Merlin up and what noise it made with 12 straight out exhausts.
There were all sorts of car models and makes, but a couple really caught my eye, one was a HR Holden Premier stretch, never seen one before, evidently somebody had built it back in the 80's and the guy who owns it now has restored it.
Then surprise surprise I came across my old EH, I had not seen it for 19 years since I swapped it and quite a few thousand bucks for my 55. The Premier interior had all been redone in red, still had the 4 speed box in it, and was and still painted in the off white pearl I ,painted it in.
I also came across a true barn find 55 Chev, evidently it was found in a shed on a farm up in NSW. Running gear has been updated and 6 changed out for an 8.
I spoke to one of the organisers and they were blown away by the turn up of cars and spectators, it was a gold coin donation entry for spectators with the proceeds going to the local CFA. There was also a small swap meet on the outside of the oval which attracted some attention.
I spoke to one guy who snared a HJ Statesman front grill panel, grill, head lights and RH guard for $200, bargain, no wonder he was grinning.
Jeff Wilson