The Griffith Historic Motor Club is a diverse and passionate group of car enthusiasts located in Griffith, NSW, about six hours southwest of Sydney. During a recent visit to meet with two club members, Fletch was pleasantly surprised to find that around twenty members had also shown up with their cars and motorcycles. Fletch took the time to let each member introduce themselves and show off their vehicle, resulting in a great showcase of the club's diverse range of cars.
One of the members, Peter, caught Fletch’s attention with his 1929 Chevrolet Businessmans Coupe, currently undergoing a meticulous ground-up restoration. With all the mechanicals completed, he has moved on to the bodywork, faithfully replicating in timber to match the original bodywork. It's a rare car, with only 158 ever built, and Holden built the original bodywork. Peter's attention to detail is impressive, and we can't wait to see the project completed.
Another member of the Club, Robert, is an engineer with a genuine love of all things from the 50s and Route 66. He has even created his own US Diner in his garage, which is quite a sight. Robert also has an exceptional Massey Ferguson 135 tractor that he restored to its pristine condition, a model his father had in 1975 and always liked.
Robert's collection includes several magnificent Holdens, including a 1969 HT Holden Monaro and a 1974 L34 Holden Torana. The Monaro was purchased in 1998 for just $4,200 and fully restored with the help of a panel-beater friend. One of the great things about restoring a vehicle is going to swap meets, hunting down bits and pieces from all over the place. He thinks it comes from the hunting and gathering origins of our ancestors. While the L34 Torana, is a Bathurst legend and one of the race cars that coined the phrase 'Win on Sunday. Buy on Monday'.
There is a strong Holden influence, as Fletch spots an HQ 2-Door Monaro and an XU1-GTR Torana also in Robert's collection. It was clear that Robert’s garage was purpose-built to accommodate his collection and workshop; it’s truly a man cave to envy.
Overall, it was a great experience meeting with the Griffith Historic Motor Club members and learning about their unique collections.
