RACV Rally makes record donation

Elgee Words and PicturesGary Hill

Visitors to the exhibition of RACV Great Australia Rally entrants at Mornington racecourse helped raise close to $45,000 for the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a record amount for the annual event.

One of the big attractions at the show was an exhibition of over thirty cars that made a significant contribution to motoring.

Historic motoring enthusiasts Don Kinsey and Ron Simmonds provided a commentary on why each car was important, and as a special treat for spectators a number of owners fired up their machines.

Especially popular as they roared into life were the Cooper MkV and Lola F.5000 cars exhibited by Penrite Oils while the Bugatti 35C owned by George Hetrel was a crowd favourite.

Hetrel also had his 1896 Benz Velo on display and not only started it but toured the arena, followed by a delighted crowd who could not believe that the owner of such a rare machine would make it so accessible.

Ron Townley's ex Reg Hunt Lago Talbot also drew a crowd when it was started but the attraction of Mike Shepherd's recently acquired 1907 Detroit Electric was for a much quieter reason.

Bought from the USA on Ebay the Detroit had been the daily runabout of an elderly man who had only sold it because he had moved to a nursing home. Parked near the Detroit Electric was a new Lexus Hybrid, the latest way to use electric power.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation displayed a modern F1 car alongside another Lago Talbot Grand Prix machine to publicise the opening round of the F1 season at Albert Park, which will also feature Grand Prix cars of the fifties.

All nations were represented at the rally, although being organised by the All British Classics Car Club it featured plenty of British cars, and even with Americans in the judging team the top trophy went to Brian Hussey and his recently restored Bentley Le Mans.