People seldom like to use the word 'perfect'. I think it's because as humans, we always want something we can't have. The grass is always greener on the other side blah, blah, blah... Even rarer is it for car enthusiasts to use the word perfect. Again, it's because no two people will build the same car the same way. So why then, did I just use 'that' forsaken word to describe the builds at Melbourne's annual MotorEx show if everyone present, would have built every car differently. Let's define 'perfection' shall we? Perfect is defined as "having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics." Again, why use that word if people were to have included different elements, qualities and characteristics into the same car if given the chance to build it. Because we're talking about the fact that it's not your car. Maybe I said that too harshly. People build their car to their liking because as a way to display their creativity, personality or what they can achieve with their hands. Often times, it's all of the above. The rule book is burnt to ash. The owner's manual chucked in the bin. Never to be needed again. How low, powerful, colourful or even controversial the car is can be entirely decided upon by the owner. Each build, yet to be completed or even entirely finished is perfect as it displays the owners creativity and personality. Humans aren't perfect. We are probably the most imperfect creatures on earth. Our desires and actions cause grief and misery for the masses. Although, we do have our qualities, we are far from faultless. Yet, when us car enthusiasts build a car, giving it our unique personal touch, we present it with all our good qualities. Our hopes, dreams, gifts, talents, creativity and personality. We bestow these ideals into a mechanical machine of metal and plastic. It has no biological life, yet it is a work of art. And like any work of art, it is it's creator in perfect form. More Than A Car ShowMotorEx is more than a car show. It is the where the fruits of the combination of creativity and hard labor are displayed. Yet, speaking more literally, MotorEx has evolved from being a car show, into more of a car festival. With the addition of the DriftCadet show last year, this part of the program has added more tire smoke and engine noise into MotorEx. It's now not just the show cars that are in your face! Throughout the weekend there were plenty of other things to look out for. Including the chopping of a 32' Ford Pickup by Kid Dean, a race to disassemble and rebuild an engine and Ryan Friedlinghaus from West Coast Customs. The exhibitor tent featured many new products for both form and function. And lots of freebies! With the addition of SpeedHunters Live, there was a greater reach out to Japanese and European cars. Meaning a more diverse collection of cars. The show at MotorEx seems to get bigger every year, displaying unashamed and nonrestrictive creativity. To say that I can't wait for next year would be an understatement. Bonus Gallery
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Every year at the Australian GP, I'm always amazed by not only the amount of action on track, but the number of things to do and see off the track. This includes the lines of car displays lined up all around the Albert Park circuit. Because it would take one very long article to cover all the different displays and cars lined up over the course of the race weekend, here's a small portion to whet your appetite. There's always a drool worthy lineup of Porsche's, including these two classic examples. Of course, Porsche wasn't the only European showing up at Turn 10. Legends Lane always has a legendary line of classic race cars, including this epic Porsche 956 and a Shelby Cobra Daytona! Legends Lane wasn't just about classic race cars though. Hyundai was showing off it's Hyundai i30 N and there was a surprise appearance of not one but two of the new Brabham BT62's. The Australian Army always has their mean and green 'Project Digger' on display too. Vivid Motorsports had an impressive display of modified cars, including a slammed Mazda 3 and and some very clean S15's. I'll finish up my coverage with this candy red Mustang. The Australian Grand Prix certainly has plenty of cool cars to get sidetracked from when you're not watching the racing. Bonus GalleryIt's interesting to compare the cars that are idealised now, to the ones that were idealised 50-60 years ago. The R35 GTR for instance, well nearly 50 years ago, the Hakosuka GTR had a win streak of 49. Or take the latest Ford Mustang. Nearly 50 years ago, that would've been the Ford Falcon GT that was the hero. Those new 2019 Chevy Silverado's being imported from America. 50-60 years ago, the smaller and lower Silverado was what was cool. And still, 50+ years later, they're still cool! Heck, some cars are cooler now than they were back in their day. And this is a massive credit to the owners who not only restore, but keep these cars in beautiful pristine conditions for us 'newbies' to admire. Although it's cool to see the latest kits and mods for modern and even older cars, it's sometimes refreshing just to wind down with carburetors and leaf springs. Every year the LCAA (Loyola College Alumni Association) and the Metro Classic Cruisers organise this great event, the Loyola Classic Car Show. The money raised from vehicle entry and the BBQ helps raise money for student scholarships. It really is a cool event to see not only cars from the Metro Classic Cruisers, but also a lot of independent owners and owners from other clubs So, let's get onto the cars! Rollin' On ArrivalRoll in time is a great way to not only get your senses tingling with the sounds and smells of the cars, but also get an interest in what you should check out in more detail later. After a few cars arrived, I noticed a theme. Lots of Australian and American Muscle. Not that it was surprising though. Then all of a sudden the VW's arrived. There seemed to be some commotion around the Kombi. I guess they were just making sure it wouldn't fall apart as it went over the bump. (Seriously though, very cool ride!) Soon after, the Escort boys arrived. (I may have gotten a tad excited). There was certainly something interesting in the back of this Sandman! But silly old me missed it and didn't get any pictures. The event was supposed to be for cars made before 1983, but I guess it wasn't enforced. But what are they going to say really? "Sorry mate, come back when it's 35 years old?" Yeah, I don't think so. Letting Yourself WanderAfter what I thought were the last cars to roll in (trust me, they weren't), I figured I'd go from the furthest point of the venue and backtrack. But now that I think about it, I didn't do that at all. I guess that's what happens at car shows, you get distracted so easily. Different cars will pull you towards them. Whether it's because of their colour, ride height, nostalgia, patina or lines. Each show car is fighting for your attention in varying ways. One car that certainly got my attention was this 50's Holden FJ Panel Van, fitted with a magnificent interior. I mean, how can you go wrong when you have the car imprinted on some cushions? One car I new I had to have a closer look at after the roll in was this little Ford roadster. Who wouldn't want to drive around in that thing? I know I would! It wasn't all about GM and Ford's either. There was a good showing of European classic too. What I thought was really cool about the event is that throughout the evening cars just kept on arriving. As one would leave, at least two would take it's place. You'd come back to an area you'd already covered and there would be new cars for you to see. Where'd that Beetle come from? Then, all of a sudden, Godzilla arrived. This particular R32 GTR surprised me not only because it was one of the only Japanese cars at the show, but also because of how stock it was. Even the shift knob and wheels were from the factory, which is really cool, as it's very difficult to see any R32 in what looked to be full factory form. It was definitely a car that got a lot of attention. Going back around to the front of the Loyola Companions Hall, I spotted this impressive Lincoln Continental with an impressive stance. I guess the secret to the impressive stance is now out of the bag. As the sun went down, we were treated to one final look to how the light would play on the beautiful lines of many of the cars on display, before calling it a night. Calling It A NightAs the sun dipped below the horizon, we were given one last treat of seeing these past heroes drive. I'll finish off by just acknowledging the amount of hard work and preparation that goes into an event like this. So definitely hat's off to the LCAA and Metro Classic Cruisers. GalleryAfter finding out about the Classic Japan show, it was very much on my radar. And boy, it did not disappoint. The Classic Japan Show has been held every year in Melbourne since 2011, and showcases Japanese cars that are at least 25 years old. This year the event was held at a bigger venue than previous years to support the growing number of entrants and enthusiasts. This past show, over 350 cars would come to Birrarung Marr for the annual gathering, varying from R32 Skylines to 1970's Celicas. It's important to note that $5,000 was raised for the Lost Dogs Home, so it was all for a good cause too! It was amazing to see the level of hard work and execution put into a lot of these builds, something that is vital for any car show or meet to be successful. Speaking of variety, let me go through some of the cars that really stood out. Probably my favourite, and one car that attracted a lot of attention was the bagged Toyota Stout, wrapped in a Guinness style livery. It even came fitted with a beer can as a shift knob, and a compressed air tank that worked really well with the rest of the build. Hat's off to the owner! This Suzuki MightyBoy definitely caught my attention, as it was made to look like the Tofu deliver AE86 in Initial D. The tray cover was sticker bombed, and was towing a Mighty Boy trailer with a BBQ in the back. Anyone want some Barbecued Tofu? This Nissan Patrol was hiding something under the bonnet, a twin turbo V8! Or maybe an SR20 swap is more your thing? Of course, you cant forget that Classic Japan isn't just about cars! Quite a few bikes were on display too! No matter what JDM car or bike you were interested in, there was something for everyone at Classic Japan. (Unless you like JZA80 Supras. Maybe in two years time?) Rollin' on OutProbably the best part of any car meet or show is watching the cars roll out. The sound of turbo spools and carbureted engines are still quite easy to recall. And you can't forget about the smell of exhaust fumes and methanol. Yeah, a brief smell of methanol. These classic Japanese cars plus the Melbourne backdrop sure was a combination for some cool shots. Going back to engine sounds, this Rotary swapped Datsun 1200 drag ute was without a doubt the loudest car at the show. So loud, it probably made all the other rotary powered wet themselves with fear! I think it's definitely safe to congratulate the Toyota Car Club of Australia on an amazing and organised show, and for raising $5,000 for the Lost Dog's Home in the process. Bonus Gallery |