Thread: Trip to the Deep South

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On our way down to Wellington to catch the ferry to the South Island we stopped in at the Southward Automotive Museum - About Us You can click their Gallery and go through what they have posted if you want more of a look. This is mostly a private collection of one family numbering over 250 vehicles, though there are some special vehicles loaned to the museum noted on placards. I didn't take a lot of pictures, but what I did take are here.

As we were headed up the west side of the South Island we diverted inland to Cromwell, and the Highlands Motorsports Park. We did not know that we were arriving just ahead of the weekend finals of the Australian GT Series, so as we arrived to see the grounds and museum we got the added benefit of watching a couple of hours of qualifying runs of the cars that have been competing on the Australian GT Circuit, coming to NZ for their final race of the season to decide the winner. The fellow who developed and build the Highlands Motorsports Park apparently controls the Australian GT Circuit, and he schedules the finals for this track. It's a great layout, and the background of mountains is fantastic.

A few pictures to pique your interests.....

















And a few from the Highlands Motorsports Park Museum...































A bonus seen in a parking lot when we stopped for a "cuppa":


And remember in one of the first posts I mentioned Gary & Elaine Pulley, who had sold their all steel Willys, and borrowed a '47 Merc for the Nationals? Well, as we were cruising down the NE portion of the South Island, above Christchurch we stopped at an overlook to view a seal colony, and to our surprise this righteous '56 T-Bird pulls in, and who should it be but Gary & Elaine!! They were returning from Christchurch, where they'd just bought the 'Bird to replace the Willys!! Talk about a surprise!! Turns out they recognized John & Rosie as they motored by, heading north, so they did a quick u-turn and came back! That's jb on the left, in case you're wondering.....

Thanks Roger! I love old buses and conversions.

Thanks for taking the time to share your trip and pictures! I bet that Allison powered dragster was a hand full! There are some awesome vehicles down under!

Terrific stuff Roger. So many neat things to see/visit............almost feel like I was there.

So many wonderments, but that Texaco tank wagon just blows me away!

Roger, what make was the copper bodied coupe in the Southward automotive museum?

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Roger, what make was the copper bodied coupe in the Southward automotive museum?

Ryan, I couldn't recall other than that the style was not particularly pleasing to me at the time, but I scrolled through the Southward's Gallery and they had it identified - 1921 Dodge Copper Car.

1921 Dodge Copper.jpg

That is pretty neat. I wouldn't want to price the supplies to do that today.

Up in Post #31, after the name of the Southward Museum is a link, "About Us" which takes you to their web site. From their Home Page open the Gallery, and you can navigate through thumbnails of most, if not all of the cars in their massive collection. Each thumbnail takes you to a full page photo of that vehicle. The gallery is well done.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Roger, what make was the copper bodied coupe in the Southward automotive museum?

That car is one of the ugliest pieces of rubbish I have ever seen.

Originally Posted by johnboy

That car is one of the ugliest pieces of rubbish I have ever seen.

Yeah, the tin work sure doesn't look like something that would have came out of a production line. I bet it'd look a whole lot different if Robert or 3 Bobs got a hold of it.