THIS striking 1932 Ford three window coupe was just one of the crowd stopping vehicles featured at the Australian Street Rod Federation Blue Lake Nationals in the city recently.
Thousands of people wandered through the Mount Gambier Showgrounds to see the remarkable display of hot rods, with the vehicles also spotted in the region as participants explored the South East throughout the week.
Event manager Trevor Cass takes great pride in the car which sports a 5.7 litre Chevrolet Camaro engine, four-speed auto transmission and disc brakes on all wheels.
“I have had the car for about three years, and bought it in Victoria,” Mr Cass said.
After its purchase the Ford had to be modified to comply with South Australian road regulations.
Other restorations included adding leather trims, air conditioning and electric windows.
“The essence of the car is its 1930’s style, complete with running gear taken from later model vehicles,” Mr Cass said.
He said the car would weighed around 1200kg.
“The vehicle can go as fast as any car and I adore its stainless steel components,” Mr Cass said.
The hot rod enthusiast said the national event was held every couple of years with Bendigo hosting it last year.
“It is amazing to see the array of unique hot rods at these events,” he said.
“Owners spend hours building and perfecting their cars for shows like these.”
He said people also enjoyed seeing the cars on the road and at large car events.
When discussing his love for cars, Mr Cass said being semi-retired meant he had more time to spend working on the vehicles.
“I have a collection of many diverse cars and always wanted this particular model,” he said.
