REO Wolverine

Not particularly outstanding from the front

But a very significant rear

And a wooden steering wheel

New Zealand Tax stickers are very informative

I could post many many photos of vintage cars. There is a huge number in New Zealand. There is a significant Vintage Car Club in Hawkes Bay. The Art Deco Weekend is a major event in the calender for vintage car owners: we even get cars coming over from the USA. For me it is one of the highlights of the weekend. Unfortunately with several hundred cars here each year inevitably quite a high percentage are repeat appearances.

However this Reo Wolverine was one that I didn't recall seeing before. In fact the name REO as a car company meant nothing to me. So, of course, I consulted Wikipedia and, lo and behold, discovered that it was a name that my US readers would know instantly. The REO Motor Car Company was a Lansing, Michigan-based company that produced automobiles and trucks from 1905 to 1975. At one point the company also manufactured buses on its truck platforms. So now I know.

Buick Roadster Convertible

There is a Buick following in New Zealand. Interestingly a lot of the older cars are right-hand drive despite being American. What I love is the detail. The chap who own this one also owns a similar black Roadster that is not a convertible. Every now and then people just 'exhibit' their vintage cars in a prominent place in the town for no other reason than to let people see them It's a curious phenomenon that I can't imagine happening in the UK.

Buick Roadster

The other Buick:

During the war Dad was an Auxiliary Fireman when he was not working in his 'day job' and he drove a Buick Roadster on the Liverpool Docks pulling a fire tender. It was very probably similar to this one.

Studebaker

Vintage Cars - Second Instalment - Chryslers

One of the beautiful things about these vehicles is the detail. The bonnet emblems are quite fascinating too. But what is most wonderful is that so many of these vehicles spend quite a lot of time going round New Zealand to shows and events and don't just (or even in most cases) live in museums.

Vintage Cars - First Instalment - Local

There are many many vintage cars in New Zealand. There were over 250 in the Art Deco Weekend Rally. These are a few of the ones that were part of the Rally but which are in daily use round the town. There are lots more to come.