SEVERAL million rands worth of vintage cars graced the parking lot at Eagle Hout in Bedford this past Saturday.
This was the lunch stop halfway through the OD Inggs Rally, which is organised annually by the Albany Vintage and Veteran Car Club.
The club is 16 years old and 16 cars took part this year. Three cars hailed from the Border club.
The Komani club was represented by Div and Shirley de Villiers (now resident in Burgersdorp).
They drive a 1960 Rover 100.
The cars were divided into three categories and they had set off from Port Alfred at one minute intervals from 8:30 that morning.
Jaguar, Rover, Morris, Triumph, MG, Humber, Austin, Citroen and Mercedes-Benz were among the legendary marques that were represented. Anything made before 1985 currently qualifies for club membership.
The mood was buoyant over lunch as drivers and navigators compared notes on route clues, speed challenges and potholes.
A Port Elizabeth couple in a 1955 Austin had brought their grown-up grandchildren along as cheerleaders. Navigator Pam Gush teased her husband, Ron, saying, “I love the rally as it is the only time the driver has to listen to me.”
The oldest car in the rally, a 1946 Morris 8, was driven by Bill Martin (at 80, just eight years older than the car) with Shirley Martin navigating.
The rules required their category to maintain speeds of between 40km/h and 60km/h – demanding skilled guessing, considering the odometer and speed dial were covered during the competition.
Time is crucial in a rally and the Eagle Hout restaurant staff were ready to greet the 40 people involved. Lana Blom said, “They arranged well in advance and we agreed on a special menu so we could serve everyone within minutes of seating them.”
Eagle Hout receives tour groups several times a month – they can seat and feed up to 80 people at a time. Advance booking is recommended to avoid delays.
The Inggs Rally mystery return loop took the cars back to the starting point. The event culminated with a Sunday prize-giving at the Port Alfred Gold Club.