Threatening clouds and some patches of rain may have deterred a number of entries and spectators, but the Hout Bay “Classics in the Bay” old car show held on the Kronendal school grounds on November 21 still attracted a large and varied mix of vehicles.
This year, for the first time, the show was linked with a strictly non-competitive drive sponsored by CAR magazine, which began in Parow and took the 24 cars up and over Durbanville Hills out towards Agter Paarl before turning right along Suid-Agter Paarl Road, then taking the R45 to Franschhoek for a coffee and cookie pit stop very kindly laid on by the Motor Museum at L’Ormarins.
With crews re-charged (some still a bit damp after passing through a couple of rain showers), the vehicles then headed for Stellenbosch via Hellshoogte then along Adam Tas and Baden Powell before joining the N2 freeway. The run into Cape Town took in Eastern Boulevard and Kloof Nek before the coastal leg saw the vehicles arrive at the show in convoy to take their place on display along with the already-sited static exhibits. Neville Lomnitz won a CAR subscription for braving the elements in his Levy Dart, and Orville Platelle won a similar prizefor having the oldest car on the run, a 1948 Citroen Light 15.
The catering stalls did good business helping spectators combat the elements while a few traders plied their wares, the model cars in particular selling well. A few one-make clubs put on good displays and there was plenty to keep the steady flow of spectators interested and entertained. Fortunately, the weather brightened-up in the afternoon and at least brought a sunny ending to another successful show.