GEORGE NEWS FLASH - The George Old Car Show, driven by Oakhurst Insurance Company Limited, is celebrating its 21st year of existence on 11 and 12 February.
This most popular event on the George annual calendar, which was visited by a record 12 000 visitors last year, will celebrate the anniversary with a special exhibition of model cars celebrating German vehicles.
More than 15 000 miniature cars will be exhibited in four classrooms at the George Old Car show which will once again be hosted on the grounds of the PW Botha College in York Street.
"Thirteen collectors, mostly from George, will exhibit about 2 500 of their most prized models," said Ignatius Anker, member of the George Model Car Club, who coordinates the exhibition of miniatures. One of the four classrooms will be dedicated to collections belonging to among others, Anker, Pierre Conradie and Ria Meyer, who continued collecting miniatures after her husband Jurie died. Today Ria, her daughter and son are all collectors in their own right.
Bruce Sapsford of Bloemfontein will also exhibit his rare handmade models with a scale of 1:24. Bruce has been building models for ages and would like to show visitors to the George Old Car Show what a man can do with your own two hands.
Three of the classrooms will be dedicated to seventeen retailers who will bring between 10 000 and 15 000 miniatures to the show. These retailers from all over the country offer young (and older) enthusiasts the opportunity to start their own collections.
“This exhibition actually brings the models to the people. Even if you don’t buy one, the miniatures bring back sweet memories of a favourite toy from your childhood," says Anker.
Anker started collecting miniatures in Port Elizabeth in the late nineties. “Then one could still buy a fairly good 1:43 scale model for about R100 - R150. Today you will have to pay between R500 and R800 for them.”
His collection fits in beautifully with the major focus on German models, because his greatest love lies with the manufacturer Audi, which include models of Audi, DKW, Auto Union, Horch, Wanderer and NSU. His collection also includes models of Volkswagen, Porche and even a Bugatti or two.
- Saturday: Adults R50, Pensioners R40, Children R20
- Sunday: Adults R20, Pensioners R15, Children R10
- Special weekend package deal: Adults R60, Pensioners R45, Children R25
Gates will be open on Saturday 07:00 to 18:00 and Sunday 08:00 to 13:00.
The official opening by George executive mayor Melvin Naik will take place at 10:00 on Saturday.
For more information contact Phillip Rosser on 082 410 5490 or Chris van Staden on 082 491 5254, or visit the Southern Cape Old Car Club website at www.scocc.co.za.
Read more about this in Thursday's George Herald, and online.
'We bring you the latest George, Garden Route news'
