Established in 1996, we are a group of passionate car enthusiasts who live and breathe American classic cars, and are based in Auckland, New Zealand.
Our mission in life is to provide an environment for other like minded car aficionados to savour and enjoy their American classics, without the rules and restrictions that seem to dog other areas of everyday lives. If you are an American classic car owner who feels the same as we do, we invite you to take a small journey through our site to see if this sounds like you. If you like what you see, and want to be involved, then send in a membership application. The only hard and fast condition of membership is that prospective members must own an American classic car that is pre-2000 model year which must be of historical interest. |
UPCOMING ACCCA EVENTS
Sunday 3rd November - Cornerstone Alpaca Stud farm visit, Gordonton. Lunch at the farm Cafe. Details TBC. American Classic Car Club members are unable to provide classic vehicles for events such as weddings, birthdays, family outings etc, as they are not licensed to undertake these activities.
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Te Aroha Cruise-In - 5 September 2024Another early Saturday morning start for the hardy 6 cars meeting at the BP Drury motorway at 7am for a 7.30 departure to be down and parked by 9am as the organisers wanted. Luckily the weather started out as a fine Spring morning which lent for a leisurely cruise straight down SH2/27 to Te Aroha with little traffic to speak of. Once there we met up another 2 cars on the convoy down, and another 4 at the venue, ending up with a turnout of 9 cars between the flags plus one interloper, and another 5 odd not parked with the main group.
Since Maureen Kan was unfortunately attacked by an errant footpath kerb, Mark & Maureen couldn’t make it on the run. However thanks to Mark’s sterling efforts at organizing the run, the marshals at the gate were expecting us and this time we were fortunate to be told to turn LEFT and park in the favoured VIP spots in the main block right in the middle between the two hotels., where they were holding a gap in the cars specifically for us. And the T-shirt weather was just as good there when we arrived. So up went the two swoopers at either end of the cars, with the one non-club car who sneaked in behind us, but nevertheless helping to swell the ranks and make a reasonably impressive club display. Unfortunately the main club banner wouldn’t even fit into the usually commodious boot of the Cadillac, so had to be left behind. The usual arrangement of show cars lined both sides of the street with a double-row down the center, but this year there was such a plethora of food stalls in the main and side street outside the Grand Tavern one could be forgiven the thinking there was a food stall convention in town, and not one was very little duplication competing against one another. Scuttlebutt heard was that there were some complaints last year about not enough food outlets with the queues and waiting time at those cafés who were actually open were intolerable, so perhaps the organisers have this time gone to lengths to ensure that doesn’t happen again! Also different this year, the main domain was absolutely chocka full of various merchandising kiosks. So along with all the usual shops and second hand/antique stores and the same huge second hand book bazaar, and the beauty pageant show, there was certainly plenty to look at and do after one has seen all the cars. Prizegiving was held at 2pm, and the very good news is that we unexpectedly, and deservedly of course, won the best Club display award receiving a certificate and trophy – Mark’s going to have to make some space on his mantelpiece…. Pukekohe Hot Rod Show - 21 September 2024
Napa Top Fuel Dragster startup 4000 Horsepower!
Caffeine & Gasoline Hampton Downs - 25 August 2024A surprisingly mild and sunny day greeted the members at the Best Start Karaka meeting point - ten or so cars initially – for our short run down the Southern Motorway to the Hampton Downs race complex, for the monthly Caffeine and Gasoline gathering. Once again, the club put up two ‘run prize’ draws for $ 50 gift vouchers, warmly appreciated by the their respective benefactors.
Once at Hamptons, we assembled our fleet on one of the rows and would have put the banner and swooper flags up to announce our presence – but alas none of us committee members remembered to bring them - DOH!!! Several more members were either already there or turned up later, and by the time I did the last head count, I think we got to sixteen club cars all up – a fine effort indeed for all involved. After the obligatory photo taking and vehicle perusing – some suggested around 200 cars at its peak, including a wonderful array of Mini’s as it was there 65th anniversary – most of us made it over to the Café for morning coffees, before departing around 12.15pm for the Rangiriri Hotel for a pub lunch. This proved to be a nicer experience for some members, than for others, with the pub being extremely busy (yes, they knew we were coming) and one table in particular just seemed to get overlooked – their meals taking an absolute age from ordering and sadly not very appetizing when they did eventuate – which for those members did rather take the shine off what was otherwise a great day out for the club. That aside, for the most part everyone enjoyed the outing and great to see several new members – and even potential members as guests – out and about with the Club. With Spring officially here as I write this, we have a very busy six months or so ahead of us, with Club events scheduled and planning under way for at least five of those months, and that is just our own events, let alone the plethora of other events to keep us occupied! Bring it on I say! Until our September run, take care and I’ll see you then! Rob. |
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ACTUAL COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY "THOMAS COOK VACATIONS" FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS:
1. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax." 2. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food." 3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish." 4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price." 5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room." 6. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow." 7. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallarta to close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time -- this should be banned." 8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared." 9. "Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no eggslicer in the drawers." 10. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts." 11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun." 12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair." 13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller." 14. "The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the resort.' We're trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service." 15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners." 16. "We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning." 17. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel." 18. "I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes." 19. "My fiancée and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked." |