The Taipa Spectacular - by Greg Keenan

Having just moved into the Whangarei district and joined the Classic & Sports Car Club of Northland Inc my wife Val and I were both looking forward to our first club run with them in our Chevy Camaro. Our spirits were somewhat dampened by the dire weather predictions of the evening before “D” day, but from long experience of the weather gurus being consistently wrong we made all our preparations and woke on the morning to find it not looking too bad so off we set.

We fueled up at Mobil Kamo and then on to the meeting point. Around 7:45 we all set off in convoy, proceeding at measured pace without any issues in light traffic up SH1 turning off onto SH10 at Pakaraka. Further up we passed through the nearly completed new roundabout at Puketona carrying on through the equally new and near complete one at Waipapa, and a what a godsend that one is too, having lived there for 6 years plus without it, eventually reaching Kaeo where a short stop was made.

Somewhere about 9:45-ish we arrived at the Taipa show grounds. We found we had arrived early enough to park all together in a spot that was handy to a very convenient & welcome stand of trees where we established ourselves. Welcome because by now we had proof yet again of another total failure of the weather gurus it being a scorching, searing sun boring down mercilessly on any brave enough to venture out into it with barely a breath of wind. Over the next hour or so vehicles poured in to the site & an eclectic sampling they were indeed. British, American and European of most shapes, sizes, types and ages. Classics, Rods, Customs, Vintage/Veteran and some Neo stuff (bah, humbug). There was absolutely something there to appeal to just about any taste. By my reckoning about 200 or so in all.


Val & I strolled the rows admiring this and that, taking photos and sometimes chatting with owners. I was particularly taken with a home brewed ‘62 PA Velox 2 door, sedan, convertible. Very nicely done producing an especially stylish vehicle IMHO. Actually, I’m more of a fan of mid ‘30s to late ‘40s and even some 50s American iron, they being a nostalgic throw back to my largely misspent youth, no doubt. We wiled away the time with amusing banter, chatting about this and that interspersed with food and drink and forays to inspect more of the vehicles. A very pleasant interlude. All in all a great day undisturbed by the thunderous deluges and lightning predicted.


We departed a little early having an appointment with some very special doughnuts in Kerikeri that needed our concentrated attention before 3pm. Our luck was out as it transpired although I did get the last jam one to devour with my latte. Some delinquent behind the counter had sold our pre-ordered ones.

Rain, of a light and sporadic nature, did eventually catch us up during the trip back but it didn’t amount to a hill of beans. As a day out in our “special” car it was great. We met some gracious and friendly folk in a congenial circumstance and look forward to repeating the experience often on into the future. And for those weather challenged folk who misguidedly pinned their faith on the sagacity of the weather-clots, you missed a great outing.

Onwards to next time then and thanks to both the club and show event organizers.                     

​Cheers, Greg

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