Sydney's First Ever All Veteran Run 4th April 1954

Originally, the only car club in Sydney, which catered for what we now call Veteran Cars, was the Vintage Sports Car Club. Despite the fact that that organisation's President, John Crouch, owned a veteran car (a 1914 Humberette), some veteran car owners were apparently somewhat disgruntled as they felt that V.S.C.C. runs and events were totally unsuitable for older and slower veterans.

In an apparent response to those complaints the V.S.C.C. organised a "Veterans Only" run, to take place on the 4th of April, 1954, "With the object of the restoration and use of Victorian and Edwardian cars". The "rally" started from Brown's Wharf at Wooloomooloo, and entrants then drove via Brighton-Le-Sands to Cook Park at Dolls Point.

The motoring press showed interest in what was quite a novel event, and it was also mentioned in motoring publications including "Wheels", and "Modern Motor". All the following Monday's Sydney papers ran photographs and brief stories on the event, the Telegraph's reporter stating that although the old cars had held up a great deal of traffic, no body seemed to really mind. Titles above the photographs included, "BOMBS SHOW PACES", and "VINTAGE CARS IN TWELVE MILE RALLY".

The "Sun" gave a brief mention of most entries, and advised their readers that Canley Vale storekeeper Geoff Hancock's 1912 Detroit Electric is worth 500 pounds, that Brian Marsland paid 45 pounds for his 1910 Napier, and that he had recently driven it to Coolangatta in three days. Mr Muller had bought his 1911 Benz new, the Oldsmobile was probably 'worth 1000 pounds, and that after buying his Argyll for 100 pounds Jack Myers was about to drive it to and from Adelaide.

In 1954 accurate dating of vehicles was difficult, and so the year models of participating vehicles are "educated guesses".

Participants in this event obviously approved of the idea of "veterans only", as a group of them formed the "Veteran and Edwardian Car Owner's Club of Australia" at a meeting held just twenty eight days later, on the 1st of May, 1954. The members changed the name of this club to the "Veteran Car Club of Australia" shortly thereafter.

And what has become of those cars which took part in the first ever veterans only car rally to be held in Sydney, almost exactly forty-eight years ago? Barry Perdriau still drives his Le Zebre, Jim Simpson's B.S.A. and George Campbell's Argyll are still owned by family members. The Vulcan is in the U.K. and the 1913 Benz is in Germany, while the Hupmobile is in a Kings Cross bar. The Austin is owned by Bruce Kinnear, the Napier is in the Kay Brothers' collection, and F. Muller's Benz is owned by Daniel Pearce. The Detroit Electric went to Melbourne, after which it was in Gilltrap's Museum for many years prior to going to Western Australia, and Jack Garwood's Renault is owned by Jim Cooper. Unfortunately, I have been unable to determine the present ownership and or locations of the Lober Oldsmobile, the Humberette, and the Sunbeam.