The only 2020 Ford GT in the country will be at Cars in the Park at the Lazarus display, along with their 1966 and 2005 model Ford GTs.
The ever-increasing fuel prices are not putting car enthusiasts off. Gauteng is seeing the return of car meets, shows and festivals on an astronomical scale.
The Cars in the Park event is back after a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic, and collectors are itching to show up and show off their lockdown project cars or dust off their weekend classics.
Zwartkops Raceway will again host yet another motoring spectacle and this one is directed toward every type of motoring enthusiast out there.
This year marks the 40th edition of the biggest car show in Africa. In recent years, Cars in the Park had 2 500 vehicles on display, with around 12 000 spectators in attendance. But because there have been so few events recently, the organisers expect more cars and spectators than ever.
More than 120 local car clubs are expected to represent their niche and provide an extensive variety of old and new — but mainly old — cars for the public to gaze upon. Lazarus Motor Company, for instance, will celebrate its 65th birthday with a display of classic Fords and a few special Jaguars.
Classic convertibles at cars in the park. A 1956 ford thunderbird and a 1959 ford skyliner.
The company will show 20 vehicles, some of which are truly breathtaking. There’s a 1957 Thunderbird, and even three Ford GTs. The Ford GT alone is a head-turner; however, Lazarus will display the only 2020 Ford GT in the country, along with a 2005 GT and a 1966 Mk1 GT.
The Austin 7 Club of South Africa will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the British sports car, so be on the lookout for a fair number of little 750CC cars.
Car clubs are, as one might imagine, associations of car owners with similar cars, either from the same brand or even the same era. It’s an opportunity for owners to indulge in their passions around like-minded individuals. Cars of all shapes and sizes will be there, from Volkswagen Beetles to Ford Cortinas and Chevy Camaros to Kombis.
Cars in the Park attracts motoring aficionados to share in their passion while displaying their old-fashioned classics to the public. You can also expect to see a decent turnout of pioneers, like the Ford Model T, in various specs — such as the Model T Pick-ups — and even a “racing” version of the car that began the global introduction to cars.
There will be a variety of displays: something for the old-school racing scene and a place to appreciate American muscle in all its glory.
An early1960s DKW Junior. Arriving early at Zwartkops on July 31 is essential to get a prime parking spot.
A more peculiar spot is reserved for interesting cars, such as a unique and unknown Ford owned by Bobby Scott.
Scott was the 1972 Formula 2 Hot Rod champion, 1975 Formula Ford Champion and graced the international single-seater scene for a while. With such a history around racing, you are probably thinking he would display a once-off race car of some sort, but rather the car in question is a 1959 Thames 10/12 panel van.
The Thames 10/12 panel van was Ford’s British-made weapon against the Volkswagen Kombi. Scott purchased the vehicle from his boss at the motorcycle shop where he was working at the time and enjoyed road-tripping the van up to the Kruger Park on occasion, until he parked it for around 20 years. Scott had enough of seeing his panel van gather dust and decided to restore it to near-perfect original condition just in time for the show.
It is still running on its old 1.7-litre Ford Consul engine and is sure to make a smooth and stylish entrance at the festival, alongside many weird and wonderful machines to lay your eyes on in the display of special vehicles.
The second-gen Ford GT will be a star of the Lazarus Motor Corporation display at the 2022 Cars in the Park at Zwartkops on July 31.
A real pioneer of the motoring world, and another one of the many Fords expected to show, is the 108 1914 Ford Model T Speedster, the sportier model of the Model T. Ford made nearly 15 000 000, making the Model T the most important car of the 20th century. The production model for the Model T introduced concepts the working world still uses today. For example, Henry Ford was one of the first business owners to give his employees Saturdays and Sundays off, and introduced 40-hour weeks. He also was the pioneer of the assembly line, allowing products like his Ford Model T to be produced more efficiently and faster. This seemingly slow car really did change the world, and not just in a motoring sense.
1914 Ford Model T Speedster.
Cars in the Park is going to be the place for every type of car enthusiast, from race car fanatics to muscle car men – and there’s guaranteed to be something for everyone at Zwartkops Raceway.
Even something your great-great-grandpa drove back in the day.
Tickets available on itickets.co.za for R100 or R120 at the gates. Gates open at 8am on 31 July.
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