While the annual Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo in Sydney enjoys its own colourful past, winners of the Top Club Display this year, Northern Beaches Hot Rods, is also embracing its heritage.
The club boasted a nine car (and one motorbike) display, laden with silk floor coverings, matching signboards, and a walk-through Tahitian-style gazebo. While the lavish layout absorbed its fair share of real estate, it was a visual feast for punters, highlighted by a selection of handsome hot rods, each with a unique tale.
“The club has a history of being successful in shows, we wanted to bring that back and we wanted to support the promotors,” explains Graem Colello, President and still a newbie considering the club’s 50-year history. “It was like hot rod shows used to be; a bit more theatrical, a bit more exciting than just cars parked in a row.”
But the display was more than a show of chrome – it was a flag to the community that Northern Beaches is alive and well and ready to accept new members that are looking for the fun and camaraderie that a lively club can offer.
The Northern Beaches Hot Rod Club was formed in 1964, when local rodders recognised the need for a hot rod club on the northern side of ‘The Coat Hanger’, aka the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Archives reveal that its members were very involved in early Sydney hot rodding, and at one time took over the lease of Castlereagh Air Strip from the Manly Sporting Car Club and went on to repair the strip, organising and running the first drag meets in NSW. They also organised, promoted, and ran the first National Hot Rod Show in June 1964, at the Totem Centre in Balgowlah. This was a big success and helped boost the profile of hot rodding. By the end of the sixties however, the club had splintered into different factions of street rodding and drag racing, and the original members had moved on to other clubs.
In 1968, another group of active rodders formed the Early Iron Street Rod Club to cater for rodders in Northern Sydney. For the next decade, Early Iron would leave its imprint on the hobby in the form of the first Bobbin Head Rod Run, however by the end of the 1970s it too had faded out.
Moving forward to the 1980s, several Northern Beaches rodders once again felt the urge to form a new club with street rodding in mind. The venue for the first meeting was Peter Rabbit Hall at Cromer and those who attended were names familiar with Northern Beaches hot rodding. The result would be the formation of Northern Beaches Hot Rods.
Graem continues; “I’ve been in the club for about 8 years, but we have an ageing demographic and we’re not blessed with second and third generation hot rodders coming through like other clubs. We went outside and had a membership drive which was quite successful. We got 10 to 12 new members; strong committed hot rodders that have been around the area but didn’t know about us.”
With new blood and a renewed enthusiasm, the club has inspired its members to complete long running projects and take on new ones. Along with a redesign of the club’s colours, the future of Northern Beaches Hot Rods now looks brighter than ever.
“When you have so much history; guys have spilled blood for the club, been through the tough times, had the adventures, been drag racing, been successful with shows… you don’t want to let that history die. The romance of that, you don’t want to let that disappear. I’m a bit nostalgic like that.”
Our congratulations go to Northern Beaches Hot Rods for the extra effort that went into their display at the 2021 HRCAE and we’re looking forward to what they have up their sleeve for 2022. Apparently, plans are already in the works!
