The Art of Automotive Innovation. 19 May 2015 05:13 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareThink of the National Gallery of Victoria and Monets, not Monaros would normally spring to mind. But that and 22 other car inspired exhibits are exactly what’s on show at the famous art museum in Melbourne until the 12th of July when the gallery plays host to Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian Car. From steam-powered “horseless carriages” to the legendary ute, powerful V8s and futuristic concept cars, Shifting Gear displays 23 of Australia’s most iconic vehicles, along with photographs, models and sketches. NGV Director Tony Ellwood said, “Shifting Gear will be the first major exhibition of Australian car design and is exclusive to the NGV. As part of the NGV’s commitment to showcasing design, this exhibition will uncover how the modern automobile is far more than simply a means of transport; it is a sophisticated design object that reflects contemporary aesthetics and social values.” Shifting Gear guest curator Harriet Edquist, Director of the RMIT Design Archives, commented that Australia has an astonishingly vibrant history of ingenious car designs. “The exhibition shows the diversity and ingenuity of Australian automobile design in the variety of cars it has brought together – not only the family car but also racing cars and sports cars, high-performance production cars and concept vehicles never intended for production, demonstrating Australia’s significant past and future role in research and development,” said Professor Edquist. Exhibits include rare and unique concept cars such as the Holden Hurricane, Torana GTR-X, EFIJY and HQ Monaro. Holden’s Director of Communications, Sean Poppitt said that partnering with the NGV was a great collaboration as both have a long history of exciting and innovative design. “Holden Design has produced some truly iconic and ground-breaking vehicles, most recently the Buick Avenir which took centre stage this year at the North American International Auto Show. To be able to showcase them in such a fantastic setting as this is both fitting and very exciting,” said Mr. Poppitt. “The exhibit provides us a wonderful opportunity to showcase these fantastic vehicles and, in turn, the incredible design talent we have at Holden. It also gives the Australian public a unique opportunity to see these world class vehicles up close and personal in one place.” Shifting Gear: Design, Innovation and the Australian Car will be on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia at Federation Square from 6 March 2015 to 12 July 2015. Open 10am-5pm, closed Mondays. Tickets on sale now from ngv.vic.gov.au. Adult $15 | Concession $12 | Child $7 | Family (2 adults, 3 children) $41
Sands of Time Revive Sandman 12 May 2015 12:02 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareThe Godfather: Part II was on at the Drive-In and Stevie Wright’s “Evie” was blaring out over AM radios across the land. The year was 1974, and just as movies and music were being re-defined, the motoring landscape of Australia was about to change forever with the introduction of a soon to become legend and icon: The Holden Sandman. Zoom forward to 2015, and the legend is back. The 2015 Sandman Special Edition is derived from the award winning VF Commodore SV6 and the sporty SS-V, and is available as a ute and or sleek Sportwagon. Whilst the Sandman is much more advanced than its predecessor it still retains the instantly recognisable surf livery and the groovy, orange shagpile floor rug as an additional accessory. The original classic was available as a panelvan and a ute between 1974 and 1979, and buyers had a choice of six-cylinder or V8 power. Holden’s Executive Director of Sales, Peter Keley, said the opportunity to revive the legendary Sandman was too exciting to resist. “The Holden Sandman has been synonymous with the great Australian surf safari for decades and perfectly reflects our country’s laid back, yet adventurous attitude to life. When the opportunity came to revive Sandman, we jumped at it,” Mr Keley said. “The reborn Sandman is a statement and reflection of the Australian way of life. Most importantly, it’s about having fun.” After a twenty plus year hiatus, Sandman was finally revived as a concept car at the Sydney International Motor Show, 2000. Based on VU Commodore, this Sandman was a Holden built, Mambo designed project that won wide acclaim. The new 2015 Sandman was first unveiled to coincide with another Australian Icon, the Bells Beach Ripcurl Pro surf competition, on the 4th of April. Taking place at the at the beautiful Elephant Walk Reserve Torquay Esplanade, the Holden Sandman surf live site gave a new generation of car lovers the chance to see what all the fuss was about. Holden’s Director of Communications, Sean Poppitt said “Holden knows Australia and Australians better than any other company and the Sandman is a perfect reflection of the Aussie culture and attitude. I’m sure it will spark great memories for a lot of Australians and help create new memories for others. Let the good times roll again.” The Sandman will go on sale in June, however people are advised to contact dealers early to avoid disappointment. While the new Sandman is destined to become a future classic, the original Sandman has become a true collector’s item. Back in the day, they cost between $3500 and $5000 brand new. Today, immaculately restored examples of the Sandman and ute can fetch more than $35,000. For those fortunate enough to have an original Sandman in need of some TLC, Rare Spares can offer some parts for these rare machines. For more information, go to www.rarespares.net.au
Man and Machine Continues Partnership With Rare Spares 05 May 2015 12:34 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareRare Spares are proud to announce the continuation of their support of the popular Man and Machine TV program as major sponsor. Man and Machine is the brainchild of passionate motoring enthusiast and TV presenter Glenn Everitt. A weekly series on the 4ME Network devoted to the car enthusiast, it’s the culmination of Glenn’s almost thirty year involvement in the automotive industry. From classic and muscle cars to modern day icons, Man and Machine is a showcase for everything that’s “fast or powerful and uses an engine to propel it”. Man and Machine often showcases the best of beautiful, restored classic machinery and the enjoyment that Glenn and the guests get out of these machines should provide the motivation to get into the shed and finish off your own project. "The team at Man and Machine is very excited to be involved with Rare Spares for our all new Season three and believe they are a perfect fit with so many passionate car enthusiasts tuning in to Man and Machine every week,” said Presenter Glen Everitt. “From a personal perspective, having spent 25 years with hands on experience in the aftermarket Automotive industry as a qualified technician and actually having used Rare Spares products myself, I have no hesitation whatsoever in providing a genuine unbiased endorsement for such a great range of products that's continually growing on a weekly basis, parts that actually fit and look as they should, in most cases even better than the original that the vehicle was manufactured with.” “From my experience not only do Rare Spares provide outstanding service with a constant pursuit of perfection to provide the very best products but they are an Australian owned company that's growing from strength to strength. For me it's a feel good partnership dealing with such a fantastic organisation and the great people behind it, people that are also passionate car enthusiasts just like me" said Everitt. Combining Glenn’s knowledge, passion and expertise through Man and Machine with Rare Spares, Australia’s foremost restoration parts supplier, guarantees success in any car restoration project. From the smallest repair on a cherished classic to a full blown, ground up rebuild, Rare Spares and Man and Machine make an unbeatable combination. Season three is now underway, you can tune in on Monday nights at 8.30pm on the 4ME network and find links to aired episodes on our Facebook page. Further repeats may also air, so please keep an eye on TV guides if you miss any episodes. Best of all it is Free to Air, so you can sit back and enjoy for free.
BOC Model Car Promotion Winner Announced 22 April 2015 06:37 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareRare Spares recently ran the exciting BOC Model Car Promotion. The promotion, which was held between 11th February and 11th March gave entrants the chance of winning a limited edition BOC model car signed by V8 Supercar driver Jason Bright. Entrants only had to sign up to the website and make a purchase to be eligible to enter and a total of 177 entries were received. The car is an accurate 1:18 scale Holden VF Commodore, running Jason Bright’s 2014 season BOC livery. Only 500 of these models were produced and each comes with its own certificate of authenticity. Blair Wood, from New Zealand was excited to be announced the winner of the model car. It may news to some in Australia, however Rare Spares also has a store in New Zealand. “Rare Spares NZ has been around seven years and Rare Spares parts are strongly in demand in New Zealand due to their quality. It’s great that a New Zealand Rare Spares customer was the recipient of the BOC promotional car” said Store Manager Ian King. For your chance to win prizes thanks to Rare Spares, join the Rare Owners Club at www.rarespares.net.au
Rare Spares Bonanza Sale 14 April 2015 07:35 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareRares Spares Bonanza Sale On Saturday 14th March Rare Spares Bayswater and Rare Spares Roxburgh Park hosted a huge 20% off ‘Bonanza’ all day sale extravaganza. Both stores received a huge influx of regular and new customers, coming to see what all the fuss was about and scoop up some bargains. “The response was overwhelming and it’s a great chance for customers to get some real savings. There was a huge amount of stock purchased during the sale” said Dylan Boyes at Rare Spares Bayswater. “When we have a spare second it’s great to talk to owners, find out about their projects, network and know we are assisting them with their projects.” Manager of the Roxburgh Park store, Brad DePasquale was equally impressed with their turnout. “A lot of interest had been created and it was very busy, with many people picking up bargains. We are looking forward to the next one” said DePasquale. A raffle was also held between the two stores with a Rare Spares $100 voucher, a Touring Car Masters merchandise pack and a Rare Spares merchandise Pack up for grabs. The winners were: Rare Spares $100 product voucher - Lance Saccuzzo Touring Car Masters merchandise pack - Peter Thorp Rare Spares Merchandise pack - Chris Smith For your chance to be part of the next Rare Spares ‘Bonanza’ sale event and to get some huge savings, join the Rare Spares Rare owners club at www.rarespares.net.au
All Holden Day Geelong 09 April 2015 12:10 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareThe All Holden Day Geelong was a spectacular gathering of all things Holden, from the earliest classics, all the way through to the latest high performance machinery. The 11th annual All Holden Day was held at the Geelong Showgrounds on Saturday 14th March under the prevailing sun, which was a welcome sight to Colin Brown, President of the Geelong FX-HZ Holden Car Club Inc. With free entry for kids under 12 and over 100 trophies up for grabs for competitors, the turnout of entrants and spectators alike was fantastic. A record 850 cars were on display, with 280 opting to be judged. It is estimated more than 3,500 spectators came out to enjoy the day. “It was a fantastic, record breaking day for the club and the event” said club President Colin Brown. The All Holden Day is also closely aligned with charities and it was great to see so many donate to the good causes. “We donated $4,000 on the day to the Our Women Our Children charity for the Geelong Hospital and a further $2,000 was donated to the Isabella and Marcus Brain Stem Cancer research fund.” “Thanks to the entire committee and members for their effort putting the event together and of course our sponsors, including Rare Spares” said Brown Rare Spares Director David Ryan brought along his fully restored and significantly modified FJ Holden, which proved to be a crowd favourite. The Rare Spares stand certainly received some extra attention as a result of the FJ on display, with the crowd providing many questions to staff and also viewing the popular Shed Talks videos. David Ryan also spent time judging vehicles at the event. With a fantastic event in 2015, Colin Brown has confirmed that in 2016 the Holden celebration will continue and Rare Spares look forward to it. For more information on events and for all your Holden parts needs, head to www.rarespares.net.au
Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport 28 March 2015 12:06 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareThe Phillip Island Classic Festival of Motorsport is the largest historic automotive meeting of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and provided a thrilling weekend of sights and sounds for entrants and enthusiasts alike. The annual event took place March 5-8 at its home, the iconic Phillip Island circuit, about 90 minutes south of Melbourne and was the 26th instalment of the now famous festival. Every year the event attracts many of the most awe-inspiring, collectable and historic cars from around the world and in 2015, over 500 entries were received for the three day festival, including 17 cars and drivers from overseas. Crowds were slightly down on last year, due to the wet conditions on Friday and cold temperatures on Saturday, however that didn’t affect the quality of the weekend. Over the three days, 49 races were scheduled to cater to the various categories and classes of vehicles present, including open wheelers, sports and touring cars. “Overall everyone enjoyed the weekend, despite some trying conditions on the Friday with some harsh weather and rain. Driver behaviour was fantastic and very few incidents on track,” said event organiser Ian Tate. “One of the special cars attending was a 1936 ERA, built in England. The car won the 1938 Australian GP with Peter Whitehead.” The fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Mustang also coincided with event, providing the opportunity for celebrations around the milestone, which included Allan Moffat’s game changing Coca-Cola Mustang Trans-Am, a huge turnout of Mustangs and celebrity drivers. There was also a Mustang Parade on Saturday and Sunday. Brian Thomson was the patron of the meeting this year. “We also want to thank Rare Spares for their support they provided to the event, it was appreciated.” Rare Spares is a proud supporter of the event, and had a marquee with staff on hand to field enquiries from enthusiasts about parts throughout the weekend. Rare Spares also ran a $200 voucher promotion and hundreds of attendees entered for the chance to win. For more information on upcoming Rare Spares supported events head to www.rarespres.net.au
John Bowe‘s Flying B at Bathurst 12 Hour 05 March 2015 09:15 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareAussie motor racing legend and Rare Spares ambassador John Bowe certainly raced in style at this year’s Bathurst 12 Hour, taking to Australia’s most iconic circuit as part of the Flying B Racing team in a Bentley Continental GT. With over thirty year’s experience at Mount Panorama and five wins spanning the Bathurst 1000 and Bathurst 12hr alike, Bowe was looking forward to utilising his experience and race the classic Marque at Bathurst in 2015. The lead up to the 2015 event was challenging for Flying B Racing, and in testing the drivers found a severe vibration coming through the steering from the front end. After swapping out nearly every part in the steering system, it took the arrival of some Bentley factory team members arriving from England with a complete new front end that the problem was solved and the drivers could concentrate on car setup. Bowe was partnered with Aussie racing legend David Brabham and vehicle owner Peter Edwards for the race and after some tweaks during practice, managed a respectable 15th in qualifying. The Ferrari 458 of sister team Maranello Motorsport had not fared so well, ending with a huge crash in practice with Tony D’alberto behind the wheel, rendering the car unrepairable for the race. The race began before dawn and under the headlights the full field provided an incredible spectacle as they raced up and down the mountain, as campers cooked breakfast from camping locations and headed for the stands. The Flying B Racing Bentley in race trim proved to be a solid machine and the team were on track for a solid result until an Aston Martin punted David Brabham into the wall, resulting in a DNF for the team. “It was a fantastic event, as it has been for a few years. But the disappointment is really acute when stuff goes wrong at Bathurst. Other than my stupid rookie mistake on my first out lap the whole Flying B Racing team performed faultlessly. Great strategy and pit stops and a real joy to work with. They deserved better” said John Bowe. "Anyway, congratulations to the Nissan team, to Liqui-Moly Australia for helping to create an amazing event, and the promoter James O'Brien who has masterminded the race onto a global scale”
All Ford Sunday 25 February 2015 12:22 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareRare Spares were proud to sponsor the 24th annual Kiwanis All Ford Day. Held on Sunday 15th Feb at Deakin University, Waun Ponds Geelong in Victoria, the All Ford Day turned on some beautiful summer weather which resulted in the largest event on record. Over 7,000 spectators joined in the automotive celebrations of all things Ford, to view over 1,300 vehicles on display. There was a great range of all type of Fords, young and old and included both racing machinery and street cars. Event Organiser Graeme Munro was in awe at the success of the event this year. “It was a magnificent event and the best we have ever held over our 24 year history. The quality of the cars was up on previous years, the huge crowds enjoyed it and the weather was perfect.” “The All Ford Sunday is the biggest Ford show in Australia and we are looking forward to going again in 2015” Rare Spares set up a trade stand at the event and were inundated by restoration enthusiasts, making part enquiries and entering the Rare Spares promotion, where a lucky spectator had a chance to win a Rare Spares product voucher. “We are very happy to have Rare Spares involved and they are one of our club’s gold sponsors. They also assisted in getting John Bowe to attend the event, so we are very thankful to their support” said Munro. Rare Spares Ambassador and Ford man John Bowe was on hand at the Rare Spares stand signing autographs and taking part in the trophy presentation amongst other motor racing legends including Allan Moffat and Jim Richards. For more information on the event, head to www.allfordday.org.au You can find out more about local events by joining the Rare Spares Loyalty Club at https://www.rarespares.net.au/Loyalty/default.aspx
Cars and Australia in 1955 20 February 2015 12:34 Rare Spares Rare Spares (0) ShareSixty years ago, Australia was a much smaller, simpler nation. World War Two was well and truly in the past and the baby boomer generation were well and truly blossoming. In 1955, the Australian Prime Minister was Robert Menzies, HMAS Melbourne was commissioned into the Australian Navy and the controversial Snowy River Hydroelectric Scheme started producing power for the first time. The number one song on the Aussie music charts in 1955 was ‘Hold My Hand’, by Don Cornell and Nat King Cole. The Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix was held at the former Port Wakefield Circuit and was won by Jack Brabham in a Cooper Bristol. The Australian car scenery certainly looked very different to that of today. In 1955 there were 1.4 million passenger vehicles registered in Australia. As a comparison that figure is now over 13 million. For every 1,000 people in Australia in 1955, there was only 153 cars on our roads. That has obviously changed with a much higher 568 cars per 1,000 people now grid locking roads across the country. We wonder what it might be like in another 50 years? There was less people on our roads, but safety of roadways and vehicles was in contrast to now, quite primitive. Seatbelts were not required to be worn until 1970 and the total road toll in 1955 was 2042 people. That is per capita nearly triple the current road toll statistics. The FJ Holden was becoming the car of choice for many Australians, having only been released the year previously. With a 2.2 litre straight six engine, the FJ produced around 65hp and would go on to be the iconic car it is today. Ford was offering the Ford Customline and also the Fordomatic vehicles, which were both powered by a Ford V8 and were a much larger car than the FJ Holden. It was around 1955 that Drive-in theatres were starting to be introduced and no doubt many Aussies would have been taking their cars down to the local drive in theatre for a night out. Times change, but it’s always good to look where we have come from and enjoy years gone by. Luckily, with Rare Spares help, many of the cars from this era are still proudly kicking on.