2019 ACT Marques in the park
This weekend I planned to drive down to Canberra for the MB Spares and Service clearance sale. Originally I was going to do a Saturday day trip, but I noticed that the Marques in the park show was running the next day. From what I read this is a fairly large, but still informal show, with normally a few hundred cars in attendance.
I decided to make a weekend of it – stay down Saturday evening and then attend the show Sunday morning. It worked out quite well – I attended the show from 9Am to 11:30 and then headed back to Sydney. I stayed in the same hotel as the ACT German Car show. The Woden hotel that offers reasonable prices and loads of secure undercover parking. The show itself is held in a park in Belconnen near a lake. A great spot and easy to get to.
The show was quite good – everything from a rare Bentley Continental (the real one, not the VW) to pre-war Packards to a beat up old Camry. Some of the highlights for me were:
- The 50’s Ford Convertible with the folding metal roof – 40 years before the SLK. I saw a similar car the Concours D’Elegance of America. Given how rare these cars are, it is great to see one in Australia.
- A Chrysler 300H. I prefer the rear end of the G, the H is still a very impressive automobile and the dashboard is almost out of the Jetsons.
- The Pre-war Packards. The 1927 model even had a spot to carry your motorcycle!
- A lovely red Austin 3 Litre. These cars are rarely seen in Australia.
- A black Corvair Coupe. The Coupe has such elegant lines. One of the most innovative cars to come out of the United States in the post war era.
- Seeing a 220SE Cabriolet parked next to its contemporary – a 230SL.
- Getting a tour of all the clever touches of a 1967 VW Microbus camper.
If you’re in Canberra, the Marques in the park show is well worth stopping by. I’m glad I went and checked it out. If I go again, I will drive my car into the display field. This show is rather informal, you don’t need to be a club member to participate. I like these informal shows.
