The Early Ford V8 National Rally, featuring automobiles powered by Henry Ford's legendary side valve V8 engines, will be in Echuca-Moama very soon.
The classic automobile showcase event is on May 3, with a Show ‘n’ Shine at the Moama Soundshell on Saturday, May 4, followed by scenic driving tour of the Echuca and Moama region.
“It is a four-day event for Australia’s four early Ford V8 clubs,” the Early Ford V8 Club Victoria Inc club secretary Chris Camier said.
“The Show ‘n’ Shine is a public viewing, where the cars will be stationary, and people are welcome to come and look at them.
“We have invited other car clubs to come and show their cars, as someone might have one of these cars kicking about in the club network.
After the Show ‘n’ Shine, the rally will be doing a couple of runs around the region, with a run to Tatura on Sunday for lunch at the tennis club and to Deniliquin on Monday.
An early Ford V8 is a car manufactured by Ford from 1932 to 1954 in Australia with a flathead engine.
“In its day, it was pretty unique because it was a single-piece casting V8,” Mr Camier said.
“Very advanced for its day.
“Flathead means that the valves are embedded in the engine block and the head, and there is like a cap that goes over the piston, cylinder and valves, and there is no working mechanism in the head on either side of the engine.
“Hence, it is called a flathead.
“Life was simpler then, and models included four-door touring sedans or four-door business sedans, which didn’t have a boot or two-door touring cars, in which the top would fold down and you’d be left with the windscreen.
“They had model numbers, but they are pretty meaningless because the model number didn’t correspond with the year, so most people talk about these cars in a year format.”
Mr Camier drives a 1936 Ford Touring Sedan.
He is the third generation of his family to be the custodian of the car, which his grandfather purchased new.
“This car has been in constant use, and road registered all of its life,” he said.
“It still has the original registration plate with which it was purchased.
“No power steering or power brakes.
“It’s got reasonable power under the bonnet because, for its day, it was a big engine, a fast car.
“To put it in perspective, in 1932, Bonnie and Clyde were driving these cars as getaway cars in the United States because they could outrun the police.”
The Early Ford V8 National Rally Show n’ Shine is open to anyone with a shiny car to display and also the public.
It is at the Moama Soundshell on Saturday, May 4, from 8am to 2pm.
Contact Chris Camier from The Early Ford V8 Club Victoria on 0401 703 465 or via email secretary.efv8cv@gmail.com