Motorsport Company news South Africa

Get your kicks on the Rand Show's Route 66

Take a classic road trip with the Rand Show this year. Come feel the vibes of the iconic Route 66, with a display of classic cars, motorcycles, and memorabilia from the Shawn Tyler Museum, plus a full Cobra Backdraft build that will take place over 10 days.

Enter a time warp in Hall 5 and experience the sights and sounds of Route 66. Classic cars. Superbikes. Muscle cars. Motoring memorabilia. Even a roadhouse diner experience for when it’s time to take a load off and refuel.

South Africa has one of the strongest Borgward clubs in the world. The club will be displaying German classics like this Goliath from the 1950s in the Rand Show’s Route-66-themed motoring hall from 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
South Africa has one of the strongest Borgward clubs in the world. The club will be displaying German classics like this Goliath from the 1950s in the Rand Show’s Route-66-themed motoring hall from 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
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The Snakepit will build a Backdraft Cobra from scratch in the Rand Show’s motoring hall, going from the rolling chassis to complete car in just 10 days. 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
The Snakepit will build a Backdraft Cobra from scratch in the Rand Show’s motoring hall, going from the rolling chassis to complete car in just 10 days. 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
click to enlarge
Rand Show visitors can get in touch with the hippy within as they add their artwork to the sides of this unrestored VW Kombi in the motoring hall, where a trip back in time to the iconic Route 66 awaits. 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
Rand Show visitors can get in touch with the hippy within as they add their artwork to the sides of this unrestored VW Kombi in the motoring hall, where a trip back in time to the iconic Route 66 awaits. 14-23 April 2017, at Nasrec.
click to enlarge

“There’s going to be a buzz in Hall 5 like never before,” says motoring journalist and television personality Stuart Johnston, who has organised the Classic Car and Motorcycle display at the Rand Show for the past five years.

This year, Johnston has asked Shawn Tyler to go through his collection of motoring memorabilia from his private motoring museum, and share some of his gems with Rand Show visitors. Immerse yourself in the sights of the Route 66 era with Tylor’s vintage fuel pumps, road signs, old scooters, tow trucks and hearses.

As you’d expect when taking a trip on Route 66, there’ll also be customised Harley choppers and superbikes on display, muscle cars, Minis, VW Bugs, Anglias, and DKWs, and the ultimate road-trip time warp machine, the Volkswagen Kombi. “Pierre Ecksteen of the Joburg VW and Beetle Club is supplying one of his unrestored Kombis,” says Johnston. “Members of the public can pick up a paintbrush or a Magic Marker and add their own special message or artwork to the sides of the bus, just like the hippies did at Woodstock back in 1969.”

Pre-war classics

There will be a host of more serious pre-war classic cars supplied by private collectors as well as the Pretoria Old Motor Club. Come and see the special motorised “street theatre” featuring a Model T Ford and a Model A Ford, depicting the founding of this acclaimed club that organises South Africa’s biggest classic car show held each year in Pretoria.

Famous marques from the past will include the little-known Borgward brand that went out of production in 1961. An amazing number of these German cars survive in South Africa today, and the Borgward Club will be putting them on a special display.

Bringing a Cobra to life

Another Hall 5 highlight for petrolheads is the start-to-finish assembly of a Backdraft Cobra from component form. Supervised by Paul de Klerk of the Snakepit, the acknowledged expert on Cobra-based replica cars in Gauteng, members of the Cobra Club will take on the challenge of completing the car over the 10 days of the Rand Show. Cobra Club members will also be displaying their cars.

All this nostalgic motoring action is just part of the lineup of top-class entertainment at this year’s Rand Show. South Africa’s biggest consumer expo is the only show to offer attractions covering everything from sport, motoring, military, and science and technology, to design, animals, gardening, health and beauty, and variety shows ... there’s an entire day out for the whole family packed into each Rand Show ticket.

Visit www.randshow.co.za to find out about what’s on this year at the Rand Show.

When, where, how much?

The Rand Show runs from Friday, 14 April to Sunday, 23 April 2017, from 9am to 7pm (last entry at 6pm), at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec (GPS – S26°14.484’ E27°58.510). There is ample secure paid parking at the venue, with visible policing.

Rand Show tickets at the gate cost R150 for adults, R50 for pensioners, R50 for 13-16 years, R20 for 6-12 years, and under six enter free. Midweek specials for Tuesday 18, Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 April only are R75 for adults, and R20 for 13-16 year olds. Open-air parking is R20 per car. Tickets are available at the gate or through Computicket.

Tickets give access to a wide variety of entertainment attractions, but exclude rides on the helicopter and monorail, drifting, bagjumping, the fun fair, and refreshments and food.

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