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Variety the Spice at Fab Franschhoek TT
28 Feb 2010
First Franschhoek Tourist Trophy claims its place as South Africa's top classic car happening |
Visitors who braved the sweltering upper-30 degree tempreratures to enjoy the first Franschhoek Motor Museum Tourist Trophy and Concours over the weekend were treated to a specatacular display of machinery and action in a splendid new format at the l'Ormarins wine estate.
Designed as an outing for many of the museum's stunning machines as much as it is a gathering of the creme de le creme of South Africa's classic cars, the event also played host to South Africa's greatest racing legends.
Multiple SA rally and race champion and Daytona 24 winner Sarel van der Merwe tried his hand at the wheel of several special cars over the weekend pedaling everything from the museum's cracking Porsche Carrera GT to a Le Mans D Type Jaguar and a monster V8 Chevelle SS.
Several time SA driver's champion Ian Schecter drove the Tyrell his brother Jody drove to South African grand prix victory and he later took over to win the '75 SA driver's championship. Scheckter also drove the March 802 he won the 1980 SA championship aboard, while saloon car legend Peter Gough was reunited with his original Meissner Ford Escort he last drove 40 years ago...
Another rally legend Serge Damseaux was reunited with a car that took him stage glory when he drove the Class A turbo All-wheel drive Toyota Corolla he took to the '88 SA rally championship for the first time in over 20 years....
In other grudge matches, Springbok flanker Schalk Burger driving his tweaked BMW 135i beat event patron Mr. Johann Rupert's Brabus Mercedes SL, but Mr. Rupert later driving his CLK AMG got the better of ex Pick 'n Pay chief Shaun Summers' Ferrari 430 Challenge.
The allied FMM Concours plyed out to a more serene theme with contestants driving up the hill to be judged after luncheon at the manor house. Among the stars of that show were several Ferraris including a Dino and a Daytona, Aston Martins, Posches, classic Bentleys and a rare BMW M1.
The weekend also saw the museum exhibit several new world class cars for the first time including several 1950s vehicles with pedigrees long missing from South Africa. Those include a trio of Maseratis (a 1954 F1 Maserati 250F similar to the car Fangio once raced, another 4CLT F1 and a 200S sports racer) and a stunning Alfa Romeo 2300 coupe.
All in all the first Franschhoek TT and Concours was a fabulous event - yes, it was hot, it did suffer the expected pre-event glitch here and there, but one thing is for sure, it has quickly elevated itself to the jewel in the crown of all South African classic events. Who knows, with a little tweaking and a touch of time, this event could well become one of the happenings to be at anywhere in the world...
- Michele Lupini
- images Giordano Lupini
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