Classic cars and camaraderie: Nambour’s new Friday revheads’ meetup
Len Holden with his ’42 Ford hotrod. He says the Friday meetups are better than watching Better Homes & Gardens.
by Janine Hill
A DEARTH of entertainment on Friday night TV has sparked a weekly event bringing cars and community together in Nambour.
Hot rodder Len Holden put out the call in September for owners of pre-1975 cars to get together in the Bury Street carpark one Friday night and the gathering has gained momentum every week.
Len was simply sick of trying to find something to watch on TV at the end of the working week when he decided to organise the get-together.
“There’s Better Homes and Gardens but I don’t really like most of the crew on there at the moment,” Len said.
“The bloke with the dog was alright but the fella they’ve got on there now, he just wants to spend $2000 on plants every week. Fast Ed, he’s alright.”
Despite his surname, which he inherited from his father, who happened to be a believer - “I had to wait for my Dad to die before I bought a Ford”- Len has a ’42 Ford pick-up which he rebuilt from the ground up as hot rod.
While some other rodders come to the Friday night get together, anyone with any pre-1975 vehicle is welcome to what has become a very civil, fun, family event.
Ian Carrick, of Woombye, and Ted Mayberry, of Woombye, with their 1929 Model T Fords, and Steve and Mandy Hadlow, of Image Flat, with his 1965 XP Falcon.
As well as rods, the Friday night fleet has so far included an old Beetle, a 1960s Peugot, a Ford Prefect, an XY GT Falcon, a Chevy, and more.
“So far, they’ve been from Nambour, a few have come down from Tewantin, some people had come from Caloundra. We’ve had quite a few people from Woombye, Palmwoods,” Len said.
Len said car owners were enjoying the opportunity to meet new people and chat without the pressure of competing at a car show. Locals were also coming to admire the cars and the gathering was having a flow-on effect for local businesses, he said.
“We get parents bringing their kids down to have a look. They’re getting a bite to eat while they’re there. There’s about eight food outlets within two minutes so it’s good for them, too.”
The gathering starts at 5.30pm and winds up at a 7.30pm, just in time for some to get home and catch the end of Better Homes and Gardens. If they dare.