Special guest appearance at Torana Fest 2013, Newcastle, Australia

My overseas followers will probably ask themselves,'what is a Torana?'.  Well, the Torana was a car that was manufactured in Australia by General Motors - Holden - the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Various models were built in the period 1967-80. The name 'Torana' apparently comes from an Australian Aboriginal word that means 'to fly'  -  and that is exactly what a lot of them did!

The photographs that I wanted to present here though, are not of a Torana!  At the Torana Fest, there was a special appearance of an old racing warhorse.  A 1953 Holden 48/215 also known as a Holden FX.  These cars were the first to be introduced to Australia as Australias' own cars.  This car has been mechanically re-conditioned but is basically in original condition as it was when it raced in the first ever Australian Touring Car Championship in 1960 at Gnoo Blas circuit just outside of Orange in New South Wales.

At that race the driver was Des West.  He came 11th outright and 8th in class.  He perhaps would have made better time if he had not stopped to help out a fellow driver who was trapped in his car after a crash.

To read more about this car and its current owner follow this link

If you would like to see more photos from the Torana Fest please visit my Facebook page and check out some icons of Australian Motoring History!  If you visit, please like my page there because then you can keep up with all of my other photography subjects!

Hope you have all been well.

Jordy