Pimp my ride...

It's been a long time between posts with me busy working on the magazine and the new book and I've had quite a few people write and ask me when I was going to post again...

The big question on my mind for the past six months or so has been the paintwork on the Cresta.
Pink or blue? Pink or blue? Pink or blue?
I've been driving everyone crazy asking for second, third, one hundredth opinions as I found myself quite unable to make a decision and wondering why was this so hard?

I have wanted to buy an old car, do it up and paint it pink for a very, very long time.
When I bought the Cresta, I thought I would do it up over a few years as I could afford to and then, once it was all fixed up and running well, I would paint it pink, redo the upholstery in white and make it look oh so pretty.

Having now replaced practically every component under the bonnet of the car, that time has come...

The Cresta is now in the paint shop getting prepped for paint. Pink or blue?

Pink is my favourite colour ever, but I must admit that the soft blue of the Cresta has also grown on me a bit over the years too, and pink and blue together kind of work too.
Would a pink car with a white roof look too much with an all pink caravan? Maybe if I painted the top half of the caravan white too like this duo - awesome!

I have changed my mind about what colour I want my car to be about ten times in the past few months.
If this is the final step in my long-held dream then why do I feel so anxious about it? Why did the thought of painting my car pink suddenly see me questioning myself? I had fears... Yes, real fears, and when I analysed them, I realised that all of those fears were about worrying about what OTHER people would think of my pink car.  I'm told that pink is not a good colour for resale... like as if I am ever going to sell the Cresta! D'uh!

When I put photos of pink car and caravan combos on the Vintage Caravan Magazine Facebook page everyone goes crazy for them.  When I asked VCM readers what colour they thought I should go, the most popular response by far was "Go pink!".  But still I hesitated...
Why?
Because a lot of men seem to really hate pink and I do not want to alienate them?
A lot of men also tell me that my Cresta is a piece of crap and to get rid of it, but that just makes me love her even more.  I love that she is so different from any other car you will ever see on the street.  I love that nobody knows what kind of car it is.  I love that it is unique.  I love that it is mine.
Oh how I love that car!
Pink or blue...

Garterbelts & Gasoline Nostalgia Festival @ Mt. Tamborine April 29th – May 2nd

This article appeared in the 2nd issue of Vintage Caravan Magazine - June/July 2011

Having only just completed my caravan Vicky’s interior makeover the week before, it seemed as good a time as any to hit the road once more and show her off a bit. The occasion: the third annual Garterbelts & Gasoline Nostalgia Festival. Held for the first time in the idyllic location of Mt. Tamborine in the Gold Coast Hinterland, the euphoria started to set in even before we arrived at the showgrounds, as the perfect weather and breathtaking scenic drive up the mountain filled me with a sense of anticipation and adventure. The thrill of taking my little Vicky out and about to a new setting in conditions like this is one of life’s better joys and always makes me so proud and happy to be a caravanner.

Once inside the showgrounds, the pink flamingos were put in place and the banana lounge brought out to take advantage of the sensational summer-like weather. Then it was off the nearby Saint Bernard’s Hotel for a steak meal, some live rockabilly jives and the judging of the Miss Garterbelts & Gasoline pin-up contest.  The party went on well into the night and saw me crawling back into the van way past my usual bedtime.

Early on Sunday morning, even with earplugs in, the familiar rumbling of hot rods could be heard as streams of entrants and their pre-1970 vehicles rolled in to the showgrounds in preparation for the big day – the classic and custom car displays. Several vintage caravans, along with Vintage Caravan Magazine’s own “Vicky” were also on display and proved to be very popular with the crowds. And I was stoked to spot this pink Vauxhall!

The great weather continued throughout the entire weekend creating ideal circumstances for a long weekend festival of lowbrow art, tiki carving, hot rods, classic and custom cars, vintage fashion, pinup photography, market stalls, plenty of rockin’ live music and lots and lots of dancing.  Along with over 300 show cars, a crowd of almost 4,000 filled the showgrounds with most in full retro regalia creating a sea of slick back hairdos for the guys and circle skirts, petticoats, polka dots and parasols for the gals. 

The next day, with all the cars gone, I was lucky enough to get some photos done of Vicky and I by the renowned pinup photographer: the gorgeous Helen Mclean before hitting the road for the 2-hour journey home. Assisted by Miss Christine from Lindy’s Charm School for Girls on hair and makeup, the Helen McLean pinup photo booth proved to be one of the most popular attractions of the festival.

A big shout out has to go to Paul Biagini and wife Amanda for putting together what was probably one of the best and definitely the most fun events I’ve been to in a long time. The choice of location and the enthusiasm and dedication to the nostalgia lifestyle shown by the festival organisers created a fantastic festival vibe and Vicky and I can’t wait for next year’s event!

This is the Saint Bernard from St. Bernard's Hotel at Mt. Tamborine who obviously has a very tough life - I found him lounging in the Pokies lounge!

My new 1963 vauxhall PB Cresta

Vicky the caravan now has a new partner. Having had the ad for this cute classic Cresta pinned to my fridge since August last year, my dream finally came true when she was delivered to my house recently. Every time I had opened the fridge I had looked at the photo in the torn out piece of newspaper and said: "She will be mine, oh yes, she will be mine". I watched over the next few months as the price was reduced and then, in early December, the ad stopped appearing and I worried I might have waited too long and missed out. So when it reappeared just before Christmas at an even lower price I took no chances and bought her.

So it's not the EH Holden I had in mind, but I reckon it's the next best thing. It's a Vauxhall Cresta PB built in 1963 and very similar in design to the EJ Holden as it was also made by GMH. But for some reason, the Vauxhall does not seem to have captured the Aussie hearts the way the EJ and EH's have and when I excitedly tell motoring enthusiasts of my new aquisition I get chuckles and other less favourable responses.

Well, I don't get it. I think she's beautiful and I can't wait to get her restored and, yes, painted pink! At the moment she's in perfect running order, drives like a dream with her very cool "Hydramatic" automatic transmission and comfy bench seats and lots and lots of shining chrome in almost perfect condition.

We are already booked in to make our first appearance at an upcoming clasic car show - not as a show car, but as a vintage van and classic car combo in original condition and I can't wait to get the towbar put on her and take her and Vicky out for their very first photo shoot.

And here's one of the best things about this car; the mascot. Apparently it is off a 1954-55 Velox and has obviously been added by one of the previous owners, but I just love it!  All the chrome on the car is all in great condition and it even has a spare grille and hubcap in the boot!

Despite a severe lack of information on these cars, I have managed to find out that there are only around 50 of these cars still on the road in the UK where they were made, and only a handful left here in Australia, so despite what anyone else might think, I reckon I've scored something really special here and I love her to bits!