by Mike

P76s nstled amongst the trees

With Sunday the 23rd of January being show day in Rotorua, I had a quick ring around to gather some of the local troops to take part, then Ed came up with the suggestion why not go down the night before and all go out for dinner. Yeah right!!

With many activities happening in town over the weekend the place was well booked out. Ed & Annette, Stephen & Karen King, Royce & Shelleigh King got booked into one motel, leaving Annette and myself to go 100 metres up the road to another. Steve Learmonth came over the following morning. Also in tow were 3 young kiddies being Stephen & Karen’s grandchildren so instead of going out, fish & chips were ordered and had at Ed’s motel.

Next morning all up bright and breezy, except for Royce who attended his mates stag do and was a little seedy, but still made it, we headed down to the park in front of Rotorua Lake and had a spot under the trees kindly saved for us by a fellow Vanden Plas member as I took my VP 4ltr Princess, hoping someone may come along to purchase it. We all lined the cars up, wiped all the bugs from the windows then headed down town for breakfast.

Upon arriving back some delightful persons had parked their Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz in front of our beautiful P76’s so Ed in his very quietly spoken voice asked them ever so politely to shift their bl—dy cars which one did, the other had to be deaf or too scared to move. Whatever it was entertaining. My VP was parked with 2 others, then we had Annette in her late father’s CB car, Ed & Annette, Royce & Shelleigh, Stephen & Karen & Steve Learmonth. Also attending with their Sunbeam Rapier were Ian & Deborah Sutherland but they were parked over with the Sunbeam club

With another 150 cars parked on show it was a very pleasant day and no, I still have my VP in the shed awaiting a new owner.