ENTERTAINMENT
The Nelson Classic Car Museum is the perfect rainy day activity.
Cadillac had its own little holiday at Nelson Airport, and a stunning 1930 Packard joined the collection. The Packard was the absolute luxury car of its day, costing between US $4,000-$5,000 as compared to the more accessible Model A sitting around US $400-$500. The Museum’s Packard was imported directly from Detroit, and fits well in the row of Cadillacs and Packards.
NELSON CLASSIC
CAR MUSEUM Word is getting out that the Nelson Classic Car Museum has had a few changes over the last year.
O
ne of the up-sides of Covid-19 is that the Museum used the time to re-park the 150+ cars – something that hadn’t been done for more than ten years. So rather than a haphazard mix of motors through the decades, there’s a lot more order to the collection. All the pre-1918 veterans and vintages are sitting together near the entrance, the roadsters are parked up beside the race cars, the 1930s flash luxury automobiles have been primped
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and primed, the 13 Jaguars have been cajoled into “The Cat Cage”, and the kiwiana cars are all hanging out the back. As one of New Zealand’s top three private car collections, the Museum is more than a static display of cars. The cars get moved about for various reasons: the 1908 Model T recently returned after a thorough toothbrush clean, the pink
The more time spent in the Museum, the more the detailing comes to the fore – the curve of the fender, the line of the body, and of course, those hood ornaments. In the earElegance inside and out.
ly twentieth century, car owners could order bespoke hood ornaments – it wasn’t just a case of staying with the make of their car, even though the collection of leaping jaguars, growling lions and poised archers were all desirable. The Museum’s most impressive hood ornament is a stunning Lalique glass eagle. These mascots originally sat atop the radiator cap, front and centre on the bonnet. Lalique charged as little as $50 for a choice of 30 designs, ranging from foxes and owls to mermaids and figurines. Their value has since spiralled upwards to the tens of thousands. Hood ornaments were never meant for everyday use, but rather would have been swapped in for a special outing or car show. At the back of the Museum is its engine room, Cartel Works. The workshop is a constant hive of activity. Alongside their remit to look after the collection, they have a thriving business of servicing, restoring and building classic cars. Owner Mike Wilson is passionate about the collection. It’s obviously quite a challenge maintaining such a wide variety of cars in the collection – especially when the majority of them are kept roadworthy. The Museum is also home to rather wonderful cafe, the Little Engine Eatery, which is worth a visit in its own right.
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