Cape Town - The iconic Kalk Bay Veteran Run, organised by the Crankhandle Club in Wynberg, revved up the streets of Cape Town for this year’s commemoration of the Automobile Association of SA’s inaugural run in 1901.
The club has set its sights on showcasing the old automobiles by holding an annual race involving cars and motorcycles manufactured before 1918.
With 28 participants taking part in this year’s race, the oldest car is a 1901 Benz Ideal driven by Harvey Metcalf and a 1902 Wolseley 5hp driven by John Brewster.
According to Derek Stuart-Findlay, who has been with the club for over 15 years, the club gained prominence following the veteran and vintage run held in South Africa between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth in December 1954.
“The Automobile Association of South Africa club was founded in Cape Town in 1901, and the first outing they ever had was from Greenmarket Square to Kalk Bay. Today’s event is a commemoration of that vision.”
Preparing for his ride, Metcalf, who was to be the first member to ride out, said: “The car is a 1901 Benz Ideal. It was bought brand-new by its first owner, who resided in Plumstead. It lived there for the 30-odd years of its life.
“It was then found by a bunch of UCT students who took it and drove it in various rag processions. Eventually it passed into the ownership of UCT, but since the mid-1960s it has been held in trust by the Crankhandle Club.
“I think that during its lifetime it probably did more mileage ‘in captivity’ as a restored vehicle than when it served its original owner as a horseless carriage,” he said.
Also participating in the event was an imported 1911 Ford T driven by Eric Edward, a Canadian resident who has been a member of the club for eight years.
“This Ford is a four-cylinder automobile, and its top speed is about 35 miles an hour (56km/h). The car was imported from Canada to South Africa for my uncle, who was a member of the club in the 1980s,” said Edward.