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I was asked to do a presentation on our travels across New Zealand for Packard of Chicagoland, and I put together this presentation, which was shown in early July. Here is a link for anyone who would like to watch it. It is pretty long, but there is a beautiful video at the end that was done by South Pacific Packards of New Zealand.

dropbox.com/scl/fi/8xlsd3vn46bx6su9owaip ... ppejzpr1lxazhy6p6o&st=4fz1plmn&dl=0

There is no need to log in or create a Dropbox account. If a dialog about that pops up, you can dismiss it. Just click the play button in the middle of the video.

Thanks!

Thanks!!!!!

Thanks for posting. I want to go on that tour. Gorgeous scenery and a challenge for all cars. So great to see so many Packard’s out in the wide open spaces.

We are going back this February (2025) for ArtDeco fest. The Packard Rally only happens every two years, so that will be 2026 on the South Island. Once I get the firm details, I will pass them along.

Kevin, this is a masterful production enhanced by its casual yet sincere presentation. Make this gentle tour de force available to various school districts for students 6th grade through high school. Also offer this to other car clubs A-Z for a well deserved recompense. The opening 15 or so minutes alone are a perfect geography lesson in themselves providing crystal perspective; also illuminating for many adults, including this one.

Kevin, this is too good "for just us." It must be widely seen. A sublime mixture of geography, sociology, travel, and fun even without the fine mix of vintage cars.

Wish automotive historian/author/columnist/engineer Kiwi Maurice Hendry still with us, as he would've loved it. Wonder if PackardInfo's occasional most welcomed and knowledgeable Peter Packard (Peter and Ann Toet), made it from Canberry, Australia, Peter owning at least ten Packards, pre- and postwar, junior and senior, inc. a '35 385-ci Super Eight convertible sedan and a '39 Twelve formal sedan first owned by Lionel Barrymore, as well as a lavish Phantom II Rolls-Royce. Peter was or is the Australian Packard Club's tech editor, once re-engineered US Mack trucks for the Aussie army, and built Down Under's, perhaps world's, fastest Mazda RX-3 rotary drag car for his son. Peter and Ann also have a collection of 25 or so ancient Sceptered Isle motorbikes, which they exercise two at a time on the lightly traveled roads outside capitol city Canberry, their chief concern any errant 'roos.

Had heard about the restoration of that Diamond T '38 tanker. The handrails along the side remind some of us rail fans of the grab rails by the catwalks of steam locomotives.

Some splendid Packards and to think they were mostly seniors, as well as other noteworthy cars, inc. the '38 Lagonda LG6 which many well versed in the marque prefer over the concurrent W.O. Bentley V-12, a Rapide version of the latter a late friend owned. A pair of these latter highly tuned came in third and fourth in the last prewar Le Mans in 1940, but with burnt valves. The Meadows six used in the LG6 dated from 1925, but was much revised by the late '30s, and these Lagondas whether six or V-12 had torsion bar i.f.s.

I stopped 35 minutes in because I want Lauren, my parole offi---squeeze to watch this in its entirety with me in lieu of our Saturday night movie. She collects Art Deco items.
How well the various groups down there choreograph their events. Here in NorCal's Bay Area, the Art Deco Society puts on its annual "Gatsby Summer Afternoon" with everyone in period dress, 60 or more 1919-42 cars, a fabulous live jazz band, hardwood floors outdoors under streamers and paper lanterns for spirited dancing including the oo la la "Deco Belles." This event at the Dunsmuir House and Gardens in Oakland (you can see this turn of the last century manse in various movies, inc. the James Bond "A View to a Kill.")
The ADS president saw my '47 at a local show, exclaiming, "I want that car at Gatsby!" Reminded him it was past his vehicle age cut off, but he laughed, "It's the same as a '42," and so we attended annually for years. Someone drove in with a '50-something Morgan, but Morgans being Morgans, no one the wiser. The Art Deco Society of California also embraces Moderne, for those of us preferring that simplicity of a couple years later over Art Deco's baroque.

However, unlike the enthused Kiwi dovetailing, the NorCal Packard Club invariably has their well-attended Vallejo swap meet the same day.

And Kevin, y'are veering toward svelte, so whatever you're doing, keep it up and keep as posted on Brer Jackard/Packuar.

To close with "Good show!" is shortchanging your breezy production.

[quote]su8overdrive wrote:......Wonder if PackardInfo's occasional most welcomed and knowledgeable Peter Packard (Peter and Ann Toet), made it from Canberry, Australia, Peter owning at least ten Packards, pre- and postwar, junior and senior, inc. a '35 385-ci Super Eight convertible sedan and a '39 Twelve formal sedan first owned by Lionel Barrymore, as well as a lavish Phantom II Rolls-Royce. Peter was or is the Australian Packard Club's tech editor.....Peter and Ann also have a collection of 25 or so ancient Sceptered Isle motorbikes....../quote]
Mike(su8overdrive),

Just a few minor, but probably unnecessary, corrections:
1) It's Canberra, not Canberry - And an answer to a trivia question to go with it - Like Washington DC is the Capital of the USA, Canberra is the Capital of Oz
2) At the last count Peter had over 20 Packards, the latest of which is a 1919 Twin Six he bought off another PACA member fairly recently. Peter has the disease in a bad way. Or is that a good way?


3) At one stage he and Ann had over 50 motorcycles. Was always talking about downsizing the collection. Maybe it finally happened? If it has, Noel(Tabletennissport here on PackardInfo) will be glad as he's spent many hours cleaning and polishng Peter's motorcyles for him. Noel mutters something about if he never sees another chrome wire wheel again it'll be too soon.
4) Peter's official position within PACA is Techical Officer not "tech editor", maybe I'm splitting hairs here, pedant that I can be.

Anyway, after all that, I encourage anyway who's able to attend the Art Deco Festival and/or the South Pacific Packards Rally to do so. I did in 2014, and is a fondly remembered memory of mine.

Wow. BigKev, father/founder/sole operator of this splendid website fit for the "cars for gentlemen, built by gentlemen, to whom we all owe so much,
receives only a couple accolades for his relaxed, breezy, thoughtfully done, well edited, yet informative Kiwi tour.

Yet we've pages and pages about correct upholstery clips, etc.

Jaysus, what a bunch of ungrateful wretches. Wondering how many of you myopics bothered watching.

That is the best movie of a car tour I have seen, Packard or otherwise.
I have been fortunate to have participated in two similar NZ South Pacific Packard Club events in the past and no one does it better, helped in no small part by their beautiful country.
Also what a great collection of 1920's Packards, that's my bias showing!

Craig and Nikki Marshall did the video at the end. They shot all the images and video during the tour, and somehow they were able to edit it all together and produced that wonderful video by the time of the closing dinner. That is like a moon shot!

They also showed a video from when they ran the Peking to Paris Rally ten plus years ago in a fairly stock mid-30s Dodge....and finished.

I enjoyed both parts of the presentation equally, the way each day was described and shown with photos and aerial zoom shots was superb.