Brett and Sharyn Preisig have waited years for the opportunity to own a Vauxhall PA and when the chance finally arrived to buy one, the Corona virus of all things stood in the way.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
I recently caught up with Brett and Sharyn as members of the Central West Car Club and they told me a little about the story.
Brett started by telling me that back in the 1980s they were members of the Vauxhall owners club of Victoria.
"Funnily enough we never drove a Vauxhall," he laughed.
"Ours never really made it out of restoration and we would turn up to events in our WB panel van.
"Sharyn and I both loved the PA Crestas and thought they'd make a great clubcar - stylish, powerful and room for the whole family."
... I remember this car more than just catching my eye in his shed at the time.
It took almost 40 years but they finally fulfilled their dream when they bought this 1962 Vauxhall Cresta PAX in July this year.
"In 2018 we bought a Vauxhall Velox utility from a chap in Stanthorpe," Brett said.
"And I remember this car more than just catching my eye in his shed at the time.
"As luck would have it, the Cresta came up for sale this year and I knew we had to have it."
Brett and Sharyn went on to tell me that they'd pretty much sealed the deal on the Cresta but their dilemma was that the car was located over the Queensland border in Stanthorpe and the border was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.
"The border opened at 12pm on the July 10, we were through the checkpoint by 1pm and back in NSW within three hours," they chuckled.
The Vauxhall Cresta, although a British car, was built in Australia and Brett and Sharyn's came out of the Acacia Ridge plant in Brisbane.
"It's a 162 cubic inch 6 cylinder with a 3-speed-hydramatic transmission," Brett said.
Sharing the assembly line with the Holdens of the day, the Vauxhalls often had a similar colour scheme to the Holdens.
"Ours was originally Nepean Grey but has been restored years ago to a two tone which we believe is Dusk Plum and Snow Crest White," Brett said.
After a careful drive home to Parkes all the way from Queensland, there were a few surprise discoveries underneath this almost-60-year-old beauty so Brett and Sharyn are giving serious thoughts to another restoration of their Cresta.
But for now they are enjoying their membership of the CWCC and getting on the road.
MORE CAR CLUB ARTICLES:
