Blog
Ron, Dave, Mike and the Mechanics…
FMM continues to attract celebrities and personalities both locally and from around the world, sometimes for business but, more often than not, purely social visits. Over the Festive Season, the museum hosted a number of well-known individuals including Tschops Sipuka, the first black South African Motorsport Champion who went on to represent his country at…
Back in the groove
The popular FMM Slot Car Championship gets under way on February 6 with races taking place on the existing two-lane track. A new four-lane circuit was assembled and tried out at the end of last year but in the event proved to be not ideal and so is being re-jigged to provide the best possible…
Collection in action: DeSoto Suburban
Mike Monk goes back 70 years and samples Suburban life in a multi-purpose vehicle that is part crossover SUV, part limousine, part people carrier and goes on safari… Founded by Walter Chrysler in 1928, De Soto’s model offerings served as a lower priced version of the other Chrysler Corporation products. Just prior to WWII, aside…
High 5 for VW People Pavilion
In December last year, Volkswagen Group South Africa’s multipurpose PeoplePavilion in Uitenhage celebrated its 5th anniversary. Since officially opening its doors in 2013, PeoplePavilion has welcomed nearly half a million visitors who have attended various events such as sporting matches, exhibitions, conferences, birthdays and weddings. The R30-million facility is one-of-a-kind in the SA auto…
L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival: 2019
The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Racing Festival will take place at Cape Town’s Kenilworth Race Course on 5-6 January 2019. Dating back to 1861, the Queen’s Plate is the continent’s oldest horse race day and this will be the 158th time the classic equestrian event will be run. The race forms part of the weekend-long programme…
Fmm Bugattis at Val de Vie
Following on from the SA Historic Grand Prix Festival that took place in East London on 25 November, the following weekend there was a garden party at Val de Vie in Paarl where the participating overseas and local grand prix cars from the 1934-39 era were on view. They were joined on the estate’s expansive…
Collection in action: Morgan +4
Mike Monk comes to grips with a pillar of society… Idiosyncratic is the only word to describe the Morgan Motor Company of Malvern, a spa town situated at the foot of the Malvern Hills in Worcestershire, England, “a designated area of natural beauty”. The company was founded by Henry Frederick Stanley ‘HFS’ Morgan in...
On yer bike: Easy Rider
FMM curator Wayne Harley is a self-confessed motorcycle enthusiast and this month he goes cruisin’ with Fonda and Hopper... Many people will have an iconic biker movie, be it The Wild One, Mad Max, On Any Sunday or Silver Dream Racer. However, for most there is one that stands out above the rest –...
Memorabilia – Pantheon
FMM assistant curator Cheslynne Ruiters visits the Pantheon and looks at some kidneys... Automotive grilles have taken on many different shapes and designs through the years, the first of these appearing in 1903. The principal function of the grille is to admit cooling air to the radiator, but as one of the main visual...
Fmm Bugattis at Val De Vie
Following on from the SA Historic Grand Prix Festival taking place in East London on 25 November, there will be a garden party at Val de Vie on December 1-2 where the participating overseas and local grand prix cars from the 1934-39 era will be part of over 120 of the country’s classic cars on…