Blog
Collection in Action – Aston Martin
Good evening Mr Bond. FMM’s ‘double-oh-six-and-a-bit’ drives a special version of the Aston that could have starred in Goldfinger… If ever a brand had a hero then Aston Martin and James Bond epitomised the perfect partnership. It started in 1964 when 007 used a DB5 as his personal transport in Goldfinger, the third of…
Memorabilia – Mercedes-Benz’s three-pointed star
FMM assistant curator Cheslynne Ruiters takes a look behind one of the motoring world’s most famous badges… One emblem that has come to represent quality, innovation and tradition in the automotive industry is Mercedes-Benz’s three-pointed star. This iconic design has adorned the frontage of M-B’s vehicles for a hundred years, as well as appearing on…
On Yer Bike – Suzuki AS 50
FMM curator Wayne Harley is a self-confessed motorcycle enthusiast and this month he goes back to school in blazer and shorts… Every year for the past seven years, participants in the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride rode their classic and vintage-styled motorcycles to raise funds in support of men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and mental health….
SAGP Historic Festival
Excitement is growing amongst entrants and spectators alike as the South Africa Historic Grand Prix Festival approaches. Over 20 Grand Prix cars are now confirmed for the historic reunion of some of the exact cars that raced in the South African Grand Prix between 1934 and 1939, including the inaugural race-winning Maserati 8CM and the…
FMM Slot Car Championship
The final round of the FMM Slot Car Championship took place in October and on the night, Franklin Smit won the Touring Car round with his Ford Mustang and Japie Aranjies won the Sports Car round with his Chaparral. After the final points were counted, Mark Venske emerged as the Touring Car Champion with his…
Collection in action: Buick Super 8
Last month Packard’s Super 8 was the featured model. Now, 70 years on, Mike Monk tries out Buick’s take on the title… The post-war Buick line-up appeared in 1946 and was effectively a resumption of the pre-war models that were introduced in 1942. This was the second generation, the first having been launched just two…
On yer bike: Ariel
FMM curator Wayne Harley is a self-confessed motorcycle enthusiast and this month he ‘squares up’ with an Ariel… The history of Ariel is almost as old as the mythical sprit that appears in William Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, and like some other motorcycle manufacturers, it has its roots in the bicycle industry. James Starley and…
Classic Car Conference
The second annual Historic Automobile Group International (HAGI) Value in the Classic Car Market (VCCM) Conference was held in September at The Capital On The Park Hotel in Sandton, at which a number of interesting points were presented and debated. The focus of the conference was accented on the economic benefits of owning a classic…
GSM Anniversary
On Heritage weekend Sunday, the GSM Club celebrated its 60th anniversary at FMM with a huge display of Darts and Flamingos featuring the first 10 GSM Darts to be built – including the first production GSM Dart, chassis number 5801, which has just been found. Cars and chassis were lined up around the quadrant and…
Iain Tyrrell visit to FMM
In early September, FMM was pleased to spend some time with renowned UK classic car consultant Iain Tyrrell, who was on a short holiday to SA with his South African born girlfriend. Iain has a strong mechanical bent and has run his own Rolls-Royce and Bentley workshop, and is also recognised as a Ferrari specialist….