Blog
Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost
FMM has just acquired a remarkable motor car, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost. The chassis, number 14AC, was manufactured in 1915 and immediately commissioned by the British Admiralty for war duty. The car was sold back to R-R in 1918 and refurbished by Vickers before becoming the property of famous South African military commander Sir Pierre…
Collection in action: a Ford GT40
In the wake of this year’s Le Mans, which was won, at long last, by Toyota, Mike Monk goes back a half-century to a Ford GT40 with a split personality… In Le Mans history, the 1960s was both a period of sports car innovation and a Ferrari versus Ford conflict. The battle began in...
On yer bike – Ner-A-Car
Well, not quite... This month, for a change, Mike and Wendy Monk take over the column for a look at one of the more interesting old motorcycles tucked away in the FMM storeroom awaiting some TLC to get it up and running again... The Ner-A-Car was a type of feet-forward motorcycle designed by Carl...
Memorabilia: Carbide lamps
FMM Assistant Curator Cheslynne Ruiters takes a look at the stories behind some of the items in FMM’s collection of memorabilia and artefacts. This month he throws some light on the King of the Road… Carbide lamps, or acetylene gas lamps, are simple lamps that produce and burn acetylene that is created by the…
FMM slot car championship
The first half-year final round of FMM’s Slot Car Championship was held in June and proved to be a close-fought affair. All the leading contenders made an appearance along with some new entrants with their cars who joined in the action. Competitors race against each other over two time-controlled heats on a challenging track…
Collection in action: Mercedes-Benz 170D
Collection in action Stepping into a car that is as old as he is, the post-war Mercedes-Benz 170D, Mike Monk realises just how far diesel-engined cars have developed over the past 70 years. The looks of pretty much all of the post-war Mercedes’ models are familiar to anyone interested in cars, although the earliest, W120…
On yer bike: Harley-Davidson Electra Glide
FMM curator Wayne Harley is a self-confessed motorcycle enthusiast and this month he delves into a movie and rock star machine… Harley-Davidson has to have the biggest motorcycle cult following in the world. The brand has been around since 1903 and the machines have a sound and style all of their own. Other marques have…
Memorabilia: Rolls-Royce’s Spirit of Ecstasy
FMM Assistant Curator Cheslynne Ruiters takes a look at the stories behind some of items in FMM’s collection of memorabilia and artefacts. This month he really gets into the spirit of theme… If necessity is the mother of invention, then design is undoubtedly its grandchild. The analogy is particularly apt when applied to the evolution…
17th Century Sedan Restoration
One of the more unusual and less well known historical items is a sedan chair believed to be from the 17th century. It was acquired the Heidelberg Motor Museum from the Van Rijn collection, and following the museum’s move to Franschhoek to create FMM, it has been kept on display in the boardroom. But it…
Fmm Slot Car Championship Round 3
The third round of the 2018 FMM Slot Car Championship took place in May with another big entry list including some more new drivers, along with a diverse selection of cars. The evening saw 30 races take place over the two championship categories, and the racing was as competitive as ever. The Touring Car championship…