Mount Isa Restored Car Club president elect Jim Ruttley said the club’s motor show had been going since 1975 on the club grounds which are leased from Mount Isa City Council.

“Today we have 35 nominations  in cars, bikes and four wheel drives, we had one man bring his collection of 10 to 12 cars,” Mr Ruttley said.

“It’s been a good year, we have a couple of tractors, we’ve had two gentlemen working on their trucks for seven years.”

Pride of place went to a mini roadtrain originally built for the Queen’s visit to Mount Isa in 1977.

“Wright’s was the name of the company – they could move more cattle in one hit than any other company in Australia,” Mr Ruttley said.

“After they closed down the club bought it and we maintain it and keep it registered , its the only club in the world that has a roadtrain registered.”

Mr Ruttley also had the distinction of having the old vehicle on display at the show.

“It’s an old Hupmobile built in 1920, almost one hundred years old and it hasn’t been rebuilt since 1973,” he said.

When asked what was made collecting vintage vehicles special, he had no hesitation in saying it was all about memories.

“Nearly everyone you talk to has memories, even these 1970s Holdens ‘yeah my dad had one or I had one’,” he said.

“The combi camper down there, people talk to the young lady (the owner) and say ‘I remember when we went across to Western Australia in one of these’.”

Mr Ruttley thanked musicians who played on the day from the Music Shack and sponsors who provided the raffle.

“Local people make this show possible,” he said.

The club meets on the first Monday of every month on the club grounds at 6pm.

New members are most welcome, Mr Ruttley said.

“The hardest thing to remember is we are opposite the airport,” he said.