Feature Image: Anna and Dominic from Finesse Models
One of the world’s great historic motoring events, the Bay to Birdwood, returns on 16 October 2022.
Enthusiasts, fans and followers missed out last year when the event was cancelled due to COVID. In 2020 the event celebrated its 40th anniversary with a COVID-modified run of vehicles that were eagerly viewed by socially distanced spectators along the 67 km route with thousands more tuning in online.
In a world-first, and in alignment with a shift within historic vehicle circles, the Bay to Birdwood will welcome electric converted historic vehicles.
Bay to Birdwood Chair, Michael Neale, said this move is fitting. “The Bay to Birdwood is not a commemoration of any one period of historic motoring; rather, we celebrate the history of motoring as a whole. History is not static. Many people around the world and throughout Australia are currently undertaking EV conversions of their historic vehicles. It is a growing part of the history of historic motoring,” he said.
Michael Neale said, “taking leadership towards carbon neutrality ensures future generations will be able to enjoy the event.”
“We know that EV conversions of historic vehicles are already happening and that they will continue to grow in the future. Therefore, the event has an important role in encouraging conversions to be as sympathetic as possible. We want the e-converted vehicles to maintain as much of the historic integrity as they can. The History Trust’s curators are working hard to develop the parameters which will define leadership in this area. This is a key reason why the introduction of an award for the most aesthetically sympathetic EV conversion is another important innovation for the Bay to Birdwood this year. This represents a small but significant step forward in the Bay to Birdwood taking on a leadership position as the first, to my knowledge, Global Tier One historic motoring event to offer an EV conversion award.”
A stunning e-converted 1973 Land Rover Series III EV will be on show at the launch. Provided by Jaunt Motors, the vehicle is an excellent example of the vehicles to be welcomed into the Bay to Birdwood.
Since 1980, the annual event has been a fixture of the South Australian cultural calendar. Tens of thousands of spectators line the route to view the passing parade of historic motoring from West Beach through to the National Motor Museum in the Adelaide Hills township of Birdwood. Participants from across Australia and worldwide join in to showcase their historic vehicles, including antique, veteran, vintage, post-war/early-classic, classic, post-classic and modern classics.
Vehicle entries for this year’s Bay to Birdwood are close to capacity with many participants rolling over their entry from last year to this year. Please note that EV registrations will be in addition to current capacity limits.
For Further information: https://baytobirdwood.history.sa.gov.au
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