Vintage car rally celebrates the Ford Model A
Ben Munneke drove 5,000 kilometres across the country in his Model A Ford. (ABC News: Andrew Chounding)
In short:
Hundreds of car enthusiasts have come together on Western Australia's far south coast for what organisers say is the country's biggest gathering of Ford Model As.
Some drivers travelled from Slovenia, England and New Zealand to celebrate vintage cars.
Drivers say the Ford Model A was special because it was one of the first cars made for everyone.
Dozens of vintage cars have descended on Western Australia's far south coast in the country's largest gathering of Ford Model As.
It was a rare glimpse into the past for the early colonial town of Albany, 400 kilometres south of Perth, with the sounds of vintage car horns flooding its historic precinct on Friday.
Model As line up in Albany for the vintage car rally. (ABC News: Rachel Jennings)
Rally director Andrae Moore said some of the restored cars travelled from nearly every state in the country, while others came from further away.
"Then we've had participants actually join us without their cars from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Slovenia," she said.
Andrae Moore says dozens of cars took part in the rally. (ABC News: Andrew Chounding)
Century of preservation
Produced in the early 1900s, the Model A was one of the most well-known and top-selling cars in America.
"All the [second] Model As are from 1928 through to 1931 and came after the infamous Model T," Ms Moore said.
Ford Model A enthusiasts from across the globe travelled to Albany for the rally. (ABC News: Rachel Jennings)
"These cars were special because they were the everyman's car, and they were allowed to be in any colour — they didn't have to be black like the Model T."
For many of the members, the cars are treasured possessions and owned to be driven.
Eighty-two-year-old Ben Munneke estimated he drove his Model A 5,000 kilometres from Maleny in Queensland to Albany for the rally.
"It was good fun driving, a lot of stops along the Nullarbor; there's not a lot of comfortable places to stay, but we made it, and we enjoyed doing it," he said.
Flags of origin on display
For Steve Watson and his friends, the travel was much further as they flew from Yorkshire in England and borrowed a car so they could take part in the event.
"We have borrowed a car, and we've adorned it with suitable patriotic flags so everybody knows where we've come from,"
he said.
Steve Watson travelled all the way from Yorkshire in the UK to join the rally. (ABC News: Andrew Chounding)
Mr Watson said there were similar clubs in the UK but not at the same level as the Australian meeting.
"There is a Model A club in England, and we have about 300 members, but the participation in an event like this is not as good," he said.
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