Articles by Ashlee Pleffer

In the first three days of orders this week, more than 6000 Americans left deposits for the all-new 2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8, before even setting eyes on the production car.The first day alone attracted more than 4300 people placing their order for the coupe.And while the heritage of the model, or the 6.1-litre HEMI V8 may have won them over, owners will have to wait until February to see what their new car will look like, when the limited edition production SRT8 is unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show.The concept of the reinvented Challenger was revealed at last year's North American International Motor Show.Dodge Challenger brand manager Mark Mallie says they began to take orders early due to customer demand.“Its been almost 35 years since the last Challenger, and there's a lot of interest,” he says. “There are a lot of people anxious for it. It's certainly an iconic muscle car.”But Australian Challenger fans shouldn't get too excited. Chrysler group spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says it won't be making its way Down Under any time soon.“There are no plans for a right-hand-drive market or for sales outside of the US at all at this stage,” he says.The modern interpretation of the muscle coupe carries a $US37,995 ($43,549) price tag in the US and will feature dual carbon-fibre hood stripes, pointing to the original Challenger.It will also have a numbered dash plaque. And there will be a choice of three colours for the SRT8; black, silver or HEMI orange. More more than half the orders so far have opted for the orange.Since announcing the pricing last week, website hits have also gone up 23 per cent.Dodge will follow the SRT8 with a complete line-up of Challenger models. 

Chrysler has promised three eco-friendly new concept cars for the first big motoring event of next year and likewise, Mitsubishi has also announced a fuel-efficient diesel concept car.Chrysler will open with a Dodge Zeo sports car, then roll through the family-focused ecoVoyager to the off-road Jeep Renegade.The cars are only sketches for now as finetuning continues. Detroit will be the first big event since the American company's divorce from Daimler-Benz, after an unsuccessful takeover that was always billed; badly; as a merger of equals.“It's a very important show. It's our coming-out party for the new Chrysler,” Chrysler Group Australia managing director Gerry Jenkins says. “Detroit is always big for us. It's where we really showcase all our products. It's our home base. Quite honestly, it kicks off the year too, so it has a big motivational angle for us."“We put our best foot forward.”DaimlerChrysler has already split in Australia.Jenkins says Chrysler wants to push its green message in Detroit. “We are definitely going green. That is part of our core strategy going forward. No doubt about that,” he says.The Zeo concept is aimed directly at Gen-Y buyers and Chrysler describes it as a 2+2 sports wagon. It also says that, unlike most sports coupes, the baby Dodge is seriously intended for four-passenger use.But the real news is an electric drive system that promises a range up to 400km using a special lithium-ion battery pack. It has been designed for easy plug-in use.The ecoVoyager shares its name with the company's top-selling people mover and has a boxy minivan body but is more smoothly shaped. As with the Zeo, it has a lithium-ion battery pack. But the ecoVoyager should run for close to 500km between recharges because it has a compact hydrogen fuel cell to generate on-board power.The Renegade is typically Jeep, designed for off-roading and dune surfing, with a minimalist body including a hose-out cabin. Its green signature includes minimal use of materials, with an emphasis on recycled parts. Its power pack is a small-capacity Bluetec diesel engine linked to a lithium-ion battery pack. Chrysler claims the hybrid drive in the Renegade means it can run for 70km on electric power and return better than 3.0 litres for 100km with the diesel.The three show cars are a definite pointer to the future, though Jenkins cannot comment on potential production plans.And he does not rule out extra concept cars, without a green colouring, at Detroit.Over at the Mitsubishi stand the Concept-RA will be making its debut in Detroit. Powered by a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, the Concept-RA boasts both clean and dynamic driving, producing 150kW and 420Nm.The coupe concept uses the S-AWC vehicle dynamics control system driveline from the Lancer Evolution with added Active Steering and Active Suspension control improving traction, cornering and vehicle stability.It also features its Twin Clutch SST automated manual transmission.Mitsubishi has also aimed to improve crashworthiness and reduce weight. 

The large and glamorous classic will make a cameo appearance in Baz Luhrmann's latest film, Australia. When a friend in the movie industry heard the filmmakers were after an old, special car, the old Vauxhall came to mind. Before he knew it, Sheldon was in a chauffeur's suit and on the set of the film. “All the stars were there. Hugh Jackman, he opened the door up and sat in and got behind the steering wheel for a look,” he says. “Nicole Kidman, Bryan Brown, Baz Luhrmann the director; they were all there.” Sheldon struck up a conversation with another guy on set, later to be told it was Keith Urban. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I couldn't thank my friend enough for getting me involved,” he says. The special nature of the car doesn't stop with the cameras. The stunning sedan is one of only two registered on the road in Australia. Sheldon says while there are 22 known survivors of this model, many are wrecks and no longer in working condition. It was that 'working-condition' tag that was holding back Sheldon's model when he first bought it two years ago. The previous owner had bought the car for spare parts for another model he had, but didn't have the heart to destroy it so he restored it instead. Getting the Vauxhall's 26.3hp (19.3kW), six-cylinder heart pumping was the only job left. “It was in perfect condition as far as body work, paint and chrome was concerned, but mechanically, it wasn't going,” Sheldon says. “It was very dilapidated and had to have a full mechanical rebuild,” he says. Sheldon didn't go looking for his ultimate car, rather, it found him. At a club dinner, he mentioned he was considering buying another Vauxhall and before long, he was being introduced to a car enthusiast wanting to sell one. “I really wasn't looking for one. I was thinking about it, but there it was and I went to have a look and fell in love with it,” he recalls. After paying the $12,000 asking price, Sheldon recruited friends to inject life back into the car. “A good friend of mine he did all the work, him and his dad,” he says. “Their forte is Austin 7s. They've done a fantastic job ... it drives like a new car. It's taken about two years. They just got it going about two months ago.” With a 74-year-history, Sheldon says parts for the vehicle are hard to find. The friends who were reconditioning the engine eventually turned to hand-making some of the parts themselves. Sheldon and his wife enjoy buckling their two- and three-year-old daughters into child seats and hitting the road now the car is in working order. “It's a lot of fun but it can be quite heavy; heavy on steering, heavy on the brakes and you sit up high in it, like a four-wheel-drive,” he says. “There's plenty of good vision, but it's not like driving a modern car, that's for sure, 'cause everything is heavy and it's quite slow.” The Sheldon family will put it to the test when heading to the Snowy Mountains in January for the Vauxhall National Rally. “I have always wanted an Al Capone gangster car. I just like the style of it,” Sheldon says. However, the enthusiasm isn't only heard from the driver's seat. “The little kids, they absolutely love it. They go mad. We put the baby seats in the back and they sit up there, kick their legs and enjoy it,” he says. About 3500 of these Vauxhalls were sold worldwide and Sheldon says that they are a lot more Australian than most people might think. “This particular car is unique to Australia because it's actually a Holden body,” he explains. “A lot of cars in the 1930s and 1940s were made by Holden; they were making cars as early as World War I. “This car was made in South Australia.” Sheldon says that in their day, in Australia most of the cars were owned by big land owners who wanted them for the rough outback roads as the heavy cars tended to soak up all the pot holes. “For an English car it was very American, a lot bigger than the English cars were of the era.” The Vauxhall name isn't new to Sheldon. His father bought a Vauxhall Victor station wagon brand new in 1971. The car followed them when his family emigrated to Australia from England when Sheldon was 10 years old. “It came by mistake. (The removalists) sent the car instead of the furniture,” he says. “It's the first car I can remember us having and it followed us over to Australia.” Once Sheldon passed his driving test and received his licence, father handed the keys over to him. And Sheldon says a lot of people involved with the car club also have an interest in the brand, which has been passed on from their fathers or grandfathers before them.   Snapshot 1934 Vauxhall BX big six Value when new: about pound stg. 3000 Value now: unknown Verdict: The big and glamorous car from the 1930s may not be easy to drive today, but it's still a stunner seven decades later, even impressing the movie world.  

The NRMA Insurance reversing visibility index shows 12 vehicles, including the Toyota Corolla and Holden Commodore, fail to receive any stars in testing.The test, established because of the deaths of 17 children killed by reversing cars in driveways, measures how well a driver can see out of the back of the vehicle.Of the 12 vehicles with a zero rating, five fit into the small-to-medium segment.The result has prompted the NRMA to call on manufacturers to consider installing reversing camera technology in all cars, not just bigger vehicles.“Without a camera, blind space can range from 3m to 15m,” NRMA Insurance road safety manager Pam Leicester said.“That's a large range for children to be hidden from a driver's view.” With an average of one child run over in their own driveway every week, Ms Leicester said it was time to start focusing on improving visibility in all models.“There has been a focus on four-wheel-drives and reversing but as our results show, that's an issue for all types of vehicles right down to small cars,” Ms Leicester said.“This is a real concern because many of these vehicles have hazardous reversing blind areas, usually caused by high rear window lines and boots.”Vehicles that received a zero rating included the Holden Commodore (Epica and Viva), the Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi's Lancer and 380, Toyota's Corolla, Prado and RAV4, the Honda Civic and the Odyssey, as well as the Hummer H3.Overall, however, the results have improved from last year with more manufacturers adopting reversing cameras.This is especially the case in the four-wheel-drive and luxury segments. Only five vehicles offered reversing cameras either standard or as an option last year.The technology was available on 15 vehicles this year. They gained either a 4 1/2 or 5-star rating.Ms Leicester said they were particularly impressed with the new Toyota Kluger, which has a reversing camera as standard on all models.The top performers given a five-star rating were the BMW X5, Ford Territory, Honda Legend, Lexus GS430, IS250 and LS460, and the Toyota Kluger; all offering a camera as standard or as an option.“We encourage all manufacturers to start thinking about putting reverse cameras in their vehicles,” Ms Leicester said.“At the time of manufacture, it's a very small cost.”Ms Leicester said after-market reversing cameras also could improve visibility and were available for between $200 and $300. How they rated NRMA insurance reversing visibility indexBest: BMW x5, Ford Territory, Honda, Legend, Lexus GS430, Lexus IS250, Lexus LS460, Toyota KlugerWorst: Holden Commodore, Honda Civic, Honda Odyssey, Hyundai i30, Mitsubishi Lancer, Toyota Prado, Toyota Corolla 

As a youngster, Mark George could be found with a spanner in his hand, watching his father pulling apart cars, marvelling at the process and always ready to help. His allegiance was mapped out in front of him from the start. His grandfather loved Holdens, his father adopted the passion and it's no surprise he also fell in love with the Aussie marque. So when he came across a 1961 EK Holden ute 20 years ago, he offered the owner $2000, even though he says it should've gone to a scrap heap in the condition it was in. And while the owner wasn't interested in selling it, the offer must have swayed him. Before long, George had his very own ute, something he had always desired. Making it even more attractive to him was the fact it was born in the same year he was. It may have been worse for wear, but 10 years later, with a mechanical mind and a friend helping out, George got to work restoring his classic. After cutting out the rust, restoring panels and spending $4000 on the make-over, George's utility was ready to impress on the road. “I just love old Holdens. I've got another one but this is the pride and joy,” he says. Now as he hits the streets, everyone else can't seem to take their eyes off it. “Everyone stares at it 'cause they've never seen one,” he says. “I took it to the mechanic to have it tuned and the young mechanic there had never seen one. He didn't know what it was.” The 1969 registration label on the front also attracts attention from fans when George attends car shows. And while he tries to take the EK out once a week, it's main purpose is for car shows. George says the old Holden utilities are rare, and the EK model in particular. At a recent Holden show George and his ute attended, there were only three utilities out of the 230 cars on display. It attracted plenty of attention. “It's a beautiful car to drive, a bit heavy on the arms with no power steering, but a nice car to drive,” he says. “It even still has the original engine, which has never been touched.” And powering the Holden beauty is the 46-year-old 2.3-litre, six-cylinder engine. It also has the original three-speed gearbox, which George enjoys, going back to the days of changing gears on the steering column rather than the floor, which is how he learnt to drive. It might be slower than modern-day cars, but George says he doesn't have too much trouble with keeping up with traffic. “It cruises on about 65miles an hour (105km/h),” George says. And as a fairly basic car, George had to make some adjustments for modern conditions. “It was a standard, there was nothing in it,” he explains. “It didn't even have blinkers, I had to put blinkers in to get it registered.” George says it was also in pre-seatbelt years, but as that's the way it left the factory, it's still able to be driven on the road today without them. The EK model was the first Holden to feature the three-speed Hydramatic automatic gearbox, but this didn't stretch to the utility, which was only available with a manual transmission. The ute originally sold for about pound stg. 1100, the equivalent of $2200 today. George is happy with the way his EK now appears and says there's not much left to do as it's now about 95per cent complete. While he has the original wheels, he's dressed it up with some mag wheels, but says that's about as far as he'll go with modifications. He's not completely protective of the car, using it if there's something needing to be picked up. But he's cautious of maintaining its pristine condition, “protecting the back as much as you can so you don't scratch it.” Today the car would sell for about $12,000, but it's sticking with George for a while longer. And the love of cars that George inherited won't stop at him. He's already passed it on to both his son and daughter, helped on by the four Holdens in his driveway including a 1966 HR Premier X2. “My boy is only 11, he can't wait to get in it,” he says. “He loves the trips to Bathurst.” “Even my 18-year-old daughter knows how to pull a car apart. She was always there when I first started the cars, always there to help me.”   Snapshot 1961 EK Holden Utility Price when new: pound stg. 1106 or $2212 Value now: about $10,000 to $12,000 in top condition; about $6000 for an average model Verdict: Holden ute history spans 50 years and the EK shows that classic early styling  

The National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council (NMVTRC) yesterday revealed motor theft would become harder with the use of personal scanning, impact-resistant windows and automatic deadlocking doors.The council previewed a 3D virtual car featuring security innovations to be introduced in five to 10 years. Features of the future included an improved identification system, a satellite global-tracking system and a centrally monitored two-way communications system, including an interior camera and panic alert.Motor theft across Australia is down to a record low of 62,000 vehicles a year. NSW theft rates have dropped from 47,338 five years ago to 26,891 this year.NMVTRC executive director Ray Carroll yesterday called on motorists to be more aware of security features when buying a new car and urged car manufacturers to lift their game.The NMVTRC also unveiled the nine most secure cars in Australia.Among these were the Volkswagen Polo, Citroen C2, the Subaru Liberty 2.0R and the Mitsubishi 380.Do you think all new cars should have smart access system as a standard feature?

Remove the roof, feel the breeze in your hair and gear up for some open-road cruising, sunscreen and hat close by.And while other manufacturers have had their versions of the under-$50k convertibles for some time, it's now Ford's turn to come to the coupe-cabriolet party and it's better late than never.Ford's offering in this segment is in the form of a Focus Coupe-Cabriolet with an Italian twist.The stylish new addition to the Focus range is based on the Vignale concept car first shown at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. The production version was built in partnership with Pininfarina, the name that has been associated with many marques over the years, including Ferrari.And the car's origins are cemented even further in Italy, having been built in Turin.The new Focus wears its heritage with pride, with a Pininfarina badge adorning its side.At $45,490, the hard-top convertible comes with a competitive price tag, up against the Holden Astra and Volkswagen Eos. It's fitted with a 2.0-litre Duratec four-cylinder engine, which is quiet inside the cabin in both modes.A total of 107kW is delivered at 6000rpm, with 185Nm at 5400rpm, but 90per cent of peak torque is available from just over 2000rpm.Ford believes it will sell around 100 models a month, with 75per cent of sales being automatics, adding $2000 to the price.But out on the winding roads, the four-speed automatic gearbox felt sluggish. Apply some hard acceleration and you're left watching and waiting for the tacho needle to rise as it does so very slowly, anticipating the final delivery of power.While slipping into the sport sequential shift mode helped and allows the driver to control the gears, it still felt too slow.The five-speed manual that comes standard is the better way to go. When driving uphill and working your way up to speed, it still felt a little restrained, but once hitting faster cruising speeds, the Coupe-Cabriolet was fun to drive.It's not a sporty drive in terms of travelling fast and the way the performance is delivered, but that's not really the nature of this convertible.Rather, it's pleasant cruising and a classy car, one you can enjoy around town or on open roads. Throw it around corners and bends and you'll soon see its fun nature. It handled well as it stuck to the corners — with the roof up or down.By gaining the ability to drop its top, the Coupe-Cabriolet also packs on the kilos, weighing 140kg to 150kg more than the rest of the Focus range.Removing the roof requires the car to be stationary, and it's a simple press of the button on the centre console before the two-piece roof retracts in 29 seconds. Boot space is best in the class: 534 litres with the roof up, 248-litres when the roof is stored away.Once you remove the roof, the Focus still feels strong and steady on the road, the wind beingno hindrance at all. The dual-zone airconditioning also adapts with the roof off, and still manages to cool you down despite the outside heat.The Coupe-Cabriolet also comes with a good equipment list, including heated seats, six-disc CD system, rain-sensing wipers, leather interior and a glovebox cooling feature all standard. Metallic paint is no extra charge. Safety features are also impressive, with ABS and Dynamic Stability Control standard, as well as front and side airbags and a Roll-over Protection Device.Inside, it feels comfortable and even the back two seats offer adequate space. Nevertheless, it would still get a bit cramped for back passengers on long trips. The Focus drop-top is a stylish design and stands out from the rest of the Focus range, although it still does maintain its DNA.The flowing lines and unique rear tail lights particularly make it a more unique design.In terms of economy, the Focus' claimed consumption of 7.5litres per 100km for the manual and 8.3litres per 100km for the auto beats others in the segment.In real-world driving, we averaged around8.4 litres in the automatic version.The convertible rides on 17-inch alloy wheels, with 18-inch wheels an optional extra.A diesel model is available in Europe but Ford Australia has no plans to bring it here. Mainly the result of the different demand in transmissions, the diesel only comes with a manual.And while a petrol-powered turbo model, like that in the Eos, would give it that extra edge to push it into a more exciting and engaging drive, Ford says there are no plans to expand the range anytime in the near future.Ford believe its new convertible will be taken up by both males and females, the young and stylish and older empty-nesters looking for a treat after their children have left home. SNAPSHOT FORD FOCUS COUPE-CABRIOLETPRICE: $45,490 (manual) $47,490 (auto)ENGINE: 2.0L/4-cyl, 107kW/185NmTRANSMISSION: 5-speed manual, 4-speed autoECONOMY: 7.5L/100km (man), 8.3L/100km (auto) ALTERNATIVES Holden Astra Convertible $45,490Volkswagen Eos from $47,990Renault Megane Coupe-Cabriolet $44,490 

After spending endless hours locked away in a garage preparing your pride and joy for its new life on the road, there's no surprise that a special bond is formed between machine and owner. It's a bond where the master extracts pure enjoyment in driving without participating in 'hooning' or pushing it beyond its limits.And it's a connection where the car is thankful for that and in return, runs smoothly.It's one of respect and appreciation, and it's a connection Gemini owner Barry Foulger-Turner knows all too well. “When you become an enthusiast and do all the work yourself, you seem to take more pride in the car,” he says.“After all that time and effort and late nights out in the garage, you don't want to see anything go wrong, you want to be able to take it to the next show without putting your hand in your pocket.”Foulger-Turner's 1977 TX Gemini has become an important part of his life, transforming it from an average older model into one that now shines.It's the 53-year-old's third Gemini and is also the one he has “spent all the money on.” There's no half-way measures for Foulger-Turner, who rebuilt the car from the ground up.The 1600cc motor has been fully worked and is now fitted with a turbo for extra performance. He's added parts from different Commodore models, including the front brakes and diff. Inside it has a full leather interior trim and the outside has a shiny new coat of paint.While Foulger-Turner says he's owned a lot of V8s and six-cylinder cars over the years, he's a newcomer to the turbo engine.He recalls having his eye on Geminis from an early age, having grown up in a country town and seeing a lot of the local coal miners driving them.“They're just a car of their own, a nice comfortable little car to drive and it doesn't matter where you go or what you do,” he says.“I have always had a fascination with Geminis.”He finally decided to take the plunge and buy his own 'Gemi' five years ago. “ I was sick of all the late model cars ... and I liked the idea of a hands-on thing,” he says.And after joining the NSW Gemini club and hearing other owners' ideas for their Geminis, Foulger-Turner found that it wasn't long before he too had caught the bug.“Everybody there was so keen in doing things, "This is what we've done, this is what we're going to do,” he says. “And from then, I started left right and centre and still haven't stopped.”Foulger-Turner also owns a 1981 TE Gemini panel van, which he uses as his daily driver; saving the sedan for shows and weekend cruises.“With this one, I'd cry if someone hit it,” he says of the sedan he's committed many hours to.When first released three decades ago, the Gemini was worth about $5000. And while a standard version would fetch about $3000 today, Foulger-Turner believes a model like his could attract $12,000 to $14,000.The Holden Gemini, originally an Isuzu from Japan, became the first small 'world' car for General Motors and was sold under many names.It was the cheap and affordable car of the day.By 1975, Holden began manufacturing the Gemini in Australia and it quickly became a hit.A total of 42,792 TX Gemini's were built and Foulger-Turner says there are still many of them remaining and on the road in NSW today.He's even passed the interest on to his children; his two sons helped re-spray the car. One son also once owned a Gemini of his own.But for him, it's not just Geminis, as he's a fan of all older Holden models because they're easy to work on and “they're always reliable, they've got a good background.”Foulger-Turner adopted his passion for tinkering under the hood from his stepfather, an engineer who was “always working on boats, cars, trucks and lawn mowers”.His older brother also shares that passion, although he sits on the Ford side of the fence and is especially into hot rods.But for Foulger-Turner, it's all about his small, but very quick, Gemini.“It's very light. It's 890kg, but very quick,” he says. “It's quicker than a WRX."“They tell me it's probably a 12-and-a-half second car, but it's all legal.” Snapshot1977 TX GEMINIvalue when new: about $5000value now: about $12,000 to $14,000 for one in good condition.verdict: this was GMs first 'world' car, and Holden's most affordable vehicle of the day. It still lives on among many younger fans and those nostalgic for their own younger days. Does this little gem bring back memories for the Gemi owners?  

The new complex, due to open in 2009, will be located at Victoria Park in Rosebery and will stand eight-storeys high. As well as becoming Audi's national headquarters, it will also feature a flagship retail showroom and customer facilities, after-sales centre and commercial space.Audi also plans to use the new facility for future events and new product launches.And the location of the new Audi development already possesses some motoring history, having been the site of the BMC plant from the 1950s through to the 1970s. It was here the ill-fated Leyland P76 was built until the plant closed down in 1974.It's one of the most significant overseas investments made by Audi's parent company, Audi AG. Audi Australia managing director Joerg Hofmann says it shows the parent company's commitment to the local market.He says: “A key part of Audi's growth strategy in the medium term requires investment by the dealer network in facility upgrades, preparing the brand to reach 15,000 unit sales in the year 2015 and to deliver best-in-class customer satisfaction."“Not only will the new retail business significantly raise the profile of Audi and benefit the Sydney dealer network in terms of a much stronger brand presence, but it will also fast-track an increase of the brand's awareness nationally to a (new) level ..."The Audi Centre Sydney will be the first of its type in the world and, says Hofmann, is one of a very small number of factory-funded headquarters outside Europe.“It is probably one of five or so. There is China, Japan and Singapore,” he adds.It took more than 18 months to develop the plan and sell it to Audi management in Germany, but Hofmann says the job was made easier by recent sales successes in Australia.The company has registered between 20 and 30 per cent year-on-year growth since it became a factory operation, growing from less than 4000 sales to a projected 7000-plus this year. The 2007 total has already passed the 2006 result, hitting 6295 by the end of October for a 36 per cent improvement.  

The year was 1999 and Dennis Ballard was begrudgingly looking through bridal magazines with his soon-to-be married daughter, doing the 'good dad thing.'Suddenly it jumped out at him; as his daughter asked his opinion on two dresses, Ballard's eyes wondered to a one-line advertisement sitting between the ladies in white; 1917 Dodge Coupe, for sale.Some would think 'what an oddly placed ad' and move on, but not Ballard, who describes himself as 'old-car mad.'Perhaps the 158 cars he has owned over the years explains his self-diagnosis. With what looked like an American phone number in the advertisement, Ballard didn't waste time, calling a friend who lived in the US to find out more.“He rang the number for me and said it was genuine, that it had been in storage from 1933 to 1998,” he says. “It turned out the publishers had the ad in the wrong book, it was meant to go in some sort of motor catalogue in the States, but that didn't happen.”Which worked out nicely for Ballard, who knew it was a special model and snapped it up on the advice of his friend, who took it for a test drive.Ballard handed over the $US4800 asking price for the car and then spent a further $2000 getting it to Australia, which took about two years, finally arriving here in 2001.Ballard's Dodge was the earliest American model on display at the 21st annual All Chrysler Day at Fairfield Showground.Even today, the 62-year-old is still thanking his lucky stars he helped out with the wedding plans.“If she hadn't been at me to look at them I wouldn't have seen it, it's just incredible luck, it's a very rare car and was in absolute top condition,” he says. Ballard has since discovered the car is the oldest known surviving Dodge Coupe, making it a very valuable piece of history.Adding to that, he is only the second owner of this very unique model. He even found the original registration slip from 1918 in the door pocket.It may look stunning from the outside, but Ballard says it's not the most pleasant vehicle to drive; “Two words, bloody hard,” he says.“It's heavy steering, very direct, there's a tendency to oversteer savagely. It's okay when you're used to it, but it's definitely a man's car.”Its driving manner wasn't something the original owner mastered either.“The original owner was a doctor and apparently had a lot of trouble handling the Dodge,” Ballard says, which he discovered from speaking to the doctor's grandson who told him he often “clobbered every pair of gate posts” and rarely used the car, preferring to get around in his horse and buggy instead.“It appears he died in 1933 and the family had no need for it so they put it in the barn and covered it up,” he says, adding that it has done less than 9000 miles (14,500km).After 68 years off the road, Ballard was surprised to discover the “wooden” coupe, with its A and B pillar made from timber, was still in reasonably good condition.The only things it needed were mudguards and a paint job. But since coming into his possession, Ballard says he's spent $15,000 getting it to its present state, with one job left; replacing the moth-eaten trim. While Ballard has a passion for old cars, he admits he has a particular soft spot for American DNA.“They do tend to stand up better to Australian conditions and they're powerful, they hold their own with today's traffic, not quite as fast but they'll stay out there,” he says. “Old Dodges in particular, they're very rugged.”Ballard's car obsession really began when his first car, a 1925 Dodge, was stolen before he was even old enough to drive it.From then on, he set out rescuing as many old cars as he could.“People were practically giving these old cars away back then, so I'd drag them home, patch them up and sell them on, it used to drive my parents mad,” the 62-year-old says.“I went mad and wanted to save them all.”While Ballard's car may be the oldest and most special car at the show, there will be variety of vehicles displaying the history of the Chrysler brand, which has included other makes over the years such as Dodge, Jeep, Hillman and Centura.A 1939 Chrysler and a 1977 Dodge Charger Imperial will be among the display of about 300 cars, with a particular focus on 50 years of 'fins.'One car fitting this theme is Frank D'agostino's 1953 Chrysler New Yorker sedan.D'agostino, who has also caught the American car bug, says he particularly loves the exaggerated shape and the size of the vehicles.“They're unique, their size, their character, the days of flamboyant looks,” he says. “But they weren't designed for economy.”