Entries open for 2019 Bay to Birdwood Classic

Photos: Andrey Moisseyev

The biennial Classic, open to all cars, motorcycles trucks and light commercial vehicles manufactured from 1956 to 1986, has become a must-do event for classic car, bike and truck owners from throughout South Australia and even interstate.

Unlike the Bay to Birdwood Run that’s limited to vehicles built before 1960, the Classic welcomes newer vehicles, so expect to see more familiar early Commodores and ’80s Falcons, as well as Japanese cars and particularly Japanese motorcycles from the ’70s and ’80s amongst the classic trucks, old British bikes and other older vehicles.

From the start point at Barratt Reserve in West Beach (near the Adelaide Airport), Classic participants will make their way east for approximately 60kms to the finish point at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood.

This year’s Classic will follow the traditional route to Birdwood, aiming to ensure smooth passage for vehicles, as well as providing more vantage points for spectators to view the motorcade.

Kicking off from 6:00 am with public viewing of the vehicles at Barratt Reserve and a breakfast for participants, the 2019 Bay to Birdwood Classic’s Concours d'Elegance and Preservation class entrants will be waved away at 8:30 am, leading the motorcade towards Adelaide.

The early section of this year’s route takes in Greenhill Road, heading from Anzac Highway (on the southern edge of the Adelaide CBD) and turning north onto Fullarton Rd. Entrants will pass Adelaide’s eastern parks before turning on to North East Rd. At Civic Park in Modbury (approx. 40km from Barratt Reserve) an alternate start point has been added for older and slower vehicles, like heavy trucks.

Beyond Modbury, the route heads into the Adelaide Hills and takes in Chain of Ponds and Gumeracha before finishing at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood.

At the National Motor Museum, gates will open at 10:00 am, with vehicles expected to arrive from 11:00 am. Live music and entertainment for the whole family will be held in the museum grounds, with entrants and spectators welcome, local food vendors on site and plenty of children's activities, too.

The judging of the Concours d'Elegance and Preservation class vehicles, as well as the ‘Fashions in the Field’ competition, will also be held in the grounds.

Entries for the Bay to Birdwood Classic close on 19 August and are limited to 1,500 vehicles in total. For entry forms, full route information and further details, go to: baytobirdwood.com.au or call Pauline on (08) 8568 4022.