29 Nov Letter from America

My name is Greg Harris and I visited your beautiful museum about two years back and was impressed with what I observed. I had a pleasant discussion with Curator Wayne Harley about my history with cars in South Africa. My Mom and Dad, June and Alf Harris, are the official founders of the Piston Ring Car Club of South Africa, and these pictures I share are from the family scrap book. Sad part is that a large part of this history went to other club members where it got lost…

Walking through the halls, the 1934 Packard was salvaged by Dad in Vereeniging where it was being used as target practice. There is also a Buick 1934 that came from the same town, and the original owner, Mr Boshoff, spoke about the Packard, mentioning that it was a gift to a teacher back in the day! Some mighty fine gift…

The Chrysler Airflow looks familiar. I recall fetching a 1934 two-door from the bottom of a garden in Observatory. I was the driver while the car was dragged safely to the top of the sloped garden where it had been left for a couple of years, not realising people might build houses around the neighbourhood! Fun times…

The Hupmobile was pulled from Fourways in Johannesburg and restored by Mr Seeley of Bedfordview, who, incidentally, made the fibreglass horses for the Majuba movie. This car is pictured at our home in Kensington, Jhb. Originally, it was found in a repair shop in Cyrildene, Johannesburg

This 1930 Ford could possibly belong to one of the original car spotters for the Rembrandt Van Rijn Cigarettes car collection.

Greg Harris
Service Director, Mechanical, USA/Canada Manroland Inc