GREG Thomsen met his wife Anita through a shared love of drag cars in 1975.
Today, the Victoria Point couple enjoy their 1932 Ford hot rod and regularly share this passion for cars with some like-minded friends at a series of lunch and morning tea get togethers.
The most recent was on January 4 when about 400 enthusiasts drove to Lakeside, Victoria Point in about 200 cars for a coffee morning.
On January 30, 74-year-old Greg has organised a get together for lunch at Harrigans, Jacobs Well. “We organise a drive about one to one-and-a-half hours radius and it usually attracts up to 70 people who bring their classic cars and hot rods,” he said.
Greg imported his two-door sedan from Arizona, in 2004. It took him five years and $95,000 to build the car, giving it a Chevrolet V8 engine.
“You won’t believe the places I’ve taken it. Its maiden voyage was to Geelong. It’s been to Lightning Ridge, Charleville, 1770 and Dirranbandi. This year I am taking it on a circuit to Stanthorpe, Texas, Tamworth, Armidale and Coffs Harbour,” he said.
Greg said owning hot rods was an expensive exercise, often costing between $70,000 and $150,000 per build.
“There was one car shown at the Summer Nationals in Canberra that cost $1.5 million to build. It’s a ridiculously expensive sport and obviously for someone with deep pockets.”
Greg and Anita co-owned Superformance at Capalaba with Col and Dawn Dunn from 1979 to 2004.
Greg first became interested in hot rods at age 14, moving to drag racing at 24, racing seven different successive cars with Col from 1980 to 1997.
In 1988, Anita and Dawn were members of an all-female drag racing team.
Greg said he and Anita had multiple trophies, but his proudest was as track champion at Willowbank in 1988.
Greg said his two sons had not followed his passion to date, but he thought they might pick it up at a later stage.
