The annual Adelaide Auto Expo has long been a must-do event for South Aussie gearheads. Promoter Geof Tartoosie has created an all-inclusive show where pretty much any enthusiast can rock up to the Adelaide Showgrounds with their ride, whether it’s a budget build or the highest-level elite show car. The main pavilion is stuffed full of high-end cars and related businesses, but the event also encompasses an outdoor show and shine, cruises, cars-and-coffee and much more besides.

First published in the February 2026 issue of Street Machine

“The Adelaide Auto Expo is the overall show, but it has many parts, including the Extreme Auto Expo, Adelaide Hot Rod Show, Adelaide Import Salon, Tuff Street, In The Build, and the new 1000hp Club, to name a few,” Geof explained.

For the 2025 event, Geof was up against it, having flown home from the SEMA Show in Las Vegas only two days prior to having to stage Adelaide’s biggest car show. It was a massive undertaking, yet he pulled off another stellar event, with an estimated 5000 punters rolling through the gates over the Friday night and Saturday to check out the 700-odd cars on display.

The variety on offer was insane, from Jay Duca’s budget-built Skyline monster truck to Martin Pecotich’s jaw-dropping, SMOTY-winning HTKO Monaro, which was gracing South Australia for the very first time. Another Elite stand-out was the wide-bodied SHQRP HQ Monaro, with its NSW-based owner Peter Sharp making good on the promise he made in our July 2021 feature by driving it across the country to compete at the Expo. He’s really been racking up the kays in the stunning Quey lately, having also driven it to Tassie and Dubbo.

And that was only inside the main pavilion. The outdoor aspects of the show were ratcheted up this year compared to past Expos. Friday night kicked off with the Aussie Classics cruise, now with the addition of JDM and Euro cars running alongside. Saturday morning saw a laid-back but killer cars-and-coffee session, with the northern car park filled with an array of fine metal. By Saturday afternoon, a fresh assortment of cars rumbled in, including a few hundred American customs and classics as part of the Zippel Cruise.

The 1000hp Club was a fresh initiative for the 2025 event, showcasing a handful of high-horsepower rides. Jason Waye took out the top gong with his FOXSAKE Mustang – an absolute weapon of a drag-and-drive car that’s yet to reach its full potential.

The 2026 event is already pencilled in for 13-14 November. It will be the 20th time Geof has staged the Expo, and he reckoned his madman SEMA dash will come in handy when it comes to planning the big 2-0. “I picked up a few new products and ideas at SEMA that I’ll incorporate into the next show,” he said.

It was awesome to see so many people come from all over the country,” Geof added. “A big thanks to all the entrants, the spectators, my sponsors – some who’ve been with me from the start – and my incredible team of helpers. I honestly couldn’t do it without them.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. “I’ve started heading out to cars-and-coffee events,” said Martin Pecotich of his SMOTY-winning HTKO HT Monaro (SM, Jun ’25), which is powered by blown 533ci Noonan Hemi. “It was built as a street car and handles beautifully; I can’t wait to drive it a bit more.”

2. Chris Wendelborn’s rare ’37 Dodge sedan won Best Traditional-Style Hot Rod. Powered by a 218cc mill with a Thickstun twin-carb intake and Red’s headers, the gangster-styled weed-burner sports devilish livery thanks to Trev’s Signs & Lines, a nod to the Dirty Devils Car Club.

3. Tuff Mounts head honcho Jason Waye rocked up to the Adelaide Auto Expo with his FOXSAKE Mustang and HQ wagon. The Quey scored a Top Innovation – Tuff Street gong, while the Fox-body ’Stang won Judge’s Choice, Top Innovation – Tuff Street and the 1000HP Club trophy. The car has already run in the eights, and Jason has a few tweaks planned before the MPW Performance crew wind up the wick and get after it.

4. “It has no purpose in life, but I love it,” Jay Duca said of his bonkers Skyline monster truck. What started out as a joke has recently become a driver: “I finished it 10 days ago,” Jay explained. It’s a HiLux Rock Crawler chassis, so it’s super capable.”

5. Andrew Simunsen’s understated black XC coupe is the epitome of 80s street machining. Having owned the coupe since the late 90s, Andrew spent the past five years repainting it and adding a new 502-cube stroker, backed by a TKO600 and 9in.

6. “I love rat rods,” said Tom Holt of his chopped, bare-metal VW Beetle. It’s the Bug’s second incarnation and first as a rat, with its fenderless body now an airbagged ground-scraper, powered by an AMR 500-supercharged 1776cc twin-port mill. “It’s horrible to drive,” Tom laughed. “Now it’s a pure show car.” Tom headed home with the Promoter’s Choice – Street award.

7. Amongst the Adelaide Import Salon contenders was another of Craig and Kristie McKenzie’s show cars from the sex-spec era. This Daihatsu Charade was the cover star of the December 2001 issue of Fast Fours & Rotaries magazine, when it was called GRLPWR. The reborn ride took out class awards for Best Interior, Best Engine Bay, Best Display & Impact, and Best Sex-Spec.

8. Jam-packed with countless custom touches, this traditionally styled, Southern Rod & Custom-built Mercury-powered ’32 roadster deservedly claimed a Meguiar’s Superstars finalist spot, along with other Elite awards.

9. Scott Bormann rolled in with two rare rides: a one-of-two Australian P325, and a Lincoln Zephyr. The P325 Le Mans gets around The Bend 15sec quicker than a V8 Supercar, while the Lincoln is a fresh rebuild of Andrew Mitchell’s original creation, sporting new airbag suspension, a fresh engine, new interior and Dragonfly Green paint.

10. While their sex-spec Daihatsu Charade turned heads inside the hall, Craig and Kristie McKenzie were outside, offering free candy alongside their 1989 Dodge Ram. Imported from the States, the full-on 80s-spec van rocks wild graphics and a 10-shades-of-blue interior for a proper blast from the past.

11. Glen Walker has owned his sleepy ’74 VJ 770 Charger for 26 years. The 20-year-old paint and panel is in great nick, and the twin-turbo 440ci donk has been roaring for 14 years now. “I’ve been to Chryslers on the Murray a lot with it, and I’ve done some roll racing at The Bend,” Glen said. “It goes pretty good.”

12. Geoff Smith’s ’59 FC sedan build has been a labour of love, completed just days before the show. Geoff bought the car locally from Murray Bridge 15 years ago: “I serviced it as an apprentice,” he smiled. Geoff was pleased to pick up Best Concours Car – Street for his efforts.

13. Andrew Middleton unveiled his schmick 1968 HK Monaro on Friday night. Built by David Lee, the HK packs a stout Motown 434-cuber and heaps of upgrades throughout the driveline, and it picked up Runner-Up Best Engine Bay & Components and Runner-Up Best Undercarriage & Driveline on debut.

14. Peter Sharp drove his phenomenal SHQRP HQ Monaro (SM, Jul ’21) from NSW to play amongst the Elite cars at Adelaide Auto Expo. Proving that street-driven cars can compete, Peter headed home with Best Body, Runner-Up Best Interior & Rear Compartment, third Best Paint, and a Top Five spot.

15. The Extreme Favourite award went to prolific SA hot rodder Chris Horwood and his Gecko Green ’54 Chev pick-up, which rocks LS power, a 4L60E trans and C4 Corvette independent rear. Chris is already stuck into his next project, a 6.0L LS-powered ’37 Ford five-window coupe.

16. Leeanne Horkings’s slammed ’52 Chevy Suburban is an ex-US armed forces vehicle that hit Aussie soil in 2020. After a five-year build, the small block-powered long-roof known as ‘Dorothy’ sports plenty of custom touches, and headed home with a Best Display & Impact gong in Street Elite.

17. Dave Greene’s 1970 Dodge Dart copped a recent glow-up with an early-90s pro street theme and a sticker-festooned engine bay and dash, just to upset the purists. Dave’s KustomKraft digital printing business was behind the latter, as well as the car’s cool display at the Auto Expo, featuring 80s and 90s Car Craft magazine covers as show flooring. A Best Theme Display trophy was his reward.

18. Mick Collier’s Chrome Yellow HR ute turned heads at Saturday’s outdoor show. The ute is powered by a tough 350ci Chev, backed by a TH700 auto and BorgWarner rear, and rolls on 15in ProStars.

19. Not content with his 8sec VJ Valiant hardtop (SM, Nov ’21), Rob Evans upped the ante with this Dodge Daytona – a ready-to-race Super Stock masterpiece. Looking too good to slingshot down the drag strip, the potential 7sec ride sports a dry-sumped 400ci Mopar small-block, backed by a three-speed Proflite ’box with a 9000rpm converter!

RESULTS

ELITE
Best Paint: Aidan Karaivanoff – VH Valiant Charger 770
Best Body: Peter Sharp – HQ Monaro
Best Undercarriage & Driveline: Martin Pecotich – HT Monaro
Best Engine Bay & Components: Martin Pecotich – HT Monaro
Best Interior & Rear Compartment: Martin Pecotich – HT Monaro
Car of Show: Martin Pecotich – HT Monaro

STREET ELITE
Best Hi-Tech: Brenton Watkins – FPV FG GT-P
Best Street Machine: Joe Esposito – 1968 Camaro

STREET
Best Hi-Tech: Steve Colbert – Ford Mustang
Best Street Machine: Ralph Belperio – VC Valiant

HOT ROD
Best Judged Hot Rod: Greg Maskell – 1928 Ford tudor

MEGUIAR’S MOTOREX SUPERSTARS FINALISTS
Aidan Karaivanoff – VH Valiant Charger 770
Southern Rod & Custom – 1932 Ford roadster