FOR 21 years, Meguiar’s MotorEx has been Australia’s biggest and most prestigious indoor car show. Recognising innovation and excellence at the top of the show car game has always been the event’s prime directive, with the heavy hitters qualifying at shows all around the country and then competing at MotorEx for the Best of Breed titles and more recently, the Grand Master award.

To celebrate the 21st anniversary event (6-7 May, Melbourne Showgrounds), the MotorEx team is bringing together as many of these high achievers as possible. As we speak there are 14 of them, dating back to Les Lawry’s Model A Vicky which won the first-ever Best of Breed Hot Rod title back in 2003.

Les Lawry’s Model A Vicky

Built by Shane Rowe’s Southern Rod & Custom shop, the Vicky reset the bar for Aussie built hot rods and was a dominant force on the show scene. It has been a long time since we’ve had the chance to see the Model A in the metal, I’m genuinely excited to drool over it once more.

Anthony Sant’s 1957 Chev

Another car we’re pumped to see is Anthony Sant’s 1957 Chev. Anthony’s decision to retain the car’s factory chrome and his canny choice of colour made the car stand out in a sea of high-end shoebox Chev builds. The ’57 took out the Best of Breed Street Machine title in 2004.

Anthony’s Chev has made only a few public appearances since its show heyday, including an invite-only cruise with Troy Trepanier in 2009, pictured below.

Gary & Jake Myers’s 2INSANE

We’re so used to the image of Gary Myers’s 2INSANE Mustang absolutely destroying the competition at powerskid events, it is easy to forget that the Muzzy was a top tier elite build, which debuted at MotorEx 2012.

Peter & Michelle Fitzpatrick’s FC Holden

Any chance to see Peter and Michelle Fitzpatrick’s FC in the metal, we’ll take. The six-time Street Machine Summernats Grand Champion and 2011 SMOTY-winner has always been a tough car, but its third and final iteration is a mind-blower, with the integration of the FC’s twin-turbo SBC power plant a wonder to behold. The FC won Best of Breed Street Machine and the Street Machine of the Decade gong at MotorEx in 2010.

Mick Fabar’s RAWR

Before Mick Fabar built his SMOTY-winning XR Falcon, he blew our minds with a couple of outstanding hot rods, including his RAWR ’33 coupe that won Top Coupe and the Jon Kosmoski award on debut at MotorEx 2009.

Leisa & Shane Chinnock’s PSYCHO XF

When it comes to sheer innovation, it is hard to go past Leisa & Shane Chinnock’s PSYCHO XF Falcon. The build was a true trans-Tasman effort, with craftsmen in the Apple Isle fabricating pieces of the puzzle that were then absorbed into the final build by the wizards at Maskell’s Customs and Classics in Shepparton, Victoria. The XF took out Best of Breed Street Machine in 2013.

The Chinnocks never played it safe with PSYCHO and the result is a build that will surprise and delight a decade after its debut.

Kyle & Adam Perry, Tailspin FB

Canberra kids Kylie and Adam Perry had barely touched a welder before they started working on what would become their Tailspin FB Holden. Working with Howard Astill as their mentor, the couple turned a Street Machine Expression Session concept into street-registered reality! And won the Grand Master title at MotorEx 2017.

But wait! There’s more:

There will be two other Grand Master winners in attendance, namely Jack Zee’s Fordson van and Brenton Dalwood’s ’35 Ford.

These will be joined by the likes of Chris Retzos’s ’57 Chev, Chris Langford’s ’32 coupe, Ewan McDonald’s ’34 coupe, Darrell Leemhuis’s Rodeo, Mal Apps’s FC Holden and two bikes from Gareth Davies. Henry Parry’s SMOTY-winning FB is on the maybe list, so fingers crossed!

Tickets are available here.