THERE is more and more happening car-wise in both Australia and New Zealand every Oz Day weekend, but the most action happens down in Victoria with the Victorian Hot Rod Show, the Geelong Australia Day Cruise and the River City Roadster and Coupe Club’s Reliability run all happening at once. The SM team split up and managed to get to all three, starting with the Hot Rod Show.

Now in its 49th year, the Hot Rod show runs for four days in the stunning Royal Exhibition Building. Backing up for Melbourne only a few weeks after Summernats can be tough for the elite show car crew, but this year saw Leisa Chinnock’s XF and Peter Kotsopoulos’s super-tough HQ Monaro do the double, as well as the ’34 coupes of Peter Fitzpatrick and Neil Monette. Leisa’s XF took home the lion’s share of the goodies at trophy time, including the Australia’s Coolest Car gong for the second time, earning Leisa and her family a trip to Beach Hop in NZ.

Check out our video for an inside look at the show. If it looks like your thing make plans to be in Melbourne for the 50th anniversary next year.