One motorist filling up in Dunedin yesterday did not have to ask permission from his bank manager first.
Pete Burtonwood, of Owaka, was on his way to a car show in Timaru, the Caroline Bay Rock & Hop, a fundraiser for Hospice South Canterbury which attracts 1000 vehicles and about 25,000 people.
After leaving home, Mr Burtonwood decided to top up his Fiat Bambina in Dunedin before continuing north to the show. A $20 note covered the fuel cost with a few coins of change.
He originally bought the 1964 Fiat Bambina 500D for his daughter in 1977 to learn to drive in, but has since restored it, and now spends his retirement taking his pride and joy to car shows.
The car has a 499.5cc engine, weighs 500kg and comes complete with “suicide doors”, he said.
The doors were so-called “because if you’re an idiot and open them while you’re moving it’s catastrophic”.
It will travel at 100kmh on the open road, but was a bit slow up hills. He expects to use half of its 22-litre tank to complete the journey to Timaru where he hopes to be parked between two “Yank tanks”.
“The car is a lot of fun and brings a lot of joy to a lot of people.”
By Stephen Jaquiery