Tornado Rod and Custom Club

About

Tornado Rod and Custom Club, Timaru, New Zealand

Story

Tornados was formed in 1968 by some young Hot Rodders that were friends and had a keen interest in Hot Rods. The club grew and became incorporated 1973.

In those days the club meetings were held in peoples homes, sheds and a common meeting place in the early days was an old brick garage that is now a car park between Mitre 10 and the chrome platers at the bottom of North Street, over the years several club cars were built in this shed. In 1973 this shed was rented by Oillie Caswell and was building a 1939 Ford coupe that was being wildly customized by Mike O'Sullivan. This car was nothing short of radical for it's time, with tilt front, square headlights, Falcon tail lights, Mark 1 Zephyr rear window and Dunlop racing tires. This car is still around today.

In 1981 Tornados approached the Timaru District Council to see if Tornados could lease land so we could build a clubrooms. Tornados looked at a few places and ended up buying land at 8 Shaw Street Timaru for $4000.00 and set about raising money to build a clubrooms. A plan was drawn up and Tornado members built the clubrooms with very little outside labour needed. Tornados open the clubrooms in 1983 and around those time Tornados were running some of the biggest Rod Runs in the South Island.

The club has also run a number of special interest car raffles, some of the prizes being a 1972 Corvette, 1968 Mustang Fastback and a 1956 Chevy 2 door Hard Top.

Club Meetings are every second Wednesday at 8.00pm at the clubrooms.