ROADBOSS’s resident rev head goes on the journey of a lifetime to deliver two rare classic supercars to the prestigious Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance car show on Cockatoo Island
There’s an intoxicating sound and smell to a carburetted V8 that’s unlike anything you’ll find today – or so I discovered. The vehicle that enlightened me was not a truck, but instead a classic Italian supercar made by the same company that once built diesel tractors – Lamborghini.
I find myself following a rather unique form of freight this time around, heading from Brisbane to Sydney for the prestigious Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance car show on Cockatoo Island.
The plan is to ride along with Vehicle Transport Group (VTG), who are well-known in classic and supercar circles for top-shelf service, aboard their IVECO Stralis enclosed car transporter. Owner Phil Charlton has been gunning to show me how it’s done for a while now, so what better reason than Australia’s most prestigious car show?
Our correspondence across the past few months has been somewhat frustrating, not because Phil isn’t a top fella, but because his weeks are filled with the kinds of cars one can only dream of. Call him on any given day and he’s carting a historic F1 car, a La Ferrari or a couple of rare race cars. It’s enough to make anyone jealous.
Behind the cab of VTG’s rigid Stralis will sit a Lamborghini Urraco and Porsche 356, two rare classics that demand the very best in vehicle transport, with operator Cody Manning at the wheel.
At the end of the day, these cars are extremely rare. But aside from the obvious value, they’re also people’s pride and joy.
We’ll have 24 hours to get the cars to the Hunters Hill Sailing Club in northern Sydney, where they’ll be shuttled to the island by ferry for the three-day event. Nerve-wracking cargo, but we’re riding with some of the best in the game. Let’s get to it, then.
Immaculate collection
Our journey starts at Oldtimer Australia, a Brisbane-based showroom that matches buyers and sellers of high-end classics, owned by prominent collector Mark Jansen. I catch up with the boys from VTG here, too. Phil, Cody, and another company driver, Derek, carry precious cars like these day-in, day-out, but are as excited as us to make the run down. Their passion for cars is evident, so there’s no points for guessing what we discuss as we wait.
The location is locked down, as is generally the case for collections of rare metal like this one – and it’s clear why. A quick wander around the showroom reveals multiple Maserati Boras, a BMW 2002 Turbo, two out of the 10 right-hand-drive Lamborghini Silhouettes ever built, just about every Ferrari model starting with a ‘3’, plus everything in between.
There’s even a pristine car magazine archive dating back to the ‘50s, which I wish I had more time to flick through.
“We sell a lot of cars that have featured in these magazines, so we can show customers or give them a copy,” says Oldtimer’s resident vehicle whisperer, Wim – who jokes that we’ll need a higher word count should we attempt to print his lengthy last name. “When we sell them, we create a history file and the magazines help us with that.”
Artwork and memorabilia lines the walls, from old Shell and Castrol placards to vintage car bonnets, workshop signage, race posters, you name it. It’s automotive heaven, even if your preferred means of propulsion is diesel.
Artwork and memorabilia lines the walls of Oldtimer’s showroom, from old Shell and Castrol placards to vintage car bonnets, workshop signage and race posters. Images: Alastair Brook
Wim, who runs the day-to-day operations, explains that Oldtimers focuses on vehicles from the ‘50s through to the ‘80s, but there are still a couple of pre-war Bentleys hanging around and an early 2000s gated-manual Ferrari 360. As he shows us around the impressive facility, it’s hard to concentrate with so many rare cars within arm’s reach.
ROADBOSS photographer Alastair Brook is as enthralled as I am, both grinning like school boys as we shake our heads in sync. We scurry to keep up, while Wim talks us through the collection with a thick European accent that adds legitimacy to his encyclopaedic knowledge of each car.
Front and centre is Mark’s own Lamborghini Urraco, which we’ll be transporting to the Concours event. It’s gorgeous. As Wim tinkers inside the cabin, I offer to help push the car to the front of the showroom. He stops me before my hands reach the A-pillar.
“Please, you’ll leave fingerprints on it,” he says, politely asking that I don’t sully it with my greasy mitts. He wears white cotton gloves as he gently rolls the Lamborghini into position, as if handling fine art.
It’s time for Wim to fire the V8 to life. He explains the importance of running these old carburetted cars up to temp before moving them, particularly the fickle Italians, with this model prone to fouling plugs.
“It’s got four Webers,” he says, opening the engine compartment at the rear. He could tell we were interested, so took the time to acquaint us with Italian supercars of this era. “The Italian cars usually had Webers, but some had other brands – it seems like it came down to what they had on the day!”
Call him on any given day and he’s carting a historic F1 car, a La Ferrari or a couple of rare race cars. It’s enough to make anyone jealous.
It makes sense, being that Weber is an Italian brand. In fact, the brand actually got its start making kerosene conversion kits for Fiat trucks back in the 1920s.
An Urra-what?
Some of you may be wondering, “what is an Urraco?” It’s likely not a model any of us had on our bedroom walls as children, compared to iconic models like the Miura, Countach, or Diablo – depending on your vintage. However, it’s quite an interesting model and one that highlights the business acumen that the founder of the brand – and mechanical genius – Ferrucio Lamborghini would become known for.
Ferrucio was a man so mechanically gifted that during the war the Germans gave him permission to start a small workshop in the isle of Rhodes, where he had been stationed. He was too handy to imprison, it seems.
After the war, he would return to Italy to begin building tractors. Fuelled by post-war ambition, he debuted his first ‘all Lamborghini’ tractor in 1951 – and it was a hit.
After a run-in with fellow industrialist, Enzo Ferrari, over a clutch failure on one of Ferrucio’s personal Ferraris, the mechanical whiz turned his sights to cars in a bid to outbuild the Prancing Horse.
After releasing a handful of V12 models he dreamt up the Urraco, which translates to ‘little bull’, in the late ‘60s – a V8-powered 2+2 sports car which, due to the ongoing oil crisis, was less expensive than previous models and featured a smaller-capacity engine too.
The showroom is car heaven, featuring multiple Maserati Boras, two right-hand-drive Lamborghini Silhouettes and just about every Ferrari model starting with a ‘3’. Images: Alastair Brook
Artwork and memorabilia lines the walls, from old Shell and Castrol placards to vintage car bonnets, workshop signage, race posters, you name it.
The Urraco was designed by Marcello Gandini, the man behind the iconic Miura, which explains its beauty. But the little bull was less extreme, featuring two extra seats and four less cylinders, and it aimed to undercut the Ferrari Dino as a more ‘affordable’ supercar. Only 205 examples of the ‘big bore’ three-litre Urraco were built, and only 25 were right-hookers, making our cargo particularly rare.
Load ‘er up, with care
The Urraco awakens with the rich, throaty roar only a carbureted engine is capable of, a puff of condensation and carbon blown from its two polished exhaust tips – as if grumpy to be roused. A few hearty gulps of air, the carbies helped along by Wim’s well-tuned right foot, and the engine settles into a gruff idle before we cross the road and load it onto the Stralis.
What really strikes me, as Wim drives the Urraco out of the shed, is that it’s a grumpier machine than you’d expect of its prestige. Perhaps modern supercars have lost their edge, neutered by precise fuel injection, bi-modal exhausts and driver-aids that all detract from their rawness. The burbles, splutters and agro attitude of the Urraco showcase just how raucous supercars were half a century ago. They weren’t just a show of wealth, but also of grit – should you have daily driven one back then.
It’s a priceless car, but that’s why Mark at Oldtimers chooses VTG to ferry precious classics like this one around the country. Sure, there are countless tilt tray transport options if you want a car moved, but when it comes to the rarest of the rare, it’s an enclosed-trailer affair.
“At the end of the day, these cars are extremely rare, but aside from the obvious value, they’re also people’s pride and joy,” Mark tells me.
“With the sorts of cars we’re moving, the industry is small and word travels – so there’s only a few providers we’d really recommend. We’ve been using VTG for around five years because we know they’re going to look after the cars and get them to the end location as they should be.”
In Australia we have 200-plus grand tilt trays, but no little one or two car carriers like they have in Europe.
The operators transporting million-dollar (and up) classic cars are also a cut above. They know where the choke is and understand the intricate startup process of even the most exotic supercars. These guys ensure that your Concours-grade car is treated with the utmost care. It’s no surprise then, that they’re all die-hard car enthusiasts who just so happen to drive trucks, too.
Onward to Stuttgart
Next up, Cody and I head to collect an immaculate Porsche 356 from a private residence nearby. This is a car that spawned the shape that we’ve come to know and love of Porsches, and was actually the first model to wear the badge, with signature round headlights that resemble those found on a modern 911.
The car, owned by collector Mark Ready, is nowhere to be seen as we park up at the pickup location. Suddenly, the rumble of an air-cooled boxer fills the inner-city street – reminiscent of a ‘worked’ Volkswagen beetle.
Mark looks as cool as they come, rolling towards us in his pride and joy. While most owners opt to have the VTG drivers handle the loading, Mark glides the 356 straight up the ramps – he’s clearly done this before.
“They don’t normally do it themselves,” Cody tells me. “It’s actually a bit of an art, because you’ve got to make sure you enter at the right angle so that it’s straight when you unload.”
You know how you often see a dog and its owner, and they look almost alike, as if to be the perfect match for each other? That is how I view Mark and his 356. This is a man that knows what he likes, and it suits him.
Operators like Vehicle Transport Group, which transport million-dollar (and up) classic cars, are a cut above the rest. Images: Alastair Brook
The 356 sits below the Urraco, which is now hoisted at an angle, atop ramps that lift hydraulically to position it nose-down. An intelligent use of space, dreamt up by Phil to mimic the setup used by enclosed-car transporters in Europe.
Out of sight
Phil joins up with us on the road for the first stint of our journey south, aboard his IVECO Eurocargo, before splitting off to deliver a Lamborghini Aventador to a customer on the Gold Coast. It’s an opportunity to find out how on earth he got into such a niche area of transport.
“We went on a trip to the UK and I kept seeing all of these little enclosed car carriers kicking around,” he tells me. “It occurred to me that we don’t really have them in Australia, we have 200-plus grand tilt trays, but no little one or two car carriers like they have in Europe.”
It was ultimately Phil’s wife Kate who encouraged him to take the leap of faith, offering the gentle nudge he needed after growing tired of hearing about his big idea without action.
“She told me to either take the plunge or never mention it again,” Phil laughs, recalling the fateful moment. “We looked at it and realised it could work, and worst case we’d be in a bit of debt.”
Phil and Kate backed themselves, quitting their full-time jobs and selling what assets they could to start VTG in 2017 – from the ground up. They bought a single-cab IVECO Daily with a custom tilt tray, which could carry one car. The aim was to get an enclosed trailer, but the compact one-car setup got Phil started doing local Brisbane, Gold Coast and Northern NSW transporter work.
It’s actually a bit of an art, because you’ve got to make sure you enter at the right angle so that it’s straight when you unload.
“The Daily worked really well and it covered all our outgoings but the tilt tray market is just so competitive and there was some serious undercutting going on in the world of car carrying,” he says.
Formerly a Volkswagen workshop foreman, Phil was still doing mechanical work on the side to supplement the transport business, but he says that the thought of laying under another car to do a clutch change was all the motivation he needed to take VTG to the next level.
“I remember laying there putting a gearbox back in a VW at one in the morning, and I just thought, ‘I’m done with this’,” he says.
“I quit the mechanical work and started to dig deeper into the industry to look at other options.”
The solution, Phil realised, was to speed up his plan to buy an enclosed trailer, eager to attract the customers that were willing to pay a premium for exceptional service.
“We decided to get one from the UK, because I had seen the style I wanted over there,” he says. “The problem was, we were trying to get one built here, but when I spoke to various companies the dimensions I was giving them made it too experimental. When I gave them the dimensions of the Lamborghini Aventador, most didn’t want to do it.”
The purchase of an IVECO Eurocargo was a big step up for VTG, allowing it to carry two cars enclosed. Both of Phil’s rigids run the two-car hoist setup. Images: Alastair Brook
He opted to import a Brian James trailer, which was the first of its kind in Australia, and set out building his luxury car clientele. The most logical move, Phil figured, was to drive to a couple of dealerships to see if they wanted to give him a go. It was a bold move that kicked off a chain reaction for VTG.
“I went to the first dealership, because not many people were doing enclosed transport at the time, and I showed them the trailer,” Phil says.
“The dealer asked if I had insurance, which I did, and he then asked if I could take a car to Sydney that day. I dropped the car off at the other end and then that dealer asked if I could take one back. It pretty much hasn’t stopped ever since!”
By 2019, word of Phil’s service had travelled and he decided it was time for a bigger truck and a driver too, so he could keep up with growing demand. He opted for an IVECO Eurocargo, seeing as the brand had proven itself so far.
“The Eurocargo meant we could carry two cars enclosed, so that was a big step up and it’s since done more than 700,000 kilometres,” he says.
It was then time to buy another two-car setup, this time settling on an IVECO Stralis, which has done around 450,000 kilometres and is the better of the two trucks for his operation. As is the case in the transport game, though, it’s always possible to go bigger.
We’ve ordered a new Scania R560 prime mover … that trailer will be able to carry six cars, so it’s a big step up and it’ll allow us to keep up with demand.
“We’ve now ordered a new Scania R560 prime mover, and we’ve ticked every box for this one – metallic paint, coffee machine, microwave, TV, leather,” Phil tells me. “That trailer will be able to carry six cars, so it’s a big step up and it’ll allow us to keep up with demand.”
Both of Phil’s rigid IVECO setups run the same European-style two-car hoist setup, which we’re told his six-car trailer will feature too – albeit bigger. It’s clear very little of Phil’s operation is ‘off the shelf’, from his trucks to his trailers, constantly striving to find the perfect setup for his niche line of work.
We arrive at the Gold Coast around lunch time, before Phil peels off to drop the Aventador at its new home, leaving Cody and I to focus on getting the Urraco and 356 to the Sydney Harbour Concours.
South-bound and down
It’s now a straight shot to Sydney along the Pacific Highway, which isn’t an exciting run but one that is well-trodden. Unlike so many time-critical forms of freight, like refrigerated goods, we aren’t rushed but Cody does want to get to Wyong before parking up for the night.
This run has gotten a lot better in recent years, with the 620-metre Harwood Bridge over the Clarence River speeding up the run through northern NSW, and the soon-to-be-completed Coffs Harbour bypass promising to shorten the trip further. For Cody, though, it doesn’t really matter where he’s headed or how long it’ll take – he’s just happy to be on the road.
“I’m a truck driver at heart, even though I haven’t been doing this for that long,” he says. “So I just love being out there getting it done.”
The run to Sydney has gotten a lot better in recent years, with the Harwood Bridge over the Clarence River speeding up the run through northern NSW. Images: Alastair Brook
Cody is a man that lived many lives before deciding on a career in transport, admittedly jumping around a bit before finding what he loved. His resume is equal parts impressive and unusual, to say the least.
“I actually always wanted to be a long-haul truck driver growing up, but I just got caught up doing other things,” he says, downplaying just how impressive his backstory is. “I’m a qualified chef and spent time running fine-dining restaurants. I then did advisory work for Masterchef, which was interesting.”
Moving away from the pretentious world of fine dining, Cody ran pubs and clubs around the Gold Coast for a while. He was exposed to the live music scene and had a knack for working with musicians, which would lead to a new career entirely.
“I ended up becoming a tour manager for some pretty famous musicians, which took me all over the world,” he tells me, laughing as I shake my head in disbelief. “I looked after a very prominent US rapper, but I can’t tell you his name. That was interesting to say the least because those guys are pretty wild.”
The life of a tour manager was taking its toll and Cody wanted a change, which led him to the mines in Mt Isa – trading five-star hotels for a donga. This put Cody behind the wheel of a truck, transporting mine vehicles, and he finally found his calling.
It didn’t take Cody long to make the jump to the transport industry, after meeting his now-wife and settling down. He’d had his eye on car transporter roles, but after working for a less-than-ideal company he wanted to drive for someone that actually cared about their drivers and equipment.
We’ve been using VTG for around five years because we know they’re going to look after the cars and get them to the end location as they should be.
“My thing has always been to find something I love, which I can happily do all day, right?” Cody says. “For me that was driving trucks and, because I also love cars, transporter work made sense. I searched for enclosed-car transport companies online and came across VTG, so I called Phil and applied for a job he had going – which he gave me!”
While Cody doesn’t come from a transport family, his wife does and being able to tell his mother-in-law that he’d landed a gig driving trucks remains one of his proudest moments.
“My mother-in-law was so proud of me when I got a job driving trucks,” he says, the emotion visible on his face. “Even though I’d toured the world with artists and worked in all of these fancy restaurants, she was so proud of the fact I’d be driving trucks.”
He now drives this Stralis five days a week and has clocked up more than half-a-million kilometres in it so far, proving so pivotal to the operation that Phil plans to put him in the new Scania – which will be the company’s flagship rig.
“I can’t wait to get into the Scania, because it’s the perfect progression for the company and for me as a driver,” he says.
“Phil has listened to what I want for the truck and it’s decked out with everything we’ll need. He’s also put a lot of effort into customising the way it looks, in that European style, so we’ll be able to take it to car shows to promote the company.”
Behind the incredible array of precious cars on the island is a small group of transport operators who are the unsung heroes of the classic car scene. Images: Alastair Brook
We invariably end up talking cars to pass the time, as we roar down the Pacific on our last leg of the day. Cody’s a die-hard Formula 1 fan, evidenced by the die-cast McLaren stuck to his dashboard.
“Piastri all the way,” Cody argues, after I tell him Ricciardo was my favourite Aussie driver. “There’s some pretty serious Aussie talent coming through. I’m really keen to see what Jack Doohan does.”
It’s no surprise, then, that Cody’s all-time favourite car he’s transported is Michael Schumacher’s 2002 championship-winning Ferrari Formula 1 car – arguably the best-sounding F1 car ever built, by the way, with its ear-piercing V10 that spins up to 19,000rpm.
“We moved that car from Melbourne to Queensland and it was pretty special knowing Schumacher won both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championship that year with it,” he says, reminiscing.
“But I mean, there’s often two, three-million dollar cars onboard just like that one, so it’s hard to narrow down my favourites.”
Talking with Cody about the ins and outs of the job, it’s clear you couldn’t pay him enough to leave. “It’s one of the best gigs in transport, for sure, so I won’t have another job I don’t think – ever,” he says.
We come to these events and we’re all here for the same reason. It’s pretty awesome because we all get along and we all love what we do.
He’s the rare case of a driver who cares as much about a company’s success as the owner, but he reiterates that he’d rather be an employee at this point in his life.
“I’ve owned companies, worked for myself before, but I think you can do just as much as an employee – without all the stress!” he says. “Even though it’s Phil’s business, I treat it like my own baby and the same goes for the trucks.”
We pull up stumps at Wyong around midnight, later than usual but the result of a few stops and a bit of extra time spent loading. Really, it’s due to me chatting with the owners and gawking at their cars, but Cody understands.
Heavy hitters unite
We’re only an hour and a half out of Sydney, but we’ve got to get the cars onto the ferry by 9:00am – no ifs or buts. We leave around 6:00am to play it safe, and a slow run into the suburbs leaves us feeling glad we did.
Now, we’ve spent most of this trip in awe of the cargo. Sure, the IVECO is a tidy truck and suits this task well, but c’mon … an Urraco and a 356 aren’t everyday sights. Rolling into the Hunters Hill Sailing Club carpark, we’re met with an array of hyper-rare cars most won’t see in their lifetime.
The first thing we see is a Bugatti Veyron on the back of a tilt-tray, and then it’s an old Bentley eight-litre. Look further afield and there’s two roofless Bugattis, likely some of the earliest models ever made. Arguably the most insane car in the lot is a menacing Mercedes-Benz 500K, which looks like it would be driven by Cruella Deville – or a Bond villain.
The excitement at the boat ramp was electric, with some truly priceless cars being unloaded and driven onto the ferry. Images: Alastair Brook
The car spotters were out in force too, loitering and making it very obvious they don’t own any of the cars – made apparent by the awe in their eyes. We probably looked much the same, but we didn’t care one bit.
The excitement at the boat ramp was electric, with some truly priceless cars being unloaded and driven onto the ferry. At the centre of it all were the transport operators, shaking hands, catching up, sharing details of the cars they carted.
“What’ve you got Cody?” an operator yells across the carpark, before wandering over for a look and a chit-chat.
“Just an Urraco and a 356,” Cody responds, nonchalantly. This is just another day in the office for the operators, but they’re all clearly into their cars.
“This is where we all catch up,” Cody tells me afterwards. “We come to these events and we’re all here for the same reason. It’s pretty awesome because we all get along and we all love what we do. We love the cars.”
We unload the truck, opting for a downhill section in case the old cars choose not to start – or clonk out half-way down the ramps. A fiddly starting routine for the 356 requires patience before it fires to life, reverberating inside the transporter. It’s a similar story for the Urraco, however, Cody decides to roll it off in neutral to avoid fouling a plug.
My mother-in-law was so proud of me when I got a job driving trucks. Even though I’d toured the world with artists and worked in all of these fancy restaurants, she was so proud of the fact I’d be driving trucks.
Just like that, the cars are loaded onto the ferry – probably the most expensive load it’ll ever take across the harbour – on route to Cockatoo Island.
Island time
Arriving at the Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on the historic Cockatoo Island, the event is as fancy as the name suggests, but if you’re into classic cars, despite how much tweed you own, it’s heaven on earth.
The enormous industrial sheds of the old shipyard offer an uncomplicated backdrop, raw steel and concrete forming a blank canvas upon which the world’s rarest automobiles can shine. And shine they do.
Among the tens of millions of dollars parked up on the island are the Urraco and 356 we transported, but even rarer cars can be seen. A 1930 Bugatti Type 46 is among the rarest of the rare, while a 1973 Porsche 917 garnered arguably the most attention.
The ultra-rare Porsche was a dominant racer in its day, but also starred in the 1971 Steve McQueen flick, ‘Le Mans’. Heck, even Jerry Seinfeld owns one, although he did try and sell it earlier this year before turning down a $25 million offer – as you do.
This particular one, dubbed 917/30-005, is owned by an Australian collector, who takes it all over the world to attend prestigious shows like Goodwood Festival of Speed and Retromobile.
The Sydney Harbour Concours d’Elegance on the historic Cockatoo Island is as fancy as the name suggests, but if you’re into classic cars, it’s heaven on earth. Images: Alastair Brook
Outside the sheds, an elegant dining precinct with ever-flowing champagne and curated gourmet nibbles provides punters with a sunny respite from all the automotive fanfare. That is, until an array of unmuffled classics thunders past for one of the many parades.
To our surprise, we stumble across a truck on display, however it’s unclear as to whether it’s actually a part of the show. A 1970 Mercedes-Benz 1418 sits away from all the action, but certainly doesn’t look out of place. These old bubble-nose Benz jiggers are pretty damn cool, even against a backdrop of the world’s rarest cars.
Talking with Mark from Oldtimers, he assures us his Urraco is getting plenty of attention, particularly when he fires up the barky V8, and he even came across someone who has fond childhood memories with this exact car.
“People always love the classic Lamborghinis – they always turn heads,” he says. “I actually just had a guy come up to me and tell me he recognised the car. When he was 10 years old a family friend had a silver Urraco just like this one. I knew the first owner, so asked him if it was the same guy and, sure enough, it’s the same car. So this guy would have run around in this car 40 years ago as a 10-year-old!”
Behind the incredible array of precious cars on the island is a small group of transport operators, who spend their time out on the road, not sipping champagne by the harbour, to make sure the rarest cars in the world make it to events like this one. We’ll call them the unsung heroes of the classic car scene.
