Elite Pavilion
Get up close and personal with customised elite cars at Rockynats
Prepare for jaw-dropping ‘wow’ moments as the Lawrences Motors Elite Show gets underway from the Friday afternoon of Rockynats.
For any lover of pristine restorations, no-holds-barred customising and up-cycling, the Elite Pavilion at the Showgrounds Precinct is generally the first stop. It’ll be hard to tear yourself away.
And even if you know nothing at all about cars, just the spectacle of mirror finishes, ultimate attention to detail and the atmosphere of excitement and the pride of accomplishment makes it a very worthwhile experience.
Under one roof, you’ll see cars never before exhibited in Australia, alongside some returning favourites going up against the big boys. Yes, the prize money is significant, but most entrants are in it for the sheer joy of creating a one-of-a-kind showstopper.
Drumroll - the unveiling happens Friday night
The anticipation at the Elite Show unveiling is something else.
In 2023, the Elite Show didn’t disappoint, with seven remarkable unveils, including a 10-year VL Walkinshaw build, a two-toned 1957 Chevrolet, a ground-up Holden LC Torana drag car, an LX Torana tribute, a restored XY Falcon, a Warwick Yellow HK Monaro, and a modified Harley Davidson. Each showcased outstanding craftsmanship and design.
The 2-door, 4-seat wagon, originally a panel van, has a 600-horsepower supercharged 6.2L LSA crate motor under the hood. The car was a complete rebuild from the chassis up. Elton confided in the Rockynats team that finishing the build came right down to the last minute.
"We added the last touch just one week ago. The hype and expectation has been huge, but it was more of a relief for me because it’s been such a mission to get this across the line and we’ve missed a few events including the last Rockynats. Owen Webb, the Rockynats Chief Steward, has been keen to see it finally getting unveiled.
I didn’t think it would be this popular, there’s been people milling around from the minute the doors opened, and people have been asking lots of questions and admiring the custom work."
Elton Walker on his Rockynats 03 Entry
Expect to see the unusual, the unique and the classics rebuilt to powerful perfection
For the car owners, the sky is the limit when it comes to fulfilling their vision. Most of the vehicles you’ll see were purchased in a run down or quite different state to how they’re presented at the Lawrences Motors Elite Show.
When you talk to the owners (and they love to tell their stories and give a bit of advice, so don’t be shy) you might find they have literally built their machines from a bare chassis, placing every nut and bolt with utmost care.
Money is no object to include the perfectly matching components, the smallest detail of leather interior, or to fit the heftiest motor, polished to lustrous extremes.
Elite-level bikes show how it’s done
Bikes are featured in the Lawrences Motors Elite pavilion, and they create quite a stir, bagging no less love and attention than their four-wheel equivalents. Rockynats welcomes entries from bikes including Harley-Davidson, Custom, V-twin, Café Racers, Euro, Japanese and Heritage bikes.