For more than 30 years Dennis Lingane was involved in the historic car movement in Western Australia during what many perceive was its iconic era.
This motoring compendium includes hundreds of photographs and riveting stories of his involvement, ranging from weekend local runs to marathons that took him not only around Australia but overseas, competing in and reporting on international events from Europe to Africa and Asia. He owned an eclectic set of historic vehicles including a 1928 Dennis fire engine and a 1925 3-litre Bentley.
He was the founding Chairman of the Bentley Drivers Club of Western Australia and sat on various committees of other car clubs helping to organise events that are still popular today.
He also sat on the board that was instrumental in setting up the WA Motor Museum, and pioneered a column dedicated to the movement that ran for more than 10 years in The West Australian newspaper.
He resolutely carried a tent on the running board of his 1925 vintage Bentley when touring overseas because he never knew where he and his longsuffering wife Lesleyann would be putting their heads down, especially on their marathon tours of Europe, completing up to 14,000km through a dozen countries in one tour and crossing Africa in another..
His motivation in compiling this book of photos and stories was to honour some of the main players in the movement and their contribution to the community (several have already passed on), and on his own behalf to thank the many fellow enthusiasts who shared the lifestyle.
“Hopefully those who travelled the same route can sit back in their autumnal years, put their feet up and relive the great times and adventures we shared, re-visited in this pot-pourri of motoring memories,” he said. “An aged friend once said to me, ‘At this time of life, Dennis, all we have left are our memories’. This is my way of saying to the movement ‘Thanks for my memories’.”
NB: This was a limited edition production of 100 books that have since sold out. There maybe extra soft copies available in the future. Register your interest. Full Colour 11 x 9 inches 400 pages.