Jaf’s Last Cruise

This will be my last post for 2019 (if I can get it done before midnight!) so before I jump into it – just a quick thanks to everyone who has read, viewed, commented, liked, etc. it has been a pleasure!

I actually wrote this back in time after the 2017 cruise but it never got published anywhere so I though now would be a good time to share! It was written with an international audience in mind…

The time between Christmas and New Years’ moves a little slower, people are on holidays and in Australia the temperature goes up! The perfect time to head out for a drive but what if you wanted to cruise with someone? This is exactly how ‘Jaf’s Last Cruise’ came into existence, a few mates in a car park thinking ‘everyone is around on holidays, we should organise the last cruise of the year’ the rest is history. Fast forward 15 years and ‘Jafs’, as it is affectionately known, is now one of the biggest cruises in Australia – and surely the world.

I have been to a couple of Jaf’s cruises over the years, while my own car preferences are firmly in the JDM world, I can truly appreciate car culture as a whole! I think that is important because it is very easy to write the event off, with that in mind it is time to share – what is really an event you have to see to believe.

One of the best parts about Jafs is you never know what cars you are going to see, there are no entry criteria and the cruise is open to anyone who thinks their car is worthy of cruising. So just how big is Jafs? It is hard to put an exact number on it because people will join and leave the cruise all night, and the whole way along the route there are people in their cars parked up watching the literal rolling show. If we use the carparks at the start and finish as a guide then 3000 cars is a number that gets thrown around. Pretty impressive for what started off as a few mates cruising and is not connected to a car show or the like.

This year conditions were hot, 38 degrees hot and the summer sun was in full force. This meant a lot of people had to watch their temperature gauges, with many opting to pull over along the route to let things cool down. The coolant leaking from this Chevrolet an all too common sight, this particular car had come from the neighbouring state of Victoria to drive in the cruise, that’s a 500km plus trip each way!

Before the cruise itself participants could meet up, park their cars and check out the other vehicles on show. To me this is one of the best parts of the event and you always seem to run into people you only see once a year!

2017 was the year that unfortunately saw vehicle manufacturing in Australia cease, with Holden, Ford and Toyota all closing their doors for the last time. While there is always a strong turnout of Commodores and Falcons, this year it seemed a little more poignant, their impact on the Australian motoring scene is undeniable.

Can you get more Aussie than a ute? This example was sporting the V6 engine which was made in Australia, unlike the V8 which was imported from the USA, some would say this makes them the most patriotic choice. The owner wasn’t fussed about patriotism though, replacing the Holden badge with a Chevrolet unit – a common theme in Australia.

Speaking of Chevrolets, which are still a rarity in Australia, this Bel Air looked the part with the classic hot rod flames running down the side, the owner clearly not afraid to drive it – mud on the tyres and paint far from show perfect. That’s what’s great about so many of the cars at Jafs, they’re driven to, along and home from the cruise.

Another American car we don’t see a lot of in OZ is the F series range of Fords, whilst they’re a dime a dozen overseas, an example like this lifted F250 stood out – literally head and shoulders above the cars around it.

Cars like this Nissan Patrol are a much more common sight, being available from new here has meant there are now plenty of examples modified with bigger wheels, lift kits, bolt on accessories and in the more extreme cases engine swaps.

There is no denying the presence and popularity of Japanese imports, there was everything from classic to current day and mild to wild modifications wise. This R31 GTS and AE86 Levin were both clean examples and more of the ‘old school variety’ on show.

Parked near by were two of the more modern JDM classics, if you classify 18-year-old (now 20 as I wrote this two years ago) cars as modern! Hard to believe 34 GTRs are now two decades old. Both of these cars feature extensive modifications, solid HKS engine set ups boasting over 400kws at the wheels, with a range of corresponding support parts.

The S series chassis are another extremely popular car for modification in Australia, two contrasting examples are shown here. An S15 with bolt on parts perfect for driving the streets yet plenty of fun on the roads that surround Adelaide and wind their way through the hills. At the other end of the spectrum this 180sx was heavily set up for the track with almost every area of modification being ticked.

Of course, to come along your car doesn’t need to be modified, this M4 would be more than capable driven straight off the showroom floor. The Austin Yellow glowing in the hot Aussie sun…

This Rolls Royce Silver Shadow was also another car present in stock form, albeit more from the comfort end of the spectrum, the owner tends to receive questions wherever he goes and is happy to oblige!

Aussies are big rotary heads and this 1300 wagon is a typical example of the modification route owners take, the front mount intercooler peeking from behind the baby blue exterior, the Simmons wheels are another classic choice.

With the mercury still hovering in the high 30s it was time to head towards the beach en route to our final destination where more cars were waiting. The whole way along the 40-km cruise route there were crowds enjoying the spectacle.

The Mitsubishi Magna is another car made in Australia until production ceased recently, there is still a strong local following of enthusiasts. The upgraded Brembo brakes hinting this car has received more than just visual modifications.

A 1965 falcon with the air conditioning turned up to maximum – meaning both windows were open! Staying cool in the older cars was a challenge for both the engine and the occupants.

The golden light and tall pine trees, originally used to replenish masts of sailing ships, created a picturesque back drop for both spectators and participants.

These Monaros are some of the Aussie Muscle cars whose value has sky rocketed over the past few years, the green on this example is very similar to the ‘Spitfire’ green offered on the final range of modern day Commodores’ Holden offered.

Once the sun disappeared and the temperature finally started cooling down, sharing a hot rod with a mate would be one of the best ways to experience Jafs.

The cruise wound its way to the final destination before everyone broke off from here and everyone went their separate ways. For many the final words were ‘see you next year!’, with the sheer quantity and variety of cars present it should be something you do at least once!