1 000 mile es(Cape)ade in an MGA

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Imagine an annual event in Cape Town, home to some of the most stunning scenery in the world, where the finest classic and modern cars money can buy carve through the picturesque landscape.

It’s called the Cape 1000 — a road trip of over 1000 miles — which is a  challenge for the drivers and their vehicles. With 57 cars in six classes in the line-up, ranging from an SL500, a classic Ford truck and a stunning Shelby Daytona to more modern monsters such as an LS-powered Ultima and Aventador SVJ, the Cape  1000 was a spectacle any motoring enthusiast worth their salt would drool over.

Well, I did it, in style of course, and I was lucky enough to bring my wife Sarah with me on this adventure as we experienced the best of motoring, hotels and food the Western Cape has to offer.

Upon arriving at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town, Sarah and I were excited as we had no clue what adventures awaited us. Cars slowly trickled in as we registered ourselves and our vehicle.

Once kitted out in our attire, the first test met us at the harbour. This came in the form of our ride — a 1957 MGA Roadster and a bag full of stickers. The car was amazing, but with such exotic edges, applying the stickers turned out to be more entertainingly frustrating than it perhaps should have been.

After fighting them for around half an hour, we caught word that sticker-applying professionals were wandering around, so we headed out to grab one to help perfect our heavily branded British sports car.

One of our bigger concerns before this trip was the possibility of rain and the lack of a permanently fixed roof on the MGA Roadster. The rain came, and although the clouds were holding for now, the ground was wet, however, this failed to put a damper on the event. 

I was under the impression that the excitement and drama would build slowly throughout the trip but almost immediately we came across a challenge. 

This came in the form of a truck dumping diesel onto the wet road surface. I thought ice was slippery but driving a car with no computerised support and tyres the width of a coin is terrifying, even at 20km/h. 

Our drive to Camps Bay proved to be the slowest, yet one of the more exciting, parts of the trip. 

Fortunately, the diesel issue subsided but the rain became the second obstacle in the first 10km of our 1 600km trip. The downpour was brutal, and visibility was frighteningly limited, with no roof, wipers or glasses. 

Despite its intensity, we quickly outran the storm, enabling us to enjoy the stunning roads around Cape Point and into Simon’s Town.

After a short trip through Somerset West, and along the coast, we arrived at our first regulation rally stage. 

It’s a rally that’s not particularly exciting to spectate but it is entertaining and challenging for the drivers and co-pilots. 

The rally stages require participants to follow their road books as accurately as possible to get to a designated checkpoint in as close to the recommended time as possible. Competitors are given a stopwatch and must drive as close as they can to the speed provided by the book. 

The trip was covered in these stages and the vehicle with the most consistently accurate times would be crowned the winner of the Cape 1000. 

These stages were more challenging for classics and imported cars, especially those with mile-per-hour speedometers or, in our case, broken speedos.

The rally stages added an exciting spin to a spectacular road trip. However, the supercars seemed almost out of place, especially when watching a Bugatti Veyron doing 40km/h in an 80 zone.

The first day of driving ended with a spectacular collection of cars, including a few Lamborghini fan favourites, such as the Aventador SVJ, Huracan Performante, Diablo and Murciélago.

The second day of driving was the longest, covering just over 450km. The route took the group inland to a collection of perfectly smooth, straight roads where the Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bugattis could stretch their legs. 

I cannot mention the speeds achieved but you can imagine the smile on my face watching these machines fly past while going foot to the floor in the MGA at 110km/h. 

With a few rally stages in between, spirits were high as cars began to flock into George.

After the local police closed the main road, the various cars headed out to make noise in the quiet town where a charity auction was held. 

The items going under the hammer were an official invitation from the first Cape 1000, a signed model Ferrari and a photograph of the finishing line in the Silo District, taken the previous year. 

Thousands were shouted out by buyers willing to raise their hands, knowing their money was going towards a good cause, the QuadPara Association of SA. 

On the fourth day, we backtracked along the previous day’s route towards Ladismith, with participants eager to revisit the stunning landscape. The classic cars, including ours, took off first as they were no match for the speed of the more modern vehicles. 

The older cars felt the heat, while the sports cars had to navigate around trucks on the passes. 

During the last leg, on the Franschhoek pass, we discovered a cracked spark plug and a malfunctioning thermostat in our car. Thankfully, the event mechanics quickly replaced the faulty parts, allowing us to continue our journey.

The last day was short but packed with excitement. We started with a short drive through the beautiful Franschhoek winelands before returning to the mountain passes. After a morning of exhilarating driving, the vehicles arrived at Killarney for a track session.

Watching the classic cars relive their glory days was refreshing. Cars like the Austin Healey, various Alfa Romeos and a selection of special Porsches tore up the race track. 

The last leg of the trip was emotionally charged, especially for drivers of the older cars. After covering 1 600km in five days, we were given a medal to commemorate this unique drive when we arrived at the Silo District of the V&A. 

Prizes were awarded to the most consistent drivers, grouped by vehicle type, with winners receiving trophies and plaques, amid applause. The evening ended on a high note with the auction of a last item — an event flag that fetched R110 000. 

The event exceeded our expectations, offering incredible experiences, new friendships and breathtaking roads. It showcased the finest cars and solidified the Cape 1000 as South Africa’s most beautiful drive.