Leigh Mackin is a self-proclaimed “man of very few words”, but his hard work that led to victory at the 2022 Holden FX-FJ Nationals speaks volumes.
The stage was set in Cooma, NSW, from Wednesday, December 28 to Sunday, January 1 to showcase a range of original, restored and modified FX and FJ Holdens, one of which was Mr Mackin’s beloved FJ “Blacky”.
“Nationals are only held every two years, so you see people you’ve known for a long time and you meet young ones that come on to the scene,” he said.
The event draws hundreds of Australia’s most prized Holdens and many strong contenders were present.
“There were 140 cars, we don’t think about them as competition though, we just like to see all the different cars,” Mr Mackin said.
“You don’t talk about (the awards), it’s to keep the old cars in the limelight.
“To see them, brings a lot of memories back to a lot of people, especially my age group.”
Mr Mackin bought the Holden FJ back in 1989 with the intention of a quick coat of paint and a clean.
That went out the window when he joined Shepparton FX-FJ Car Club and was inspired to do a complete strip-down of the vehicle.
“It’s had a complete overhaul in the last five years; all new paint job, motor, interior,” Mr Mackin said.
“We (my son Jarrod and myself) do 90 per cent of the work ourselves ... a lot has been changed, but the body shape’s still the same.”
The Shepparton father-son duo have bonded over getting their hands dirty to restore Holden vehicles since Jarrod was 10.
When asked what in particular drove Mr Mackin to a lifelong passion for cars, his response was as straightforward as a wheel alignment.
“It’s been Holden ever since I was old enough to appreciate cars — it’s part of Australia,” he said.