It was the 38-year-old's first trip to the car festival and, with husband Ian by her side, the couple proudly showed off their 1932 Ford Roadster on the main arena for the Show and Shine competition. Buffed to perfection and gleaming in the sun, their car was surrounded by more than 200 equally perfect machines and thousands of happy motoring enthusiasts.

The silver car was built by the pair and cost $65,000. But cars were Ms Cope's passion long before she met her husband.

''It's like our child,'' she said. ''My family are hot-rodders and my husband has been brainwashed!''

The pair travelled from Engadine in Sydney to attend the street machine rally but they weren't behind the wheel of their ''baby''. ''No, he came on the back of a truck … the new carbs are playing up,'' Ms Cope said.

But they plan to return next year sans truck on the three-hour trip from Sydney to Canberra in their silver machine: ''It's really nice to hang out and talk with other enthusiasts and like-minded people.'' EWA KRETOWICZ