GNOO BLAS AT THE HUSTLE…
This year a contingent of hardtops, along with members and friends of Gnoo Blas travelled to Toowoomba for the annual 3-day Hardtop Hustle event in late August.
The event attracted around 180 entrant hardtops including groups of iconic Cobras and John Goss Specials.
The “Orange Crew” travelling in convoy stopped in at Tamworth for lunch (where an episode of Ask The Dodgy Brothers was shot outside the Big Guitar) before proceeding onto Tenterfield for dinner, an impromtu performance by a Peter Allen tribute artist and a nights rest.
Arrival in Toowoomba on Friday saw the full force of hardtops descend on Murphy’s Creek Tavern for a meet and greet. Saturday saw the hardtops dominate a good part of Picnic Point Reserve for a hearty breakfast and barista coffee. Hot coffee being welcomed as this morning was particularly cold as snow falling back in home town of Orange would attest. Then it was off to Crow’s Nest where the streets outside the Old Crow Hotel was closed for the Hustle. Due to being fashionably late, the No.001, No.221 & the #35 tribute Cobra was able to secure centre stage along side beautiful Crows Nest Centenary Park drawing much attention to celebrity drivers/entrants of the 1979 Bathurst 1000 reunitin with No.221.
Sunday saw the hardtops descend on the Farmers Arms Tavern for a massive show’n’shine. Both breakfast and lunch was supplied by the event organisers with a bonus local markets nearby.
Lunchtime in the main dining room also brought Millie Watson, long time owner of Ford Hardtop Cobra No.221, Barry Parsons & Tom Rabold on stage together for a special presentation, MCed by our very own Bob Nash.
The presentation and the awarding of trophies for various categories brought the 3-day event to a close. The Swadling’s carried away runner up award for best Cobra. By all accounts, the event was well supported, received and no doubt many attendees will be returning in 2026 for the Hustle in Surfers Paradise.
Video 1: An awesome birds eye view of the event. Produced by and used with permission from Michael Pfitzner.
Video 2: Presentation of CAMS logbook to Millie Watson from Barry Parsons and Tom Rabold.
Video 3: Two episodes of Ask The Dodgy Brothers filmed on location on the way to the Hustle. Their likeness used with permission from Wayne & John Swadling.
A Selection Of Images From the Hustle Weekend
The following images are captures from Michael Pfitzner’s video
