Meg Grealy bought Mighty Boy on a whim.
As soon as she saw the discontinued 1986 Suzuki utility vehicle on Facebook Marketplace, the 27-year-old knew it was the one for her.
"I found this incredible car called a Mighty Boy and thought, 'who the hell named that car such a silly name?'," Ms Grealy fondly recalled.
Born out of strict size restrictions in Japan, the rare car is believed to only have been exported to Australia and Cyprus in the 80s.
The two-seater vehicle has red leather seats, a tiny cargo tray, and an engine the size of one found in a lawnmower.
Reviews at the time were mixed, and described the odd vehicle as a "box on wheels", a "funmobile" and a "cute ute".
Co-founder of national community group Team Mighty Boy Brayden Dykes believes there were about 3,000 sold here, used by couriers, delivery drivers and local pizza shops to zoom around.
Now, he estimates there are somewhere between 500 to 1,000 still around including the 12 in his collection.
"Nobody wanted them for a time, and it's only in the last 10 to 15 years that they've begun to get a cult following," Mr Dykes said.
Four decades on, Ms Grealy's Mighty Boy continues to be a talking point wherever it goes.
"I didn't realise just how much attention that car was going to get … every time I drive it, people say something to me or stare at me," Ms Grealy said.
"This woman stopped me the other day and she said, 'I just love him. People have such boring cars … I think everyone should have a Mighty Boy'."
Car clubs bringing people together
In NSW, any vehicle 30 years of age or older can be considered for special conditional registration under the Historic Vehicle Scheme (HVS).
Over 70,000 historic vehicles are currently registered under the scheme and can be identified by smaller number plates that end in a H or J.
The HVS comes with perks like cheaper registration fees and access to group outings — but also the caveat of only being able to drive it for about a quarter of the year.
One criteria of the HVS is being a member of an eligible club recognised by the NSW government.
The latest list sits at about 1,400 clubs from Tweed Heads down to Eden on the south coast.
Jenny Fawbert from the Council of Heritage Motor Clubs NSW (CHMC) estimated there is about a million people in NSW directly involved in historic vehicles, as owners, custodians or operators.
The CHMC — colloquially known as the "bush council" — has about 90 clubs under its wing, representing regional vintage, historic and classic cars in the state since 1972.
Joining a club also allows members to participate in "runs" or rally tours to showcase their models, fundraising events, presentations, and social gatherings over a pub feed or picnic.
These events often take three or four days, with visitor spending helping to support the local economies of the towns they visit.
"We tour through little communities and the public just absolutely adore coming out and seeing [the cars] on the road," Ms Fawbert said.
For Ms Grealy, buying Mighty Boy has opened the door to a new world and brought community with it.
She felt welcomed by the club she chose, made up of "very sweet" car fanatics who message each other online and share memes daily.
"It's definitely special, it's one of those things that I might not have for a long time, but for now it's fun," she said.
"But you never know, in 50 years, I might still be cruising around in Mighty Boy."
What is the appeal of historic vehicles?
Ms Fawbert grew up in a family involved in the automotive sector, and was taught about vintage cars from her father from a young age.
Her first historic vehicle was a 1928 Chevrolet that she learnt to drive on, but nowadays, she said she doesn't play favourites.
"I wondered myself at times, why do I do it? I don't know, I've done it for nearly 70-odd years and I really can't pinpoint why I've got old cars."
Often, owners want the vehicles they grew up with or desperately wanted, Ms Fawbert observed.
"For others, it's just the enjoyment of tootling around in something that's quite different, managing it well and driving and enjoying it."
Ms Fawbert said it was a misconception that owners "must have a lot of money" to own a historic car, when in reality, it is often a passion project done over time.
"They've finished with a product that looks like a million bucks, but it's something [restorers] have quietly worked on," she said.
Drivers racking up less than 1,500km
Vehicles under the HVS can be used for up to 60 days per year for maintenance and personal use reasons if a club has opted into the scheme.
Ms Fawbert said that the reduced time on the roads means less risk in terms of accidents, less wear and tear on the roads, and "if you only do so many miles, than the carbon emissions are negligible".
Anyone who wants to take their vehicle for a spin year-round instead has to pay for full registration.
A regular CHMC straw poll continually finds that members tend to not use up all their set days in their logbook.
"In fact, they use anywhere between 10 to 20 on average … [and] people are travelling between 1,000 and 1,400 kilometres a year in their historic vehicles," Ms Fawbert said.
"We do get the odd person who has used the 60 days up," she added, saying the mileage usually comes from interstate runs but that it is "very, very rare that that happens".
The changing face of ownership
According to the a international survey of historic vehicle enthusiasts from 2020, the average owner age in Australia is 66 years old, while the cars themselves have an average age of 63.
Ms Fawbert said like any other hobbyist sector, the community is becoming more diverse.
"Age wise, we tend to have more of an older profile … and for many years, it was sort of thought that our hobby would have a problem because we weren't getting young people."
However, there has been a shift in the last few years, with more people under 30 taking an interest.
"Some of the clubs are really experiencing a surge in younger members, we're seeing people who are 'third generation'."
Ms Fawbert said it was promising to see more young women in particular coming into the hobby.
"Part of me would love to start a young women's club, because I think there's something nice about having a car you only drive one day a week or less," Ms Grealy added.
"It makes driving special, you appreciate it more."
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