Many of the club's 70 members passed through Tamworth on Wednesday and Thursday on their way to the 18th Leyland P76 Nationals, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the first P76.

Initially intended to rival large cars like the Ford Falcon, some of the first P76s were rushed off the assembly line, leading the whole line to earn a reputation as "Australia's greatest lemon".

Despite this, a dedicated group of die-hard fans continue riding and repairing their P76s to this day.

"We scrounge for parts, and where there aren't parts we make parts," Mr Long said

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Despite some parts being so old they are no longer available, the club makes do with modifications and often expensive custom-made parts to keep the old cars in gear.

Even with the extensive maintenance, Mr Long says you can't beat the classics.

"These cars drive absolutely fantastically, better than my four-wheel drive," he said.

Taking a decades-old car on a cross country road trip requires preparation, so the club travels in convoys to make sure every member's car stays well-maintained.

"Usually we have convoys because in our convoy we've got a mechanic, a P76 expert, an auto electrician, and we've all got bits and pieces of parts, so between all of us we've got enough things to fix any issue."

Around 80 of the P76s and other Leylands are expected to be in Parkes for the Nationals weekend as similar clubs make the journey from Western Australia, Victoria, and NSW.

"Some of us have travelled all the way from far north Queensland, most of us are from Sunshine Coast to Gold Coast," Mr Long said.

Next year's Nationals doesn't have a location yet, but club member Yowee said he wouldn't rule out Tamworth as a possible spot.

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