25th New Zealand Studebaker Nationals in Rotorua at Easter for 2018

Reflection in the headlight of a 1933 Studebaker at the 21st National Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival. Photo/File

Expect to see up to 60 Studebaker cars and 180 Studebaker enthusiasts in Rotorua over the weekend.

From Good Friday to Tuesday, the 25th New Zealand Studebaker Nationals will be held at the Lakefront Village Green.

The Studebaker Drivers Club of New Zealand is celebrating its 50th anniversary and its 25th national event.

Studebaker originally built horse-drawn buggies, carriages and wagons, which were a primary mode of transport as North Americans migrated westward and were used by several US presidents.

In 1902, Studebaker started building electric automobiles but soon went to gasoline power with wagon production finishing in 1919.

Studebaker then became a major US vehicle manufacturer in the 1920s.

The vehicles were imported to New Zealand in reasonable numbers, either fully built up or assembled here, from 1910 to the mid-1960s.

In the 1960s a group of Christchurch Studebaker enthusiasts was socialising and networking to source parts and exchange technical information after Studebakers had finished production and the local franchise agent was phasing out parts.

In 1968 they decided to form the Studebaker Drivers Club of New Zealand and soon after it became an incorporated society.

In the 1980s the club became officially affiliated with the US Studebaker Drivers Club and a number of founding members are still active in the club.

Its headquarters are in Christchurch, but its 220 members are spread across six regions.

Each year the national meet is held at Easter.

Members of the public are welcome to come and view the display of cars.