IMSMC Pangallo Experience

On Saturday the 21st of August, on a winter’s day that felt almost like summer — truly a beautiful, spring‑like burst of weather — 45 IMSMC members, family, and friends enjoyed the Pangallo Experience of 2026.

Our meeting place was Thornleigh McDonald’s, and at 11:30 am the masses made their way onto the M1 motorway bound for Cessnock. Waves and honks were plentiful along our route! After stopping at the Twin Servos on the M1, we continued on to Pangallo, where homemade salami, olives, Italian‑style bread, limoncello, and wine were sampled and purchased.

Our Saturday night began as the first bus shuttled the 45 participants to Pangallo Estate.

And then out came the food: homemade salami, olives, fresh nuts, home‑prepared pizza and other condiments, followed soon after by a plentiful serving of pasta and pork ribs, followed by Italian sausages and salad. The famous Campisi bread was served — a huge thank you to Tony Campisi, who was baking from 4 am on Saturday morning! Desserts were plentiful, as the ever‑trusty bakers of our Club provided homemade goodies, the perfect digestive.

The famous Pangallo campfire kept everyone warm as we shared laughs and dancing.

The sign of a great night is that it goes by ever so quickly.

A huge thank you to the staff, management, and cooks of Pangallo. An unforgettable experience! Thank you to all who made it an unforgettable night.

Viva Pangallo!

Ferragosto and Shannons Eastern Classic

 Sunday, 16 August, the Club was represented at two venues across Sydney.

A small but dedicated group braved the miserable weather on Sunday morning to attend the annual Shannons Eastern Classic at Sydney Motorsport Park. Arriving early, they avoided the long entry queues of previous years, as many enthusiasts chose to stay away due to the weather. However, as the morning progressed, conditions improved and more cars began to arrive.

Although there is no racing or overtaking, taking part in the parade lap in a classic car is always a great experience. After all, it's more fun to drive a slow car quickly than a fast car slowly!

Then there were the cars. When was the last time you saw a 1920s Blower Bentley parked alongside a 1980s Lancia Delta Integrale? Or a Fiat 500 chasing a group of microcars down the main straight?

And then there were the people. Many conversations were had with like-minded enthusiasts: "My mum had one of those." "We drove one across Europe and it was a great car." "Can't remember the last time I saw one of those."

Ultimately, despite the gloomy start, a great day was had by all.

On the other side of Sydney's "Golden Metro", 25 classic cars created a wonderful display at the Ferragosto Celebration in Five Dock. It is estimated that more than 100,000 people attended the event, with many stopping to admire our collection of vehicles, including Alfa Romeo 105s, Fiat 500s, and a variety of classic Lancias, Alfas, and Fiats.

Food was plentiful, with pizza, pasta, arancini, and the famous porchetta rolls proving extremely popular. The queues at each stall were long, keeping vendors working at full pace throughout the day to feed the crowds.

A great day was had by all.