Kevin Lehman, the owner of 11 classic cars that he restored, said he was blown away by the attendance at his property for the MIA Cruisers open shed day, with a total of 48 vehicles being displayed at his home on Sunday with tickets to the event selling out raising $1435 for the charity Can Assist.

MIA Cruiser club event manager John Napier said 100 people attended the event including members of the Griffith Custom and Classic Car Club, the Leeton Vintage and Veteran Car Club and the Leeton Motor Sports Club,and delegates from the Little Bit Country Rodders and the Narrandera Auto Club.

“(The Club’s) 18 months old, we’re all very passionate about helping the community, were not just petrol heads,” Mr Napier said.  

Mr Lehman said he has been buying and restoring cars for almost 12 years since he suffered an accident and needed “something to do.”

“Since then I’ve built nine and sold those, after I sell one I buy another two and restore them,” Mr Lehman said.

“I do most of the restoration, a little bit of the upholstery, all of the painting, panel painting and most the wiring, I couldn't afford to pay someone to do them.”

Mr Lehman’s Holden collection begins with a 1954 Holden FJ, which he says is the “second ever Holden model to come out, and was the more sought-after than the Holden FX’s, although the cars look similar.”

His sub collection of Holden Monanro models beings with a 1970 GTS in a rare ‘Daytona Bronze’ paint scheme, followed by a 1973 HQ GTS in pink.

Mr Lehman’s Monaro collection is crowned by a limited edition red 1976 model ‘one of 480 made, the last of the two doors’ followed by a 1978 HZ GTS Monaro “the last of the four doors.”

He also owns a 1971 Holden Premier which was the “first Holden model ever to come out with the three speed automatic transition.”

Mr Lehman also owns the eighth 1980 VC Brock Commodore to have been built, and is personally signed by Bathurst driver Peter Brock with his signature stamped into the steering wheel.

“There were only 500 built so they could race them at Bathurst,” Mr Lehman said.

To finish his Holden collection Mr Lehman owns a 2017 VF SS ute with a 6.2 litre V8 engine which he calls the “last of the V8 Holdens.”

He also owns a 635 CSi BMW, “the same model which Jim Richards used to win the 1986 touring car championship.”

There is also a green Ford 1973 XA GS Fairmont Coupe, and a Triumph TR38 Roadster “the first car to break the 100 mile per hour barrier in Australia.”

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