Black Label Invitational

Hosting in Melbourne, Black Label Invitational features some of the most unique, creative and hidden vehicles from around Australia. The quality of cars displayed and selected by the team at Black Label is a tedious and arduous task, but boy did they deliver!

It is never a small task setting up and creating an event, having this being the third chapter of the Black Label event. Bump in was flowing nicely, for such a large scale event, setup was well thought out and pre planned. Ramps installed on the entry gate to help the lowest of vehicles make it up without issue. Bright eyed enthusiasts started bumping in from 7am, energy drinks and Coffee seemed to be the common site amongst the staff and the entrants and with good reason. Some people travelling quite some distance to arrive. Melbourne was nice enough to have a shower in the morning, covering cars in the dirty mucky rain. People already stopping off at the carwash for the final rinse before arriving to Flemington, now having to have another go over with detailer and cleaning cloths. Cars had space between them for people to do the last minute touch ups, cleans and setup. Vendors setup and completed, the doors ready to be opened to the public by 11:30am.

Everyone was in high spirits however despite the brief shower. Smiles all around and friends seeing friends from interstate was a joy to see. Everyone all in the same place for the same passion, looking inside and out of each others cars, videographers and photographers snapping away capturing the event. There was no shortage of variance in cars, Black Label bringing the community together to showcase it all. It is never easy to pick a personal favourite, and being a judge to hand out a trophy at the end of the event would be an insanely difficult task. One I would not like to be in charge of due to the quality of cars. Seeing the cars roll in, I knew it would be hard task at the end of the day for the staff to pick the top 10.

Gates opened at 11.30, crows started flowing in soaking up the sights that lay in front of them. Between cars and vendors, it was hard to know where to start and which path to take. No matter which way you chose, there was something for you. Centre of room was for the widebody display, a small selection of cars. Take Nim’s BMW 1 series for example, Complete 1M kit all around, moulded and grafted to the body, doors pulled apart and widened to match the aggressive stance of the 1M. Followed by the Crown Majesta owned by Max. Completely done alone, from widebody to turbo. Throw in a loud rotary, and people will swarm like flies to see what is making the beautiful noise. Tan has done a wonderful job of building his FD3S, the colour, body and wheel combination is timeless, tasteful and stunning. You cant have a WRX or Evo without the other being close by can you? No, Cue the stunning WRX all the way from South Australia, paired with a beautiful example of an Evo. Both WRX and Evo compliment each other very well, both with incredible cars and modification choices.

Along the edges and around the outside was vendor displays, showcasing numerous items. From Automotive lighting, clothing, to car detailing supplies, there was something for all things car related. OTR Motorsports, Iilumo, Tyre Choice, Saint Side, Turbo Thrds, PP Project Performance, Touring Type S, Kokaine, Java Detailing, Matte Black, Luminance Autowerke, Street soul, Meraki Garage, Misaligned, Errands, Ikigai Garage, Millennium Lighting, Twenty20 detailing, Blossom society, Ground One, Drift Cadet, Grip Auto Time Pieces and Cleanazfk all on display, with vendors having multiple cars set up at the stalls as well to show off each product they are showcasing.

The remaining room was filled with entrants for the show. Everywhere you looked there was something to look closely at. Whether it was a Turbo monster or a NA pocket rocket, classic European or Japanese car, it was a fantastic. There was something hidden in each and every car that would make you more intrigued, something that would draw you in for a closer look. Spending a few hours in the morning to look around felt far too quick, even on bump out I was still looking at the entrants and the finer details. It was so easy to lose track of time, talk to the owners about their pride and joys and look through each car with a big smile.

If you have ever been on the fence about attending, all I can say is go buy a ticket to Black Label 2024 and make the visit. You will not be disappointed in what you see. Until then, Enjoy the photo gallery below.