TRACY THE TOYOTA'S FINAL RESTING PLACE

From Cape Town to Cairo to London, a trusty old Toyota has found a new home in Klerksdorp following her owner’s death

- CYRIL BLACKBURN

SHE’S 24 years old, has just under 400 000km on the clock and was driven all the way across Africa to England in the hope of meeting Queen Elizabeth.

Yet while she’s a ripe old age for a car, Tracy the Toyota Conquest is but a babe compared to her new “siblings”: more than 70 old cars, most of them Toyotas, that glisten and gleam at the Nico Fourie Toyota Museum in Klerksdorp.

Tracy may be a kid in car years in this museum, but she has pride of place – the star attraction amid many a valuable vehicle, a four-wheel wonder with dozens of tales to tell.

The little hatchback became famous when her owner, the late Julia Albu of Cape Town, drove her all the way from the Mother City to London in 2018 at the age of 81. Sadly, although Julia and Tracy made it to Buckingham Palace, they didn’t get their audience with the queen.

“I was desperate to meet her but apparently it’s the wrong time of year,” Julia said at the time. “Her people told me that unfortunately during the summer she’s just too busy with her other royal engagements.”

Julia (84) died of natural causes in August this year but her car – and her stories – live on.

Her family has donated Tracy to Nico Fourie (49) and his wife, Tanya (45), to be exhibited in their museum.

At first, the couple couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. “We didn’t really know much about Tracy’s history,” Tanya admits. “But when we read up about her and Julia, we realised how remarkable she is. She deserves a spot in the family, even though she doesn’t look like the rest.”