Logan man Kadin Berry’s 1946 Chevrolet on fire before Rockynats 2023

A Queensland motoring enthusiast has been left devastated after his classic car was absolutely destroyed by fire ahead of Rockynats 03.

A Queensland car enthusiast bound for Rockynats 03 is counting his lucky stars after narrowly escaping an inferno which destroyed his 1946 Chevrolet pick-up truck on the Bruce Highway.

Logan man Kadin Berry, 18, who works as a water proofer, was travelling to Rockhampton in convoy with family and friends for the annual Easter long weekend motoring event on Friday when disaster struck.

“I had driven it probably four hours from Brisbane and got it to Tiaro … I heard scraping and I pulled straight up as soon as I heard the scraping,” Mr Berry said at the Rockhampton Showgrounds on Saturday.

Kadin Berry, 18 and a mate at the Rockhampton Showgrounds, in front of the burnt-out shell of his vehicle.

“I got out and the arse end was in complete flames. Everything was in the car … phones, wallets, car keys for my daily drive was in there.”

It is believed the fuel tank of the vehicle dropped down on one side and hit the road, sparking the fire.

Mr Berry said he only bought the car in December and had spent the past four months restoring it.

Kadin Berry's 1946 Chevrolet pick-up on fire on the side of the Bruce Highway at Tiaro.

“Pretty much every day I put at least two hours into it,” he said.

“I got it as a rolling shell and just put hours and hours into it.”

Mr Berry has parked the burnt-out vehicle up at the Rockhampton Showgrounds precinct for the duration of Rockynats with a donation tin in the hope of raising some money to go toward getting the vehicle back on the road for next year’s event.