BEECHWORTH'S John van Aken has been recognised by the Falcon Cobra Club of Australia for his contribution to the club.

On Sunday, members of the club drove up from Melbourne in five blue and white XC Falcon Cobras (made in Australia in 1978), to convey their appreciation to John and to have their monthly club meeting at his home in Le Couteur Avenue.

"We organised the club run up for John to show him our appreciation for the effort he has put into our website which he started from scratch and for his promotion of the car over the past several years," said club president, Dale Duffin.

"We shared a barbecue lunch with John's family and friends and offered John a ride around Beechworth in one of our cars and he said we had 'made his century'."

"The guys from the club fulfilled my biggest dream by taking me for a tour of Beechworth in Cobra #376," John said.

John, who was made quadriplegic from an accident years ago, said he had eagerly accepted the club's request to do a club run to Beechworth to come and thank him personally.

"I first found out about the XC Falcon Cobra hi 1990 when I was given a magazine that had one on the front cover and I fell in love with it," he said.

"When I got the Internet I started to search for pictures and information on the Cobra and started up John's Aussie Falcon Cobra site soon after at www.cobra.jfpresentations.com.

"Earlier this year my efforts were formally recognised by the Falcon Cobra Club of Australia (Vie) and I was given honorary membership. "Since then I've been building the official club website at www.falconcobraclubofaus.com.