Indholdsfortegnelse for No 392 March/April 2024 i NZ Classic Car

I feel privileged to be writing this editorial for New Zealand Classic Car. Working with Ashley Webb for many years, talking cars and planning stories has developed into a great friendship. Have a great retirement, Ash. I hope those hours in the garage with your cars and cruising will now be more frequent. Writing for New Zealand Classic Car has been a journey; one of learning, and working with a great production team while also maintaining a day job. Being part of a great group of writers over the years – some of whom are now no longer with us – has also been a privilege. Our aim is always to entertain and inform, and involve our readers. From hot-rodding, custom, classic/historic, vintage/veteran or to classic motor racing, the lines…

In the cut-throat game of one-upmanship Zakspeed was the one team you could always count on to find a keener edge at the murky boundaries of motorsport rulebooks. The Erich Zakowski legacy is a true rags-to-riches story that saw a Polish refugee set the motorsport world on fire, crafting some of Europe’s angriest and most iconic race machinery during an era of limitless boundaries and white-hot competition. PUTTING THE ZAK IN ZAKSPEED Erich Zakowski was born in Allenstein, East Prussia, now Olsztyn, Poland. After being forced out of his homeland in 1944 by the war, the then 11-year old Erich, his mother, and siblings found their way to Nierderzissen, Germany. Germany was in tatters after the war, and the economy needed rebuilding. Young Erich showed a keen interest in engineering…

1962 Jaguar E-Type S1 FHC EST $145,000– $175,000 Our highly-anticipated Collector’s Cars, Automobilia & Motorcycles Live Auction is coming this May and it offers collectible cars and motorcycles from the United States and Europe both for luxury and sporting pursuits. Presented among such notable classics in our first auction of 2024 is the 1962 Jaguar E-Type S1 FHC. Estimated at between $145,000 – $175,000, presented in a quintessential British Racing Green and in excellent condition, this example represents one of the finest iterations of Jaguar Webb’s has had the privilege of offering to date. The vehicles included in this catalogue can be explored through our digital and printed catalogue — coming soon — or in person at Webb’s Gallery, 33a Normanby Road, Mt. Eden. The live auction will take place…

George Bacon was the chief engineer of an electric vehicle company. He suggested one day to his superiors that the company might consider using gasoline engines in their delivery vehicles to overcome limits on their vehicles’ range, top speed, and performance in cold weather. It’s an old argument. This was the Detroit Electric Vehicle Company (DEVC) and the year was 1922. DEVC started life in 1884 producing carriages and buggies. It moved into electric vehicle production from 1907, using a rechargeable lead-acid battery. For an additional $US600 an Edison nickel-iron battery was available from 1911 to 1916. Range on the lead-acid battery was marketed at 130km (80 miles) although at least one test proved 340.1km (211.3 miles) on a single charge was possible. Top speed was a modest 32kph (20mph)…

Engineer Lawrence Bond identified an opportunity for a micro-sports car using a basic chassis and glass reinforced plastic (GRP) or fibreglass body construction. He would successfully use GRP on a bigger scale with his later ’60s Bond cars. Bond worked with Charles Panter, owner of the Berkeley Coachworks, caravan manufacturers who was looking for a way to offset the seasonal demand for his caravans. The innovative design relied on aluminium panels bonded/riveted to GRP panels in three large mouldings forming a punt-type chassis. The attractive design resembled a scaled down AC Cobra. It was powered by Anzani twin-cylinder two-stroke, 322 cc engines of 15bhp (11.1kw) driving through an Albion three-speed gearbox and chains to a sprocket on the front wheels. A Siba Dynastart provided starting and power generation for the…

There’s not much that Trevor Warren doesn’t know about the complex world of precision engine rebuilding and custom designs. Over 40 years of honing his skills and knowledge as an engineer and master engine builder, Trevor has worked on everything from race engines, drag cars and motorbikes to earthmoving equipment and aeroplanes. After 40 years working in Australia, he is back in New Zealand offering high-end precision engine rebuilds and custom designs, among other things, through his company TWR Precision Engines. “Trevor is an expert craftsman and aware of all the intricacies of individual jobs” In fact there’s not much Trevor is not willing to turn his hand to, with all engine work done on site. Based in Masterton, engines can be picked up and delivered anywhere in New Zealand.…

Show Stoppers is a new platform in NewZealand Classic Car in which we’ll take a brief look into some of the amazing cars and pickups turning up at shows around the country. During Covid lockdowns, with nowhere to go, many enthusiasts attacked those garage projects with vigour and some outstanding results keep appearing. Nigel Purdie’s project takes the honours of being first up and what a car this has turned out to be. Debuted at the 2023 Autorama show at Mystery Creek near Hamilton in November, the little Escort drew a lot of favourable comment. The next issue of New Zealand Classic Car will feature this car and by then Nigel will have enjoyed some kilometres in it. Over the past six years Nigel has entrusted his pride and joy…

Years ago, and I really mean years ago, when I’d bought my first decent car, which was my uncle’s low mileage 1953 Prefect, with just 17,000 miles on the clock, my mother insisted on me taking out insurance. I think from memory that she may have even had it in her name, with me as the nominated driver. That was back when insurance companies turned a blind eye to the rort that parents of feckless teenagers would insure cars for their offspring in order to dodge the high premiums for high-risk drivers. Regardless, it turned out to be a good decision as one morning, while perusing the bargains in the local car dealer’s yard, I didn’t notice that the fellow in front had stopped for a pedestrian crossing, and we…

Classic motorsport is in for a great summer season if the action at the Historic GP held at Taupo from 19–21 January is any indication. In the Historic Touring Cars, Andy Greenslade in his Ford Sierra was too quick for the flying Steve Richards, in the Nissan Skyline his father, Jim, once drove. Greg Murphy in the Zakspeed Escort was always close by. Historic and Vintage Racing Association members are heading south for the Southern Classic series including the very nice ’64 Ford Falcon Sprint of Mark McGuiness of Wellington, built by Barry Leitch’s crew at Invercargill. Davey Hopper’s ’69 Bob Jane Tribute Camaro was a big performer at the meeting, the relatively recently built car starting on pole in the first race. Dunedin’s Steve Ross triumphed at Taupo’s Historic…

One of the most iconic motorsport silhouettes of all time will feature at the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix at the Pittsburgh, Philadelphia International Race complex from 26–28 July. The 60th anniversary of the first American-designed car to win at Le Mans will be celebrated at the Grand Prix. It was of course the Ford GT40, in the hands of two Kiwis, Chris Amon and Bruce McLaren. That win, which was actually a processional 1,2,3, which also put Denny Hulme on the podium will be celebrated at the GP by Ford fans, including a significant number of people who were involved in developing and racing the cars over the years. A wide range of variants of the GT40 is expected. The Ford GT40 first raced at The Nürburgring in May 1964,…

After attending this iconic Southern car festival you wonder how EVs are going to survive after this weekend of petrol-head fun and noise. Following on from their double-header awards at Roscoes Rewinds & Repairs Autospectacular, Dunedin, in August, Mike and Kerri Ramsay again took away both the People’s Choice and Judge’s awards at the 2024 Cromwell Classic & Hot Rod Festival. Fellow members of the Conrodders Rod & Custom Car Club, Dunedin, Ivan and Julie Webster also collected a Top 10 award for their Chevrolet Camaro. A heavy shower of rain overnight and another brief shower in the morning failed to deter a keen crowd with in excess of 800 cars turning up and plenty of stalls entertained and fed the large crowd. Secretary Tena McCarthy said everyone was pleased…

Make mine a Mini You might remember Josh Kelly and his dad, Mike, from the last issue’s Daily Driver which featured their tidy VL Holden Commodore. Josh, his immediate family and some other relatives love Minis which share garage space with some now rare Austin/Morris 1300s, among a few other makes and models. Josh’s model making skills is another story, but the focus in our new budding Dunedin contributor’s first story for this mag is on his passion for cars, car shows, scale models and all forms of motor racing. Josh tells the story of his rare New Zealand-only Mini LE, its background, and how he came to own it, and a few trophies they claimed together. Josh is a motor technician by day, and founder of the New Zealand…

Whether Carroll Shelby actually said those words is debatable. Actor, Matt Damon (Carroll Shelby, in the film Ford V Ferrari), expressed what racing drivers feel driving high performance racing cars at the limit. It’s exactly those emotions I’ve experienced recently on a cool day at Teretonga Park, New Zealand’s southernmost motor-racing track. Overnight rain has left a few damp patches adding an extra challenge on the track. I couldn’t be in better hands. We are just starting a run in one of the best-presented Shelby Mustangs in the South, driven by long-time peddler, Rodger Cunninghame. Rodger has been out for a few warm-up laps, and the car sounds great. His pace heading out of the pits is as expected with the infamous northern ‘Loop’ arriving exceedingly quickly until you get…

There was a time from the early ’60s through to the mid-’80s when almost every manufacturer had a two-door fastback version of their mainstream car, which was either called a coupé or a hardtop. Generally, these were seen as a cheaper or sportier alternative to their four-door sibling. Cheaper, because with two fewer doors came cheaper manufacturing costs, and sportier because of the weight reduction. Once upon a time, the 105E Anglia and the Mini were only available in two-door variants. Neither can be considered a sports coupé but they are examples of just how prolific two-door cars used to be. Although the ’59 Cadillac Eldorado coupé made no sense, it was a fantastic-looking piece of automotive sculpture. The same could not be said for the Range Rover which was…

Upper Hutt couple Kirsti and Dean Somerville enjoyed a smooth ride in their friend Danny Nelson’s 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria coupé, which inspired them to look for a ’56 Ford wagon with four doors. “There are not many around,” says Dean. “In fact, I’ve not seen any [others] in New Zealand, and we’ve attended many car shows.”’ He and Kirsti regularly display cars at classic car days around the country and co-organise the annual Moonshine American Vehicle Day at Trentham racecourse. “It’s Kirsti’s car,” says Dean, nodding approvingly at the 1956 Ford Fairlane Country Sedan, the latest addition to their classic collection. Kirsti’s Country Sedan’s vehicle identification number P6UX171157 marks it as having come off the assembly plant in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1956. During 1956 Ford sold 85,374 Fairlane Country…

Rolling into another New Zealand backblocks small town in the mid-’60s, a solo woman driver emerges from her nearly new Mk 3 Zephyr. She’s highway weary, having been on the road for several weeks. Lining up the night’s hotel or motel accommodation is a priority. This iconic woman road warrior is deeply familiar with the auto culture rituals of the day. At the wheel of her potent for the time Zephyr Six, she has covered almost every stretch of asphalt and metal road from the top to the bottom of these isles, many times over. She is met by curious stares from the parochial locals, looking out from the more regimented social framework operating in these small centres. An independent woman in her late 50s travelling alone, in a desirable…

Identical twins Keith and Grant Loch own two near-identical cars. The cars are two of only nine unique cars built in New Zealand between 1988 and ’91. When I saw these cars with their V8 engines purring quietly on the driveway, I knew at a glance they were pretty special. At first glance they could be confused with the E-Type Jaguar but there are enough differences demanding a second and closer look. That reveals these cars are in no way identical to the E-Type Jaguar that inspired them. After what their builders went through to create them, any dimension shared with the Jaguar is coincidental, and under their fibreglass bodies is a lot of V8 muscle, as opposed to the straight six or V12 engines of the E-Type. It all…

It is not often that one is fortunate enough to lunch with a duke. Charles Gordon-Lennox, the tenth Duke of Richmond and Gordon, was 79-years-old and jolly fine company when Lynne and I had lunch with him 16 years ago. At the time he lorded it over West Sussex, one of the most splendid parts of England, and held no fewer than four dukedoms – more than any other person in the realm. We were in Britain attending the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed in 2008, and when an invitation arrived from his grace to dine on the estate, what could one say? The Goodwood estate has been the Duke of Richmond’s seat for more than 300 years, it once covered 17,000 acres. Today it accounts for a more modest…

THE LAST EYE WITNESS: THE PIONEERING MOTOR RACING PHOTOGRAPHY OF MAURICE LOUIS BRANGER By Doug Nye. Published December 2023 by Porter Press International. ISBN 978-1-913089-91-7. Available from the publisher (see last paragraph for conditions). Review by Mark Holman I think we all have a preferred ‘Golden Age’ of motorsport, depending on our age or when we first got the bug; for me, it’s probably the late-’50s to late-’60s. But when it comes to the ‘Heroic Age’, that can only be motor racing before World War I. Porter Press has just published what must be the best proof. The Last Eye Witness contains 192 large pages of black and white photos taken by Maurice Louis Branger between 1902 and 1914, supplemented by detailed captions from the renowned Doug Nye. These were…

It’s quite refreshing when our ladies get involved in helping out in the ‘Mancave’. My wife is one who readily dons a set of overalls and pitches in. There are also those occasions when a little financial assistance or understanding is needed from ‘her indoors’ when, for example, you discover the value of those precious parts is almost equalled by the landed cost of overseas freight. Mary decided to do all the work required on the Mustang herself, realising it would mean doing a lot of homework and learning a whole new range of skills Invercargill classic car enthusiast Adrian Robertson has been pleasantly surprised by his wife Mary’s determination to rebuild her 1967 Ford Mustang almost entirely by herself. It all started some 15 years ago when the couple…

John Corbett will be missed by the staff at New Zealand Classic Car as well as by the drivers and friends he raced against, most often in his beloved Lotus 7 S4, Lolita. John passed away in the early hours of 1 January. I was his co-driver in the Targa New Zealand VCC Time Trial in his spectacularly beautiful 1964 Series 1 E-Type FHC, Emma (see New Zealand Classic Car 379, July 2022). We didn’t get close to winning thanks to my inept time calculations but John’s generosity of spirit meant he kept in touch ever since about his motoring exploits, from the luxury B and B he ran with his beloved wife Sharon in Mapua, west of Nelson. John’s eldest son, Hamish, says this was typical of his dad.…

CHECK NEW ZEALAND CLASSIC CAR’S NEW WEBSITE CLASSICCAR.CO.NZ Every week, we upload new content onto our New Zealand Classic Car magazine website from our 33 years of article archives. Some uploads of the past few weeks include: Free to read online The Ford Mustang is 60 years old this year and still has millions of fans https://classiccar.co.nz/snake-bites-twice/ Free to read online Who doesn’t love a Morrie and this low-mileage Woodie is a stunning restored example https://classiccar.co.nz/travelling-companion/ Free to read online Building kit cars on a VW chassis is only a passing interest insists Selby, but he’s built scores of them https://classiccar.co.nz/taipan-surpassing-interest/ Free to read online Allan Dippie’s TWR Rover 3500 SD1 Vitesse is one heck of a track star https://classiccar.co.nz/the-best-of-british/…

Skope 2024 marked 33 years of support for the first round of the southern classic racing series at the newly named Euromarque Motorsport Park, Ruapuna, in Christchurch. All four seasons greeted some 250 competitors on Saturday and thankfully it was a lot drier on Sunday. Skope was the final race for the SAS Autoparts MSC NZ F5000 Tasman Cup revival series before the big cars headed across the ditch to Phillip Island. Dunedin’s Steve Ross won at Taupo but mechanical gremlins saw him sidelined on Sunday. It was Blenheim’s Michael Hey who accumulated enough points to be presented by Amanda McLaren with the Bert Hawthorne trophy. Harold Heasley Saloons provided some great races, Marvin Turton having a great result on Sunday with his chopped Mini followed home by Grant Richardson…

Ford launched the fabled Mustang at the New York World’s Fair, on 17 April, 1964, marketed with much fanfare. Ford placed a lot of faith in its success with a major advertising campaign to stir up the imagination of the public, and stir it did. It took 22,000 orders on the first day, tripled expectations to over 418,000 orders in the first 12 months and a million sales by 2 March 1966. Now 60 years later in 2024, this American icon is into its sixth generation with over 10,000,000 Mustangs sold. Lee Iacocca, often cited as the brains behind the success of the Mustang, was a marketing whiz having moved quickly up the Ford corporate ladder. One of his successes was to offer plenty of options with the Mustang (and…

You enter a world of American Graffiti and rock’n’roll when you step through the doors of the colourful ’60s diner at the Autohaven museum. It’s a slice of nostalgia created by Trevor Bills and his team in the middle of an industrial complex at Bromley, in Christchurch, but it’s just a tiny slice, a sideshow, for the automotive goodness on offer. Trevor’s good mate John Raso invited me along on a quiet Saturday morning to view the collection, joined by manager Matt Sheppard. Trevor arrives in his classic Porsche, with coffee in one hand and phone in the other, set for a busy morning as we settle into the diner and chat cars. This is a private museum and viewing is always by appointment. I admit I was quite unprepared…

FAST FACTS NUMBER 5 By subscribing you are always guaranteed your own copy of Classic Car. Your favourite magazine retailer may sell out, stop stocking this magazine or even close their shop. Subscribing ensures you never miss out and you save $s as well. SUBSCRIBE TODAY ONE YEAR $72 SAVE OVER 7%! SIX MONTHS $39 ONE-YEAR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE FROM $35 TO SUBSCRIBE VISIT MAGSTORE.NZ OR CALL 0800 727 574 Classic Car magazine subscription terms and conditions: • Prizes/Gifts are as stated, not redeemable for cash, and the publisher’s decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into. • Prizes/Gifts are administered by the magazine publisher. If the subscription purchaser is a giftor, prizes/gifts will be sent to the subscription recipient unless requested otherwise by the giftor. • Prizes/Gifts are available to…

The formula was simple and some engineers understood this way before Colin Chapman extolled the mantra of “adding lightness”. One of the aces that Frazer Nash added in weight saving was avoiding the need for power sapping gearboxes or differentials. Their cars were chain driven, with a simple solid back axle. A desire to race is why my father, Godfrey Paape, of Dunedin, imported one from England in 1937. He considered a supercharged Bentley (“the world’s fastest lorries”, according to Ettore Bugatti) or an Aston Martin, but the lightning fast and nimble Frazer Nash was head and shoulders above the others for performance. ANOTHER LINK My grandfather raced motorbikes pre-1920 and Godfrey, despite being afflicted with polio, was also keen on motorbikes, so the transition to chain drive for him…

The spirited and spectacular driving of a red and white Series IIIA Humber 80 sedan at Levin in 1963 wowed the vocal crowd. Dennis Marwood was doing what he liked best – driving cars with both skill and enthusiasm – yet his exploits in that usually conservative British car was merely a precursor to a varied and lengthy motor sport life. Born in July 1933, he passed away at the age of 90 just before Christmas and, appropriately, his life was celebrated at Warwick Mortimer’s classic car collection on the Tawharanui Peninsula, near Matakana, north of Auckland, on 13 January. This motoring story began with an Austin Seven before Dennis progressed to an MG TD. He was bitten by the racing bug when attending a Northern Sports Car Club meeting…

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Warm blustery conditions greeted entrants in the 2024 Vintage Car, Banks Peninsula branch’s Pomeroy Trophy event, on 10 January, held at Euromarque Motorsport Park, in Christchurch. Held on a Wednesday, the branch took advantage of the holiday season, encouraging a good turnout of 48 cars. Peter Leversedge attended in his Stuart Special, featured in New Zealand Classic Car 391, finishing a creditable 20th. The ‘Pom’ involves a series of speed-based driving tests on a racetrack. It aims to find the ideal touring car possessing good acceleration, good handling, excellent brakes and reliability at high speed, with five tests to gain points. Drivers participate in a standing quarter of a mile, a flying quarter mile sprint, a zigzag time test (hood to up on convertibles), a braking test (hood to be…

Mullin Automotive Museum closed its doors in Oxnard, Southern California, on 10 February this year, after 13 years of showcasing rare French automobiles and design collectibles. Founded by Peter and Merle Mullin in 2010, the stunning collection of art-deco cars portrayed French 1930s-50s coachwork at its finest. Their passion for French flair was something they were delighted to share with the public. Founder Peter Mullin passed away in September 2023, age 82. A feature of the art deco-styled 47,000m2 museum was the world’s largest private collection of Bugatti cars. Four of the collection’s most iconic vehicles from other makers, a 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 CS ‘Teardrop’, the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, the 1939 Delahaye 165 and the 1938 Delahaye 145, have been donated to the nearby Petersen Museum. At the…

Celebrating the opening of Cars Inc on 10 December, Paul Boden is optimistic about its potential to attract visitors into the city even though sheeting rain brought out less visitors than expected on the day. On the plus side the battering weather enabled fine tuning after the test run the night before. Everything flowed smoothly, as Paul explains. “It actually worked to our advantage.” Competition on opening day came from two outdoor events, the annual Volkswagen show at the Parrot Dog in Lyall Bay, and the Christmas parade and festival at Southwards Car Museum where rain brought an early closure. Entry to the Cars Inc is from the café through double doors mimicking décor from the 1950s and ’60s movie theatres, while the exterior is pure American-style diner from the…

Attractions Exhibitions, museums and other vehicle-related curios Marlborough OMAKA CLASSIC CARS A unique collection of vehicles giving insight into New Zealand Motoring from the 50s to the 80s. 90 cars on display at any one time. omakaclassiccars.co.nz / 03 577 9419 / Aerodome Rd, Blenheim Coatings Heatproof, cosmetic, chrome, and specialist coatings & water transfer printing Auckland HIGH PERFORMANCE COATINGS Exhaust coatings, piston coatings, turbo coatings, and much more hpcoatings.co.nz / 09 267 1007 / Unit 0/62 Mahia Road, Manurewa, Auckland HP COATINGS New Zealand’s leading performance coating specialists, serving you over 20 years hpcoatings.co.nz / 09 267 1007 / Unit 0/62 Mahia Rd, Manurewa, Auckland Consumables Oils, additives fluids, fuels and workshop consumables Auckland RECHARGE BATTERIES Battery revitalizer and conditioner recharge.net.nz / 0800 36 66 36 / PO Box…

Nelson Jaguar owner Damian Roughan recalls the challenges of owning his ‘awesome looking car’, a New Zealand-assembled Series 1 XJ6. A bit of patient attention has kept it mobile as a daily driver for 29 years and it looks like there are plenty of enjoyable miles left in the Nelson cat. “My car was born in Nelson in August ‘71, the fourth one built in New Zealand and the earliest locally built car XJ known to exist on or off the road according to information so far. Or is it? Is there an earlier one out there? There’s the challenge!” The first four were 2.8-litre MOD versions of the XJ6 model so most had their motors dumped in favour of a Chev V8 and they are now long gone. “It…