Innehållsförteckning för No 185 October 2020 från NZV8

They say all good things must come to an end and, as I hinted in the previous issue, this is one of those times — well almost. I first started working on NZV8 before the first issue went to print, penning the very first cover car article. That evolved into taking over as editor just before the magazine celebrated its second birthday. For those of you who are trying to do the maths: that’s 160 issues ago, or 13 years of having had the privilege of putting this magazine together. Over that time, there have been many more highs than lows, and so many amazing people and experiences. Although the job title has stayed the same, to say the job itself has wouldn’t be a fair statement, as there have…

This is without a doubt the most trying year the Supercars series has faced in its history, first, with Holden shutting its doors and only supporting racing until the end of 2021 and, later, with Covid-19 playing havoc with the race calendar, including the New Zealand events being skipped altogether. It was even revealed that Jamie Whincup has been putting in up to 20 voluntary hours a week to help the championship survive. “We are just trying to keep the sport alive during a time when it is massively interrupted and affected,” he said. “It has been the toughest time in sporting history. We will see a lot of sports not survive during this Covid period and I feel the work we have done as a group will ensure we…

It was one of those David and Goliath battles; the organizers behind the SEMA Show were determined to forge ahead with the 2020 incarnation, and, right up to the 11th hour, it was looking to go ahead. That was until early August, when an unsurprising email landed in the inboxes of thousands of vendors, media, and car builders stating that SEMA Show 2020 was officially cancelled. Ultimately, it is the right call. We don’t know about you, but to us walking shoulder to shoulder through absolutely packed halls with tens of thousands of others in the US’s current state just didn’t seem like a good idea — not to mention all the international guests and companies impacted by international travel and freight restrictions. It would have been a very different…

TWO-PIECE CLASSIC Off the shelf is fine for some, but if you demand the perfect fit and finish with your wheels US-made American Racing Classic VF531 has you covered in 17 inches right up to 24 inches. The forged 6061 two-piece design means that you can order custom offsets and maximize your dish, while the curved and split five-spoke centres give great brake clearance. Offered with soft barrel lip with polished finish as standard, custom finishes are also available. Talk to the team at DTM.co.nz to order your set. UNLEASH YOUR LSA Unlock the true performance of your late-model, supercharged, LSApowered HSV up to 600kW with one of Xair’s four stages of upgrades. All four kits utilize the Xair LSA OTR cold-air intake, which outperforms the HSV W1 factory-fitted OTR…

Kayton at Real Rides in Silverdale is no stranger to these pages, be it for custom builds or his personal projects. His most recent personal build — now only weeks away from completion — is a ’67 Chevelle pro-tourer. There is a tough little 383 with B&M blower under the hood, while the suspension package is all Hotchkis, accompanied by a huge 13-inch/12-inch Wilwood brake package. The wheels measure 20x9.5-inch and 20x11-inch, and Kayton assures us they are badass and the only set in the country. The body will be going black with light-grey trim, and, to finish off the look, there’s a custom hand-built spoiler similar to the one Real Rides built for Charlie Bailey’s Chevelle, which we featured last issue. Keep an eye out for a full feature…

Some time ago, well, really since I was 16 years old, I always had the idea to take a classic Mustang fastback and turn it into a restomod — one that would handle and stop like a modern car but must have that V8 soundtrack. Some years down the track, add a little seven-litre small block Roush 427R engine, and let the fun begin! If you think the name’s familiar, you’d be right, as the ’65 has graced these pages once before — but it never looked as good as this. You simply cannot just throw a Roush engine into a car that was built 55 years ago and hope to get down the road without undertaking a massive amount of work, or you will end up in a ditch!…

After the phenomenal success that was Wild Bunch Wars 2020, the 2021 version, set down for January 2–3 at Masterton Motorplex it will once again be a highlight on a packed summer thanks to the largest field of supercharged sedans you will see anywhere in the country. And with the addition of even more cars, just qualifying is going to be cut-throat and hardcore. One event just wasn’t enough last year, so a second event, The Wild Bunch Challenge, has been added to the calendar, to be held at Meremere Dragway on 13 February. Plenty of Wild Bunch drivers will also attend the hugely popular Nostalgia Drags in early April. Head on over to the Wild Bunch NZ Facebook page and check out more about the awesome sponsors, wild rides,…

Just when we thought Covid-19 was done and dusted, it reappeared again in time to force a cancellation of the 2019–2020 Season Prize-Giving. Seeing that the guys and girls that make up Central Muscle Cars (CMC) are equally as focused when they’re having fun off the track as they are on it, it’s always a great social weekend. While the fancy dress dinner, AGM, and prize-giving itself couldn’t take place, the annual awards were still announced, as was the committee for the coming season. The new committee consists of Dean Hansen as president, supported by Bruce Kett, Tristan Teki, Steve Ross, Angus Fogg, Clarke Hopkins, and Dean Perkins. Given the circumstances of the AGM’s cancellation, the outgoing committee made the decision to park the proposed remits this year and continue…

To say that John Burndred likes 1955 Chevs is a bit like saying the Pope is a bit religious. The simple statement does not reflect the lifetime of commitment each has for his chosen passion. John’s obsession started in his teens with him finally acquiring his first ’55 at the age of 18; more than 40 years later, it is the same blue and white ’55 on the hoist in the Burndreds’ workshop. That ’55 was John’s dream car and was used when he married the love of his life, Teresa. It broke their hearts when they had to sell it to buy their first home, and they were heartbroken a second time when the new owner crashed it in the Karangahake Gorge shortly afterwards. A couple of years later,…

Mike Pearce was born in Lower Hutt, Wellington, before heading north, so was exposed a fair bit to crusty old Japanese cars from the ’70s and earlier. He muses, “I wish I had kept a few of those back then, as early Nissans, Toyotas, and Mazdas are starting to fetch high prices and you are seeing some amazing builds on the internet and in Godzone. “I’m a bit of a fan when it comes to modifying classics. It’s the surprise factor and the look from others when you leave them at the lights; they have no idea what’s lurking under the hood. Imagine taking a Toyota 2000GT from 1967, a real JDM [Japanese domestic market] classic, and turning it into a widebodied, tyre-smoking sleeper. OK, so they may suspect something’s…

Kiwi racer Earl Bamber has now added the Nascar Xfinity Series to his résumé following his debut for the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) team at Daytona’s road course. It was not his dream debut, however, as he crashed out after clipping a ripple strip and became airborne. He had been running inside the top five most of the race and later tweeted about his experience. “Man, that was a wild day. Got up the front early on in the first two stages but struggled on the long runs with traction and heat. Learned that wheel hop and traction is the enemy. Unfortunately took the [kerb] too much in the chicane late in the race and got launched out.” Bamber is a very accomplished driver — two wins at Le Mans,…

NorthWest Shopping Centre, the location of the hugely popular Parked Up Out West, has now given everyone an excuse to have a night out — cars included, of course, and we’re not talking daily-drivers. During summer — depending on Covid restrictions — selected Friday nights will see NorthWest’s rooftop car park reserved for classic cars and bikes — yes, hot rods and muscle cars are welcome too. Check out the other cars, chat with other owners, or take advantage of the Town Square restaurants to grab dinner or a snack. There is also a prize for Car of the Night. If you don’t own anything special, you’re more than welcome to come on down to check out the display, which will run from 6 to 9pm — just follow the…

One of the biggest first-world problems we’re facing today is the battery life on our devices, be it your cell, over-complicated watch, Go Pro, or even drone. Although this problem can often be solved with a trip to the wall socket, if there isn’t a socket at arms reach, what solution do we have? Projector COMPAC Series PP15 (15W) Solar Panels fold away to only 270x160x20mm and weigh only 505 grams, making it ideal for those that like to go wide, be it hunting, fishing, or even camping. First impressions when unboxing the panel is how rugged the outer casing feels. It’s something we would not stress about having it floating around in the top of the tool box. The outer casing also includes decent hooks and a pair of…

WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME FANTASTIC CARS BEING BUILT OUT THERE, SO DON’T BE SHY — FLICK US AN EMAIL WITH A BIT OF A BLURB AND A FEW HIGH-RESOLUTION PICS OF WHAT YOU’RE UP TO EMAIL YOUR BUILDS TO EDITOR@V8.CO.NZ Mention the name Trev Halstead and there is one brand that comes to mind: Stubebaker — and that is for good reason. Trevor’s long been New Zealand’s foremost expert when it comes to customizing them and has a long list of builds to prove it. His latest is a customer build — a ’51 Stude Commander Starlight coupe. It’s a traditionally styled build with skinny steels and wide white, and, as we’ve come to expect, the bodywork is extensive and includes a 4½-inch chop. This, coupled with the 3½-inch…

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a guy found a blown big block–powered ’32 coupe he wanted, paid the money for it, and lived happily ever after, frying tyres wherever he went … This is not that story. This is a story about a guy called Sam Deller, who found a blown big block–powered ’32 coupe for sale, but messed around too long and missed out on it instead. Don’t think we’re being harsh on him here, as Sam’s the first to admit that he shouldn’t have procrastinated on paying the seller — Russ McIntyre — the money and being done with it. We’re glad he didn’t, though, as the result of the tantrum he threw when he found out he’d missed it, was him…

In the history of car rivalries — Mitsi versus Subaru, Ford versus Ferrari, Ferrari versus Lambo, to name just a few — perhaps the most famous is the battle that takes place once a year at Mount Panorama in Australia when the bogan communities of New Zealand, Australia, and the rest of the world get together for a few days to watch the battle of the Supercars; or, as most of us bogans support either one or the other of these: Ford and Holden. That has been a battle since the ’60s, and one that will go on for quite some time into the future. In 2018, the team at Choice Events thought, Let’s create our own Ford versus Holden battle, but include burnouts, drifting, and drag racing — enter…

The first time you lay your eyes on this car, the one thing that grabs your attention is that lush tan interior. With it contrasting against the vibrant green paintwork, it draws you in, and, once you’re up close and personal to it, you cannot help but notice the craftsmanship, effort, and hard work that have gone into this fine example of a 1984 VH Holden Commodore. The owner, Zach Kohl, grew up in a world with deep roots in Aussie-built cars and his father owned his fair share of them. Holden was a household name in the Kohls’ home. At the young age of 10, Zach got his first Holden — an HQ Wagon — a “doer-upper”, as he says. Unfortunately, it was one that never made it to…

One of CMC’s good guys, Sean Fowler, sadly passed away just before this issue of NZV8 went to print. Sean was a regular fixture in CMC events for the last few years and was always there with a smile on his face, and win or lose, he was often the most excited guy to cross the finish line. Sean first joined the CMC family as a sponsor before progressing to a driver, having Heads Racing Supplies build him a Torana sedan. As fantastic as that car was, deep down he always wanted a Torana hatch, and proceeded to have what many would describe as the ultimate Torana race car built – again using the expertise of Heads Racing Supplies. The hatch build was no expense spared, as Sean claimed it…

Nice-looking car, Wayne, how did you come about getting it? We are pretty keen petrolheads and decided that, as the kids have left home, we should get a coupe. We’ve had V8 Commodores and the odd HSV. We bought a VF2 Redline as a ‘forever’ car, but decided our want for a coupe should happen. Being Holden fans, we took a couple of Camaros for a test drive, and did like them. Although my wife Jeannie wasn’t happy in a passenger seat on the right-hand side; it just didn’t feel as safe for her. Since the RTR is not an out-and-out dailydriver, getting used to that would take some time. We went into the local Ford dealer here, and he had the RTR on the lot. Even a dealer with…

Following a long hiatus from the mountain and motorsport in general, Repco made the return to Bathurst in 2018, partnering with Team DJR as a parts supplier, before stepping up to become the official automotive retailer for Virgin Australia Supercars in 2019. In an announcement made earlier this month, Repco is again stepping up its commitment to the sport, penning a five-year deal to become the Bathurst 1000 naming-rights sponsor, and the new king of the mountain. Wayne Bryant, executive general manager of Repco Australia, commented, “It’s two iconic brands in one amazing partnership. Repco has a long history in motorsport, so aligning with Australia’s most famous race was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up.” Repco’s motorsport heritage goes as far back as the 1960s, with two Formula 1 world…

With all the negativity surrounding Covid-19, it’s good to hear something positive come out of the chaos it leaves in its wake. Kiwi race team Corliss Race Engineering (CRE) are usually based in Asia campaigning their TransAsia V8s in the TA2 Asia championship, but, with all racing put on hold for the foreseeable future, they decided to ship some cars back to New Zealand, setting up shop at Hampton Downs. Making the most of the situation, they have just penned a deal with Ford New Zealand to run a pair of Mustangs in the Golden Homes North Island Endurance Championship that (fingers crossed) will kick off next month at Manfeild. Well versed in endurance racing, and with the reliability they have shown in Asia, the 800-ish horsepower Mustangs are likely…

With the announcement by GM earlier this year that Holden would cease as a brand, it recently answered one of the burning questions of the HSV loyalists with the news that GMSV will take over a revised HSV dealer network. The replacement for HSV is set to kick off both here and over the ditch in the last quarter of 2020, with the first offering being the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The truck has been re-engineered as right-hand drive (RHD) by GM’s long-term partner Walkinshaw Group in its Victoria-based facility, and has a price tag of $123,990. The range will then be extended to include a factory RHD C8 Corvette and perhaps even a supercharged 671hp edition of the 1500, if the rumours are to be believed. GMSV will continue to…

Jon Christensen of Frankensignz was all but ready to wipe his hands of his immaculate numbers-matching ’57 Bel Air, even going as far as listing it for sale, but with the current climate not ideal for selling such big ticket items he decided he’d keep it and chop it up instead. Kruzin Kustoms has been entrusted with a complete air ride and four-link installation, and is currently fitting a custom rear parallel adjustable four-link, modified front arms, KYB gas shocks, and AirBagIt airbags. If it doesn’t need to be messed with in order for it to lay low it will stay as Chevrolet supplied it in ’57. The air management is Ridetech RidePro-X, which uses only a three-button controller to move between presets, all in the name of keeping things…

Joe Youssef and Jamie Corrigan are no strangers to building cars, with an impressive list of builds between them. Their latest build is set to continue that trend. They purchased it as a track-ready runner with the LS1 already fitted — sadly, the previous owner passed away before he was able to see the project through to completion. His dad took over to complete it and ran the car at his home track of Pukekohe a few times before deciding to pass it on, we’re told on his wife’s advice. Since purchasing the car Joe and Jamie have not stopped. The shell is currently at Frost Auto Body having the HDT Group A kit fitted along with Ryan Frost carrying out a ton of custom work in the engine bay…

A couple of years ago now, we showed you an extremely serious first-gen Camaro getting built by Tony Witinitara at Premier Workshop in Masterton. Tony and his team (Brad, Andrew, and Jason) haven’t been sitting idle in the time that’s passed, as the Camaro — belonging to all-round nice guy and horsepower-crazed madman Stu Goldsworthy — is shaping up well, despite the team being inundated with work for other customers. The Camaro’s 540ci Steve Morris–built big block is in the hole, mounted to the billet aluminium engine plate, and all the fabrication work to mount the two Precision Bullseye turbos has been completed. There’s a ton of work that has gone into packaging all the components, which should see the car produce somewhere in excess of 2000hp, while keeping it…

There is something to be said about a car that’s built for purpose — nothing too fancy or over the top, no bling to be seen, just a good, solid street car you can get into, slam the door, ignore the dirt on your boots, and have some fun in, throwing caution to the wind and not giving two Fs about any stone chips, scratches, or rubber building up in those rear wheel arches. For Jim McIndoe, this ’56 Chev is exactly that. He’s had cover cars before, and he is building more cover-worthy machines as you read this. However, the ’56 is not that; it’s a 1000hp brawler that runs 10s, smashes tyres, and, more important, never fails to put a smile on Jim’s face. Despite Jim’s big block…

Winter is a predominantly dreary season in many automotive circles; many of us are reminiscing about the summer sun of months gone by while considering what needs spannering to get cars ready for the upcoming sunny weather. While the summer sun is nice, down in Palmerston North, the team at Kruzin Kustoms have never let the cold get to them and once again recently hosted their annual Mid Winter Chill Out event. The chill-out is held on the same day as the annual Palmy Swap Meet at Manfeild, making for a perfect day out for car enthusiasts far and wide. Digging for treasure in the morning followed by a wander through the workshop in the afternoon is an idyllic way to cure those winter blues and enjoy good company with…

In a world where everything is fighting for your attention, it’s quite nice occasionally to give your eyes a break. For a change, take them off the brightly coloured billboards, street signs, computer screen, or whatever else is designed to fight for your attention. Hawke’s Bay’s Boyd Matenga is of this opinion too. Sometimes it’s nice to park his tubbed and blown bright orange Falcon coupe away in the shed and roll down the street in something that gets a little less attention. With Boyd’s love of horsepower, that less-standout vehicle was never going to be your garden-variety commuter car, but more something that would fall squarely into the category of a sleeper. The reality is that Boyd can’t take credit for the Regal’s build and he’s not trying to,…

If the measure of a man is the team he builds around them, then Keith Lane was very successful indeed. With Keith Lane’s recent sudden tragic death, it brings this into focus more than ever. A great family man, well known for his passion for motorbikes, motorsport, sports cars, and yachts, he was a self-taught mechanic from an early age. Always seeking knowledge to expand his skill-set, reading, seeking out assistance and advice from specialists, and always willing to pass on his expertise and skills to anyone who sought it. Keith was very clever mechanically and a perfectionist. In recent years, he built an Almac AC Cobra from the floor up, and then followed that up with a Cobra Daytona Coupe. His legacy is the Gearbox Factory in East Tamaki,…

Mathew Patmore has been an XY fan for as long as he can remember, so when his XY Fairmont was stolen, the replacement was always going to be another XY, and just like the one that was stolen, it would be tubbed and blown. Having been in the sheet-metal industry for many years, Mat had both the skills and the tools at his disposal to turn the rusty shell that he purchased into his dream. After taking a trip to Segedins to buy the biggest rear tyres available, he set about building the whole thing himself. Those huge 33x19.5x15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman tyres wrapped around 15x15 Center Line Convo Pro rims leave little room for much else inside the smoothedoff tray. The ute was fitted with a 393 Windsor, built…