Innehållsförteckning för No 191 April 2021 från NZV8

Every time I climb into one of my mate’s ultramodern utes, with Bluetooth, backing cameras, and a hint of that new car smell, I think, This is nice. And I’m sure if I ironed my shirt and asked the bank manager nice enough they’d let me drive around in one. But, to be honest, all that is forgotten the moment I fumble with my ancient centrallocking remote, and climb up into my latest daily, a 25-year-young OBS 4WD Chev Tahoe. Built in ’96 and converted to right-hand drive at Bunces soon thereafter, it was put to work by two owners before falling on hard times. This one was part of a deceased estate and had been sitting for two years. Purchasing from an auction house, I took a risk on…

Considered one of the greatest New Zealand motorsport exports of all time, Chris Amon, who enjoyed a long 13-year career in Formula 1 from ’63 to ’76, is said to be the greatest driver to have never won a F1 Grand Prix. His career highlight was a 24 Hours of Le Mans win alongside Bruce McLaren in ’66. As Amon hailed from Bulls, five years after his death, the Bulls Museum committee, spearheaded by Paul Sharland and Russell Harris, is making noises to the Rangitīkei District Council about erecting a bronze statue of the hero in front of the new Te Matapihi community centre. It’s proposed to also have a plaque outlining his career highlights. It is estimated that the statue would cost $200K. The proposal will be put forward…

The name ‘Slammin’ Sam’ Levien will mean a lot to those who’ve been around the traps for a while, and now, it’s a regular name over the Meremere Dragway PA system once more. Having raced a variety of cars over the years, most recently a Plymouth Duster, which was then onsold to Darren Saunders, Sams has been out of the sport for a handful of years now. That changed in the latter half of 2020 though, when he hit the track again in a blown Hemi-powered altered, just like in days of old. The crew he assembled is also a who’s who of familiar names, and the old boys have shown they’ve still got some fight in them. It’s not been all plain sailing though, with the BB/A altered reminding…

There will come a time during any substantial build when you’ll need to make, or remake, a brake line or two. Maybe you’re swapping in a nine-inch, or upgrading the factory drums, or removing those unsightly ’80s GM pigtail lines from the master; whatever the reason, making new hard lines is a very simple DIY task to complete, as long as you have the correct tools. While Phil has professional-level equipment in his shop, most of which can be purchased for reasonable amounts at your local, there are cheaper alternatives that we will outline here. You’ll need a handheld mandrel tube-bender — these cost as little as $20, but if you’re only doing one or two lines forming the bend around a piece of tube, a hole saw, or a…

On the final race of the round-four weekend, Tony Boyden may not have stood on the podium, but he was the true star of the show, as he reached the prestigious milestone of being the first driver to compete in 100 CMC events! Ever the gentleman, Tony remained calm about the situation, and highlighted that he’d met so many great people and close friends through the sport. He was also very complimentary about the next generation of racers who have come through, and who help to keep the old guys young. Fittingly, this achievement took place at Manfeild, which is not only Tony’s home track but also the birthplace of CMC. A 15th-place finish in a full-grid scratch race isn’t a bad result at all, but we think that the…

Looking at it now, you’d never know that this Z28 Camaro has such a rich history on our shores. First raced by Art Mckee, who won the GTX series with it in ’75/’76, it was then passed on to Doug Allan, who also raced it and then converted back to a road car in ’78 to onsell it. It’s fair to say that this car has lived a life, and not all of it good. It was once converted to a trailer, and even ended up in a ditch and was nearly written off, but if its old racing stories are anything to go by, that’s nothing new. Current steward Jonno Higgins purchased it back in 2004 and has continued adding to that history. He repainted it back in 2007,…

NZV8: Hi, Gareth, nice car. What year is it? Gareth: It’s a 2010 HSV GTS. Is it your first Holden? My dad originally gave me the bug for the V8 growl, as he had always owned Holdens, having had a VP, VS, and a VY HSV at some point when I was growing up. My last car was my first V8, a 2007 SS Commodore. Up until then, I haven’t owned anything of note. I went through three stages of upgrading it using a company in Petone, Lower Hutt, called STM. Ultimately, they took it from 260kW to 408kW [349hp to 547hp]. It was an auto. By then, I had caught the bug and simply wanted a more modern car, manual transmission, and an HSV. So, how long have you…

Last sold in 2001 for US$5.1M, the only surviving 427 Super Snake Cobra, which was Carroll Shelby’s personal car, is set to go back under the knife at Barrett-Jackson later this month. The Super Snake previously set the record for a Cobra at auction (US$5.5M), and is considered the most collectable Cobra of all time, which is a fair call considering that it was one of only two ever built, and it’s also the only one in existence. Originally one of the 23 competition models built in ’65, it toured the UK before returning to the US, where it was converted to a road-going version in ’66 and received double the power of the original 427 Cobra (800hp) and a three-speed auto to cope with the increase. Carroll was once…

While we might think those on the east side of the Pacific have it good with car modification laws, those freedoms now do not extend to carrying out unchecked modifications at home. The Sacramento area has recently passed laws outlawing any sort of mechanical work, including works that render a car inoperable for more than 24 hours if not enclosed inside a garage. It also bans the use of “tools not normally found in a residence”, and specifically mentions oil changes and even tyre changes, and sets up the opportunity for a pesky neighbour to put a stop to any such activity, even carried out inside your garage, should they choose. So, forget about those weekend engine swaps or chassis-off restorations. Although this might seem crazy at first, there is…

Scroungers Hot Rod Blowout 14 March Rosebank Speedway, Avondale, Auckland, $5 After a four-year hiatus, the Scroungers Hot Rod Blowout returns to the Rosebank Speedway, and unlike the price of everything else, it’s still only a fiver on the gate. Hosted by the Scroungers, it’s still all about traditional hot rods, dragsters, and bikes, with the backdrop of some great tunes. Gates open at 9am and there is dedicated hot rod parking for those not inside the main show itself. This is one of those not-to-miss events, and our apologies for the slip up last issue surrounding the venue changing, not the date — we jumped the gun. Fueled-Up Fridays final 26 March NorthWest Shopping Centre, Westgate Northwestshoppingcentre.co.nz All throughout summer, selected Friday nights saw the NorthWest’s rooftop car park…

With the amount of energy that Pete North has got when it comes to building cars, it’s pretty hard to believe that he’s old enough to have been married for 25 years. Likewise, it’s pretty hard to believe that his wife Keri could have put up with him for so long, but somehow it’s true. Over those years, between raising two kids, buying and selling houses, starting and selling businesses, Pete’s managed to build a stack of killer cars. A handful of them have been featured on these pages, but there are many that haven’t, such as the ’67 Camaro that he built for Keri about a decade ago now. As with most cars he builds, even though this wasn’t ‘his’ per se, it was soon up for sale and…

There aren’t many drivers on the NZ’s Quickest Streeters list who are pushing harder than Dan Southall in his twin-turbo ‘69 Camaro, and, lucky for him, all that effort is beginning to pay dividends. Dan was out at the recent Meremere Wild Bunch event, and confesses that things couldn’t have really gone much better. The car had been set up with a new M&M converter prior to the event, and, with Carl Jensen from C&M Performance on tuning duties, it ran a blistering 8.01 seconds at 182.11mph. This is enough to bump him into third spot on the list, which is no small feat for a small block. Better still, the car was running consistently, with three other 8.0 passes, and all between 182 and 184mph. Getting these consistent times…

It’s said that you should choose your friends wisely as they will influence you, sometimes in profound ways. When you’re young, it’s called ‘peer pressure’; when you’re older, it’s simply known as ‘influence’. We’re not saying this influence is all bad, and we’d probably not be here talking about Wayne Cowley’s restomod ’72 F100 had it not been for the fact that his mates all started getting into the truck game themselves. Wayne is no stranger to building cars; in fact, he’s got a long list of impressive machinery under his belt, including some stout race cars, and an impressive collection of classics in his Pukekohe shed, but not a pickup truck in sight. That was until a few mates built them, including one that got built right there in…

Let’s be open and honest about the motorsport situation in New Zealand, shall we, because it’s really grim right now. The problem is not with regard to numbers so much — there are still plenty of people putting their hands into their wallets to go racing; the problem is that New Zealand has no genuine premier category to promote right now. It’s neither of the Toyota classes; it’s certainly not the four-cylinder turbos; and the once-glorious NZV8s just doesn’t have the grids. So what do the fans have to drool over? What do they have to dream about? Well, one club has an offering, and it is in a bit of a pickle about it. We all know the club it is, because NAPA Central Muscle Cars has grown over…

The old wuhan bird flu has been responsible for an unexpected issue — a shortage of Hankook control tyres in the lead-up to round four. While this caused plenty of quick thinking by the club as to the best approach to take, they did find a workable solution. Thankfully, it’s been confirmed that 140 more tyres have landed prior to round five. However, with a mix of tyre compounds, plenty of competitors, and two full rounds left to go in the series, it’s still going to get interesting towards the end of the season when drivers are pushing harder than ever for vital championship points on worn tyres. While it’ll be sensational for the crowds to watch, we’ll expect to see a bit of white-knuckle driving going on!…

Following a revised format for the 2021 season, the NZV8s have ended a long-time relationship with BNT, welcoming on board Racer Products as naming rights sponsor — the category to be known as ‘Racer Products V8s’. “We’re passionate about motorsport, especially V8s, and we’ve been involved in V8 racing in some way, shape, or form as competitors and sponsors for over 20 years,” says Gene Rollinson, CEO of Racer Products Ltd. “We’re excited to partner with NZ Touring Cars and create Racer Products V8s. Many of our product line is out there in cars on the circuit, so we’re looking forward to supporting our customers so they can go racing and connect with new ones.” The revised format for the class allows naturally aspirated (NA) V8s with a bodyshell that…

With Dodge now forming part of the 14-brand Stellantis group — the third-largest automaker in the world following the merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles — changes at the company have scared those with a lust for modern Mopars. Dodge’s Street and Racing Technology (SRT) engineering division, responsible for such master strokes as the Hellcat Redeye, Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak, and 1000hp Helliphant crate engine, has been disbanded. All is not lost, however. Stellantis has publicly stated that it is committed to producing future SRT models, saying in a statement that, “These products have delighted enthusiasts for nearly two decades, and Stellantis will continue to sell and develop the next generation of Dodge/SRTbranded vehicles, as well as Jeep and Ram vehicles that utilize high-performance SRT technology.” The entire…

GET INSULATED! Don’t let your build hit the road without some proper sound and heat insulation! LizardSkin Ceramic Insulation (CI) and LizardSkin Sound Control (SC) are coatings dedicated to protecting your ride from heat transfer and unwanted exterior noise. This allows for a cooler, more comfortable ride, plus enhanced audio sound. LizardSkin is a fast and easy spray-on application, providing a costeffective solution that is environmentally safe. Get your LizardSkin from Rods by Reid — email info@rodsbyreid.co.nz, or give the team a call on 07 552 5977. NEW FRAME — OLD CAB The team at Kruzin Kustoms Rod & Kustom Shop are proud to offer their new F100 chassis to suit second- and thirdgeneration trucks. The fully boxed and TIG-welded chassis features laser-cut components, complete with K-members, booster bracket, driveshaft…

The Phillips Family may be synonymous with racing altereds at Meremere Dragway, but this season is set to see them debut an all-new mahine. While it’ll be running similar numbers to their previous escapades, this car goes about making the power in a totally different manner, as there’s not a V8 in sight. Instead, the 125-inch Terry’s Chassis Shoppe–built altered is powered by a Ford Barra six-banger. Aaron Phillips, the car’s pilot, has been piecing together the tough combo at his business PFR Performance, and word has it that it should create around 1500hp. That figure comes courtesy of methanol fuel and a Garrett GT55 turbo that feeds into a custom CPC billet plenum out of Australia. James from Haltech New Zealand has come on board to assist with the…

If you’ve ever driven through the main street of Otaki, you’ve driven straight past the offices of Rex and Monique Duckett. But chances are, unless you’re well versed with the business names on the side of every drag car in the country (occupational hazard for those of us in magazine land), or you’ve been in the market for an insurance adviser, you wouldn’t have noticed the Inpro Group signage. Or, if you had, you most probably wouldn’t have batted an eyelid, as after all, insurance advisers are all boring types, right? Well, apparently that common assumption is somewhat incorrect, or, in the case of Rex and Monique, very incorrect! While they may be talking about the ins and outs of underwriting and policy wording during the week, in the weekend,…

When a woman’s heart is set on something, there is very little her husband can do to sway it. No, once her mind is made up, come hell or high water, you’d better well come up with whatever it is her mind’s fixated on. For Jess Kirkwood when it came time to build a new project car, it had to be a ragtop, and it was the ’63 Impala that really stole her heart. The ’64 was a little too common for her liking, and other rags that have arrived on the family’s doorstep just didn’t excite her in the way the ’63s do. Lucky for her, husband Hayden lives and breathes low riding, and when he really set his mind on finding Jess her ’63, in only a week…

When you campaign one of the most potent race cars on New Zealand’s circuits right now, one that rarely shows up without getting a champagne shower on pit lane, and one you’ve spent a good eight years developing, why on earth would you put it up for sale to buy a new car? The Collins Motorsport crew must be crazy, right? Well, there is a method to this madness, and looking at the replacement steed, even those with little-to-no race knowledge can tell that this new car is a serious piece of race equipment. But first we need to understand where the team have come from before we talk about where they’re headed. Team principal Paul Collins first purchased the original Laguna Seca Mustang out of California back in 2013.…

The North family are no strangers to the pages of NZV8, having had three cars featured previously, with this month’s cover car being their fourth. And although they might swing from camp to camp, the constant in their household is the fact they can build a tough car, so it should come as no surprise Pete’s dream build (right now) is exactly that — based around one of the most sought after (and toughest) Aussie sedans—the XY GT, which would make the perfect shed mate to Keri’s XR, on our cover. Although the XY GTs are now commanding large house deposits to secure one in decent condition, this will not stop Pete from sinking all five inches of that cut-off wheel deep into the panel steel to create his ultimate…

While the late Sean Fowler may no longer be with us, his stunning Torana hatch made a welcome return to the grid for the third round of the Napa Auto Parts Central Muscle Cars (CMC Series in the hands of Matt Spratt. While Matt’s fresh face in CMC, he’s not new to door-to-door racing, most recently competing in the NZ V8 Ute Racing series. Finishing third overall in 2015, he stepped up to finish second in 2017 before taking out the title in 2019. Matt’s also spent plenty of time racing in Australia competing behind the wheel of a BMW at the Bathurst 24 Hour and in the Australian SuperUtes Series. Round four of the series showed that Matt’s not joined just to make up the numbers, with him working…