Innehållsförteckning för No 201 February 2022 från NZV8

I can vividly remember the first time I clocked over 200 (kph that is), my uncle driving a notchback Mustang as we blasted down the Taupo-Napier highway, the quarter glass whistling away like crazy. It felt like we were flying — and knowing what I know now about how lacklustre their suspension is in stock form, we probably were. As a young lad I thought we’d set the damn land speed record that day, and I’m sure I bragged about it for weeks on end. It’s a magic number 200, and when you put mph after it, it becomes the stuff of dreams — dreams many devote their lives to. In drag racing and land speed circles, it’s the holy grail, both with their own elite clubs hats and T-shirts…

At long last the season has kicked off for those lucky enough to live south of the Auckland border. Napa Auto Parts Dragway managed to make the dreams of many come true on Sunday, 28 November with the first test and tune of the season. As hoped, the event drew its fair share of punters, including a handful of new cars such as Lyal Elliott’s Ford Capri. Some may remember him from his exploits in his other — now sold — Capri, although this lighter green version is a whole lot more serious. While the old car had run into the high 9s thanks to a nitrous-assisted 393 Clevo topped with a 850cfm Quick Fuel carb, that’s got nothing on “The Hulk”, which was imported earlier this year from Darwin…

Continuing with our Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars-themed columns, so far we have covered off nitro, the ignition system, superchargers and the clutches to try to give readers a better idea about the mechanics of the cars. I could go on for a while on different aspects of the car but thought I would sum things up mechanically before we move on. As mentioned in the last couple of columns, they are single 44 amp mag ignition, 6/71 blowers burning 90 per cent to 94 per cent nitro with a Crower three-disc clutch. What you might not know is that there is a two-speed transmission and what most people struggle to believe is the motors we run are only 413 cubic inches. There are small blocks that are bigger than…

In the 1960s, while obviously popular in this part of the world, Holden wasn’t exactly generating a lot of buzz on the international motoring scene. In fact, most people had probably never heard of the brand, and maybe rightly so. Until the late ’60s, Holden was simply the builder of simple three-box, utilitarian vehicles that did little to excite the imagination or get anyone talking, let alone the hard-to-please international motoring press. Holden wanted to change all that. The first step was to release a desirable car that, while performance orientated and decidedly sleek, was accessible to the everyman Aussie bloke — and that was the HK Monaro, first sold in ’68. The coupe was an instant hit. Only a year later, just when the country was starting to cotton…

If you’re reading this chances are that, at one time or another, you’ve thought about, or even gone through with, importing a piece of tin from Uncle Sam. It would surprise no one to know an overwhelming percentage of the machines that grace these pages have at one time or another been the centre of one of these transactions. The US of A is a big country and there’s an overwhelming number of classic cars for sale at any one time, so, for many, taking the risk to secure their piece of the American automotive dream is a no-brainer. As witnessed time and time again, not all that glitters is gold, and this process can be fraught with despair and disappointment — none of which Jon Gibson wanted any part…

People often associate the ’Tron with boy racers ripping up T-straight. Although that might be the case on a Friday night, a different breed takes to the streets of Hamilton on sunny weekends. As the summer wave hits and days get hotter, there is nothing the Carnales like more than to get together and go cruising in their low-riders. For these guys, there is very little excuse needed — just some sunshine and a meeting point; the destination is irrelevant. Fresh from lockdown, we tagged along on one such Sunday. The Carnales car club started almost 11 years ago with a small group of like-minded founding members. Some of them had been in other car clubs previously but they wanted to do it differently. Justin Ferris and Kenny Harrison head…

Many hot rods and custom cars are painstakingly built over long periods of time, and then a few years after being finished seem to be missing in action, rarely surfacing again. Others are built and maintained for the long haul, passed down from generation to generation. Kiel Payn’s 1928 Dodge is one of those cars that is destined to look and sound good rumbling on this earth for a long time. The rod was originally built by Kiel’s father, George, almost 27 years ago, but a couple of years back he decided he wanted to build another Model A hot rod pickup. With time to drive and maintain the Dodge at a premium, he did a deal with Kiel, including instructions for him to eventually pass the Dodge on to…

’78 Trans Ams are a love them or hate them affair, but when they look as good as Ants Vryenhoek’s one does there can only be love! The car has been in the build for a couple of years now, with Ants doing the majority of the work himself, including the stunning paintwork. He’s no painter by trade either — he’s a guy who spends his days in a corporate office but has the ambition and dedication to get things done. The car has come a long way from how it was when it was purchased, with Ants installing a 2014 L98 engine sourced from Arcus Performance that has since been fitted with Butler rocker covers, Aeroflow fuel regulator, and Aeroflow fuel rails. The front pulley system has also been…

The only show worth watching on TV (yes we’re very biased) is now nearing the halfway point of season 9, airing on CRC Motorsport once again. Like always, the show takes an in-depth look at the finest hot rod, street machines, and muscle cars on our shores, while also getting to know those talented Kiwis and characters behind the scenes. Don’t have spare time on a Sunday arvo to put your legs up? Don’t stress as the show is also hosted on our YouTube channel so you can watch it any time, anywhere. We’d also like to thank all our very supportive sponsors of the show — Repco, Meguiar’s, Rislone, and Mount Shop — we could not do it without them.…

One of the only events left standing this summer (at the time of print) — the iconic Repco Classic Car and Hot Rod Festival at Kumeu — is forging ahead with plans to yet again host a massive summer festival at the Kumeu Showgrounds. Should Auckland shift to Orange (or Green) under the new Covid framework, the 27th running will be held on 14–16 January 2022, with no cap on attendees. Under red it will not be able to take place. So if a shift to Orange is announced, it will be as big as ever, with anyone attending required under law to present their vaccine passport at the gate. An expected 3500 cars and 100 bikes will attract around 25,000 people to the show, which now occupies the entire…

CONVERT-A-BALL This bolt-on Convert-a-Ball pintle hitch and ball mount combo is ideal for heavy-duty towing, retaining the ability to tow with a standard coupling. It includes three interchangeable, stainless-steel hitch balls with towing capacities from 3500lbs to 10,000 lbs, and a pintle sleeve adapter (GTW 25,000 lbs). The polyurethane interior acts as a shock absorber. The double-engagement, rust-resistant locking system converts quickly from pintle to standard ball mount — no tools needed. Convert-a-Ball is made in America. Call 0800 698 227 for where to buy, or more information. PERFORMANCE INTAKES Available to suit Holden, small-block Chevy, small-block Ford, and small-block Chrysler, Aeroflow’s range of aluminium intake manifolds are offered in single and dual plane, and in a range of runner lengths to suit peak power ranges from 1500rpm to 6500rpm.…

Stu Goldsworthy’s Corvette, as seen on the cover of NZV8 a few months ago, made it out for some test passes, off the back of some late-night remote tuning sessions by Steve Morris in America, and a quick run down to the shops in Stu’s home town of Whangamat?. While Stu’s no rookie behind the wheel, getting a handle on a 4000hp-capable combination isn’t something that happens overnight, and he’s wise enough to not come out and try to be a hero. That said, he was happy to get the car out, albeit without the assistance of crew chief Tony Witinitara, who has been essential to the car’s set-up. Sadly, despite a positive private test session at Masterton Motorplex a week earlier, where the car was running 1-second 60ft times,…

Down here in the South Island, September signals the start of spring and usually the start of the car show season. This year, the same as last year, Covid has played a massive role in determining which, if any, shows can take place. With Kaikōura Hop’s original September date fast approaching, disappointment set in when it was announced that the event wouldn’t be viable under the then alert levels. But rather than cancel the event, the organisers decided to postpone it until the end of November. This meant, unlike many others, that it was able to go ahead, kicking off on Wednesday, 24 November for the early birds who were wanting to make a long weekend of it. That day an early bird quiz night took place. Thursday is usually…

When cars are featured in magazines, be it NZV8 or any other, the articles are only ever a snapshot of the current time and a record of what’s already happened. Once the article has been printed, the cars often evolve, devolve or move on. Some go on to become bigger and better, some disappear never to be seen again, while others remain unchanged for years to come. We decided that celebrating clocking over 200 issues was a decent reason to find out where some of our previous featuree cars are now, what the owners have been up to since, and, in some cases, what’s about to happen next. ISSUE #2 1973 PLYMOUTH CUDA Perhaps one of the most lusted after cars ever to be built in New Zealand, the ’73…

There are plenty of wide-body Mustangs in circulation across the county, but when Renier Ackerman, owner of this 2017 Mustang GT, wanted to stand out in the crowd, and have the widest pony in all the land, he ordered the biggest and baddest on the market from USA company Clinched. We followed the installation at Customs Body Shop — a procedure that is much more involved than you might think, especially when ensuring it’s all done to the letter of the law. Yip, this type of work requires the approval of Johny Law. On a modern car like the Mustang, this is actually a very complex process. So, before you go sinking the cut-off wheel into your modern muscle, seek some professional advice from your certifier. MOCK AND MEASURE Ben…

SO CLOSE BUT YET SO FAR… After all is said and done, it would not be unreasonable of us to call this little project the “Covid Camaro”, as building it in a pandemic may not have been the wisest of choices in hindsight. In saying that, it’s a huge thanks to a bunch of great people who have kept the project moving forward — even if at a snail’s pace at times. As you can see, she now sports a sexy Century Batteries blue hue, its application delayed when the body was damaged in transit to Wellington. Dean Riches, with the help of the crew at WelTec and with backing from Union Hardware paint supplies in Petone, have done an amazing job. With the final design approved, the graphic package…

Graeme Urban is now reaching the final stages of his street-fighter-style ’64 Dodge 330 two-door post project. Graeme has amassed some impressive parts for the car he purchased from California and imported into New Zealand in 2013. They include period-correct race parts and some factory original race parts. “I have a keen interest in Dodge’s racing history,” he explains, “particularly factory-built race cars from 1962 to 1970 in both Nascar and drag racing.” The amount of detail and thought that have gone into the build so far are evidence of this. Rather than go down the popular replica max wedge route, Graeme’s theme is a street fighter — something that would have been seen out and about hunting for trouble on a Friday night back in the ’60s. To achieve…

The latest in the Batman franchise drops in early 2022, and the dark crusader has finally got himself a muscle car. Although the exact identity of the base car isn’t clear, it’s 100 percent ’70s muscle, with elements from Chargers and Camaros evident. So far only teasers, including a Lego version, have been unveiled to the public, but the glimpses in the trailer of a rear engineered V10 power machine duking it out with the Penguin, and jumping through fire with suspension travel befitting the Baja 1000, were enough to capture our attention. The film, which is directed by Matt Reeves, focuses on the early years of Batman. The concept is said to represent something more like Bruce Wayne could have purchased and modified himself, which is why it would…

Although the biggest race of the year might not have gone the way Shane Van Gisbergen would have liked, the Kiwi can walk away from the Covid-affected 2021 Repco Supercars season having earned his second championship (his first was back in 2016) thanks to a dominant showing, winning 42 percent of the season’s races — that’s 14 of a possible 30. The Red Bull Ampol driver kicked off the season with six straight wins, despite driving with a broken collar bone and six broken ribs at the time. Taking pole 11 times, and securing the championship with one race in the bag, SVG ended the season 211 points clear of his nearest rival and team mate Jamie Whincup, and was set to podium at Bathurst until a puncture in the…

When Hayden Knighton walked into the doors of Burkes Metalworks just over two years ago, he didn’t know the impact it would have on him or his automotive future. He and a good friend were there to check out a ’69 Mustang the Burkes team were working on that needed an owner. Burkes is well versed in building high-end cars, having a team of tradesmen who are not only very capable but also have imagination and vision. Those attributes had seen the car progress from an imported shell to one that was sitting with the right stance, thanks to the rear end being tubbed. Despite never having owned an old American car, Hayden knew he liked what he was looking at, and on a handshake a deal was done. Coming…

After a few more minor mistakes since mistiming his handbrake slide in my customer’s 1960s Mini and simultaneously wrecking the phone booth and the front of the Mini, nephew Pete Duxfield – by this time it was 1982 and Pete was 15 – had become an entirely proficient little driver. He got his driving licence when all it took was 10 bucks and a drive around the block, and now there was no stopping the budding lunatic. Anytime my back was turned, it was the ongoing ‘Excellent Adventures of Rod and Pete’, including them having drag races up and down Hinau Street in customers’ cars, instead of Rod and Tony. Late one weeknight, Pete and then brother-in-law/staff-member/protege/friend Rodney Holland were hooning up the road together trying out a customer’s car,…

Father and son Paul and Jay Maka have been regulars at Napa Auto Parts Dragway Meremere for the past few seasons, Paul behind the wheel of his ’70 Chevelle streeter car (NZV8177) and Jay in his race-only Torana. Paul turned more than a few heads when he showed up to the dragway for the season opener not with the Chevelle, but with a roof-chopped ’65 Nova. The car was purchased from Shelly Burgess of Levin who had imported it from America. Having fried the original motor, Shelly fitted a 540ci Reher Morrison race motor and campaigned the car as “Butter Cup” under a bright yellow floral wrap. Paul made the decision to buy the car when it came up for sale as his Chevelle was breaking into the 10-second zone…

American pickups from the ’60s were a hardworking bunch; they pulled no punches when it came to getting down and dirty in America’s heartland. Alongside their F series counterparts, they worked long and hard until it was time for the next generation to come in and get to work. We’re damn sure no one at the time would have picked that half a century down the line they’d be a highly desirable model, sought after the world over, and routinely restored, hot rodded, restomodded, and even raced. There is no denying that the pickups have fine lines, and that’s the reason that semi-retired — but showing no signs of slowing down — Neil Owens had long wanted to own one. The Manawatu farmer, who also has spent his life working…

Remember the reality TV show on Discovery, American Hot Rod? It was based around the late Boyd Coddington’s Hot Rod Shop in La Habra, California, USA. Like most reality TV shows, it was scripted, exaggerated, and purely for entertainment. Whether you liked the style of car that Boyd and his crew built or not, one thing was for sure: the show brought hot rodding to the mainstream public. Whether that is a good or bad thing in the long run is anyone’s guess — but I digress. After the show finished I pretty much stopped watching any of those ‘unreality’ hot rod TV shows that are produced to this day. In fact, I cringe when customers speak of these shows — as none of it is real on any level.…

Here are some quick hits of content from social-media channels around the globe, curated by Low Fast Famous. They relate to some of the projects and completed builds that have been generating the most interaction and impressions in the past 30 days. Check out more of the work from the vehicles highlighted via their Instagram handles listed or at Low Fast Famous: @lowfastfamous 1972 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO -@ROLLING_THUNDER72 You do not see these very often and, man, the style on this one is cool! Packing a 355 cubic inch small block and turbo 350 transmission, it has more than enough power to get those 28x12in Mickey Thompson tyres spinning. Those tyres wear some custom Nascar-style Goodyear lettering, before getting mounted on 15x8in Cragar wheels. The stance is via some El…

This month’s concept was put forward for a very specific reason — to bring back the show to drag racing, to get more people excited about the sport and get them trackside. How do you do that? For American expat Steve, who grew up around match racing and wheel standers, it would be a modern take on the classic wheel stander. Not just a good ole sky-high bumper bender off the line, Steve wants to cross the finish line in the same position he started — dragging the tail light panel. Wheel standers are nothing new and the last time we saw them here was with the Aeroflow tour, but no one has ever quite seen one like Steve’s idea. The build would take his wife’s current daily driver, a…