Innehållsförteckning för No 229 September - October 2025 från NZV8

If you’re reading this, I’d like to say congratulations — you’ve picked up the 20th anniversary edition of NZV8, and you’re going to be glad you did. We’ve got so much great content packed into this one, from both the past and present day. Yes, like you’ve seen on the cover, we’ve taken this once-in-20-year opportunity to indulge in a special segment detailing the 20 most iconic cars of NZV8’s past. These are cars that, for various reasons, turned heads and made waves in the V8 community over the past two decades; by being either groundbreaking, incredibly unique, or simply unheard of when they came about. These are some seriously high-level cars, so we know you’ll enjoy reading about them — it might even be a nice walk down memory…

Ernie Dumper has owned a fair few cars over the years — he says he is not particularly brand loyal, so examples from both Ford and General Motors Australia have found their way into his shed. While Aussie tin is neat, he freely admits that, for him, “real US muscle is where it’s at!” Being out of the classic car market for far too long, he decided to fill the empty void in his shed with something a bit more American, or technically, in this case, Japanese — kind of! The decision to look for American muscle was an easy one; however, the decision as to what he actually wanted wasn’t quite as straightforward. Ernie had his heart set on a Camaro from the ’60s, but after some extensive research,…

Consistently, it takes Kris Boyd about two hours to go five minutes down the road for a box of beers. Not because the car he’s driving is slow, far from it — it’s because every time that he parks up in this thing and gets out, there’s someone waiting outside ogling, ready to have a yarn. I’m sure some of it comes down to Kris’s friendly nature and gift of the gab too, having been involved in sales for much of his working life. But, truthfully, if you heard this bad-tempered V8 rumble up to the shops, wrapped in this tiny little 105E Anglia, with a blower sticking through the bonnet and its enormous rear tyres, like anyone else, you’d probably tell your partner to “go on without me!” for…

This one’s been with Michael for over 20 years, and over that time, it’s seen more rebuilds than most. But the latest incarnation of this factory manual V8 VN Executive is a proper bit of business. Under the bonnet sits a 355 stroker using a Come Racing crank, forged rods and pistons, main girdle, big sump, and front crank support. Up top are Yella Terra Dash 9 heads, a roller cam conversion with tie-bar lifters, Trend heavy wall pushrods, and a Difilippo (now Manta) four-into-one header set-up. This is backed by a twin-plate clutch, billet flywheel, and a T56 Magnum six-speed with a custom driveshaft. Down back, it runs a VL housing with Eaton Truetrac, 3.75 gears, and billet 31-spline axles. Everything is controlled by a Haltech Elite 2500 ECU,…

WALKINSHAW REPLICA WHEELS Looking for the perfect set of wheels to compliment your Commodore? Rare Spares have now restocked brand-new Walkinshaw Replica wheels after the first shipment sold out! Available in 18x8, 5x120 to suit early commodore VB–VZ. P42 offset, centre cap decals and wheel nuts are included. Stop by our showroom at 43 Shands Road Hornby, Christchurch to have a look, or give our team call on 03 366 5982. RRP $1795 incl. GST or $2395 incl. GST with tyres (235/40ZR18) KING SPRINGS King Springs are Australia’s leading manufacturer of highperformance automotive coil springs, trusted by workshops and enthusiasts alike. Engineered from premium X5K high-stress steel, they offer unmatched strength, reduced weight, and superior suspension response. Ideal for New Zealand’s demanding roads and off-road conditions, King Springs improve handling,…

Hamilton’s Classics Museum has unveiled a massive new addition to their fleet, a DOHC straight-eight–engined performance monster from the 1930s — it’s an incredibly engineered Kiwi recreation of the longmissing 1936 Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic Coupe; one of the four original Type 57S Atlantic Coupes, chassis No. 57453, nicknamed ‘La Voiture Noire’, which vanished during World War II, sparking decades of intrigue among automotive historians. Only three genuine examples are believed to survive today, and if chassis No. 57453 were ever found, it is said to be worth more than $100 million. This Atlantic Coupe replica marks possibly the world’s first-ever accurate reconstruction of this particular car, and it is based on a perfectly remanufactured Bugatti Type 57 chassis. Classics Museum truly went as far as possible to build this…

They say that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. This is the saying that Aaron Meekings found to be true when he eventually had the opportunity to build his ultimate dream car. After working hard as a digger operator for much of his life, he finally found himself in a position where he could let loose a little. ‘Loose’ probably being the operative word for this car, as we’re sure you’ll come to agree when reading the following paragraphs — along with other fun words, like ‘unhinged’ and ‘deranged’. As you’ve probably noticed, the VK Commodore is a popular platform at the moment. There are plenty of very tough VK builds out there right now, and a fair heap of them are SS Group…

Waiuku’s Zac Wilkinson isn’t just a force behind the wheel — he’s a master in the fabrication shop too. Over the years, Zac has built a number of standout cars, but his LS-powered, turbocharged VK Commodore featured in NZV8 Issue No. 180 was arguably his most impressive yet. After dipping into the eight-second zone, Zac has pulled the car back into the workshop with plans to shave off a few more seconds. While the previous build retained a near-street-style aesthetic, this time there’s no mistaking the car’s purpose. Think full custom tubular chassis, massive rear tubs, and a stance that screams serious business. Despite his deep experience with LS-based set-ups, Zac’s latest build takes a different path — this time opting for a small block Chev. The billet-blocked engine features…

Every car enthusiast has some kind of mental watchlist sitting in the back of their mind. There’ll be a handful of very particular models, years, or trim specs of a car that you passively keep an eye out for. And if the stars just happen to align one day — a car comes up in the right condition, for the right price, at the right time — then you’ll go to a pretty reasonable length to make sure that you get your hands on it. For Doug Breden, that car was a V8 Pontiac Firebird from 1969. This year was the final year of their first generation, receiving a major facelift. Among other things, changes included completely revising the front bumper and headlights; adding badass fender extraction vents; and, Doug’s…

Since collecting Leigh and Rod’s ’57 Chev Sport Coupe from Customs in June last year, the crew at Real Rides have wasted no time turning this project into something special. As with most cars of this era, it needed its fair share of rust repairs — so out came the grinder and welder. New rear quarters have been fitted, the firewall’s been replaced, and the rear end has been mini-tubbed to handle some serious rubber. It’s now sitting pretty in its first coat of primer, with body lines sharp and gaps already looking tidy. Underneath the timeless shell is where things get really serious. The original frame has been ditched in favour of a brand-new Ride Line chassis from Roadster Shop — a set-up known for modern handling without compromising…

Making waves very recently, it’s been announced that from 1 September, all light vehicles over 40 years old will only require one WOF inspection per year. Initially brought to attention long ago by the Vintage Car Club of New Zealand, it finally made progress recently, largely as part of the current government’s push to reduce regulatory burdens. When put forward for public voting, it’s noted that an incredible 98% of votes were in support of changing vintage light-vehicle inspections from six-monthly to annual. All in all, it’s a huge win for classic car enthusiasts all over the country!…

EATU4T — ISSUE 1 2001 HOLDEN VU COMMODORE SS Matt Jukich’s ‘EATU4T’ VU Commodore ute didn’t just make an entrance — it set the benchmark. From Issue No. 1, it embodied everything NZV8 stood for: tubbed, blown, and brutally in-your-face. It was the first late-model build of its kind to grace the scene, and jaws hit the floor from the moment it appeared. Debuting at the Kumeu Classic Car & Hot Rod Festival in 2005, the ute was just four years old — practically fresh off the showroom floor. Cutting up something that new was unheard of in New Zealand at the time, and it made a statement loud and clear: this was no ordinary build. Matt bought the VU brand new with one goal in mind: to transform it…

ENTER HERE! EACH KIT VALUED AT $480 RRP Don’t miss your shot at winning one of these premium car care packs; scan the QR code or head to nzv8.co.nz/win-with-meguiars-20-kits-for-20-years THANK YOU, MEGUIAR’S NEW ZEALAND To celebrate NZV8’s 20th birthday, Meguiar’s NZ is giving away 20 Hybrid Ceramic Car Care Kits, each worth $480. These premium kits feature the latest in ceramic technology — offering unmatched gloss, protection, and hydrophobic performance. Whether you’re maintaining a daily driver or a weekend cruiser, this prize pack will take your detailing game to the next level. As NZV8 celebrates its 20th anniversary, we want to express our sincere thanks to Meguiar’s New Zealand for their unwavering support over the past two decades. From the magazine’s very first issue to today, Meguiar’s has been a…

For Kerry Hackett, this build is much more than a tough street car — it’s a tribute to his late father, Glenn, and the memories they shared behind the wheel of an HG Holden. Now based in Dunedin, Kerry remembers sitting on his dad’s knee steering one back in his childhood years in Australia. When Glenn passed away five years ago, Kerry knew that it was time to build one last car — and it had to be a Brougham. After tracking one down through a Facebook post, Kerry found a still-registered example up north and struck a deal. Once it landed in Dunedin, the planning kicked off … and, like with most builds, things quickly escalated. Originally, the goal wasn’t to go wild on the engine — but after…

Aaron’s 1958 Chev Apache is well on its way to becoming one seriously tough street truck — and with Kruzin Kustoms behind the build, you know it’s being done right. The chassis is now sorted, with a full Porterbuilt rear end hooked up to a nine-inch diff running a Currie third member. Wilwood brakes take care of stopping duties, and a Ridetech E5 system has been fitted to dial in the ride height and handling on demand. The attention to detail is next level. Kruzin’s custom deck hinges and neatly pocketed mounts keep the tray space clean and functional — no messy compromises here. Every component has been considered, tucked, and tailored to suit both performance and street-driven practicality. There’s still plenty to come, but it’s clear that Aaron’s Apache…