Table of contents for No 226 March - April 2025 in NZV8

Wellingtonian Nathan Thomas may have started his career as a spanner swinger, but that never hindered his love of playing with cars at home after hours. These days, he’s the head tech guy for one of New Zealand’s largest vehicle distributors, so it’s fair to say that he’s earned a reputation as somewhat of a technical guru. While on-the-job training has played a part in that, ever since he was old enough to have a licence, he’s always had a project car in the garage. Five years back, that project was an HG Holden with a blown 406ci small block under, and out of, the hood. While that car was cool, thanks to hanging with Ben Martin and his pair of XF Falcons (see NZV8 Issue No. 210), he decided…

After the scheduled New Year’s date was rained off, we went back up there a couple of weeks later to run the event on Australia Day weekend. The conditions were what I can politely describe as less than ideal. And by that, I mean they were terrible. Hot and humid for the crew, hot and humid for the driver (not that any driver should be complaining), and hot and humid for the engines. Without getting too technical on what we monitor and what we do with the motors in these conditions, basically, the air was full of water. Now, an engine is all about making fire — explosions in the cylinders — but when the air your supercharger is forcing into the engine is full of water, it makes it…

Ignorance really is bliss. Ever since I took that right turn at the fork in the road eight years ago, which steered me from drag racing to circuit racing, the main thing I’ve learnt about circuit racing is that I was much better at it before I started. It’s easy to know that you’d be great at something you’ve never done. TO CORNER OR NOT TO CORNER — THAT IS THE QUESTION … Learning to stop without a parachute has been an interesting journey, and one where a great deal of distance remains ahead of me. I’m often asked when I’m going to drag the old ’56 Chev Bel Air drag car out of retirement, and the answer is, probably, never. These days, when I find myself lying in bed…

PROJECT ANIMAL With the ‘Ace of Spades’ Falcon gasser hitting the track, Tim and the crew at The Krysler Shop have turned their focus on to a new Saturday-morning build — a street and strip 1930 Model A dubbed ‘Animal’. The body, chopped back in the 1970s in New Plymouth, was purchased from Sharpy in Wellington and now sits on a Kiwi Konnection ’32 chassis pinched specifically for a Model A. The wheelbase has been stretched two inches at both the front and rear, with the rear frame rails kicked up and shortened to nail the stance. Powering this project is a Ford 532ci big block with forged internals, Carrillo pistons, Air Flow Research heads, and a roller cam. Topping it off is a magnesium 6/71 blower with twin 750…

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 1957 PONTIAC SAFARI @KRS_IDAHO You do not see a Pontiac Safari wagon built to this level very often, and the team from Kenny’s Rod Shop (KRS) have made sure that the bar is set high for any future contenders. Scott Hot Rods was called on for a full custom chassis to get the stance and handling sorted in one go, before some custom-sized Raceline Wheels were…

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Beach Hop, the team are building something truly special: a 1966 Ford Mustang as the Repco Beach Hop 25 prize car. The restoration is well underway, with the crew stripping it down in record time during the first deconstruction session. The windshield, rear screen, engine, and transmission are being removed to prepare the car for a cosmetic and mechanical overhaul. Plenty of laughs, a few skinned knuckles, and some cold beers have already made their way into the process, but one thing’s certain — this Mustang is shaping up to be a show-stopping prize that any car enthusiast would love to call their own. Mark your calendars for 29 March 2025, when the Mustang giveaway will take centre stage at Repco Beach Hop 25.…

They say that fashion goes around and comes back again. What’s hot in one decade is laughed at in the next before being reborn again in decades to come. The 1981 Chev Camaro may have missed that memo. Not only was it unpopular when it sat lingering in GM dealerships when new, but it’s never gained popularity since. Michael Crawley may have inadvertently become the one man to change that though. It wasn’t so much that he chose the car, but that the car almost chose him, as he’d lent a contact workshop space to build the car for itself. While the build got a small way done before Mike took ownership, it sounds like a few people must have had a go at improving it previously. Being a factory…

If the Aussies have given us anything, it’s the blueprint and benchmark for pro-street Aussie-style muscle cars. Whether it’s a Holden, Ford, or even a Chrysler, if it’s tough, it’s tough. That’s not to say that we Kiwis haven’t had our share of equal toughies over the years; in fact, we’ve featured plenty of them within these very pages, but never one quite like this. Ryan Dunn, the owner of the perfectly stanced HK Monaro you see before you, doesn’t take sides when it comes to the mighty lion or the Blue Oval. Instead, he shares the same philosophy as many of us — if it’s tough, it’s tough. And at just 33, he’s already owned his fair share of dream rides, including VKs, XWs, and XYs. After parting ways…

I have to kick off this story with a huge shout-out to my Downtime tour mates. First up, Shaun Jury with ‘BARELY’. He was hit with a coil failure right at the start line, which left him running on just five cylinders for his Pro Series skid. But Shaun wasn’t done yet. He came roaring back in the Pro Series redemption round, earning an impressive second place and securing himself a spot at Summernats 38! Next, a massive congratulations to Hayden Kirkwood, ‘MRRPLH’. Hayden powered his way through a sea of blown V8s to make it into the Top 40 in the Open class, eventually claiming the top spot in the 4 & Rotor class. This is a massive achievement; one of the best Kiwi results that we’ve ever seen.…

LINDSAY MCKENZIE 1970 RAMBLER REBEL COUPE LOCATION: OAMARU Some cars have a way of coming full circle — and, for Lindsay McKenzie, his 1970 Rambler Rebel Coupe is proof of that. His journey with the car began back in 1983 when he spotted it for sale on the main street of Timaru late one Friday night. By Sunday morning, it was gone, and for years, no one seemed to know where it had ended up. But the seed was planted — Lindsay wanted a ’70 Rebel Coupe, and he wouldn’t give up the search. What he didn’t realise at first, though, was that the car he found in 2016 was the very same one he’d seen all those years ago. Before Lindsay had first laid eyes on it, the car…

Liam Lawson’s promotion to Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen for the 2025 Formula 1 (F1) season may have surprised some, but not David Dicker, founder of Rodin Cars and one of Lawson’s key supporters. Dicker first saw Lawson’s talent back in 2018, when the young Kiwi tested an old Formula 3 car at Rodin’s private track before heading to Europe to race. Impressed by his natural speed, Dicker kept an eye on his progress and, by the end of that season, stepped in to provide financial backing that would become crucial to Lawson’s career. Rodin Cars played a major role in keeping Lawson’s Formula 2 campaign alive, contributing more than $1M to ensure his second season on the grid. That partnership with Red Bull and Rodin proved pivotal in…

What is it about the lowrider scene that grabs you? Maybe it’s the bold paint choices, the layers of candy and flakes, or the intricate pinstriping that turns every panel into a canvas. Or perhaps it’s the way that these cars hug the ground, sitting impossibly low on whitewalls and those unmistakable 100-spoke wheels. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying the appeal. The lowrider scene has been steadily growing, each build raising the bar, and this year’s Nationals showed just how far it’s come. The 2025 Lowrider & NZ Vicla Nationals, held in conjunction with the 4&Rotary Nationals and run by Downtime Entertainment, took over the Globox Arena at Claudelands, Hamilton. The venue proved to be the perfect choice, offering two distinct spaces. One was for the day-trippers who preferred…

WILD BUNCH HEATING UP There must have been something in the air over the past few months, as the PBs coming out of the door-car field have been sensational. Many of those PBs were run at the Wild Bunch Wars at Masterton Motorplex in late January. One of those notable runs was from none other than the original Mr Wild Bunch, Chris Tynan, who was back behind the wheel of son-in-law Kane Douche’s ’55 Chev — a car originally owned by Tynan. While Chris had been out of the hot seat for over a decade, he showed that he’s still got what it takes, pushing the car to a PB run of 6.23 seconds at 30.7mph. That pass was run on a 0.48-second light and saw the eighth-mile clocked in…

The last time NZV8 attended the Kumeu Classic Car & Hot Rod Festival was a few years ago now, but being in the area this time around, it was a no-brainer to check it out — especially for the festival’s 25th anniversary. Just 25 minutes north of Auckland, Kumeū offers a perfect escape from the city’s hustle. Held at the Kumeu Showgrounds, the annual three-day event stretches across a few acres of flat land with older sheds scattered about, making it the ideal spot for an event that’s run like clockwork for 25 years. Driving in, you’re immediately greeted by like-minded people cruising towards the gates in everything from classic cars to custom builds. A gravel road takes you past casual parking on one side and rows of worthy show…

The early hours of a Friday morning are an odd time to be scrolling for cars, but that’s exactly what Todd Holland was doing when he stumbled across the 1984 Chevrolet El Camino that would soon fill his workshop. Restless and unable to sleep, Todd found himself scrolling through Trade Me, hunting for a project. Among the rough and ready options, one car stood out: a recently imported El Camino, road legal and tidy enough to pass compliance. By Friday night, the deal was done. The following day, Todd was on his way to Auckland with a trailer, and by Saturday afternoon, the car was back at his workshop, ready to become something special. This isn’t Todd’s first time being featured in NZV8 — far from it. As the CEO…