Table of contents for No 230 November - December 2025 in NZV8

Issue No. 230, here we are. All back to regular programming after our massive 20th anniversary edition, for which we need to thank you all for the incredible support — they flew out the door! For this issue, our lead car is none other than Chris Daley’s insane twin-turbo ’67 Camaro — a car that has run comfortably into the eights at the dragstrip already but, after an array of changes, is now road-legal and ready to party. We checked it out in Te Anau, as Chris prepares it in anticipation of running at 1st Auto Parts NZ’s Fastest Street Car Shootout in February to see if he can still crack eights with window wipers! After that, we travel to Dunedin to check out Steve Johnson’s incredibly finely detailed XP…

Auckland Showgrounds sparked into life on 27 and 28 September for Chrome Showcase 2025, with car enthusiasts packing in over two days for an event aiming to bring back the old car show atmosphere of decades prior. It became a temporary home for car culture of all types — from spotless V8 show builds to high-level JDM gear to race cars, drift cars, dragsters, and even bikes — and spectating petrolheads flowing in from the moment the gates opened. The centrepiece of the weekend was the show category, where the country’s best show cars were judged for overall excellence. Many past NZV8 cars featured here, such as Darryl Ingham’s ’66 Pontiac GTO, Aaron Meekings’ VK Commodore, and Ryan Dunn’s ’68 HK Monaro GTS — the ‘HEDAYK’ Monaro being voted People’s…

Running a successful fencing business by day, it’s probably apt that Chris Daley’s ‘SYCO67’ Camaro looks and sounds like it could chew up nails and spit out a barbed wire fence. No stranger to wild V8s, Chris also had the ‘SYCO’ name on his previous build, ‘SYCO8’, a well-known, bright yellow, 9.8-second ’72 Monaro coupe burnout car (ex–Aaron Jenkins), which was sold to build the Camaro — not an easy decision at the time. And prior to that, there was the Yellow 1972 Holden HQ ‘SYCO UTE’, which some of you may remember seeing compete at Summernats. HE HANKERED FOR A CAMARO WITH MODERN RACE CAR SWAGGER, CLEAN WHITE PAINT, AND A TWIN-TURBO WHINE Knowing exactly what he wanted for his next fire-breather, Chris decided to build rather than buy.…

The local street car scene is buzzing with excitement over the upcoming 1st Auto Parts NZ’s Fastest Street Car Shootout. Spearheaded by longtime street car racers Dan Southall and Ross Whelan, the event promises to bring together some of the country’s fastest street machines for a no-holds-barred showdown on a fully prepped strip. Set to take place on 21 February as part of the Napa Auto Parts Dragway Comp Meet series, the Shootout guarantees top-tier track conditions and a packed crowd. With only 36 spots available, registrations sold out fast — proof of just how hyped this event is. Racers will compete in three heads-up classes, drawn by bucket: • 9.00–9.99 seconds • 8.00–8.99 seconds • Unlimited–7.99 seconds Among the confirmed entrants are some of the biggest names in the…

Last year will go down as one of the biggest turning points in the history of competitive burn-outs. For years, Burnout Masters was the pinnacle — the stage where the wildest cars and the bravest drivers gathered to put on tyre-shredding shows of skill and chaos. But in 2024, the scene changed forever when Summernats announced the launch of its own standalone competition: the Pro Burnout Series. It’s a familiar format to anyone who has followed the sport — qualifying events across Australia and New Zealand feed into a grand showdown at Summernats — but this time, the entire series is under Summernats’ control. And with a $70K prize pool, including a jaw-dropping $50K for first place, the stakes have never been higher. Summernats 37 delivered the first-ever Pro Burnout…

CUSTOM CONVERTIBLE CAMARO BUILDER: @AMBITION_ROAD Rodd Kneeland’s 1969 Camaro started out as a convertible. He’d previously taken this car to Aaron Elenbaum at his shop, Ambition Road LLC in North Carolina, and turned it into a beauty of a thing. It harboured a 550hp built LS, five-speed TKO box, with a Detroit Speed Hydroformed subframe, and a Quadralink four-link rear setup. The wheels fitted were Forgeline CF3C Centrelocks with 345mm wide tyres in the rear, and the body has had an exhaustive amount of metal fabrication done. The convertible had a custom steel front chin spoiler, grille, and bonnet, with a custom-fabricated rear spoiler and diffuser being crafted by hand too. Once completed, the car was entered at SEMA, and finally sent back to California for Rodd to enjoy in…

Digital licences are hurtling their way towards New Zealand, but rest assured, physical licences will “always be an option”, according to Associate Transport Minister James Meager. The new bill introduced in Parliament is quickly paving the way for New Zealanders to carry digital versions of their driver’s licences, as well as WOFs and certificates of fitness, on their smartphones. The bill has largely received support across the political spectrum and has passed its first reading, with its backers expecting the first version of this system to be ready by the end of 2025. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon called the change “common sense”, citing widespread use of digital wallets as precedent, while Transport Minister Chris Bishop described the move as a modernisation that many had been asking for. Labour MPs welcomed…

We’re sick, you and I. No doctor will tell you that we are though, because we’re infected with a disease that can only be self-diagnosed — and that’s being a petrolhead. It starts at a young age, just as it did for Steve. His father’s XP Falcon station wagon was the culprit — that and growing up across the ditch in the small New South Wales town of Tumut, where old Aussie steel was the only thing you’d see all day, every day. Having built a life for himself here in New Zealand and raised kids of his own, his “very understanding” wife, Kirstin, suggested buying a project car so that he could relive his younger days. Why not? he thought. With the gleam of nostalgia in his eyes, there…

Since we featured Justin Walker’s tough Ford Falcon Sprint, the car has gone on to run a best of 8.33 seconds at 167mph. With the drag racing bug having well and truly bitten, it’s no surprise that Justin’s now keen to see if he can push the car even quicker. To do that, he’s partnered with Haltech, which will see the car fitted with a new EFI system to replace the old BigStuff3 set-up. The Haltech R5 ECU will be linked to new dual wide-band sensors and thermocouples in each exhaust bank to enable precise tuning. Data from the system will be displayed on a Haltech UC10 digital dash, mounted behind a new MPI steering wheel. The finishing touch? A Motion Raceworks shifter controlled directly by the ECU. With the…

If there’s one thing you can bank on with the Aeroflow funny car team, it’s that things never stand still. And it certainly feels like things come in waves. After an outstanding Winter Nationals for the team, we had a few weeks of servicing and consolidating after what had been a very busy few months of racing all over Australia. The boys had all the cars serviced and ready to go for what was due to be another busy stretch. First up was the grand final of the National Drag Racing Championship (NDRC) XPro Funny Car Championship. Basically, all we needed to do was complete the first part of the event, and the championship was won. But anyone who knows me would understand that things can never be that simple.…

As you can see, this 1972 Plymouth Road Runner looks a bit different to your usual NZV8 feature car. It’s not on modern 18-inch wheels, the body is still factory original, and it doesn’t have four turbos sticking through the bonnet. That’s not a good or a bad thing, of course; it’s just different. And I want to see what you good buggers reading this think if we change tack a little every once in a while to show a slightly different slice of the muscle car scene that New Zealand has to offer. Hidden away in sheds all over the country, there are some very special V8s of all types — be it rare and original special models, builds with crazy engines, or cars with historic stories. Covering the…

JOSHUA BENTHAM 1958 FC SPECIAL, 1964 EH SPECIAL, 1964 EH PREMIER, 1965 HD SPECIAL LOCATION: CHRISTCHURCHS Some people dip their toes into classic car life. Joshua Bentham cannonballed into it — dragging his wife along for the ride, and possibly the real-estate agent too. What started as a single EH Holden has now grown into a four-strong fleet of Aussie-built straight-six classics … and yes, there’s not a V8 in sight. Shocking, we know. The obsession kicked off in October 2014, the very weekend after Joshua and his wife tied the knot. While most newlyweds are sipping cocktails in the tropics, these two were signing the papers on a 1964 EH Special. Romantic? Arguably. Practical? Absolutely not. By early 2015, the EH was off the road getting tidied up. Come…

KING SPRINGS King Springs are Australia’s leading manufacturer of high-performance 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, ride height, and load capacity across a wide range of vehicles — from 4WDs and utes to performance and passenger cars. Easy to pair with KYB or OEM shocks, they’re a go-to solution for reliable, high-quality suspension upgrades that deliver proven performance and customer satisfaction. Kings Springs are available through Mount Shop REPLACEMENT HEI TYPE DISTRIBUTORS Available now at Rare Spares: DA1001 HOLDEN HR-WB, VB-VK, LC-UC 186 202 6CYL DA1002 HOLDEN HT-WB, VB-VK, LH-LX 253 308 V8 DA1003 COMMODORE VN – VP…

In past years, it’s been difficult to find positive news for us V8 lovers, what with emissions standards and the big electric vehicle (EV) push closing in on us and all. However, for a variety of reasons, the tide seems to be slowly turning the other way. One of the latest petrol-positive updates is that Dodge has brought its Hemi V8 back, starting in the Dodge Durango. A rumour going around the industry is that Dodge may end up bringing the V8 back to their Charger, which would make good sense. There’s a lot going on at Dodge currently; according to Bloomberg, Stellantis — the somewhat chaotic parent company of Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep — is investing a massive US$10 billion into its American manufacturing operations, with part of that…

31 October – 2 November 2 Waiheke Rod & Custom Club’s 20th Anniversary Paeroa Waiheke Rod & Custom is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a rod run weekend in and around Paeroa, avoiding the ferry costs to Waiheke Island. The Ohinemuri Club will host the festivities, starting with a meet and greet on Friday. Saturday’s activities include a car park show, rod run with shed visits, and a social gathering. The weekend concludes with a run to the Taupiri Swap Meet on Sunday. This event is open to all past and current club members, as well as other hot rodders. For further details, contact Dave Whiting on 027 428 0033 or email dave.giem@hotmail.com. 27–30 November Capital Cruise Trentham, Upper Hutt, Wellington The brand-new Capital Cruise event is rolling in fast…

There’s a Kiwi institution that takes place on Father’s Day, and we’re not talking about pretending to be happy with some very average artwork and a breakfast that, frankly, could have been better. We’re talking drag racing; specifically, of the quick street car kind. The annual Petrolhead Father’s Day Drags has been the place to race your street car for as long as we can remember. Of course, there are a few entry criteria that must be met. The big one is that cars competing must be factory V8 powered or available as a V8 option. So, you’re not likely to see any turbocharged fourbangers or rotaries out on the hallowed ground of Napa Auto Parts Dragway. THE CARS COMPETING MUST BE FACTORY V8-POWERED OR AVAILABLE AS A V8 OPTION…

We recently highlighted the success of Steve ‘Cowboy’ Carlsen in his pro-mod Ford Falcon Sprint while racing in Australia. Since then, it’s been nothing short of a wild ride — literally. During practice at Willowbank Raceway, the car took a massive hit to the front righthand corner, putting the campaign in serious jeopardy. While Steve was sent to hospital for a precautionary check-up, the crew wasted no time rallying behind the dream. The damaged Falcon was quickly transported to Pro Chassis & Fabrication, where business owner Josh, with help from Kiwi fabricator Bronson Dunne, got to work on the rebuild. After a month of relentless effort, the car was back on its feet and ready for testing at Sydney Dragway. From there, it was off to The Bend Motorsport Park…

THE QUESTION … I was having a beer with a few hot rod mates recently, and we got into a conversation and a question about hot rods. It was a simple question, and — unusually when such personal things as taste and style come into it — we all landed on the same simple answer. So, I thought I’d ask you the same question. Here it is: What is, across our national hot rodding and drag racing scene, from the beginning of hot rod time to now, New Zealand’s best-known hot rod? To me (as it was to my mates that day), if you measure ‘best-known hot rod’ by style, performance, quality, impact, notoriety, and longevity, the conversation really becomes something of a non-contestable contest. THE ANSWER … The answer, of…

It’s not easy hosting a motorsport event in winter; it’s always a dice roll as to how the weather will pan out and what its effects might be. This year’s Chrome Horsepower Festival was no exception, with the Meremere Dragway portion of the event being rained off because the unrelenting wet weather had turned the place into a bog. Aside from this bad news and the tricky weather, the team at Premier Events did their best to shuffle a few things around and make up for what was lost at Meremere. The weird thing is, most of the weather for the days when the event actually happened was pretty bloody good, letting everyone not affected by this change enjoy the event as usual. Over the years, regardless of its winter…

SHARP SHOOTER CUDA If you’ve watched Sky Speed any time within the past months, you may have seen Dean Hewetson’s Plymouth Cuda sitting in the background at Racelab, where they often film. Full details on this are rather coy for now, buthere are the basics: it features an ex-drag-strip-prepped RB500 big block Chrysler V8 built by Ray Barton Racing Engines, running a mechanical flat-tappet cam, and Holley Sniper EFI, among many other things. It’s equipped with a beautiful billet-machined serpentine belt system, which fits in with the shine of the rest of the car perfectly. Because he’s not aiming to race it, Dean is keeping this Cuda’s suspension largely original to retain a similar road feel to what it came with from the factory. Brakes, however, have been upgraded to…