Tabla de contenidos para No 210 November 2022 en NZV8

As the editor of NZV8, with three issues under my belt, I can assure you that a lot more goes into producing this magazine each month than you might realise. At times, there is a continual stream of events, features, cars, and columns to plan and write about. The weather and time management would have to be the two major challenges I usually face. Since my kick-ass contributors typically work during the week, photo shoots are scheduled only at weekends. If a shoot is scheduled for a Saturday or Sunday and it’s raining, it will be moved to the following weekend, which can cause tight deadlines because every photo shoot must still go through our design and proofing process. You can start to see how the weather can affect the…

A few years back, it would have been unbelievable, but Ford has published details of the soon-to-land Mustang Mach-E, a fully electric SUV wearing the Mustang name. The Mach-E’s only resemblance to the pony cars is the name and badging — which are no doubt being used for the marketing appeal. Three different sub-models are set to go on sale locally in early 2023, including one rear-wheel drive and two all-wheel drive variants. More details will be released closer to the time, but with 80 per cent of Mustang Mach-E customers globally having moved from other car brands to join Ford in its electric transformation, we wouldn’t expect traditional Mustang owners to be queuing up. The cars have proven popular, though, having globally outsold the petrol-powered Mustang by a factor…

The Howick Village Hop Saturday, 15 October 8.30am to 8.30pm, Picton Street, Howick, Auckland Picton Street will be closed to showcase an exciting array of hot rods, classic cars, retro caravans, rock and roll music, entertainment, pub brunches, trade displays, and the iconic Saturday farmers’ market. Get your vintage on, this is an event not to be missed. All registrations from the cancelled September 2021 will carry over to this new date in 2022. Goody bag for each registered participant. Contact: manager@howickvillage.co.nz. Stragglers Rod and Kustom Charity Car Show Sunday, 30 October 9am to 2pm, Lake Karapiro After the cancellation of last year’s show, the Stragglers Club is looking forward to hosting its popular kustom and classic display and family fun day. The show runs from 9am to 2pm and…

We’ve seen some cars with fascinating histories on these pages, but the story about how this 2007 Mustang came to be is definitely one of the more interesting ones. Its connection to New Zealand began in 2010 when multi-cover car owner Matt Jukic was living in Las Vegas, and having sold his pro-street Commodore ute, he decided it was time to build something different. When the partially built Mustang came up for grabs, he decided to make it his. When back in New Zealand, he made some progress on the build before deciding it wasn’t really him, and put it up for sale. Long-time Mustang fan and owner of CRC Speedshow Ross Prevette and business partner Stu Herron saw it and took over the reins. While the first workshop they…

Springmount Raceway up in Cairns was Sour next stop. This time, it was back in ‘One Bad Kiwi’ for some Aeroflow Outlaw Nitro Funny Cars racing. Springmount is always a fun track to race at, but it is very, very tricky, as the groove is really narrow and the track is generally slick, since it doesn’t get much traffic on it in the lead-up to this event. But for whatever reason, it’s always fun. We have had a fair bit of success up here; it was where we got our first podium, and the last two times in far north Queensland, it was us and ‘Nitro Express’ leading the fields in speed and ETs. It had been well over a year since I had driven One Bad Kiwi, but I…

It seems like my mental health column a couple of issues ago — September, issue 208 — struck a positive chord with a lot of readers. In fact, in my 25 years of writing, never before has one piece of text generated so much positive feedback. What was important with this one was how people could relate to it themselves. That was pretty cool, with calls and emails thanking me for speaking out. I am no mental health professional but it sure helps to talk about it to others. A lot of people are dealing with some sort of struggle, whether it’s health or career or perhaps relationship. Much of the time it’s something out of their control, such as the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes and the various floods…

Being a product of the 1980s himself, it should be no surprise that Ben Martin is into ’80s cars. With him being born and raised in Upper Hutt — well, of course, that ’80s obsession would be focused on Falcons. However, there’s a bit more to the story of how Ben ended up wanting to own an XD, XE, or XF sedan. “Ever since I was a kid,” he explains, “I have had an obsession with cars, and in my family Ford was the choice for my father and his brothers. You could say the brand was in my blood, and, as much as I liked the thought of building a ’67 Mercury Cougar, there was not much in the price range I wanted to spend. I had fond memories…

It’s hard to beat a well-built F100, especially when it’s tubbed and packing LSA power. That’s exactly what Andrew and Melissa Coughlin have in the works currently, and, as you can see, it’s shaping up to be epic. Having always wanted a ’56 F100, the pair imported the truck from California in December 2016, with the intention of turning it into something amazing. That meant doing it once and doing it right. With that mindset, Graeme Kidd was tasked with building a chassis that utilises a Chev Monte Carlo front suspension and steering set-up, and that wraps around the massive custom-built Boze Alloys wheels. QA1 coilovers and a four-link take care of the ride height in the rear, while a Strange diff filled with 32-spline axles and capped with four-pot…

XAIR MR. BODYKITS To get a better-than-standard appearance for your V8 or V6 Commodore, XAIR Performance Mr. Bodykits products are the way to go. All of the OEM injection-moulded plastic components — including Maloo-style side skirts, front splitters, boot spoilers, and bumper extensions — are made to factory specifications. For more information or pricing, phone XAIR on 0800 924 ubbed KA792, or visit www.xairperformance.co.nz/body-kits-bonnets/. AUSSIE HEATING SOLUTIONS Falcon heater taps — a part that typically fails in older Australian Falcons — are available again, so those of you who have been shivering in winter or cooking in summer can now get some relief. Fresh off back order, taps are now available for: XR–XT Falcons and ZA–ZB Ford Fairlanes — part number: HT2000 XW–XY Falcons and ZC–ZD Ford Fairlanes — part…

The next generation Dodge Charger Super Bee is the second of what Dodge is calling ‘Last Call’ editions. The name signifies the end of the Hemi-powered weapons we love, as the brand transitions to a greener future. The Super Bee name will evoke plenty of emotion from those that know what the name means. As for the Bees of yesteryear, the title signifies that the model is the highest performance Charger on offer. The Super Bee name became legendary back in 1968 and was last used in 2012, although the 2023 version features little resemblance. The cars will come from the factory on drag radials, complete with adaptive damping suspension that includes ‘Drag Mode’. As you’d expect, that SRT hood isn’t just for looks but is functional to allow air…

If you’re a fan of the cars and action you see in the pages of NZV8 magazine, then chances are you’re also a fan of Repco Muscle Garage. The weekly TV show brings you the very best of NZV8, including interviews, workshop profiles, the cars, and a look into various sheds around the country. Thanks to sponsors Repco New Zealand, Meguiar’s, Rislone, and Mount Shop Ltd, Season 11 will kick off on Three on Sunday, 16 October, as part of the CRC Motorsport line-up. With 10 shows in the series, there’s plenty of action to satisfy even the most die-hard of V8 enthusiasts. As always, if you’re too busy to catch the action on Sunday afternoons, episodes will be uploaded to The Motorhood soon after they’ve aired and will be…

At the age of 12, and home from school watching TV, Carl Bullivant came across a movie that changed his life: Vanishing Point. He knew then and there that he had to have that car. Nine years later, when Carl had his licence and some funds to make it happen, he started searching for Challengers. Within six months, he managed to track down a car on an online classifieds page. Listed in its small for-sale section was an advert with no photos, which simply read: “For sale: ’70 Challenger R/T, white, numbers matching, 440 and auto, Paraparaumu”. Carl couldn’t dial the contact number fast enough. A white R/T and within 30 minutes’ drive from home? Almost a sign. The seller explained that he had just listed it and had several…

Wairarapa’s Johnny Burkhart isn’t someone to do things by halves, so when he sold his Plymouth Cuda, it was only going to be a matter of time before he returned with something bigger and better. Johnny has had that bigger and better replacement in his possession for a while now, but it’s only just been made public — and has it been worth the wait! The car is based on a 2010 Jerry Bickel-built chassis with a very swoopy ’70 Plymouth Duster body draped over the top. As we’ve come to expect from Johnny, the car looks amazing, thanks in part to a new vinyl wrap by Visual Industrie. Things are equally impressive under the composite body, with a 451ci BAE Hemi engine taking the space between the rails. Topped…

Build it and they’ll come — most of you will have heard that statement before and likened it to racers and spectators. However, in the case of drag strips, it actually relates to clouds, lots of them, and they generally bear moisture. You could build a drag strip in the middle of the desert and fix a 10-year drought — all you have to do is announce your race date six months in advance. In fact, I have been to Qatar — 50 degrees in summer — and it has rained at the drag strip without a speck on the weather radar. Alice Springs, in the centre of Australia, just hosted its biggest event of the year — and, you guessed it, rain affected proceedings. So, when little old New…

1972 CHEVROLET BLAZER @SAMYFRSH Not the ideal New Zealand machine, but man, a topless Blazer sure would be a cool summer ride. This beast is rolling on a custom chassis with air suspension managed by Accuair to get that stance perfect. Power is via a Whipple-assisted LS3 and then controlled by a 4L80 transmission. Rolling stock are Forgeline wheels with a custom centre lock conversion kit that houses Baer brakes to haul it to a stop. 1969 CHEVROLET CAMARO @LAKESIDESPEEDANDSHINE The key opponent to any build these days is an accurate rendering, and the crew at Lakeside Speed Shine have done just that. Cars By Kris whipped up this awesome Camaro concept for them to draw inspiration from. With a Roadster Shop chassis and plenty of carbon fibre from Anvil, you know…

We thought we’d heard the last of the Covid builds, but there are a couple more out there. Brendon Day is one of those with a unique ride that goes from mild to wild in a dramatic way. Sourcing his 2010 SSV Holden Commodore Ute to have some fun with and build up to become a car he could take to the forever-growing car events around New Zealand. With the pandemic putting a halt to the country and a four-week lockdown, Brendon took the opportunity to start bouncing ideas around with his friends. The first plan was to make the stock-looking ute his own by personalising it. The idea of paint versus wrapping came up, and choosing a colour for your car is usually a difficult decision, so with a…

Andrew Harrison’s XA Falcon is yet another fine example of the quality work to come from Wellington’s Llama Engineering. Having owned the car for five years and spent the past three of them building it — and having Llama take over and finish it — Andrew’s intended duties for the XA Falcon are straightforward: sweet cruiser, a few events here and there, and the ability to spark up the rear tyres if necessary. Under the hood is a 351ci Windsor based on a Dart block and stroked to 427ci. This is backed by a C4 transmission with a 3000 high stall and a built nine-inch diff. The guards are filled with 20-inch Simmons B-45 wheels, with Wilwood’s braking goodness all around. Andrew tells us that the car will be attending…

Kiwi motorsport icon Greg Murphy is among a raft of new appointments at the quickly expanding group of New Zealand businesses now owned by motorsport entrepreneur Tony Quinn. Murph, who was already a part of the Quinn-owned Hampton Downs NZ Racing Academy and the Tony Quinn Foundation, was recently appointed as the new motorsport manager at the Taupo, Highlands, and Hampton Downs motorsport parks, which are owned by Quinn. In the role, Murph will work closely with Quinn, Group CEO Josie Spillane, and each circuit’s team to develop their strategic motorsport plan — something that will be good for racers of all levels. “My role is very much to support the teams that already exist at the Taupo, Highlands, and Hamptons tracks on a consultancy basis to develop a motorsport…

After a forced cancellation in 2022, Cruise Martinborough has announced that things are on track for the 2023 running of the event. Set to take place in South Wairarapa from 26–29 January, Cruise Martinborough has become the go-to lower North Island event. With almost all 2022 entrants electing to transfer their entry to the 2023 event, there are fewer than 100 places still available. Event organiser Damien Pivac says, “The schedule has had slight changes as we do each year or from time to time. We will head back to the Gladstone Inn for a riverside lunch, the drive-in movie is back, and the town square in Martinborough is our home for Saturday once again.” That’s on top of all the usual Cruise Marti features, such as plenty of cruising…

A few months back we mentioned Deane Wald was prepared to sell his long-term project Austin A40. The reason is now clear. With the build of the A40 taking so long, Deane’s racing ambitions and his idea of what constitutes a good car have evolved. That meant that when the swoopy fibreglass body from the former Wayne Yearbury Studebaker top doorslammer came up for sale, he grabbed it. Obviously, the long and low body wasn’t going to fit over the A40 chassis, so Deane set his sights on the Aussie market, managing to find a perfect rolling chassis to throw under it. The full chromoly set-up came complete with Strange front struts and brakes along with spindle-mount wheels with the perfect wheelbase for the body. The rear end is equally…

The first incarnation of Baloo was built by Peter and the boys, following much scrutinising of hot rod magazines and that old adage — if it looks right, it will be. Unfortunately, this wasn’t always the case. They acquired the steel body of a 1938 Fiat Topolino from Dargaville, courtesy of Pete’s flatmate, Doug, who knew the Fiat’s owners. It wasn’t in the greatest condition and would require major surgery to remove the rust that had invaded its core. Because of this, that first body was quickly thrown out as it was too far gone, and another complete car was purchased in Beach Haven, with a new (1948) steel body sourced from a gentleman in the area who had just restored the car. Pete only wanted the body, but on…

If you’ve been involved in the Auckland car scene at any time in the past 20 or so years, there’s a high chance you’ll know of Eric van Gilse’s ’70 Chevelle SS. Eric’s a regular at events around the district, can occasionally be seen down at Meremere Dragway, and is often found at Beach Hop. His love affair with all things V8 goes back to when he was at high school. He reminisces: “One street over from our house was a stunning HT Monaro that was jaw-dropping as far as I was concerned. I knew then that I wanted something like it one day.” That journey to ownership started in the mid ’80s when Eric bought his first V8. “It was a Holden HT ute running a 253. It was…

If you’re a touch sick and twisted like us, then chances are you follow all sorts of oddball social media accounts, one of those being Safari All The Cars. It’s a goldmine of fellow sickos who feel the need to lift vehicles and add offroad tyres to them, no matter what they are. Be it Toyota Priuses, Mustangs, Astro Vans, or even stretched limos. God bless America and their love of anything redneck. A couple of Wellington-based mates who follow it had dreams of getting something of their own to Safari. The chances of building anything road legal were slim because that would require money, but building something the kids could rock around in the front paddock, or that could pull laps around Muscle Car Madness, was doable on a…

Approximately 12 months ago, a long-term customer of Auckland’s Strange Workshop brought his 2007 Jaguar XK in for some maintenance. The team at Strange found that the 4.2-litre V8 engine in the XK had blown head gaskets and was also down on cylinder compression. After three months and two failed attempts at securing a replacement engine — because of the poor compression results — they managed to find a brand-new engine. They waited another four months for it to arrive, only to find out they had been supplied with a 4WD Range Rover engine that was not compatible without some serious money being spent on top of an already expensive engine. So, after some reassessing of life choices and many conversations about options, the engine was returned and a six-litre…

There must be something in the water in Katikati, as not only has Henry’s Rod Shop performed plenty of work on this issue’s cover car, but the team are also deep into the build of another white Dodge Challenger. The ’70 Challenger belongs to Cole Glasgow and the Henry’s team are busy installing a 797hp Hellcat engine and eight-speed auto gearbox. As if that power isn’t enough, work is under way to wind it up close to a four-digit output. To cope with the power of the supercharged Hemi, a custom nine-inch diff has been built, complete with 35-spline axles. Making it all fit has required the transmission tunnel to be raised, but the plan is to keep the outside looking stock. That means hiding four-pot Wilwood calipers behind the…