Table of contents for No 223 September - October 2024 in NZV8

2019 was the last time I had my car certified, and like many, I decided it needed more mods, making it not so ‘certed’ anymore — laughs. As mentioned, it has been five years since its last cert, and even though I still took it out to the odd event — “You bad man” — it’s only been in the last couple of months that I actually decided I’m done with the customisations and ready to make it legal again. Leading up to it, there were a few things I had done wrong that I needed to revert. Being too low was the main one, and with the recent engine bay shave, there were a few things to get ready for the day, which, to be fair, had me a…

From 18 to 22 September, Kaikoura will once again host the Kaikoura Hop 2024, an exciting event for car lovers and families alike. This year’s western theme brings added flair to the seaside town, with activities set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Kaikoura Ranges. Kicking off on Wednesday with the Rest Home Run and Early Bird Quiz, the event will continue with the Car Park Car Show, Scavenger Hunt, Shed Tour, and Drive-In Movie on Thursday. Friday will feature a poker run and the lively Friday Night Cruise parade. The main car show on Saturday promises to be a highlight, followed by the Rock N Roll Dance in the evening. The festivities will conclude on Sunday with a farewell breakfast. Expect a variety of trophies, Repco prize packs, New…

Having watched and been involved in the build of his son Ryan’s LS3 VK Commodore, which we featured in Issue No. 172, dad Mark Jarmey decided that he needed a project of his own so that he could see first-hand what all the fuss was about. Boy, was he in for a journey! Before long, Mark had located a perfect vehicle to create his subtle street cruiser: a low-mileage, New Zealand–assembled, luxury-for-its-day VK Commodore Royale, complete with a 202 in-line six and a stick shift (not that either of those would last long). A small list was made — the Commodore would receive a later-model fuel-injected, 304-cube Iron Lion V8, a T5 manual transmission, and a general tidy-up. Mark should be cruising the streets by lunchtime … easy as! However,…

The Chrome Horsepower Festival 2024 at Hampton Downs was nothing short of spectacular. Held from 2 to 4 August, the festival transformed the motorsport park into a mecca for car enthusiasts, offering a packed schedule of events and activities that kept the excitement levels sky-high. From roll in and scrutineering on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was electric. Cars of all makes and models rolled in, their owners eager to show off their pride and joy on the track. The diverse line-up included everything from classic muscle cars and street machines to highly tuned imports and custom builds. The festival truly embraced the ’run what you brung’ ethos, allowing anyone with a passion for cars to join in the fun. THE FESTIVAL TRULY EMBRACED THE ‘RUN WHAT YOU BRUNG’ ETHOS Friday’s…

Since the last issue of the Burnout Files, there Shas not been a lot on the calendar burnout-wise; however, we have been busy in the garage trying to make things happen! I have been plodding along as best I can on the Escort with a goal to have it running for the Chrome Horsepower Festival Burnout Comp, which, if it’s anything like last year’s event, will be one of the highlights of the New Zealand burnout calendar. After countless amounts of burnouts, popped tyres, a mix of ethanol- and rubber-induced fires, NUTOUT was looking like it had been through absolute hell! The team at Delta J Panel and Paint have given her a complete body and paint overhaul and she looks amazing! Having made the decision to get the Escort…

There is no doubt that, when it comes to the rebuild of our cars, many of us probably have a story just like Chris Davison’s, and we bet there are a few with more than one story. Many start off with simple plans, of giving the car a quick tidy up, just to make it a well-presented and reliable ride, but once the hard graft begins, things can soon spiral out of control. Chris began his life in the world of automotive creations around the age of 13. Coming from a farming background, he has fond memories of looking over his dad’s shoulder when he was performing repairs on the farm vehicles, and helping out where he could. That lit the flame that saw him take up an apprenticeship as…

Vapour blasting, also known as wet blasting, has been steadily gaining traction in the automotive world. It’s not just a fad but a genuine game-changer for those who take pride in their vehicle restorations. Whether you’re an enthusiast restoring a classic or a professional working in the industry, understanding vapour blasting’s ins and outs can help you decide if it’s right for your next project, either alongside or in place of other dry blasting techniques. At its core, vapour blasting involves mixing abrasive media with water to clean and polish surfaces. Unlike traditional dry blasting, which uses air to propel the abrasive media, vapour blasting incorporates water, creating a slurry that is more gentle yet highly effective. This method is particularly useful for cleaning and finishing surfaces without causing damage…

As a specialised boutique restorer for race and collectible cars, Evolution Motorsport has garnered an extensive client list from around the world thanks to their attention to detail and extensive experience; we spoke to owner Rick Michels to find out where and how vapour blasting can be used in the restoration process. A premier motorsport and restoration business specialising in classic race car and road car restoration, Evolution Motorsport has been a significant player in the national race car industry since the early 1990s. Their reputation has grown through word of mouth, with clients entrusting them with projects of all levels, and their experience in race car preparation and competition makes them a trusted name in the industry. They are a familiar presence at race circuits nationwide, where you may…

WHERE IS IT NOW? BARRY PLUMPTON — HQ HOLDEN Barry Plumpton’s name is a familiar one on these pages, but in recent times that’s more to do with his drag racing exploits. Rewind a decade ago, and he was just ramping things up, starting with his wild HQ street car. At the time, the car had run deep into the nines, but went on to run into the eight-second zone with a best of 8.83 at 147mph. From there, the racing bug well and truly took hold, and Barry raced his Chev Monte Carlo around the country, winning multiple national titles before turning to Top Doorslammer. Behind the wheel of his mountain motor nitrous-assisted ’68 Camaro, he became the first person to run a five-second pass in a door car…

Get ready for the Repco Takapuna Rocks 2024 Car & Bike Show, happening on Saturday, 9 November, at Takapuna Beach. This annual event is set to draw classic car enthusiasts from all over the country to the beautiful beachside hub of Takapuna. Locals and visitors alike will join in the family fun, with countless options for food and refreshments. The show features an impressive array of vintage, classic, and custom cars, as well as motorcycles. If you have a vehicle of interest, you can register it on the event website. In addition to the vehicles, the event offers live performances from bands like The Rocking Roller Coasters, The Backbeat 60s, and The Recliner Rockers. The scenic beachside location provides the perfect backdrop for a day filled with automotive admiration, good…

Since its creation in 2016, AutoFest has always marched to the beat of its own drum, and you can expect nothing less when it returns to NAPA Auto Parts Dragway and Hampton Downs from 18–20 October. From the time entrants are welcomed into what can only be described as a village to the time they depart on Sunday, entrants and spectators can expect a high-octane blend of activities drawing from its creators’ passion and desire to bring together all their favourite event experiences over the years. Starting with a night cruise on Friday evening — which is open to all makes and models, ensuring that everyone can join in the fun and providing an open-road chance to view the cars on the move — entrants begin a full weekend featuring…

As far as car communities go, New Zealand is absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to events. Whether you drive a hot rod or muscle car, grandad’s hand-me-down vintage, or even a radically built Skyline, throughout the year, somewhere in this country of ours, a team of volunteers put on an event that caters for your class of vehicle. For some enthusiasts, that may mean finding a spot at a show to park up and relax while the general public wander around admiring all the tin on show. For others, driving is their thing, getting behind the wheel and putting it through its paces after all the blood, sweat, and tears put into creating their choice of ride. ANYTHING WITH CHROME BUMPERS AND V8S And then we get those…

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With a passion for all-things hot rodding Wand a regular at Meremere dragstrip, Kev’s dreamcatcher was all blocked up with California — the worldwide cultural epicentre of hot rodding and drag racing — not to mention BMXs, skateboarding, and a bunch of great music scenes and subcultures. Rather than sit on his date hole suckin’ on a big ol’ Lion Red, Kev bought a one-way ticket out of South Auckland and headed to Los Angeles. He got work, met a cute girl from Santa Barbara, had a family, and continued living and breathing the American hot rod dream. A talented fabricator, a swap-meet addict (believe me, you have to see people at this level in action and study the moves to truly appreciate the strategies involved to get the good…

Timaru is a port city situated in south Canterbury. Just north of the main port facilities is the very popular recreational area of Caroline Bay, a beautiful sandy beach backed by a huge domain. The area is popular all year round with walkers, and the beach is enjoyed by thousands over the summer, as well as being the home of the popular Caroline Bay Carnival over the Christmas and New Year period. Another event that uses the bay as its chosen location is the Caroline Bay Rock & Hop, which has become one of the most popular events on the classic car calendar in the South Island. Organised by the great folks at Hospice South Canterbury and their team of volunteers, the Rock & Hop is not only an essential…

Central Blast is NZ’s largest vapour blasting specialist for surface restoration; we talk to owner Joel Oswald about the advantages of vapour blasting and debunk the misconception that vapour blasting is for small engine-type items only, with a focus on how it can be used in mobile set-ups. When people think about vapour blasting, they often think of a blast cabinet that restores engine parts to brand new. However, while it provides exceptional cabinet-based results on all types of smaller and precision components like engine parts, vapour blasting is not restricted by the size of the object being treated in any way. With their fully self-contained mobile trucks and 40-plus metres of hose, Central Blast can vapour blast pretty much anything, anywhere. Not only does Central Blast strip paint, rust,…

Autoblast has been a cornerstone in the vehicle restoration industry for over 20 years, with expertise in media blasting, specialising in underbody restorations, rustproofing, and vehicle shell stripping. We talk to business owner Dave Kirkham about the applications and processes where dry media blasting may be advantageous over wet-blasting techniques as well as getting more detail on when vapour blasting can be appropriate as part of the restoration process. Media blasting is a method of removing contaminants or coatings from a surface, while adjusting the substrate’s profile to meet specific coating requirements. Autoblast primarily uses garnet as its blasting media. The flexibility in the grade or fineness of the media allows for precise adjustments to achieve the desired results. For instance, many epoxy coatings perform optimally with a 50-micron etch,…

NZV8: Hey, Mike, great to catch up. We see that you’ve been travelling around Australasia teaching people to make bead-rolled art. That’s not the usual use for tools like that; how did it all begin? Mike Mason (MM): It all started from buying my first bead roller from Machinery House in Auckland. I had done some art as birthday presents and that kind of stuff. But it evolved into wanting to do it at home. And that’s when I bought the machine and started up the Instagram page MetallicartNZ. My posts caught the attention of Rick Foster, the general manager for Hare & Forbes Machinery House in Australia, which is a sister company of Machinery House in New Zealand. Rick saw the tool being used for something other than what it…

Work has officially begun on the highly anticipated Stratford Park Motorsport project in Taranaki. This development promises to be a major boost for motorsport enthusiasts and the local economy. The project will feature a state-of-the-art racing circuit designed to host a variety of motorsport events, from grass-roots to professional levels. The facility will not only cater to motorsport activities but also include amenities for community use, making it a versatile venue. The project aims to attract visitors and participants from across New Zealand, further establishing Stratford as a hub for motorsport. With construction now underway, the local community eagerly anticipates the project’s completion and the opportunities it will bring.…

Having sold his tough pro-street Falcon Sprint about 15 years ago, Justin Walker always intended to buy another — he just never imagined it to be this one. Thankfully, through the right mix of circumstances, he ended up being in the right place at the right time and was able to land a deal with the owner, who wasn’t quite sure if he was ready to sell. Despite the rarity of ’65 Falcon Sprints, the transaction didn’t take place overseas but right here in New Zealand, as it had been imported by fellow serial cool car owner Dennis Beaver a few years prior. Dennis had purchased it purely as a race car, after it had run countless low eight-second passes abroad. He continued with that tradition here, running a best…

Well, it doesn’t get much better than the Winternationals. There is no bigger event in drag racing outside the US. Saying we look forward to it every year is an understatement. Those who read my last column will know that, two weeks before the Winternationals, we ran four Big Show nitro funny cars out of our race team. Anyone who knows nitro racing knows how much work that means, and not only did we have four cars and parts to service, but after the incident with the Xpro by Aeroflow car hitting the wall, we also had a body to get mounted, wrapped, and ready to go. Well, in what I can only describe as one of my proudest moments as part of this team, between our full-time staff and…

In the last issue of NZV8, I had a bit of a rant about the thinking and behaviour of our more recent generations, and how at odds it all is with the way in which most of us over 50 view things. I always worry a bit when I stray off the car subject — this is, after all, a car magazine — but feedback suggests that a lot of NZV8 readers share my concerns that society seems to be going to hell in a handcart. Certainly, my experience these days is that I can’t have a chat over a beer with a mate without the conversation turning to frustration about the direction that the next generations (not-my-generation) are dragging us towards; whether it be about their woke, entitled, and…

ENTER HERE! To go in the draw to win scan the QR or visit nzv8.co.nz/winmeguiars24 $3600 WORTH OF CAR CARE KITS TO BE WON! Enter now for your chance to win one of six awesome Meguiar’s car care kits, valued at over $600 each! Each kit is packed with a range of premium products designed to clean and protect your ride. To enter, simply scan the QR code or visit nzv8.co.nz/winmeguiars24 and submit your details. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to give your car the care it deserves. Hurry, competition closes on Sunday, 27 October. Enter now and get ready to treat your car to Meguiar’s premium car care products! Terms and conditions: Competition open to New Zealand residents only, and prizes are deliverable to New Zealand addresses only.…

Fourteen cars made the journey to Taupō for round five of seven as part of the HRC Great Lake event held in the third week of March. The summer break gave the drivers and teams time to tweak their machines ahead of this round. The meeting also gave them a chance to test out the recently resurfaced areas of the Taupō circuit ahead of the Supercars round in April. Rodney Heads spent the break making adjustments to the rear of his car, searching for better rear grip and drive for his Torana. Kayton Coughey stripped his Holden back and gave it a new striking paint scheme, along with adding composite front guards to help lighten the car. The round also saw a return of regular driver Tony Galbraith in his…

SUPERPRO SuperPro is an innovative Australian manufacturer of automotive polyurethane suspension bushings, control arms, sway bars and other suspension components for both 4x4 and performance vehicles. Engineered to outperform, SuperPro’s specially formulated, high-quality components are designed to create suspension solutions for better stability, handling and control in both on- and off-road applications. Superpro is available through Mount Shop. COMMODORE VT-VY LS CONVERSION FOR V6 K FRAMES! Introducing Tuff Mounts’ newest product: Commodore VT-VY LS Conversion for V6 K frames! Experience a hassle-free upgrade with our bolt-up fitment, requiring no modifications. Whether you need engine mounts or a complete conversion kit, they are now available!. Find our latest release at Rare Spares NZ, Mount Shop, or conveniently order online at www.tuffmounts.com.au. Upgrade your Commodore VT-VY with ease and precision! AEROFLOW PRO…

1967 CHEVROLET C10 @RBUILDSS Clean trucks seem to be taking over lately, and this C10 build is another great example. Subtle stance and handling advancements using components from Classic Performance Products (CPP) got the job done, while the braking was also taken care of at the same time. Vannatta Fabrication was called on for the engine bay panelling, which was assembled around a Texas Speed engine combination. Some custom wheels via Bonspeed finished the build. 1972 CHEVROLET CHEVELLE @ALPHA.CHASSIS Man, these Chevelles just look so good and still seem undervalued in the market. This ’72 example just shows what can be done with some simple enhancements. Speedtech Performance suspension components have been installed, along with Wilwood brakes that are covered in a staggered wheel set-up via American Racing Wheels. Power is…