Custom car builders from all over converge on Motown (Detroit) each year for the fabled Detroit Autorama hot rod show. It showcases the very best examples of their craft, competing for the show’s supreme award, the coveted Ridler Trophy. This year, t

First up is Ivan and Julie Webster’s 1967 Chevrolet Camaro, one of two examples that gleam in their garage. This one was restored some years ago and still looks fresh. The couple scored a top-10 finish with the Camaro at the 2024 Cromwell Classic Car

Send your letters to editor@classiccar.co.nz We recently received this letter from a member of the Aussie Invader Team, Mark Read. Mark is the author of a book about the racing career of the team’s Rosco McGlashan, who raced at Mermere Drag Strip and

Of course, there are many others as well, all riding on the coattails of the extraordinary thirst for nostalgia. But, despite the crowds that gather to bask in yesteryear, watching old racing cars isn’t for every fan of the sport. Take my mate Terry.

Ford had been enviously watching the runaway motor sport success of the Mini on racetracks and rallies, and how its close association with motor sport, such as constructor John Cooper, created spinoff models with healthy market results around the wor

Trust committee chairperson Jeremy Smith said that the atmosphere was “absolutely amazing” as thousands flocked to Napier over four days from 15 February, enjoying warm weather with a chance to dress up in period and kick up their heels. The city’s A

In June 2023, my wife and I visited the US again. My wife is American and we have a five-year-old, so spending time with grandparents motivates our trips across the Pacific. Of course, being a car nut and even more than that, a US car nut, I have oth

Those who remember it will wonder what happened to this car. The good news is that the car still exists, well, most of it at least, in Taranaki. The story starts in 1960 when Ferris saw what was believed at the time to be the legendary 1951 British G

Drag racing and hot rodding do not spin everyone’s crank, that’s a given. But in the early ’70s, particularly around Auckland and possibly Christchurch, a fascination for hot rods and quarter-mile racing burst out of the woodwork. I was entranced by

Launched in 1984, the Mercedes-Benz W124 series was the result of an intense engineering programme begun by the company in 1976, encompassing an advanced level of technology and performance ahead of most of its rivals, giving it an enviable reputatio

The Toyota Corona Amon Sport was one of the first mainstream Japanese cars with a fuel-injected engine, and it was an upmarket model in its day. My car is likely to have been assembled in Thames. It is a sedan with a manual gearbox and manual window

As a fitting celebration of 25 years of endurance competition, Corvette Racing came back from two laps down to snatch a stunning victory in the Le Mans Grand Touring (LMGT) division of the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2023. The 24 Hours of Le Mans is one o

Our passionate and skilled craftsmen meticulously breathe life back into your vehicle, seamlessly repairing and restoring it to its former glory. Trust us to revitalise your prized possession.” – D A Classics & Customs. In the highly competitive fiel

On hearing these words separately, the listener may envisage a country scene with an American red barn in the first case, and the verb ‘to find’, meaning ‘to look’ in the second. Taken together, however, the words take on mystique, giving rise to vis

A recent television news item got me wondering what is going on here. The Hiringa Energy spokesman touted the benefits of hydrogen as a fuel for heavy transport; it was installing four refuelling points in Taranaki, and it was continuing building its

If you were to enter Mike Gillard’s home garage, you wouldn’t find much out of the ordinary. A Mk3 Zodiac, clearly well looked after, sits on axle stands in a state of partial disassembly, while a Mk3 Zephyr tucked away in the background appears to h

Here on planet Earth, these words can take on a different meaning. Mercury, a brand of the Ford Motor Company, was positioned above the Ford vehicle line and below the Lincoln line, similar to Buick within the General Motors (GM) line. Comet, the ups

Marlborough is in something of a drought, but it provided perfect weather for the Marlborough Hospice Vehicle Show on 17 March. The Waterlea Racecourse in Blenheim was once again jam-packed with cars of all ages, shapes, and sizes. From Graeme Wiblin

Approved for production by Volkswagen’s newly appointed executive officer Heinz Nordhoff in May 1949, the first vehicle rolled off the production line in November that year. The Type 1 was the ‘Beetle’ car. Like the car, the van became a design icon,

They were not here for long. Four years later, Todd Motors and Ford had joined the fray, building factories to assemble Ford, Chrysler, Dodge, Hillman, Humber, and Sunbeam cars. Austin arrived in 1946 and eventually became New Zealand Motor Corp (NZM

Whether it was their first car, a Mini for mum, road trips with a car filled to bursting with people and luggage, or boy-racing escapades, everyone has a Mini story. In August 2024, this automotive icon will be 65 years old. Released in New Zealand i

Twizel’s seventh Show and Shine Car Show attracted around 330 cars and was an excellent show. “I love it when all these amazing vehicles roll into town,” said show organiser Peter Docherty. Son David arrived from the UK to help. He owns a sign-writin