Table of contents for No 367 July 2021 in NZ Classic Car

Watching the Indianapolis 500 recently reminded me once again of my bucket list. The week-long event is something I have always wanted to attend, but life has inconveniently interfered with ticking off items on my list. In contrast with the accepted wisdom on this, I find I have become less bothered about that in recent years. I remember writing the list some years ago — a collection of goals, dreams, and aspirations that I want to accomplish before the chequered flag finally drops. I rediscovered it, unmolested, deep in the bowels of my hard drive. Apparently I should have broken the list up into short-term and long-term goals. Creating shorter, more immediate goals increases our happiness because it gives us hope and curiosity, I’m told. So I wasn’t surprised to…

Following World War II most French coachbuilders were still making cars the traditional way. Only the bold and always avant-garde Citroën was venturing down the new Budd unitary body path. Talbot-Lago sought distinction through performance, claiming a reputation as the fastest road cars in Europe. It secured custom among the European elite wanting the best of all possible worlds on their continental tours. Certainly some of the pre-war cars revealed customers’ taste for the exotic and the dramatic, the teardrop creations of designer Georges Paulin for Carrosserie Marcel Pourtout and Figoni & Falaschi on the T-150 chassis being prime examples. In 1946 the company added a new twin-overhead-camshaft cylinder head to its 4483cc in-line six-cylinder engine which went into the Talbot-Lago Record (1946–1952) and the Talbot Grand Sport 26CV (1947–1954)…

In the 1970s, New Zealand was turning out racing sports cars and drivers that could match the best in the world. Even so, not many local drivers can lay claim to nine New Zealand Sports Car Championships (NZSCCs) as Jamie Aislabie can — usually in cars he had developed and completed himself with the help of a few good mates. It was Jamie’s talent for spotting a good basic design and building on it that brought success in his SID I, SID II, and SID III cars over a career lasting 35 years from 1958 to 1993. Jamie long maintained that the name ‘SID’ stood for ‘Something I Did’ or ‘Still in Debt’, but in a recent radio interview he revealed its true inspiration: “We were on a night out…

When it comes to big ole American coupés the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme ticks the size box. Owner Eddie Hawke points out some of the bigger elements of his Oldsmobile. “I’m always amazed at the size of the piece of glass in the door when I open it,” he says. “The door itself is 1.5m long. I thought it was large, so I measured it,” he laughs. It does give the Cutlass quite a wingspan but it has a practical purpose as, being a two-door, it’s the only way to get people into the generous back seat. Just because the owner chose a coupé doesn’t mean access for backseat passengers should suffer. Sinking into the plush driver’s seat gives the driver a view of a well-organised cockpit and an array of…

Back in early January, I met for a beer with three old mates, one of whom apologised for being late — which he wasn’t, he was merely the last to arrive. He is ultra-punctual. He blamed his unusual ‘lateness’ on the book he’d been given for Christmas which he “had trouble putting down.” Given that he’s not known to the rest of us as a great reader, there was immediate intrigue as to what it could possibly be that had so preoccupied him. His “you’ve probably heard of him” was directed at me, followed instantly by “he was involved in car racing.” It was apparent that the name of the author was less relevant to him than the riveting content. but it turned out the tales revolved around Ray Stone.…

I know I’ve written about this previously but being privileged to own several classic vehicles I do get rather annoyed each time I have to dust one off and go for the six-monthly warrant of fitness (WOF) inspection. Given that some of our vehicles cover only slightly more than the distance to and from the checking facility between each inspection I do wonder about faults that apparently develop in that interim period. Granted, an existing fault could have been missed during a previous inspection, but surely not, as in one particular instance, for the previous 10 years. I got that one sorted in the end by taking my business to another testing facility that employed competent personnel. That business also specialises in older vehicles. Another irritation is that the cost…

I have just read Donn Anderson’s article on the Jim Mullins Mini. I attach a couple of photos I took of the Mini after it crashed at Pukekohe in 1967. I wondered if Donn may be interested in them. The accident is quite vivid in my memory as I was standing near the inside of the horse railing in front of the crash site and the driver’s door flew past, just missing us. Luckily, there was no one else there. We were very pleased to see that Mary had minor injuries only. The railing went right through the car at head height. The single seater photo was taken at the same meeting, I think, and the neat photo of the Anglias using the old full circuit was one I acquired…

There is more to appreciating Porsches than just the 911. Sure 911s are easily the most iconic, with their flat-sixes tucked away over the rear axles and their lively handling characteristics. They are the car that defines the German sports car maker more than any other. However let’s not forget the contribution to Porsche’s story made by transaxle cars, such as the Volkswagen-developed 924, 968, and the hairy-chested V8 928. Smack bang in the middle is the 944, a car which deserves as much love as the rest of the range. “The 944 is so iconic because it casts aside the cheap jibes about the 924 being a rebadged Audi. At Le Mans the 924 GTR stamped the authority of the transaxle platform and it was that flared body shape…

BRM is back in business recreating a handful of new old racing cars based on the legendary Type 15 Mk1 V16. The first completed example will go to the Owen family. John Owen, son of BRM team principal Sir Alfred Owen, was just 10 when he was the first to hear the V16’s shatteringly distinctive roar. Now aged 81, he will fulfill a long-held ambition to see and hear the famous V16 once again. “Watching the likes of the Pampas Bull [see Motorsport Flashback, this issue] and, in particular, Fangio, master the power of the V16 was very special,” said John Owen. “The fabulous noise of that engine still rings in my ears 70 years on! “In a selfish way, I have always dreamed of hearing that sound again but…

This daily driver, owned by Murray Robinson, was refurbished to a high standard in the US and was purposely painted in cardinal red and Bombay white. These colours were standard in the ‘Cameo’ package offered by GM for the pick-up trucks during the Task Force period. Unfortunately, back in 2014 it was on a car transporter that had an accident and rolled causing significant damage to the Chevy, particularly to the right-hand side. The vehicle was effectively written off and sold as such. Murray’s dad, the late Tom Robinson, bought it over the internet and had it shipped back to New Zealand. Murray, an accomplished panel beater and painter at The Shed Panelbeaters of Foxton, was handed the job of making it whole again. Not an easy job when none…

If Helensville-born Philip Parker is right about this — and there’s no reason to think he isn’t — this is a sight we will see a lot more of: no-expense-spared, fully restored Land Rovers. Since Jaguar Land Rover stopped making the Defender in 2016, ending a near 70-year run of the original recipe Land Rover, the value of these cars has continued to rise. The new 90 and 110 Land Rovers launched last year only really underscore the point. While they have interiors that pays tribute to the Land Rover’s utilitarian origins — trim fitted with exposed screw heads and so on — they are tricked out with every modern convenience so they will be equally at home battling the rugged terrain of Remuera as the manicured hinterland of Central…

MT has always turned a lot of heads and caused a wide range of expressions of appreciation from those who witnessed her presence. This outpouring of emotion has included applause, catcalls, tooting, offers to buy, and even a kiss on the bonnet from a guy selling roses at the traffic lights. Following are a few memorable words: “Que nave!” [What an awesome ship!] — Pizza delivery dude on rollers “Hijo de puta, que linda nave!” [Son of a bitch, what an awesome car!] —Guy in his late 20s with a couple of friends “Hijo de puta, que linda nave!” [Son of a bitch, what an awesome car!] — Guy in his late 20s with a couple of friends “Te felicito por lo lindo que es.” [Congratulations on such a beautiful…

An ‘ace in the hole’ is a card that is held face down until an opportunity arises to use it to its greatest advantage. When I first saw the TJ Ace back in 2016 — see New Zealand Classic Car August 2016, Issue No. 308 — that opportunity was a long way off. The car was about three-quarters finished. Just what that meant in terms of time frame is covered by the home car builders’ refrain that their latest project is “90 per cent finished with 90 per cent to go”. An example of this could be something like turning on the headlights. It should be a simple task and generally it is unless you discover they don’t work or are trying to earth the fitting through a fibreglass panel.…

Whistling through the Hertfordshire countryside in England on a fine, clear winter’s afternoon 34 years ago it was hard to believe that our sports car was another ‘close but no cigar’ model from a struggling British Leyland (BL) conglomerate. Was this much-maligned Triumph TR7 really the disaster painted by the pundits or a classic in waiting? Look past the poor build quality and annoying faults, which were the default starting position for assessing BL cars of the era, and the distinctive — some would say distinctively ugly — TR7 and you will find a car that has weathered remarkably well over four decades. Indeed look around some of the odd shapes of many current mass-production cars in 2021 and you have to admit this last hurrah of the Triumph sports…

Cartel Works in Nelson is a small car restoration business situated in the back shed of the Nelson Classic Car Museum, which is handy when the museum’s cars need servicing. Like most garage workshops Cartel has large double doors, but the back wall is certainly different as it has a panoramic view of about 75 classic cars in the museum. And, quid pro quo, visitors to the museum get to see the Cartel team at work. The Jaguar E-Type shown is a full nut-and-bolt restoration. It has been taken back to original specifications except for variable electric-assist power steering and a period-looking modern stereo. EVERY KIWI DESERVES A RELIABLE GARAGE DOOR. Garador.co.nz /0800 427 236…

After leading the event for most of the first day of competition on Saturday, Auckland tarmac rally specialist Jason Gill and new co-driver Nicole Summerfield from Christchurch (VW Polo R 4WD) went on to win this year’s first Targa event — the two-day Targa Rotorua — on Sunday. The pair won six of the day’s eight stages to extend their overnight lead from just 16.9 seconds over Subaru Impreza STi pair Cameron Ross and co-driver Matthew Buer to more than three minutes over Dunedin duo Martin Dippie and Jona Grant. They were driving the first of the 2WD cars entered, Dippie’s late-model Porsche 991 GT3 RS. After taking the lead in the event early on Saturday Ross and Buer held on to their hard-won second place until the final stage…

Guest of honour Mayor Sheryl Mai officially opened the second round of the New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) which took place in Whangarei over 14–16 May. Sixty-three cars took to the start ramp on Friday evening which got under way proper on the first two short stages through Pohe Island. Ben Hunt in a Subaru WRX STi was the first to tackle the 1.25km section of twists and turns. Throughout the weekend the cars competed on the gravel roads within the vicinity of Whangarei totalling 134.26km across 18 special stages. The overnight rain soaked the roads for Saturday morning and the conditions changed again come the afternoon runs as the roads started to dry off. This may have contributed to a high attrition rate as 30 cars failed to make…

In the game of poker there are pairs; three of a kind; straights; flushes; and, of course, a full house, being one pair and one three of a kind. It is not uncommon to find people aspiring to own a Porsche or a Ferrari, but what about when you have a full house of these beautiful cars? Well, Shane Joyce (not his real name) does. Shane has had a long love affair with European cars, particularly the sports models with manual transmissions, and now he’s pretty flush with a fine selection. Manual gearboxes have fallen out of favour with the larger manufacturers. Paddle shifting, tiptronic-style transmissions of the dual-clutch arrangement might provide a better 0–60mph time which helps with marketing — but they don’t count for Shane, and many others.…

1999 TO 2019 Rob Mumford first visited Argentina in 1990 on a backpacking trip with his brother and fell in love with Argentina’s passionate people and stunning landscapes. In 1998 he moved there to live and a year later spotted a sleek emerald green 1971 Ford Torino parked near his Buenos Aires apartment. He ran home, grabbed a Post-it note, and scratched out a message: “Awesome car! If you are keen to sell, please give me a call on 4832-9444.” He stuck the note to the muscle car’s windscreen and crossed his fingers. Rob received a call from the owner, Ruben, just a month later in October ’99 and they made arrangements to meet up. Ruben took Rob for a drive and although Rob didn’t get behind the wheel the…

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McLaren was in crisis mode in the late 1970s and into 1980. Not only had it not won a race since the end of 1977, but it also hadn’t looked remotely close to winning. More often than not, the team was barely competitive and, despite Lotus having hinted at a ground-effect future during 1977, McLaren got left behind. When Ulsterman John ‘Wattie’ Watson joined the team for the 1979 season his teammate Patrick Tambay was asked how they were ranked: “We’re equal number twos.” It summed up the team morale but Wattie, at least, had had some previous success. In 1976 he’d given Penske its only ever Formula 1 (F1) victory in a commanding performance and with a bit of luck he’d have added more wins during 1977 if the…

In June last year I saw a picture of Mike Morton’s McRae GM1 painted in the Duckhams Oil colours that Alan Rollinson had when he raced in the 1973 Tasman Series. I googled Alan to find he had died on 2 June, a week before I had seen the photo. I was helping Robbie Booth on his Lotus 21 Formula Ford at the time. Our car also wore Duckhams’ colours so during the Tasman Series we were around Alan’s car and we helped out when we could. After Alan won in the rain at Teretonga, one of his two New Zealand mechanics decided that he didn’t want to do the Australian rounds. Rob suggested to Alan that I could go. Alan said he couldn’t pay me wages but he would…

DeLorean joke: ‘Anyone wants to buy a DeLorean? It has super low mileage and has only been driven from time-to-time.’ DeLorean may have the last laugh as production is planned to get back underway in the US shortly under the Low Volume Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Act of 2015. Following pressure and a lawsuit from industry bodies such as SEMA, clear guidelines for manufacturers are finally emerging as the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working through its ‘Final Rules’. Former GM whiz-kid John Zachary DeLorean founded the DeLorean Motor Company (DMC) in Detroit in 1975 using funds from various celebrities and a dealer investment programme incentive scheme. Further money came from the British government eager to see investment and jobs in Northern Ireland. A new manufacturing plant was built…

Missed the last Repco Muscle Garage on Three’s CRC Motorsport on Sundays? No problem. All of the episodes are uploaded to YouTube so you can stream them or catch up on them at any time. In fact, you’ll also find all seven seasons up there. Each episode is uploaded on a Monday — the day after its broadcast on Three. Just search the show’s name, or subscribe to The Motorhood’s YouTube channel, to have it appear in your feed. Sponsors Repco, Mount Shop, and Smits Group make the filming of the show possible. Repco Muscle Garage is produced by Parkside Media, publishers of New Zealand Classic Car. EVENT DIARY Due to Covid-19 precautions, events may be postponed or cancelled. Please confirm details with event organisers. 27 JUNE V8 Sunday Mangatainoka…

Attractions Exhibitions, museums and other vehicle-related curios Marlborough OMAKA CLASSIC CARS A unique collection of vehicles giving insight into New Zealand Motoring from the 50s to the 80s. 90 cars on display at any one time. omakaclassiccars.co.nz /03 577 9419 /Aerodome Rd, Blenheim Coatings Heatproof, cosmetic, chrome, and specialist coatings & water transfer printing Auckland HIGH PERFORMANCE COATINGS Exhaust coatings, piston coatings, turbo coatings, and much more hpcoatings.co.nz /09 267 1007 /Unit 0/62 Mahia Road, Manurewa, Auckland HP COATINGS New Zealand’s leading performance coating specialists, serving you over 20 years hpcoatings.co.nz /09 267 1007 /Unit 0/62 Mahia Rd, Manurewa, Auckland Consumables Oils, additives fluids, fuels and workshop consumables Auckland RECHARGE BATTERIES Battery revitalizer and conditioner recharge.net.nz /0800 36 66 36 /PO Box 350, Pukekohe, Auckland SOUTH PACIFIC ETHANOL Suppliers of…