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Weekly Motor Fix: clean Camaro cruiser

12 October, 2015

 


Every few weeks, we take more of an in-depth look at a car we’ve found — be it at an event, at the racetrack, or on the side of the road — in a feature we call the ‘Weekly Motor Fix’.

This month we stumbled upon a seriously tidy Camaro built by its owner, complete with a video to match.

Auckland’s John Crawford and Angela Hassall imported their 1972 Chev Camaro back in 2013, and have recently given it a full overhaul, bringing it back to peak condition. Of course this was never going to be a stock rebuild, with John having the urge to add a bit more power while he was working on it.

The result of that was getting ‘Stroker John’ aka John Nijssen — a Kiwi living in America — to build up a stroked 383ci small block. While the engine build itself is impressive, it’s the work that John [Crawford] put into the engine bay that really makes it pop. The wiring is now neatly tucked away out of sight and the bay copped a fresh coat of paint at the same time, which adds to the appeal offered by the billet serpentine-belt–drive, bright-yellow block.

As you’ll hear when you watch the video, which was produced by John’s friend Todd Bradley, the car not only looks the part but sounds great also, and he couldn’t be happier with it.

To match the car’s newfound performance, a Speedtech Pro-Touring front suspension package has been added, along with Viking double-adjustable coilover shocks, to firm up the ride.

Despite wanting to add modern drivability, John still wanted a classic look so resisted the urge to fit larger or later-model wheels, instead putting his main focus under the hood. The end result is a great look, and one we’d love to see much more of.

Check out the video here:

NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2026 issue 408, on sale now

18 October, 2026

Star status for classic Porsche
A long search ends: finding the right car
Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963, the Porsche 911 heralded an iconic lineage of sports cars, known for their exceptional performance, remarkable racing reliability, and adaptability, second to none.
New Zealand Classic Car, in conjunction with Star Insure, recently conducted a photo competition to find 13 suitably impressive classics to grace the pages of the magazine’s 2027 calendar. A flood of entries showed that Kiwis recognise eye-catching designs and restorations. Many are handy with a camera, too, and have entered some outstanding results.
The choice was not straightforward, with multiple stunning entries, and Geoff Long’s immaculate 1990 Porsche 911 (964 Factory designation) took top honours. Fortunately, Geoff had Ethan Hanlon handy to take the accompanying photos while working in his office.
“I’ve got a young employee who is doing work experience in my office at the moment, and he’s a very avid photographer. So, I said, I’ll buy you breakfast and then why don’t we go and take some photos. He found the right spot, and he spent over an hour photographing.”
Originally sold new in Japan, hence the right-hand drive, the Porsche was resident there for four years before being exported to New Zealand, as Geoff recalls.
“I bought it two-and-a-half years ago, but I looked for it for over two years, because it’s just the colour scheme, interior and exterior I was after. The service file that came with it is extensive; I mean, it’s been beautifully looked after, which is what I wanted to continue, as it does get driven. It doesn’t sit in the garage.”

Classics on the green

16 October, 2026

Many pretenders vie for the title, but the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance gets my vote as the biggest thing since sliced bread.
The 71st edition of the world’s pre-eminent and best-known concours event featured 28 classes, judged by a 180-strong jury, which also chose the recipients of 26 special awards.
The size of the event, the number of visitors, and, most mind-numbingly, the sheer number of amazing cars, is almost overwhelming. There are so many quality cars to gaze upon, and so many people gazing at those cars, that it is almost impossible to cover everything.
Notable among the many attractions were the centenary celebrations of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an elegant Talbot-Lago Grand Sport, Hermann Graber’s Swiss-bodied cabriolets and coupés, the jewels of Otto Vu Italian V8s, early Alfa Romeos, Lincoln and its centenary, and cars with unorthodox propulsion systems.