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Enthusiast Essentials: drive the dream this Christmas

17 December, 2015

Give the ultimate motorsport gift experience this Christmas with a Drivers Day experience voucher. Whether you want to feel the incredible acceleration and cornering abilities of a race-prepared V8 Holden at Pukekohe, drive a Formula One–style race car to get your adrenaline pumping, do hot laps in a Ferrari 430, or just drive the new 2014 BMW M3, Drivers Day has a dream motorsport experience option for everyone.

Book for yourself — or give a voucher, valid for 15 months, as a personalized gift — by visiting driversday.nz. Prices start from $175.


Taipan – surpassing interest

“It’s merely a passing interest,” insists Selby — despite owning three variants of the classic VW Beetle, including an unusual VW van that was sold as a body kit for a Subaru. In his defence he points to a 1961 Ford Thunderbird, a car that he converted to right-hand drive. However, on the VW side of the ledger, since he opened Allison Autos in Whanganui 27 years ago, Selby has built 15 VW-powered Formula First cars, followed by a beach buggy, restored a derelict Karmann Ghia, and hot-rodded a common or garden Beetle into something that has to be seen to be believed. As speed is not something generally associated with classic VWs, though, Selby is still waiting for this particular modification to catch on amongst the hot rod faithful.

Travelling companion

It’s easy to see why the Morris Minor Traveller was one of the best-loved variants of the Morris Minor. Introduced in 1953, it was equipped with the same independent torsion bar front suspension, drum brakes, and rack and pinion steering as its saloon sibling but, with their foldable rear seat increasing versatility, many Travellers were used as trade vehicles, says Derek Goddard. Derek and Gail Goddard, the owners of this superbly restored example, have run Morris Minors since before they were married in 1974.
“Our honeymoon vehicle was a blue Morris Minor van — it was a rust bucket,” says Derek.