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Keep a piece of automotive history in your garage

13 February, 2015

The new Ford Falcon FPV GT F is the most powerful production Falcon GT ever built — the supercharged five-litre quad-cam V8 boasts all-alloy construction and produces 470hp (351kW) and 420lb·ft.

Only 50 GT Fs were built for the New Zealand market, and the very last of these, number 50, will be up for auction on Trade Me for two weeks, from February 16 to March 2. A portion of the auction’s proceeds will go towards Ford NZ’s charity partner of 25 years , Variety — The Children’s Charity.

FPV GT F build number 50 is guaranteed to be a collectable, and includes the personalized plate ‘GTF 50’ and a custom GT F car cover. The car comes in silhouette black with matte-black stripe package, and the supercharged V8 is backed by the popular automatic transmission.

The GT F wears a ‘351’ badge, not just symbolic of the car’s huge 351kW power output, but also reminiscent of the legendary 351ci V8 that made history in the Falcon GTs of the ’60s and ’70s. Just as those superb vehicles are now sought-after collector’s items, so too will the newest version.

Corey Holter, managing director of Ford NZ, says, “Not only will it be a high-performance vehicle that is fantastic to drive, it will also make a very fine and valuable addition to any enthusiast’s collection.”

Head of Trade Me Motors Darren Wiltshire reckons it’s going to be one of their more popular vehicle auctions, saying, “We know lots of Kiwis love their Fords and will get pretty excited once they spot this one. We reckon this will be one of the most popular vehicle auctions on the site so far this year.”

It’s not just a collectable, but an all-round great car — make sure to check the auction out, even if just to see what all the fuss is about. Given that the last GT F built for Australia was put up for auction and sold for over $260,000, there could be a high-stakes bidding war happening on March 2. Could be a touch more exciting than the Baccarat tables at the SkyCity casino.

Taipan – surpassing interest

7 December, 2023

“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

16 November, 2023

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.