Weekly Motor Fix: 1970 Ford Mustang

10 March, 2015

 

In NZV8’s last Weekly Motor Fix, we took a peek at Maurice Shapley’s circuit-destroying Holden Monaro, with its serious re-engineering in pursuit of precious milliseconds. Well, this time around, we have an equally serious offering from the Ford camp.

Michael Dromgool has owned this tough 1970 Ford Mustang for 12 years, and it’s come a fair way to become the slick all-rounder you see here. When he purchased the car, it was essentially stock, and the first modification he made was some much-needed lowering, carried out on the day of purchase. Of course, there’s a bit more to it than a dose of low, as the pictures no doubt tell.

The Mustang is propelled along by a hot 302ci small block, stroked to 347ci, and comprising AFR heads, a solid camshaft with an aggressive grind, all backed by a rock-solid Tremec TKO600 five-speed manual gearbox. The healthy power figure this engine produces gave Michael no hesitation in entering Americarna’s Go–Stop event at Hawera, where he did rather well.

Inside, the car means business, but being a road car, Michael hasn’t gone overboard. Sparco race seats, a Sparco steering wheel, Autometer gauges, CMC-style long shifter, and fire extinguisher give everything needed to give her a hammering at the track, without detracting from the ever-important drivability on New Zealand roads.

The Mustang gets up and boogies alright, thanks to its generous helping of power, but Michael needed it to do more than just go in a straight line. RRS coilover suspension, with a three-link in the rear, keep it securely planted, and a big VTTR brake package rounds off the sturdy mechanical underpinnings.


The Simmons FR-series rims are a great look on the Mustang, especially with the 17×11-inch rears’ huge dish, and coupled with the matt-black vinyl wrap it looks almost like a road-going Hoonicorn — if Ken Block ever designed a street car. The grey-primer finish was a bit of a gamble, as the wheels were originally a polished finish, but Michael went with it and hasn’t looked back.

The sticky rubber on those Simmons wheels also helps to keep everything in check, and polish the Mustang off as a perfect all-rounder that can haul arse down a drag strip, pull serious lateral-G around corners, and cruise down to the shops for some milk. In fact, the ‘022’ decal down the side of the car is from the recent Waitara Street Sprint, and also signifies Michael’s son’s birthday. Michael plans to keep the Mustang for a whole lot longer, eventually passing it over to his son as a family heirloom.

It’s a seriously cool car with a great family history behind it, and by the sounds of it, a lot more still to come!

Motorman: When the top trio took to the road

What sort of cars did Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme drive when they weren’t on the race track? Motorman knows
Most top racing drivers do care about safety levels of road-going cars for everyday motorists and their all-round abilities behind the wheel. Jackie Stewart for one denied finding everyday driving boring. He took pride in giving his passengers the smoothest possible ride, and encouraged all drivers to actively engage in the task. They also make interesting choices for their transport away from competitive motoring.
Thirty years ago I spent a day with Chris Amon driving on lower North Island roads and I can remember those informative few hours as vividly as if they were yesterday. In 1983 Chris accepted a challenge from Toyota New Zealand to improve its locally assembled cars in a relationship that extended well beyond the end of New Zealand-built Toyota vehicles in 1997.

The Ayrburn Classic announces dates for 2026

Save the date: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 February 2026
That’s right. The Ayrburn Classic returns next February for what promises to be another world-class celebration, scheduled slightly earlier on the calendar to bask in Central Otago’s long golden evenings and late-summer glow. This festival will once again transform Ayrburn into a playground for car enthusiasts, food lovers, and seekers of high-end hospitality alike.
The 2025 edition set an incredibly high benchmark, and is fast becoming one of the leading reasons to visit Queenstown – amongst New Zealanders and international travellers alike. With over 250 classic and contemporary luxury vehicles on display – collectively worth more than $250 million – the festival was a visual and visceral feast for attendees.
Standouts included an $8 million LaFerrari, the latest Aston Martin Vanquish, and a fleet of dream machines from Rolls-Royce, Bentley, McLaren, and more. The event’s unique blend of elegance and accessibility attracted both seasoned collectors and casual admirers aplenty.