SUBSCRIBE TO THE
MAGAZINE NOW
Facebook-f Instagram

Watch the Race to the Sky action on the big screen

8 April, 2015

There’s nothing worse than being at a hill climb, racetrack, or rally circuit and only being able to take in the action as it soars past your nose. Fortunately, Race to the Sky organizers have taken note — they have arranged a big screen that will show live and replayed in-car footage, interviews with competitors, and much more during this year’s event being held at Cardrona Valley, Central Otago, on April 18–19.

The footage will all be produced by an on-site television production team, who are also making a one-hour television highlights package, which will be screened during TV3’s CRC Motorsport show on May 10.

Some other exciting additions have been added as the event’s event marketing manager, Melanie Kees, explains.

“Make sure you’ve got a good spot in sight of the big screen for Sunday’s top-20 shoot-out — yes, we’ve expanded the traditional top-10 shoot-out to enable the fastest 20 competitors from any class to enjoy a little extra time in the spotlight.

“Spectators can enjoy a range of activities and entertainment in the event village on the plateau. The pit area is open and free to walk around so you can talk with your favourite drivers and check out their awesome cars, bikes, and quads.”

Bronze treasure unearthed

20 August, 2026

The car was put away in favour of something more practical, and when his father was unable to drive any more, Matt’s friend asked him to come and take a look at his dad’s old Holden. It turned out this was one of those phone calls that leads to that feeling of pure joy in the classic car world — the ‘barn find’ that turns out to be even better than expected. The HT Monaro had been put to bed some years before and had not seen the light of day since. Layers of dust and boxes of junk littered her undercarriage and bodywork and access points all around.

NZ Classic Car magazine, September/October 2026 issue 407, on sale now

16 August, 2026

We love bugs!
A bit of TLC that became a major restoration
The 1302S, or ‘Super Beetle’ as it became known, was built for two years before it, too, was replaced by a further-enhanced Beetle, the 1303, continuing an amazing 65-year lineage for one of the World’s best-known shapes.
The world’s best-selling single-model vehicle, the VW Beetle, possibly established another record for the amount of controversy it has created since the inception of the Type 1.
In a meeting with Hitler in June 1934, Ferdinand Porsche was contracted to build a ‘People’s Car’ that could accommodate two adults and three children, was air-cooled and simple to maintain, and could cruise economically at moderate speed along Germany’s proposed new Autobahns.
Our feature car, a 1972 1302S ‘Super Beetle’, was found by Dave and Michelle Dickie in Mosgiel a few years back. It was a runner, but like most VWs of this age, it needed a little TLC. They were looking for a daily driver for Michelle when they first came upon the VW being sold locally on behalf of its owner.
“The owner offered it to his grandchildren, and they didn’t want it, so he got the guy out at Mosgiel in the Mobil petrol station to sell it for him, and he put it on Trade Me for them. We never met the owner, and we were always dealing with the guy at the petrol station. We put a bid on it, and we were the only people that bid on it.”
Their bid was eventually successful, eight years ago. Not knowing much of the history, in situations like that, it’s always a risk buying a car, but they were in for a bit of a surprise.