Five muscle cars you could be driving right now

20 June, 2015

Once again we have scoured the plethora of vehicles out there for sale and we found these beauties. If you’re on the hunt for a classic to take on regular Sunday cruises, we have found five that may be right up your alley.

1. 1970 Dodge Polara — $30,000

Here’s something a little out of the ordinary for those who prefer open-top motoring. This Polara convertible is one of only 800 built and it looks to be in excellent condition. Recent work includes a full re-paint, brakes and suspension refurbishment, new dash and convertible hood plus new inserts in upholstery. Powered by a 383ci V8, this car is tailor-made for cruising the street. Feast your eyes on it here.

2. 1971 Chrysler Valiant Charger — $32,000

This honest-looking and tidy Charger is fitted with a factory Hemi 265 and, following recent work, could be pressed into service as an everyday classic or, with a little more effort, could be much more. The car also comes with a bunch of spare parts. Check it out here.

3. 1967 Oldsmobile 442 W30 — $49,990

This sought-after classic muscle car is powered by the factory original 442 400V8, is fitted with Rally wheels and looks to be in immaculate original condition. This car is presently in Australia so why not boost New Zealand’s classic muscle population by bringing it here? And that price includes shipping to New Zealand! Find out more about it here.

4. 1968 Chevrolet Camaro RS — $69,990

This muscular Chevrolet packs a 327ci V8 running through a four-speed manual ’box — and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face! The engine has only done 6000 miles since being installed, and the car includes RS-appearance package items such as hidden headlights, RS badging, and exterior rocker trim. You’ll need to take a trip to Tauranga to view this blue beauty. Read more here.

5. 1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350H — $149,990

A genuine piece of US motoring history, this genuine GT350H was one of the cars once infamously available for rental from Hertz USA — with most of the cars being used as weekend track warriors. This super-rare Mustang was first registered in Miami and has been in New Zealand since 1971. Find out how to get in touch with the owner here.

Last Tango in the Fast Lane

30 April, 2026

In the mid ’80s, I locked into a serious Nissan/Datsun performance obsession. It could have kicked off with my ’82 Datsun Sunny, though this would have been a bit of a stretch of the imagination, given its normally aspirated 1.2-litre motor — not the sort of thing to unleash radical road warrior dreams. But it did plant a seed, and it was a sweet little machine and surprisingly quick, in contrast to all the diabolical English offerings I had endured.
I was living in South Auckland at the time and was an unrepentant petrolhead. Motor racing was my drug of choice, and I followed the scene slavishly. Saloon car racing, with the arrival of the international Group A formula, was having a serious renaissance here and in Australia and Europe. There was suddenly an exotic air in local racing that had been absent for 15 years.
I was transfixed by this new frontier of motor racing that had hit our tracks in 1985–87 and the new array of machinery on display. In 1986, the Nissan Skyline RS DR30 made a blinding impression on me. The Australian Fred Gibson-run, Peter Jackson-sponsored team of George Fury and Glenn Seton were the fastest crew of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship. But Kiwi legend Robbie Francevic snuck through to win the Aussie Championship in his Volvo 240T after a strong start and consistent finishes.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2026 issue 405, on sale now

26 April, 2026

Reincarnation of the snake
We are captivated by a top-quality sports car
The Shelby NZ build team at Matamata Panelworks has endured a long and challenging journey, culminating with the highly anticipated public unveiling of the 427SC and firing up of its sonorous V8 at the 2026 Ayrburn Classic Festival of Motoring in Queenstown on February 20. This is a New Zealand-built car with loads of character and potential.
The car is now back in Matamata, and I finally have an opportunity to get up close and personal with it. But before then, the question that must be asked is, “Why would ya?”
The first answer is easy, as mentioned in the last issue of New Zealand Classic Car (#404). It was a great way to use up all the surplus Mustang parts acquired while converting brand-new Mustangs into Shelbys. The unused new Mustang parts would be great in any kit car, but the 427SC in front of me cannot be classified as one.
This is not a kit car. The reality is that it is a high-quality, factory-made production car.
Possibly the second answer is because the CEO of Matamata Panelworks, Malcolm Sankey, wanted to build a replica of the car that is a distant relation to the Shelby Mustangs scattered around his showroom floor, a car created long before the first Mustang was even thought of, and the brainchild of Carroll Shelby back in the early ‘60s.