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.

NZ Classic Car magazine, January/February 2025 issue 397, on sale now

8 December, 2024

Having dominated the world motorcycle championships of the 1960s, Honda had a crucial decision to make in 1969. Would Soichiro Honda heed his engineer’s pivotal advice?
“Very few examples of the early Civic, a car that set Honda onto the path to becoming a giant of the car world, remain road registered in New Zealand.
Retired Tauranga owner of this example, Graham Inglis is thrilled with his classic little Honda Civic, the first of eleven generations built so far by the company. The Civic became a household name.
“It’s quite amazing the number of people who not only wave, but come up to me in the street and tell me how much they like the little Honda and its colour, and then they want to start talking about it. A guy in our vintage car club wants to buy it and he has been pushing me a bit. It’s not for sale,” he laughs.
Graham bought his 1977 Honda Civic from Wellington enthusiast Julian Foster, who was the instigator of its restoration.”

A star in their eyes – 1968 Ford Galaxie 500

6 December, 2024

“Everyone asks that until they take a closer look,” says its owner today, Brent Harris of Auckland. “They also ask if I’ve done the restoration myself, and I have to tell them no, it is 100 per cent original. It’s the paint listed in the handbook.”
It was the original condition of the car that won Brent over from the moment he first saw it — that and the fact “it just looks stunning”.
Brent had owned a 1968 Mark II Cortina for four years. It was in need of some work and the question arose whether to spend the money or get something different. You don’t get much more divergent than Ford’s different approaches to its markets in the UK and the USA.