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Warbirds over Wanaka to stage trucking tribute in 2016

2 July, 2015

Next Easter (March 25–28, 2016), the Warbirds Over Wanaka International Airshow will be sporting a newly added four-wheeled flavour, with organizers inviting truck owners nationwide to become part of the show via a new display dedicated to celebrating New Zealand’s affinity with the truck.

The planned ‘Warbirds and Wheels Century of Trucking’ display will aim to depict 100 years of truck culture in New Zealand, from vintage trucks right up to current-day examples. Hoping to have around 50 of the country’s leading trucks present, event organizer Mandy Deans is urging owners to register and become part of a fitting display of what some regard as one of New Zealand’s true motoring institutions.

“Several airshows ago we had an amazing display of Fords, which proved a big hit with our visitors. This time around we’re hoping to have up to 50 vehicles of all shapes and sizes from 1916 to the most modern trucks. Truck owners will need to register because we want to ensure we get a good representation of different trucks from various decades over the 100 years,” says Mandy.

Trucks and Warbirds over Wanaka have enjoyed a close relationship for a number of years. Various annual truck rallies have used the airshow as a convenient rest-stop during their travels. The show also already enjoys various established classic car displays, which will no doubt complement the incoming flow of trucking goodness.

If you’re wanting to register your truck for the Warbirds and Wheels Century of Trucking, registrations are open now.

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.