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Win a Vanguards/Corgi Vauxhall Patrol Car

21 July, 2015

This month, the long arm of the law grasped us by the scruff of our necks and, with a hefty-looking truncheon waved under our noses, we were forced to select a police car as this month’s prize model.

Our prize is a Vanguards/Corgi 1:43 die-cast model of the 16-valve 2.0-litre Vauxhall Cavalier Mk2 as used by the Ministry of Defence Police Agency — resplendent in ‘jam-butty’ livery.

Thanks to the good guys at Toymod Ltd — the New Zealand Vanguards/Corgi distributors — we’ve got one of these MOD Cavaliers to give away to a lucky reader; just answer the question in the form below. The competition closes on August 20, 2015 so enter quick.

First name

Q. What nickname was Ministry of Defence Police Agency colloquially known as?

I agree to the terms and conditions
Terms and conditions: The prize is available for delivery in New Zealand only. One entry per person. Prizes are not transferable, not redeemable for cash, and no exchanges will be made. There is one prize to be given away. The promoter is Parkside Media Ltd, 254 Richmond Road Grey Lynn, Auckland. The decision of the promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Employees of Parkside Media, associated sponsor(s), and their immediate families and agencies are not permitted to enter. Entries are the property of New Zealand Classic Car magazine and The Motorhood and may be used for promotional purposes by Parkside Media. Entrants must be over the age of 18. Entrants agree to their name/photo being used for publicity purposes. By entering this competition you agree to receive occasional information from New Zealand Classic Car and The Motorhood, including monthly newsletters. Entries close August 20, 2015. Prizes are as specified and are not transferable or redeemable for cash. If the winner does not claim the prize within 21 days of contact being attempted, the prize will be withdrawn and a new winner drawn. Parkside Media reserves the right to make any changes to any prizes and to provide the winner(s) with a substitute prize.

The Great River Road

4 July, 2025

A few years ago my family, knowing my fondness for driving, gave me the book Unforgettable Road Trips: Thirty-Six Drives of a Lifetime by Martin Derrick. Most of the road trips listed take less than a day in places like Scotland, Monaco, and Australia, plus one in New Zealand. Most of these places were too far to go just for a short drive but four of them would take several days. My interest was piqued, and those four drives were added to the bucket list. To date, I have done three of them: ‘Route 66’ (USA 21 days), ‘State Highway 6’ (NZ 10 days) and ‘The Great River Road’ (USA 22 days). You can drive all of them in less time, but you could also fly over them. We wanted a decent immersion in their charms.
The great river referred to is the Mississippi. While the name conjures the deep south, the river actually starts at the bottom of the great lakes, before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico about 3800km later. The great road is more of a concept than a specific strip of tarmac, as you can drive down either side of the river on various routes. Regardless of which side you drive, time should be kept aside for detours to places such as Nashville, which is famous for something or other.

A diamond in the rough

24 June, 2025

Two years ago, Lew finished a thorough restoration and the impressive ute has taken on a new life and colour. Lew plays down the amount of effort required but, despite his protestations, I suspect he put a lot of time into the project. A few unwanted tenants were evicted along the way.
“It didn’t take me long. There had been mice living in the firewall, which had caused a bit of damage. It apparently broke down and was pushed into a shed. It was 20 years to the day when I pulled it out and it sat in my other shed for 3 years before I started on it. That’s why it’s in such good order — it’s been kept in a shed for so long and still is.”