Purchasing a car is difficult at the best of times. Ignoring the element of standing in the middle of a car dealership as the vultures slowly creep in, the seemingly simple task of selecting a viable motor that suits both you and your needs is one of life’s great puzzles. Thankfully for you though, The Motorhood are on the case! Check out our quiz below, and see what car we think would suit you. And don’t forget to share the results with your mates, unless it’s a lemon of course — we don’t mind if you redo it a few times just to get the Ferrari …
NZ Classic Car magazine, July August 2025 issue 400, on sale now
15 June, 2025
Good for the soul, a dose of Hemi Orange – Chrysler’s champion Charger
The Australian-developed Chrysler Charger was a game changer for the company in 1971, as it faced a faltering start introducing its new VH range. The stylish big coupe signalled a massive change of direction and emphasis for Chrysler.
Auckland racing driver Rod Coppins raced successfully in Australia and New Zealand. Rod found success behind the wheel of a couple of Chargers, and it is a special E49 R/T in the custody of Mike Todd for some years, that is our feature car.
A full restoration of this car has been completed at Auto Restorations (AR) in Christchurch. We recently sampled the car, ready to be shipped back to Mike and spoke to AR’s Harry Dawber, leading the team who completed the superb restoration of this rare piece of NZ motor racing history.
I mentioned that Chrysler Chargers were never built to this standard as we walked around the gleaming Charger in its Hemi Orange colour scheme.
“We took a lot of time getting those shut lines exactly right. It’s been a great car to work on, and the paint and trim have been very well done by the team here.”
