Enthusiast Essentials: what we’ve been checking out this month

3 October, 2016

With the diverse range of vehicles covered by our motoring titles, New Zealand Classic Car, NZV8, and NZ Performance Car, it’s clear that the car enthusiast demographic is incredibly varied. So how do you curate a shopping basket to cater for a car person, whether they’re into imports, V8s, or classics? Our editors have discovered a heap of products this month, and there’s sure to be something that every car enthusiast will want to add to their collection.

Braking power

These Project Mu two-piece SCR-Pro rotors have all the features you will find in a race option, packaged to fit onto standard cars. Perfect for all the weekend warriors, the cast-iron design has high levels of carbon and alloy, incorporating eight straight slots and an advanced core-vane design to improve heat dissipation — the included anodized, billet-alloy disc hats also make them lighter than OEM rotors.

To get your hands on the SCR-Pro rotors contact the North Shore Toyota team on 09 444 8825, or visit facebook.com/NSToyotaParts.

Glass galore

Whether you’ve got a street machine, a classic cruiser or a dedicated track car, Sandbrooks has just the windscreen you need. Standard windscreens can be sourced for most car makes and models, and they also offer a range of Rennenglas road-legal heated laminated glass windscreens — remove your heavy heater and install a heated windscreen to reduce on-track weight.

Prices vary depending on application and requirements, so contact the team on 09 278 9816, email [email protected] for more information, or visit sandbrooks.co.nz.

Drop in stock

Drop spindles are the best way to lower your car’s front end without adversely affecting suspension geometry — great for improving both stance and handling. Rods by Reid now has stock of its high-quality LVVTA-approved two-inch drop spindles to suit Holden front ends and its own LVVTA type-approved front suspension systems.

A pair goes for $975 (excl. GST), but get in quick — these drop spindles are very popular! Give the team a call on 07 552 5977, or visit online at rodsbyreid.co.nz or facebook.com/rodsbyreid.

The sound of power

If you’re after a quality muffler or resonator for your build, it’s hard to look past the range of AdrenalinR items manufactured right here in New Zealand. They’re made in-house from T304-grade stainless steel, so quality is assured, and they include patented spiral louvre baffles which disrupt and disperse sound waves, resulting in a lower decibel reading while increasing gas flow through the spiral scavenging effect. The louvre baffles have a 4.5-inch body diameter, and can be made to a range of inlet sizes — from two-inch to 3.5-inch. Need to know more? For more information visit adrenalinr.com or call 06 870 3526.

Charge to go

No garage is complete without a jump starter, so make yours a Jumpspower AMG15. Suitable for jump-starting up to 12-cylinder petrol or diesel engines under seven litres, the AMG15 also doubles as a portable power bank for smaller electrical devices. Its rugged case is resistant to both water and dust ingress, making it a perfect all-rounder suitable even for marine and heavy-duty workshop applications.

It’s priced at $259, and you can find more information by visiting jumpspower.co.nz.

Cool coolers

Start pinching the pennies, offer to vacuum for the rest of the year, or just beg the other half, because you’ve got to get yourself a Beerbowser. Beerbowser fridges are hand-crafted in New Zealand to replicate old-school petrol bowsers from the ’50s and ’60s, and they don’t just look the part — built around a Haier fridge, they’re brand new and come with a 12-month warranty. Priced from $2499 (incl. GST) and with a range of options available, visit beerbowser.co.nz or phone 09 971 8191 to complete your man cave!

Heritage Collection

The legend of the XKSS lives on through the Jaguar Heritage Collection — a celebration of this truly iconic vehicle. Inspired by the car’s rebellious personality and the personalities who’ve loved it, this exclusive range of luxury accessories and collectables is injected with the classic, understated style of the era. View the collection online at jaguar.co.nz/collection, or enquire with your nearest Jaguar retailer.

NZ Classic Car magazine, July/August 2026 issue 406, on sale now

21 June, 2026

Rebirth of a brilliant Grand Tourer –1973 Datsun 240Z
How often do we long for that ultimate dream sports car, and that dream comes true? This is about one of the most influential Japanese cars of all time, a car that changed the sports car market.
This is about much more than the restoration of an iconic classic sports car, the 240Z. It’s about the culmination of a dream over many years and the friendships made. It’s about the people who helped and the professionals whose approach ensured that the dream became a reality, an attitude typical of the industry we call ‘classic restoration experts’.
It is no surprise that the outcome after a lengthy search by Conrad Van der Geest for the right Datsun 240Z culminated in a trophy for the best Japanese car at this year’s Caroline Bay Beach, Rock N’ Hop at Timaru.
Originally a roadworthy car in running order, it was left-hand-drive and had been driven for several years by its Timaru owner, as Conrad explains.
“A neighbour, Dave Barron, knew I was looking for one and introduced me to the owner. I had seen the car being driven around Timaru. It was unusual for one of these coming originally from California, so it was a really clean car instead of rusty, as they are prone to rust. The story goes that the grandfather passed it onto his grandson, who decided to sell it, and that’s when it came over here.”
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, it’s our cover car for this edition, a 1973 Datsun 240Z

The butterfly effect

18 June, 2026

The man on the mountain bike pedalled over, taking it all in. Gazing in wonderment at this small Japanese coupe with butterfly doors, he said, “Wow, I have never seen one of these before. What is it?” When I told him it was a Toyota, he nearly fell off his bike.
The Toyota Sera is unique amongst ’90s Japanese coupes. The Sera, which is Italian for ‘evening’, can trace its roots back to Toyota’s AXV-II concept car. Launched as part of a trio of Toyota concept cars at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, it shared its underpinnings with the P70 Toyota Starlet. The similarities ended there, thanks to the AXV-II’s low-slung and rounded coupe styling with butterfly doors. These doors were held upright by gas struts when fully open. Glass covered the upper section of the doors and the rear hatchback.
These features, much to everyone’s surprise, were carried over to the production Sera in 1990. Toyota marketed the Sera, which means ‘will be’ in Spanish and ‘princess’ in Hebrew, as a funky alternative to the much-loved MR2.