Get to know Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin Vulcan

10 November, 2016

This incredible piece of automotive machinery got a fair amount of PR when it arrived in New Zealand last year.

Its owner is businessman, racing driver, and race-track owner Tony Quinn. You might have heard of some of Tony’s exploits behind the wheel over the years. He’s become a mainstay of Targa events here and across the Tasman, and has recently purchased both Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell and Hampton Downs Motorsport Park in Waikato.

We briefly caught up with Tony at the recent Hampton Downs 101 event, where the Vulcan was holding court in and amongst some amazing machinery, and asked him, why the Aston? Quite simply, Tony explained, because he was offered one, and how could you pass up that opportunity?

We’ve included a few additional photos that didn’t make it into the feature in the December issue of New Zealand Classic Car (Issue No. 312) — grab your copy below to read the full story.

Grab a print copy of the mag now!

Escort services – 1968 Escort 1100 Restomod

19 September, 2024

The Escort started off as a 1968 1100 cc two-door sold-new in Britain. At some point it was retired from daily duty and set aside as a pet project for someone. When that project began is unclear, but much of the work was completed in 2014 including a complete rotisserie restoration.
By the end of 2014, it was finished but not completed. Its Wellingtonian owner bought it sight unseen from the UK and it landed here in early 2020. It was soon dispatched to Macbilt in Grenada North, Wellington for them to work their magic.
Macbilt had two instructions: to get the car through compliance for use on the road; and to improve the vehicle and finish the project so it drove as well as it looked. Looking at the car now, it has an amazing presence and stance. It can’t help but attract attention and a bevy of admirers.

Lunch with … Cary Taylor

11 September, 2024

Many years ago — in June 1995 to be more precise — I was being wowed with yet another terrific tale from Geoff Manning who had worked spanners on all types of racing cars. We were chatting at Bruce McLaren Intermediate school on the 25th anniversary of the death of the extraordinary Kiwi for whom the school was named. Geoff, who had been part of Ford’s Le Mans programme in the ’60s, and also Graham Hill’s chief mechanic — clearly realising that he had me in the palm of his hand — offered a piece of advice that I’ve never forgotten: “If you want the really good stories, talk to the mechanics.”
Without doubt the top mechanics, those involved in the highest echelons of motor racing, have stories galore — after all, they had relationships with their drivers so intimate that, to quote Geoff all those years ago, “Mechanics know what really happened.”

Get to know Tony Quinn’s Aston Martin Vulcan

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