Book review: Hey Charger

29 December, 2016

By Gavin Farmer and Gary Bridger
ISBN 978-0-9805229-3-8
Available direct from co-author Gary Bridger
Price $90 plus post and packing.
Contact Gary — email [email protected] or phone 021 718 841

When the first edition of Hey Charger was released, in 2004, it received universal acclaim from those involved in developing the car, as well as devoted enthusiasts and the media. Hey Charger featured in the editorial of the April 2004 issue of New Zealand Classic Car, and was also awarded book of the month. Mark Webster wrote, “With its meticulous research, cogent interviews, detailed appendices and references, rare models, many colour plates and a wealth of detail, no Chrysler Charger or NZ racing fan should miss this one — it’s the last word”. Australian Classic Car magazine wrote, “A landmark publication about an important Australian vehicle, and definitely our book of the month”. Today, many Chrysler enthusiasts simply refer to Hey Charger as ‘the bible’, because of its historical and technical accuracy.

Now Gary and Gavin Farmer have again joined forces to produce a completely revised and updated second edition of Hey Charger, in a hardcover full-colour format. This time, Hey Charger has been published in Australia by Gavin Farmer’s publishing company, Ilinga Books. The text has been thoroughly updated, and many new colour and black-and-white photos have been added. All the technical specs have been rigorously proofed by Charger gurus in Australia and New Zealand, and amended accordingly. The error count in the original edition was found to be very low, and only minor corrections were needed.

Significant changes to the first edition include the complete rewrite of the chapter on the 340 V8 Chargers, as a result of newly discovered evidence on this often-controversial subject. There are also family-approved tributes to Australian motor-racing legend Leo Geoghegan and New Zealand’s Sir John Todd, who both passed away in 2015.

To quote the US’s Mopar Collectors Guide magazine, November 2004, “If you like Australian Chargers, get this book. If you don’t, your life will be filled with misery and woe until you do!”

Lunch with… Jim Palmer

16 April, 2025

In the 1960s, Hamilton’s Jim Palmer won the prestigious ‘Gold Star’ four times and was the first resident New Zealander home in the New Zealand Grand Prix on five consecutive occasions. He shared the podium with Stirling Moss, Jack Brabham, Bruce McLaren, Graham Hill, Jim Clark, Denny Hulme, Jackie Stewart, and Chris Amon. The extent of his domination of the open-wheeler scene in New Zealand will probably never be matched or exceeded. Yet he’s always been modest about his achievements.

NZ Classic Car magazine, May/June 2025 issue 399, on sale now

13 April, 2025

Who would have thought it would become such a worldwide motorsport star when Ford introduced the humble Escort in 1967?
Its popularity, particularly in Mark 1 form, is now of iconic status. Our cover story for this issue is on a 1968 Ford Escort Mark 1, Alan Mann Racing Tribute. We talked with the owner of this very special Escort, finished in tribute also to the owner’s father.
“Most children love speed, and motorsport typically comes courtesy of a parent, and Elliott is no different. His engineer father, Mark, had a love for motorcycles and going fast; however, when children came along, he swapped two wheels for four, in the form of two Ford Escorts.
Little did Mark know it at the time, but the humble Escort was about to weave its way into the family fabric once and for all.
After emigrating from London to New Zealand, Elliott recalled one evening when he was 14 being invited to tag along by his father, helping a friend convert an Escort road car into a racing car. This was the pivotal moment when Elliott remembers the motorsport bug taking over. He knew he had to have his own one.”