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The winning issue of New Zealand Classic Car

7 April, 2016

 


New Zealand Classic Car Issue No. 304 gives you an in-depth look at the individual, survivor, and team winners at the 2016 New Zealand Classic Car show held in February. We drive the new Ford Mustangs, and we introduce our newest feature ‘Classic Marketplace’ covering the world of classic car auctions and investments with James Nicholls Sotheby’s Australia. Don’t miss all of our regular features from Cars for Sale (including two gems from down south in the Editor’s Pick section), and a full round-up of all the classic motorsport action from around the country.

2016 New Zealand Classic Car Show

Individual Winner: 1961 E-Type Roadster

Follow the journey of Simon Crispe’s immaculate E-Type from Scotland to Dubai, to these fair shores and see what goes into building a winning car.

Teams Winner: Team Porsche

Dean Huston was service manager at Continental Porsche for many years so naturally, his 1970 911 is something special. A story of true camaraderie and passion.

David and Michelle Mackrell’s 356A is a gorgeous piece of machinery treated to the best by the best. Their passion for the brand knows no limits.

Survivor Winner: MGTF

This fantastic little MG has a wonderful history and story that begins 80 years ago.

Grab your copy of New Zealand Classic Car Issue No. 304 to check out the stories behind all of these beautiful cars. The magazine is in store now, or you can buy a copy below:




Buy a print copy of the magazine for NZ$10


Buy a digital copy of the magazine for NZ$6.99

More to the point

6 March, 2026

This Daimler SP252 is so rare, few people know it exists. It’s one of a kind. It’s the only surviving, in fact the only SP252 ever completed; the would-be successor to the SP250 Daimler Dart. It is also the last sports car to have been designed by Jaguar’s legendary founder, Sir William Lyons.
Perhaps one of the original Dart’s biggest problems was it’s somewhat-divisive looks. It certainly went well enough to win fans, although Sir William wasn’t among them. It crushed the opposition in the Bathurst six-hour race, finishing five laps ahead of anyone else, and it was snapped up by police forces in Britain, Australia, and New Zealand, as it was the fastest thing on the road.
So you’d think a stunning new body with the magic Lyons touch would have been a surefire success. Why this car never made it into production is still something of a mystery, as the official explanations barely stack up.

Polishing to perfection

26 February, 2026

The secret to a show-stopping finish is colour sanding, no matter which paint system you use. Even a good painter, no matter how experienced or talented — like my mate Bruce Haye, CEO at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga — can’t shoot to a perfect mirror finish. To get that level of perfection, you need to colour sand.
It used to be called ‘rubbing out’ or ‘cutting’, and it was done with pastes that came in cans. They worked — sort of — but the compounds really just rounded off imperfections instead of eliminating them, and they removed a lot of paint in the process. But now your new finish can be made flawless, thanks to microfine sandpapers that come in 1000, 1500, 2000, and even 2500 grit ranges, and Farecla G3 polish — available from automotive paint suppliers.