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Kiwi-built Mini dominates land-speed records

18 August, 2016

 

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“When Kiwis travel abroad to do battle, it’s a big deal, and a long way. So you may as well make the trip worthwhile, right?”

After making the decision to contest Bonneville Speed Week in Utah, the Project ’64 Mini Cooper team, based in the South Island of New Zealand, had been working extremely hard to get the Mini ready for battle. Now they’re there, though, they’ve already claimed two new land-speed records in separate classes in their 52-year old Mini Cooper. 

The first record claimed was done during a tuning session for the I/BGALT class. Their speed during the session was 144.033mph (231.799kph), miles ahead of the previous standing 133.896mph (215.485kph) record. This class only runs a standard petrol mix, so when the team decided to switch to methanol, they had to move to the I/BFALT class. 

With the switch to methanol made, the team yet again broke another record during a tuning run. The previous record was a 140.458mph (226.045kph) run, but the team beat this with a speed of 158.039mph (254.339kph). Unfortunately, an issue with a hose prevented them from backing it up, however, once the problem was repaired the team qualified with an impressive 153.710mph (247.372kph). Having to back up that run, the team went out the next morning and claimed an even more impressive 156.006mph (251.067kph). Might we remind you that this was done in an old Mini Cooper?

With a hunger for more records, the team will be switching classes yet again, so we’ll keep you updated on their progress as it comes through. 

Ford’s Mustang – the endlessly hip American dream machine

28 May, 2026

Fifty or so years ago, the only place in New Zealand to see a Ford Mustang was on the racetrack. In a local market severely constrained by a lack of new motor vehicles, the new North American Ford was a dreamy icon boosted by considerable motorsport success.
Import licences for cars were limited, and if Kiwis travelled abroad, the amount of currency they could take with them was restricted. What’s more, those funds could not be used to buy a car for importation back home. Yet it was OK to spend the money on heavy drinking at a London pub, Gucci shoes, sable fur coats, and excessive stays at the Hôtel Martinez at Cannes in France.
However, any rare Mustang that landed on our shores would not be destined to pose around Auckland’s then trendy Queen Street on a Friday night but would more likely be found in the care of well-known racing drivers on the starting grid at local motor racing tracks.

Chrysler’s classy cruiser

22 May, 2026

I first saw our feature car, a 1970 V8-powered Regal 770 hardtop, towing a trailer carrying the tidy Ford Anglia classic racing saloon in Broadspeed racing colours that has featured in these pages. The coupe is comparatively rare here, which means anyone contemplating purchasing one of these big two-doors is sure to see prices continue to climb. The latter Charger has claimed much of the Aussie Chrysler limelight, but the simpler and classier lines of this car, which appeared dated soon after its introduction, now have a more timeless appeal.
Former owner, Balclutha motor engineer, Mike Verdoner, remembers the car well. He believes it came from Dunedin originally.
“I’m not sure about the car’s history, but I bought it off its owner at Kaitangata. Unusually, it was advertised in the local newspaper, the Clutha Leader, which was a surprise as these usually go for a lot more money on the internet. I had it for quite a few years. It needed a little bit of work to tidy it up, so I had to decide whether to spend the money on it to do it up, which could have been twenty grand. Its value at the time was not like it is now, so I sold it to Ewan. It’s probably now worth three or four times what I sold it for.”