Enthusiast Essentials: what we’re drooling over this month

24 August, 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.

Earl knows

Quality fittings can make or break the performance of any motorsport–oriented vehicle. Earl’s has the most complete line on the market, and is renowned as the world’s number-one motorsport hose and fittings source — if you want it done right, you buy Earl’s. Segedins Auto Spares now carries a large range of Earl’s fittings and hoses to suit all your performance and motorsport demands.

For further information, contact the team at Segedins Auto Spares on 09 638 6439, or head to holley.com/brands/earls/.

The ICE advantage

The thing about power is that you can never have too much, and a capable ignition system is one of the most important ways of getting there. Upgrade your system with an ICE 7051 Extreme Duty 6AL — a direct replacement for the MSD 6425 box — featuring an adjustable rev limiter, from 1000–10,900rpm, in 100rpm increments, via push-button switches. ICE’s unique digital inductive spark (DIS) technology also delivers a more powerful spark with longer duration across the rev range, when compared with conventional CDI ignition systems.

The ICE 7051 Extreme Duty 6AL is available for $450 (incl. GST) from myautomotive.co.nz.

Big red

Spruce up the man cave with a Teng Tools tool box. This particular model features six drawers on ball-bearing slides, with a lockable front cover and built-in combination lock — that’s right, no more worrying about losing the key! The drawers are load-rated at 20kg, with ample room to fit the bulk of your most used hand tools. And, if you’re the type who favours organization, each drawer has been designed to fit four Teng Tools TC trays (sold separately), giving each and every tool its own place — never lose that 9/16-inch socket again!

Grab one for $490.37 (incl. GST) from myautomotive.co.nz, and enjoy free shipping anywhere in mainland New Zealand.

Vintage style

Now these would look cool in your garage! Road-Relics stocks a range of reproduction parts for Australasian petrol pumps, with clock faces, decals, pump parts, visibowls, nozzles, and more, all to cover early electric and manual pumps.

Large decals have an RRP of $30, globes have an RRP of $395, and there’s a special RRP of $35 for an oil-bottle spout, cap, and decal of choice. All prices include GST. Call 027 9377 177, email [email protected], or visit road-relics.co.nz for more information.

Low loader

If your show car or race car sits at the right height, you’re probably no stranger to trailer-loading hassles. Futura Trailers has just the solution, with its new aluminium Low Loader. Lower it to the ground with just one press of a button, simply push or drive your car onto the deck, raise the trailer, tie the load down, and you’re off.

The trailers are built in Auckland from lightweight high-strength precision-machined 6005 aluminium, and simple lifting technology allows for safe and easy loading. Pricing starts at $7800 for the single axle or $10,900 for the tandem.

For more information or to order, email [email protected], phone 021 918 800, or visit futuratrailers.com.

Bagged out

Fortune Auto is a name that needs no introduction in these pages, and its all-new Air Cup Lift System is pioneering the way into a new form of air suspension. Offering the convenience of a conventional airbag system without the loss in performance, the Air Cup simply slips on the shaft of Fortune Auto coilover assemblies and extends it to lift a lowered vehicle 25mm to 50mm.

The Air Piston Lift System add-on kit for Fortune Auto coilovers starts at $2350, excluding the coilovers. Check out fortune-auto-newzealand.com for further information.

Get a grip

Not all clutches are created equal, and, unlike some off-the-shelf options, the Mantic Stage Clutch System is designed, engineered, and manufactured with one thing in mind: performance. The five stages of the range suit everything from street-performance to track weapons, and feature upgraded cover assemblies, multiple clutch-plate options, and patented ER2 Technology. With 200 vehicle applications in the range, there’ll be a clutch system to suit your build.

Visit clutchindustries.com.au, or call the team on 09 636 5428 for further information.

Family pet

Diana and Fred Vermeulen from Manurewa, Auckland, have been involved with cars and car clubs for most of their married life. In the early days, it was all about Vauxhalls. At one stage they were president and secretary of the Vauxhall Owners Club. They have lost track of how many Vauxhalls have passed through their hands. Now, their garage contains a classic ’62 Oldsmobile and an ’80s Ford panel van, behind which is a kit car that few in this country will have heard of. It’s a Bulldog — the squat, flat-nosed dog with short legs beloved of the political cartoonists of last century as a symbol of the British spirit. For its automotive equivalent, most will think of the Austin Allegro.

Picking over the past – 1940 Ford V8 ½-Ton Pickup

Jim and Daphne Ledgerwood have been around Fords most of their lives. They love their Ford coupés and two door hardtops, while also making room for an occasional Chevrolet. Their Wanaka based ‘Originals’ collection, featured in New Zealand Classic Car’s July 2022 issue is headed by an outstanding time-warp black 1940 Ford Coupé, its original factory assembly markings and documents offering something of a nostalgia trip.
Jim’s early days in hotrodding in Dunedin were spent building up a number of early Ford pickups and he became a prolific builder of modified pickups.
“I had lots of early Ford V8s in those days and once I had finished them I often sold them on. I would run out of garage space. I had up to a dozen restored Fords at most times then.”