The Ford Mk1 Cortina salvaged from the wrecker’s yard

16 September, 2016

Chris Alexander discovered the car in a wrecker’s yard in Mangere, South Auckland, seven years ago, sitting forlornly on a wooden pallet. It was a completely stripped shell with the four doors attached, and it quickly caught Chris’s eye. He immediately thought ‘rally car’ — what a fantastic opportunity to start a project.

Chris wanted to recreate an Alan Mann Cortina. The four-door shell was ideal for rallying, as the spare wheel can easily be stowed inside the cabin along with all the necessary accessories, leaving only the fuel pumps in the boot. Chris built the Cortina with a retro theme in mind, wanting to keep it classic, but mixing in the modern touches for safety and reliability.

He had planned to campaign his Cortina in this year’s Targa, but unfortunately had to withdraw at the last moment due to illness. He expects to make a full recovery, and is looking forward to competing in the Classic Rally of New Zealand 2017.

We’ve included a few additional photos that didn’t make it into the October issue of New Zealand Classic Car — grab your copy below to read the full story.

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Pinnacle Porsche

15 May, 2025

We were stopped at the side of the road, setting up the next photograph, when a faded Toyota slowed alongside and stopped. The window was already down to give the driver a good look.
“That’s my dream car,” he said, speaking for more than a few of us.
He drank in the gleaming red paint, shining in the sun, and the car’s purposeful swoops and curves. He exhaled half a lungful of cigarette smoke, gave a hang 10–style thumbs up and drove off.
On the side of the road, against a clear blue background, the Porsche stood out in all its stark red glory. It’s the classic 911 shape on steroids. It has the fat, even pouty, front lip of the G series 911s, added to comply with 5mph bumper restrictions in the US. It also has the oversized haunches to accommodate the wider rear wheels and tyres – a first for Porsche, which also confirmed its supercar credentials – and, most noticeably of all, that enormous whale-tail spoiler. They made it look as if Porsche had abandoned its restraint.

Motorman: When the top trio took to the road

9 May, 2025

What sort of cars did Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme drive when they weren’t on the race track? Motorman knows
Most top racing drivers do care about safety levels of road-going cars for everyday motorists and their all-round abilities behind the wheel. Jackie Stewart for one denied finding everyday driving boring. He took pride in giving his passengers the smoothest possible ride, and encouraged all drivers to actively engage in the task. They also make interesting choices for their transport away from competitive motoring.
Thirty years ago I spent a day with Chris Amon driving on lower North Island roads and I can remember those informative few hours as vividly as if they were yesterday. In 1983 Chris accepted a challenge from Toyota New Zealand to improve its locally assembled cars in a relationship that extended well beyond the end of New Zealand-built Toyota vehicles in 1997.

The Ford Mk1 Cortina salvaged from the wrecker’s yard

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