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The 7th wonder: Mad Mike’s ‘MADBUL’ FD returns

7 February, 2017

 

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“I went to him with the idea of doing the RX-3 front swap on the FD. His response was ‘Kakkoi’, which translates to ‘cool’ in japanese”

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Mad Mike’ Whiddett’s FD3S has travelled the globe, killing tyres from Asia to America, and all over Europe. The long-suffering FD chassis has been loyal to Mike. It’s taken down some of the best names in the business and banged doors with hundreds of drifters. It’s the car that Mike first learnt to drift in, and the car that propelled him onto the world stage. In return, Mike has shown the car some serious love over the years, constantly updating its look and keeping it fresh, even with newer, faster and more powerful ‘BUL’s appearing in his stable. You might think that ‘MADBUL’ would eventually be pushed into the corner and left to gather dust, but that could not be further from the truth. We introduce to you version seven of everyone’s favourite FD.

It’s a transformation that Mike’s been waiting to do for over a year now, after working directly with Kei Miura of 6666 Customs to develop the first Rocket Bunny FD RX-7 kit, followed by the Pandem aero now worn by the RX-7. Ask the man what his favourite Mazda is, and he will tell you it’s the RX-3, but as for merging that into an RX-7 — now that’s just crazy talk, isn’t it …

Read the rest of this article in NZPC Issue no. 243 — Grab yourself a print copy at your local magazine spot, or at the link below:



buy a print copy of the mag here!

ROTARY CHIC

6 September, 2024

Kerry Bowman readily describes himself as a dyed-in-the-wool Citroën fan and a keen Citroën Car Club member. His Auckland home holds some of the chic French cars and many parts. He has also owned a number of examples of the marque as daily drivers, but he now drives a Birotor GS. They are rare, even in France, and this is a car which was not supposed to see the light of day outside France’s borders, yet somehow this one escaped the buyback to be one of the few survivors out in the world.
It’s a special car Kerry first saw while overseas in the ’70s, indulging an interest sparked early on by his father’s keenness for Citroëns back home in Tauranga. He was keen to see one ‘in the flesh’.
“I got interested in this Birotor when I bought a GS in Paris in 1972. I got in contact with Citroën Cars in Slough, and they got me an invitation to the Earls Court Motor Show where they had the first Birotor prototype on display. I said to a guy on the stand, ‘I’d like one of these,’ and he said I wouldn’t be allowed to get one. Citroën were building them for their own market to test them, and they were only left-hand drive.”

Tradie’s Choice

30 August, 2024

Clint Wheeler purchased this 1962 Holden FJ Panelvan as an unfinished project, or as he says “a complete basket case”. Collected as nothing more than a bare shell, the rotisserie-mounted and primed shell travelled the length of the country from the Rangiora garage where it had sat dormant for six years to Clint’s Ruakaka workshop. “Mike, the previous owner, was awesome. He stacked the van and parts nicely. I was pretty excited to get the van up north. We cut the locks and got her out to enjoy the northland sun,” says Clint. “The panelvan also came with boxes of assorted parts, some good, some not so good, but they all helped.”