For the love of cars

20 April, 2026

Passion, Pride & Joy:
A new chapter for New Zealand’s classic car custodians
In the world of classic and collector cars, continuity matters. Not just of ownership or
provenance, but of care shaped by skilled hands, patience, and deep respect for the machines themselves.
Since 1973, Auto Restorations has existed for this purpose: to ensure these cars live
on, not as relics, but as working expressions of design and engineering. Over more than five decades, we have restored and returned countless vehicles to the road and racetrack, and in recent years expanded our service offering to keep them
performing at their best.
Today, we are proud to introduce the next step in that journey: This is not a reinvention, but a natural evolution. A name that reflects the full scope of what we now offer, while staying true to the standards and values that have always defined us.

A broader offering, built on the same foundation
Classic ownership today extends beyond restoration. It requires trusted expertise across the
entire life of a vehicle. ARG brings together restoration, servicing, parts, and brokerage under one unified identity.
Wherever you encounter ARG, you can expect the same philosophy: careful work, considered judgement, and an uncompromising standard of quality.
Whether undertaking a full restoration, sourcing period-correct components, or carrying out routine servicing, our approach remains simple if it carries the ARG name, it will be done properly.

Built on passion, delivered with precision
At the heart of ARG is a belief familiar to any enthusiast: no one loves your car more than you do but we understand exactly what it needs.
Our guiding idea, Passion, Pride &
Joy, reflects that: Sharing your passion with people who understand it
Restoring your pride through craftsmanship without compromise
Rekindling the joy that made you fall in love with the car in the first place

Strengthening capability
The formation of ARG also marks a careful expansion of our capabilities, always with quality in mind. A key milestone is the acquisition of Bruce McIlroy Limited, one of New Zealand’s most respected independent Bentley and Rolls-Royce specialists. This strengthens our expertise, tooling, and parts availability in these marques, while complementing the wide range of vehicles we already support including Jaguar, Morgan, Aston Martin, Maserati and Ferrari.
We have also continued to invest in our workshop capabilities, including advanced tyre fitting, wheel balancing, and the latest alignment systems allowing us to service vehicles of all eras with precision and accuracy.

Looking ahead
As specialist skills become increasingly rare, the role of businesses like ours becomes more
important than ever.
ARG represents a commitment to the future of classic car ownership bringing together the expertise, facilities, and philosophy required to care for these vehicles properly. We remain, as always, a business built on relationships. You are always welcome to visit, see our workshop, and talk with us about your car.
Thank you for being part of our journey.

A tradesman’s estate — the Cortina GT Estate

The owner of our featured car, Rod Peat, used to rally a Cortina GT back when the words ‘rally’ and ‘trial’ were interchangeable. In times after that he could also be seen beside Mal Clark in various Targa NZ rallies, getting the famous Rover V8 or Lotus Cortina in spirited fashion around and over the various special stages that make up those events. After children, houses, and career, Rod decided it was time to own a GT again.
A search on the various systems available turned up a car Rod and probably most of us didn’t even know existed: a genuine Ford factory Cortina Estate GT.

Super affordable supercar

The owner of this 1978 GTV, Stephen Perry, with only a skerrick of wishful thinking, says through half-closed eyes, “It is not dissimilar to the Maserati Khamsin”.
The nose is particularly trim and elegant from all angles, featuring cut-outs for the headlights echoing Alfa’s own exotic Montreal. The body is unfussy, lean with lots of glass, and the roofline shows a faint family resemblance — although on a much more angular car — to the curved waistline of the earlier 105s. The slightly hunched rear means there’s much more space in the rear seats than in the cramped rear of 105s — very much a 2+2 — and a generous boot. These more severe lines are not quite as endearing as the 105’s but they are still classy and clearly European.