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New Zealand Classic Car – Issue 354 on sale now

24 May, 2020

 


NZCC 354

 

In our second ‘lockdown’ issue we bring you another great issue featuring an eclectic mix of fine classics. From where the horses roar in Maranello, we feature a superb example of what, designer, Pininfarina, said was the car of which he was most proud, a car of class and beauty, the Ferrari Dino.

Henry Ford’s business struggled through the 1940s, but in 1948, a new era began at the company with the release of a new range of trucks. Our featured 1948 Ford Bonus truck has been transformed from a tired old and beaten workhorse to a show stopping weekend cruiser. But with a tight deadline and one mission in mind it was all hands on the pump.   

Born in an era when Japanese coupés took styling cues from the American muscle car scene, Subaru followed the trend with its GLF coupé. In this issue we take an in-depth look at the passion and desire it takes to restore one of these classic coupe’s from a rusty, badly repaired driver to a concours quality gem.

While flower power took over the rest of the world and music changed forever in the ’60s, the hot ticket for many Kiwi kids was: slot car racing. In the first of a two-part report Gerard Richards recalls his first love.

There’s so much more in this issue, we could go on, but you’ll just have to find out for yourself.          

Get yours in store now or delivered to your door from magstore.nz – New Zealand Classic Car – Issue 354.

You’re the one that I want – 1973 Datsun 240K GT

21 February, 2025

In the early 1970s, Clark Caldow was a young sales rep travelling the North Island and doing big miles annually. He loved driving. In 1975 the firm he worked for asked Clark what he wanted for his new car, and Clark chose a brand-new Datsun 240K GT. The two-door car arrived, and Clark was smitten, or in his own words, he was “pole vaulting.”
Clark drove it all over the country, racking up thousands of miles. “It had quite a bit of pep with its SOHC 128 hp (96kW) of power mated to a four-speed manual gearbox,” he says. Weighing in at 1240kg meant the power to weight ratio was good for the time and its length at almost 4.5 metres meant it had good street presence.
Clark has been a car enthusiast all his life, and decided around nine years ago to look for one of these coupes. By sheer luck he very quickly found a mint example refurbished by an aircraft engineer, but it was in Perth.

The originals – the Ledgerwood Collection

14 February, 2025

Thanks to Central Otago’s dry climate, it’s no surprise to find that Wanaka couple Jim and Daphne Ledgerwood are steadily developing an incredible collection of amazing coupes. ‘The Originals’ they have are as per factory new condition, and their aim is to keep them for everyone to see how it was done back in the day—pure nostalgia.
An occasional email from Jim usually reveals another gleaming addition. The collectors also have an impressive display of American pickups. It’s our gain and US enthusiasts’ loss, as car agent’s adverts proclaim, “Sorry you missed out. Gone to New Zealand!” Some of Jim and Daphne’s cars are almost part of the family, hence their nicknames.