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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.

NZ Classic Car magazine, July/August 2026 issue 406, on sale now

21 June, 2026

Rebirth of a brilliant Grand Tourer –1973 Datsun 240Z
How often do we long for that ultimate dream sports car, and that dream comes true? This is about one of the most influential Japanese cars of all time, a car that changed the sports car market.
This is about much more than the restoration of an iconic classic sports car, the 240Z. It’s about the culmination of a dream over many years and the friendships made. It’s about the people who helped and the professionals whose approach ensured that the dream became a reality, an attitude typical of the industry we call ‘classic restoration experts’.
It is no surprise that the outcome after a lengthy search by Conrad Van der Geest for the right Datsun 240Z culminated in a trophy for the best Japanese car at this year’s Caroline Bay Beach, Rock N’ Hop at Timaru.
Originally a roadworthy car in running order, it was left-hand-drive and had been driven for several years by its Timaru owner, as Conrad explains.
“A neighbour, Dave Barron, knew I was looking for one and introduced me to the owner. I had seen the car being driven around Timaru. It was unusual for one of these coming originally from California, so it was a really clean car instead of rusty, as they are prone to rust. The story goes that the grandfather passed it onto his grandson, who decided to sell it, and that’s when it came over here.”
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, it’s our cover car for this edition, a 1973 Datsun 240Z

The butterfly effect

18 June, 2026

The man on the mountain bike pedalled over, taking it all in. Gazing in wonderment at this small Japanese coupe with butterfly doors, he said, “Wow, I have never seen one of these before. What is it?” When I told him it was a Toyota, he nearly fell off his bike.
The Toyota Sera is unique amongst ’90s Japanese coupes. The Sera, which is Italian for ‘evening’, can trace its roots back to Toyota’s AXV-II concept car. Launched as part of a trio of Toyota concept cars at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show, it shared its underpinnings with the P70 Toyota Starlet. The similarities ended there, thanks to the AXV-II’s low-slung and rounded coupe styling with butterfly doors. These doors were held upright by gas struts when fully open. Glass covered the upper section of the doors and the rear hatchback.
These features, much to everyone’s surprise, were carried over to the production Sera in 1990. Toyota marketed the Sera, which means ‘will be’ in Spanish and ‘princess’ in Hebrew, as a funky alternative to the much-loved MR2.