Reincarnation of the snake
We are captivated by a top-quality sports car
The Shelby NZ build team at Matamata Panelworks has endured a long and challenging journey, culminating with the highly anticipated public unveiling of the 427SC and firing up of its sonorous V8 at the 2026 Ayrburn Classic Festival of Motoring in Queenstown on February 20. This is a New Zealand-built car with loads of character and potential.
The car is now back in Matamata, and I finally have an opportunity to get up close and personal with it. But before then, the question that must be asked is, “Why would ya?”
The first answer is easy, as mentioned in the last issue of New Zealand Classic Car (#404). It was a great way to use up all the surplus Mustang parts acquired while converting brand-new Mustangs into Shelbys. The unused new Mustang parts would be great in any kit car, but the 427SC in front of me cannot be classified as one.
This is not a kit car. The reality is that it is a high-quality, factory-made production car.
Possibly the second answer is because the CEO of Matamata Panelworks, Malcolm Sankey, wanted to build a replica of the car that is a distant relation to the Shelby Mustangs scattered around his showroom floor, a car created long before the first Mustang was even thought of, and the brainchild of Carroll Shelby back in the early ‘60s.
Every issue comes with our FREE huge wall poster; this issue, it’s a 1973 Ford Escort Mark 1 Fristcort Tribute.
To purchase a copy of this magazine, head here to Classic Car’s very own online shop
Ayrburn 2026 Delights
Glittering artwork on wheels; petrolhead heaven!
Now in its second year of operation, the Ayrburn Classic has firmly established itself as a world-class event, showcasing its unique qualities among the world’s premier classic events. It has confirmed what many suspected: that the beautifully landscaped gardens, lakes, and historical buildings –now updated and transformed into stunning bars and restaurants – create a remarkable display of what New Zealand has to offer.
Ayrburn owner, Chris Meehan, summed up a very successful 2026 event.
“I had always seen pictures of Pebble Beach and Goodwood and thought that the grounds of Ayrburn were every bit as beautiful, so could it house a concourse de elegance every bit as good as those two? A chance encounter with Allister (Simpson) and Vaughan (Wilson), where I let them know my intentions, led to a series of conversations about how we could do a world-class car show, and a few months later, the Ayrburn Classic was born.”
1964 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C2
Ingenuity creates a stunning Stingray
Sharing his enthusiasm with a diverse group of people over a four-year period helped bring Dave O’Connell’s dream to reality, resulting in this stunning Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.
Posters of this stunning, searing red (‘Torch Red’) example of a C2 appear to now be gracing a few garage walls, with one Ashburton reader, in his 90s, writing that he now has his poster properly mounted on his garage wall, reminding him of a similar car he once had.
Dave’s car was not always as pristine as it appears now, and it’s a long story. First registered in New Zealand on 30 November 2000, it is carefully documented in an album Dave prepared explaining how it all started.
“I purchased my C2 Corvette around 20 years ago when my son found it advertised on Trade Me. This particular model had always been a dream car for me, and when the opportunity arrived to buy one, I jumped at the chance.”
Back then, Dave says he knew very little about the year-to-year Corvette variations or which specifications they came with.
“I just loved the shape. When you finally own something like a C2 Corvette, the learning begins, and for me, more so than most, I think.”
Doritos downunder
Why rotaries rule New Zealand
There is something unique about New Zealand’s love for the rotary that is hard to explain, making us a special breed among automotive enthusiasts worldwide.
There is an undeniably deep-seated, cult-like affection for the rotary that even the masters of rotary technology at Mazda are confounded by.
Many automotive trends have come and gone; Kiwis have lived through the British, American, and Aussie phases. Yet while all these have had their peaks and troughs, one aspect of our car culture has remained strong: the admiration for the ‘Spinning Dorito’.
1967 Jaguar Mark II
The long road-part 2
In the 1950s, Jaguar’s Mark I and II models dominated race circuits. For over 45 years, Bert Govan has enjoyed the performance of Jaguar’s twin-cam six-cylinder engine at various events and still loves driving. He fondly recalls those incredible years of saloon car racing.
Dave Silcock is a name long associated with top-performing Jaguars, but Bert was also fortunate to have a talented engineer close at hand to look after his Jaguar.
“Dave did all the initial work on it, but it was actually done by a guy I had in my own workshop in my car dealership in 1980. One of the technicians who worked for me was a guy, John Crerar, and he had worked at PDL Motors and was one of the constructors of the PDL Mustang.”
Bert was quick to snap up John’s services to help develop the Jaguar.
“As PDL was winding down around that time, he came in and worked for me, and he actually did all the initial work on the Mk II, and then when I closed that yard, he left, and I put the car back to Dave Silcock. Dave then campaigned it for me, right through for the next 30-plus years, and Dave did all the development work. I mean, he cut his teeth on running XK120 and Mk2 race cars, so he knew how to get the power out of them.”
Friscort-the orange experience
A memorable ShellSport tribute car returns
Motorsport and thirst-quenching soft drinks have long been a match made in heaven, with long, hot summer days at Kiwi race tracks. Aaron Mai takes a look at a stunning tribute Ford Escort, seven years in the making!
Back in the day, it was time spent enjoying watching Ford Escorts and muscle cars doing battle, something that is now folklore and an amazing bygone era many remember fondly.
Throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, a Hawkes Bay’s Wattie’s orange soft drink ‘Frist’, was doing the rounds in shops and on the racetrack thanks to Bryan Blackberry.
The ‘Fristscort’ as it was known, was a local Hawkes Bay car campaigned in the ShellSport Class 2 category for cars up to 4200 cc through the ‘70s, bringing the fight to its bigger V8 competition.
Originally powered by a Cosworth FVC engine, set up with fuel injection and pumping out 240 horsepower, it made the wee ‘fizzy’ rocket no slouch on the race circuit.
Hans and Erhard would have approved!
Ben’s Next-Gen’ Classics
Welcome to an exciting new feature in New Zealand Classic Car, where our illustrious motoring scribe, Ben Selby, takes a look at a potentially great investment as a next-generation classic for your garage. Appropriately, first up, from the company at the dawn of the first motorcar, it’s Mercedes-Benz, and what a machine it is!
“You know those word association exercises where someone utters a word or phrase, and you respond by describing the first thought to come into your head? Well, if I were to say ‘AMG’, chances are many of you will immediately think ‘fast’ or ‘loud’ and probably ‘V8’ will be thrown in at some stage of the game.”
Motorman – Hispano-Suiza Kidston
A very special car that landed in New Zealand 61 years ago
Kidston is about keeping history alive, and so is this rare Hispano-Suiza H6C, which has a long history in New Zealand. Donn Anderson details the century-old history of a rather special car.
“Cars are about human stories, the people who designed them, built them, and drove them.” So says Simon Kidston, who is not only an expert in classic cars but also has an emotional attachment to special vehicles. Perhaps then it is unsurprising he embarked on an ambitious project to restore a rare car once owned by his uncle Glen.
Simon’s father, Home Kidston, was the subject of a Motorman feature in the October 2022 edition of New Zealand Classic Car.
Home had many adventures with his 1927 Mercedes in the North Island 90 years ago. Remarkably, the 102-year-old Hispano-Suiza, originally bought new by his uncle Glen Kidston and recently restored in Britain, also has a strong New Zealand connection.
Market Report
Nissan’s iconic Skyline R34, GT-R
Hold a poll to find out which car the millennial generation coveted more than any other, chances are the Nissan Skyline GT-R R34 would be high on that list, if not at the top.
The Fast and Furious film franchise’s Paul Walker, Gran Turismo games on the PlayStation and the covers of countless Japanese performance car magazines are just some of the reasons why this Japanese supercar titan is still immensely coveted today, and boy does the market show it.
Le Mans 1966: 60 Years of controversy – part 1
Ford V Ferrari and the tyre wars
Le Mans 1966 was a battle of egos between Enzo Ferrari and Henry Ford II, and a controversial three-car dead-heat finish, but inside the race, there was a significant battle of tyre brands.
The Goodyear-Firestone war exploded with the race already underway. To understand this battle, we have to put it in the context of the drama surrounding the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans, which is still debated today.
It started with a torrential downpour. Ford and Shelby American had put an armada of three Ford GT40s on the asphalt of the La Sarthe circuit: the number-1 car of Ken Miles/Denny Hulme (star of Le Mans ‘66), the number-2 car of Bruce McLaren/Chris Amon and the number-3 car of Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant.
Kits and pieces
Acorn Marcie-built for peanuts
Thanks to the demise of ownership papers, it is now very difficult to trace the history of many classic cars, and their stories get lost in the mists of time. It is a pity, as most cars have an amazing story to tell.
Fortunately for us, this is not the case with the Acorn Marcie. Despite its 40-year history, I was able to contact all three owners, including the car’s creator. The fact that a hand-built car has only had three owners is in itself unusual.
The story of this car officially begins in 1985, but the first chapter dates back to 1969, when its creator, Peter Parkinson, decided to build a one-off mid-engined sports car. His friends started offering him all sorts of macho names for the car, demonstrating his quirky sense of humour and to shut them up, he called it Lucy.
John Hardy Chronicles – Part 1
The Hardy family and friends’ motor racing history
Now retired and living in Christchurch, John Hardy has documented some fascinating memories of his Grandfather and Father’s motor industry involvement, and their early motor racing exploits in the Auckland region
This started as a story about one man, Mervyn Charles Hardy, and what we first believed was one continually altered racing car.
But the more we searched, the more we found that this story needed to be about many different cars and another man as well. That other man was Merv’s friend, Gerry (Gerald Aubin Melville) Mathieson. Merv and Gerry were both involved in the early years of motor racing in New Zealand. We can only build this story from records and articles left by those involved at the time, and luckily, they felt it was important to keep some of them. So now, in these later years, we can build a story of what they did.
California to Canterbury, a keeper
Rough edges, worn by miles, and rich in heart
Nicolette always dreamed of owning a 1967 Candy Apple Red Mustang convertible. But when this 1968 Mustang came along, the deal was simply too good to walk away from.
Twenty-five years later, it has never left her side, serving not only as her first car but as her daily driver ever since she bought it and gained her licence. Flawed, worn, and far from pristine, it’s still perfect in Nicolette’s eyes.
Nicolette bought the Mustang in 2001 while living in California. One day, stopped at the lights outside a Tognotti’s Auto Parts store in Sacramento, she spotted it parked and immediately pulled over to take a closer look.
“I fell in love with her at first sight,” she says.
The car was for sale at an asking price of US$ 2500. Nicolette boldly offered the owner $1000. He laughed, said no, and she carried on with her day. Two weeks later, after he found a Harley-Davidson that he really wanted, he rang her back and offered it to her for $1200 – an offer she happily accepted. She was ecstatic. Her parents, she laughs, were not.
The day OSCA came to Auckland – Part 2
A Northerner’s Open Saloon Car Racing Association memories
Word leaked out in late Winter ’71 that a wild rebel force of ‘take no prisoners racing’ was gathering momentum in the South, driven by a band of Christchurch petrolheads. We continue part-2 of Gerard’s account of when this group invaded Auckland.
The majority of championship rounds were held at the central locations of Ruapuna (Christchurch) and Level’s (Timaru). Teretonga and Wigram rounds tended to be run as part of the international Tasman Series meetings.
The drivers came from all points of the compass, though Christchurch, Timaru, Ashburton and Dunedin were the main automotive stamping grounds. Bruce Jenner, John Armstrong and Lin Neilson hailed from Dunedin, Clyde Collins, Kevin Haig, Alec Dickie, Trevor Crowe, Ron McPhail, John Osborne and others from Christchurch, Rod McLrea from Ashburton, Pat Pascoe from Nelson were some of the heavy hitters.
The charm of the first season lay in the rustic flavour of the cars and the racing. There was a raw appeal in the photos of not-quite-pristine race cars set against the backdrop of earth banks on corners and rural farmland.
Price On – Petrol (again!)
Seems like only yesterday that I was writing about petrol prices. Some of you will have seen this and similar postings on Facebook.
“Firstly, thank you, everyone, for your concern. I’m okay, but I’m quite shaken up, but I’ll be okay. For those of you who don’t know what happened, I was robbed this afternoon in broad daylight at the petrol station. I got myself together after it happened; my hands were still shaking, I was dizzy, and I was probably in shock.
My money was gone. I called the Police; they were fantastic and called for an ambulance as my blood pressure was through the roof. The Police asked me if I knew who did it. I told them: “Yes, it was pump number four!”
Book Review – Fire Stations of Aotearoa New Zealand
By George Lockyer
Catch Phrase Media NZ Ltd
ISBN:978-0-47374613-1
RRP: $45
Readers of our sister publication, The Shed, will no doubt be familiar with George Lockyer’s six books, a lot of them with a motorcycle theme and Kiwi garages.
Classic Northern Racing
Marco Giltrap – Kiwi racer
Motor racing is fraught with challenges for young people; ever-increasing costs, with a level of competitiveness demanding increasing levels of commitment.
Classic Southern Racing
All about the camaraderie
Life does not get much more abrasive than sitting in a tin box racing car, a few inches off the ground, with little in the way of creature comforts, heat and the smell of hot oil and brakes, hammering away as other tin cans in close proximity vie for the same spot you are aiming for.
As we wind down the season, I thought Bruce Farley’s “Reflections on Teretonga” would be appropriate.
Classic car news and events
Twin Rivers, American Vehicle Day, Warbirds over Wanaka, Kumeu show, Last fling Pukekohe, Hamner classic, Cruizin in the bays… and more
