Jewel on the crown
There is nothing like the USA’s classic cars of the 1950s and here is a stunning example of that glorious era of colourful vehicles with lashings of chrome. Our cover story in this issue is on a Kiwi-restored 1958 Buick Century Caballero Estate Wagon. Rare and unique, this mint wagon will make you green with envy.
“Always the innovator in the General Motors line-up, Buick and its Century models featured a shorter, lighter body offering its biggest engine. In 1957 and 1958 Buick produced the striking Century Caballero Estate Wagon. A magnificently restored example of this very rare hardtop wagon survives in New Zealand.”
Also included with this issue 395, is a huge FREE wall poster. Our first poster in a new series features a newly completed, and only one of two in NZ, Mustang-Shelby GT500KR 1000.
Make sure you grab a copy of this edition of Classic Car magazine to get yours.
To purchase a copy of this edition of NZ classic Car magazine, go to our online shop
A cut above their stablemates
1970 Wolseley 18/85 Mk 2 and 1974 Wolseley 2.2 Six
It didn’t win any prizes for beauty but the acres of space in Issigonis’s Austin 1800, and its relative toughness, helped convert the world to front wheel drive. These upmarket Wolseley versions add power and finesse
“The Wolseleys featured in this issue are two impressively restored cars owned by Stephen and Janice Belcher of Tauranga. Appearances can be deceiving as they are quite different cars under the skin. British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC) wanted to inject some momentum into the 1800’s flagging sales and its approach was simple: give them an up-market makeover with a classier interior featuring the obligatory loads of wood and plush trim.“
Designing women – GM’s Damsels of Design
In 1955, GM vice-president of design Harley Earl brought 11 talented women into the male-dominated field of automotive design. What was their impact?
“Design, or at least styling, was the sizzle that GM was selling and no one could orchestrate this process any better than Harley Earl. Being the visionary that he was, Earl understood that women powerfully influenced the purchases of new cars. To this end, in 1955 he recruited into the GM design department 11 talented women from some of America’s most prestigious design schools such as the Pratt Institute in New York City.”
Patina perfection pickup – 1968 Ford F250
New Zealand, like most western nations, is heavily influenced by American culture, food, music, television, movies – and… vehicles
“Pete immigrated to Otago from Britain with his wife and three sons in 2005. He quickly settled into the lifestyle Wanaka offers. Being a scaffolding expert, it wasn’t long before he set up his own firm providing scaffold to the region’s burgeoning building frontier. Pete purchased the big Ford in April 2021, his first foray into US cars, but he already owned a big, black Harley so effectively he already had the bug. The Ford had had one owner from new in dry-as California.“
Motorman – Fiat 125t, the Italian flyer
The locally inspired Fiat 125T had the competition ingredients to go far, but its production was short-lived. Donn Anderson got behind the wheel of an early example in 1972, and was highly impressed by the performance.
“Meanwhile, development of the 125T was completed only a few weeks before the 1972 Benson & Hedges 500 at Pukekohe, the race in which the car made its mark. Ten were entered and the Fiat scooped its class and finished third, fourth, fifth, and tenth overall. No major problems arose from the lengthy production race, and Torino Motors seemed assured of building the requisite 200 units needed for the model to qualify for the Castrol GTX production series.”
1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith – the pleasure of driving Louis
When Simon started researching the history of his 1939 Rolls-Royce Wraith during its restoration, he was unprepared for the royal connections he discovered.
“A delighted Simon Manning got his wish to be a Rolls-Royce owner on 6 July 2011. After looking for some time and making unsuccessful bids on several other Rolls-Royces, he won his prized 1939 Wraith in a US-based online auction. Miles Miller, who had owned the saloon from the late 1970s, supplied him with all the information he had on the car but that didn’t include who else had owned the car in America or how and when it was purchased from the British Admiralty in Malta. The events of the Wraith’s missing years are being actively pursued by the tenacious Simon. He had no idea of the royal connections until he started researching its history.”
The mother of all Cobras – 1951 Allard P1, Part 2
We resume the story of British sports car maker Sydney Allard, a pioneer in the field of amalgamating big American V8s with nimble British sports chassis, who led the way for Shelby, Jensen, Bristol, and the Rootes Group.
“Sydney Allard, set up in a Ford dealership by his father, made his name as a designer, racing enthusiast and one of the earliest drag racing exponents in the UK using a formula that proved irresistible and virtually all-conquering.
Nearly all of his creations were equipped with American V8s. The standard unit was the 21-stud Ford flathead. However, some customers opted for the 24-stud Mercury flathead which was bored and stroked to produce 140 horsepower.”
Captivating Spider – 1974 Alfa Romeo Spider
Alfa Romeo’s Spider is about as classic as you can get in a two-seat sports car, its combination of great looks, fine engineering and driver appeal mean many of those ensnared can never escape.
“Alfa Romeos have always had a band of especially devoted owners which have kept more than their share of them alive and going strong, even if they were even more prone to rust than most of their contemporaries.
Their sheer character – their sweet lines, enthusiastic and rorty engines, odd driving position, and even their reputation for needing careful nursing just to keep them from self-destructing – meant they could never simply be just another car.”
The Big Bopper – 1972 Chrysler Valiant Hardtop
Most people who were born before decimal currency know who Buddy Holly was. Those fans of the 1980s remember La Bamba and the story of Ritchie Valens. Both he and Holly, along with the pilot, died in a small plane crash along with JP Richardson. JP’s real name was the Big Bopper, a less famous singer of the time. Like the Big Bopper, Chrysler’s big Aussie coupé of the 1970s has been largely forgotten.
“Chrysler Australia was first established in Australia in June 1951, when Chrysler acquired Chrysler Dodge Distributors (Holdings) Pty Ltd, a company that had been formed in 1935 by 18 independent distributors. During the 1950s and 1960s, Chrysler invested significant capital in manufacturing plants in Australia consolidating in Adelaide.”
Motor Sport Flashback – lunching with the Legend
A new, mentally strong if slightly physically infirm, lunch-based motorsport supporters team forms around the legend that is David Oxton
“When Peter Buckleigh discovered his best mate Brett Riley was visiting Auckland, a lunch of motorsport minds was assembled. When Jim Palmer was a late withdrawal, I was happy to complete a table for six along with good buddies Bob McMurray, David Oxton and Murray Taylor.
The conversation covered a range of diverse motor racing topics of the moment: when will Liam Lawson get his big break, how well Marcus Armstrong is doing in America, what is going on with the Australian Supercar scene, are Mercedes really going to promote a teenager straight from Formula 2 into their 2025 team, and how excruciating we all find so many motor racing commentators on TV.”
The delights of the Marconi Museum – Postcard from America No3
My third instalment of Postcard from America is based around a visit I made in Los Angeles last year to the Marconi Automotive Museum in Tustin, Orange County. Visit the Marconi. You won’t be disappointed
“The Marconi is one of those amazing museums, privately owned and operated on a philanthropic basis, giving back to the community in the form of charitable endeavours.
In the late 1950s a young man called Dick Marconi, newly married and with an 18-month-old son relocated from his native Gary, Indiana (home of the Jackson 5), to make his fortune in California. Apart from his entrepreneurial spirit, he had $500 and an MBA. He created Herbalife, which grew into the world’s largest manufacturer of custom made vitamins, weight loss products, and food
supplements.”
Small car – big heart: Kits & Pieces, The Turner sports car
Only a few car builders make it to the big time but some of those idiosyncratic carmakers make exactly the right car for exactly the right owners
“The Mk 1 Turner featured is car number 60/373. It is a rare car, even among Turners. Only 30 Mk 1 Climax Turners were built and it is believed that only 10 now survive worldwide. Despite its rarity, these cars were quite successful on the track. For example, Mk 1 Climax Turners have won the Historic Sports Car Club championship on seven occasions; that’s more than any other make of car.“
Looking Back at North Shore in the ’60s-’80s (PART 2)
The early days of North Shore was the frontier of Auckland’s baby boomer population explosion in the 1950s and ’60s. Gerard continues his memories of motorsport identities from the North Shore bays, some of whom became household names.
“Percy was another major player in the unholy alliance of the famed Rothesay Bay flat. His first move into high performance motoring was buying the 1932 Ford V8 roadster road rod of famed ex-Meremere drag racer Kevin Dolores. He drag-raced this machine successfully in the street rod class at Meremere around 1974, though he later lost his licence in it, for a dangerous driving charge on the street: maybe the legacy of the wild, unruly, hot rod outlaw antics on the Shore back in the day.”
Price On: road user charges – again
Watch out! They’ll want to put electronics in your Classic
“Just when you thought that common sense might finally prevail, another numpty comes out of the woodwork and proposes yet more nonsense that may well impact on our classic vehicles.
Auckland has recently lost its congestion charge which was included in the price per litre of fuel (can you Auckland people keep the cheering noise down a bit, please?) While I could understand the concept of a congestion charge in cities like London, UK, I didn’t think our New Zealand cities were big enough to warrant them. In Christchurch, for example, it only takes about 30 minutes to get from one side of town to the other – that was until the dopey council introduced 10kph speed limits, and footpath-sized single-lane roads in the vicinity of the new white elephant stadium.”
Shelf classics – Models
Welcome to a new addition to New Zealand Classic Car and the world of scale modelling.
“Skilled model makers are building some amazing cars, bikes and trucks, scale miniatures of the real thing and some take months, not hours, to build. What better way to admire those garage classics in your own living room? We take a brief look at some modellers.
Aaron Mai meets Tony Lyne, F1 model builder. Model car builders are a special group among car people, a group that gets an extra kick out of their passion by merging it with their hobby. A fine model car is like a song; it can transport you back to a specific time in your life or motorsport history. Tony Lyne has been building models for as long as he can remember, and he has realised his love for classic Formula 1 in spectacular fashion.”
Industry insider: HBI engineering – precision in motion
“From a humble workshop at the back of Harry Clegg’s house, HBI Engineering has blossomed into a flourishing business, employing the latest in computerised machining technology to deliver superior products and services. Current owners Greg Smith and Scott Duncan have been instrumental in the company’s success over the years. Greg has been with the company for 34 years, while Scott has contributed 24 years, both bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience.”
Book Review
Le Mans 2023 official yearbook: 91st Edition
By J-M Teissedre & T Villemant
Published 2023 by Sophia Editions
ISBN 978-2-38514-025-0. £49 (plus postage from the UK)
Book Review
America’s greatest road trip! Key West to Deadhorse
By Tom Cotter and Michael Alan Ross (MAR).
Published 2023 by Quarto.
ISBN 978-0-7603-8106-9. About $75.
Coaching from the bench: seeing your way clear
Replacing your classic’s windscreen doesn’t have to be a pane in the glass. It’s another job usually left to professionals but Jim Richardson shows how you could tackle this yourself.
“I restored my 1968 Volkswagen a number of years ago, but kept the original windscreen because it looked okay at the time. Since then, it has been scratched by a bad windscreen wiper and has become a bit cloudy. I asked my mate Bruce Haye at Ace Panel and Paint in Whitianga to help me replace it, and he agreed to show me how.
Pitted, scratched, or cracked windscreens are unsightly, as well as possibly dangerous.”
Market Report: True blue Aussie – the Holden HQ
Many cars have made up the Kiwi motoring landscape of yesteryear, but few are as well known as the Holden HQ.
“Capable of not only enduring everything the roughest Kiwi and Aussie roads could throw at it, the HQ was a workhorse work car, a practical family run around and, in the guise of a GTS Monaro, even a fully-fledged street weapon. The New Zealand police, government departments, taxi companies, and families throughout the country either owned or used an HQ Kingswood, Belmont or Premier.”
Behind The Garage Door: The toast of the town
A drive to gather parts to save one big Healey – and the odd tot or two – has led to a concerted effort to get five of Britain’s finest back on the road.
“Nick Dawe acquired his car in 2015, one of three cars purchased from Wayne Kay. Following the Christchurch earthquake, Wayne needed to demolish and rebuild the shed where his Healeys had been stored for some time. Nick and a friend, Barry Ricketts, decided to acquire three of Wayne’s five cars. Wayne had originally purchased the cars from Russell Lane and partner Ralph Roden when they operated R & R Restorations, in Christchurch in the 1990s”
Show Stoppers
We take a quick look at some of the top classics at shows around the country. Many will feature later in New Zealand Classic Car magazine.
“So fresh from its recent restoration it has yet to get to a show, but that will be taken care of this year by Helen Fellow and her family in their 1977 Leyland Clubman van. The van was owned for a short period by a Southland business, then it became part of the family, carting the junior members to school as one of its duties. It has now taken on a new lease of life.”
News: Shelby Mustang GT500KR 1000 unveiled
A very happy owner received the keys to the second Mustang Shelby GT500KR 1000 widebody Gen III, built by Matamata Panelworks and Shelby New Zealand, at a special unveiling ceremony on Friday 12 July, in Matamata
Daily driver: 1974 Mark 1 Ford Escort
Owner Kerri Nevin of Christchurch, has a great story to tell about her Ford Escort, the second she has owned.
“The first Escort I bought when I was 19, but foolishly, in hindsight, sold it after about a year to buy a Japanese import.”
