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auto restorations

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.

NZ Classic Car magazine, July/August 2024 issue 394, on sale now

23 June, 2024

Big brash and beautiful
Faced with the possibility of scrapping his cherished 1973 Ford Falcon XA GT 351 Hardtop, David Chase took the plunge, delivering it into skilled hands at Matamata Panelworks. It’s now a stunning classic and 2023 Ellerslie Intermarque Concours Masters Class winner.
This big Aussie brute of a car is our stunning cover car for this issue and the restoration journey of this classic is a fascinating tale with a jaw dropping result.
“Rarely do these Ford Falcon 351 GT hardtops last long in their original state as they are either modified, raced, or rust results in them being scrapped. They are already a rare sight on New Zealand roads and survivors turning up at car shows are well-restored as their values skyrocket past the A$200,000 mark. This is especially the case with David’s car, for a particular reason.
“Surprisingly, it’s an all matching numbers car. Yep, that’s pretty cool. A lot of them lost their motors early on, but mine’s still matching so that’s pretty good and I’m very happy about that.”
With a restoration bill approaching the $200K mark, David is thrilled to see a recent valuation well in excess of the figure.”