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NZ Classic Car magazine, November/December 2025 issue 402, on sale now

19 October, 2025

Circuit racer to show stopper
A one-time racing saloon gets a new lease on life
Hugely popular back in the day, and European champions, Ford’s Capri is still a popular and competitive racing saloon, so to find one turned back into a pristine road car is rare indeed.
Loburn’s rolling hills and river plains in North Canterbury are renowned for their fruit-growing areas, and also have some great driving roads, perfect for enjoying the long-legged cruising Ford Capri featured here.
Since the Christchurch earthquakes, the area has become a sought-after lifestyle region. Toby and Donna Dimmock moved to the area a short time ago, and they enjoy the laid-back, sunny lifestyle of the region in their new home, which features a generously sized garage and sheds, perfect for a couple of gleaming classics. They are best known for their 1972 Holden HQ Monaro LS, a show-winning car that serves as their big, comfortable country cruiser when driving to car shows. However, their 1974 Ford Capri Mark 1, GXL 3 Litre, is something special with an unexpected background, quite at odds with its amazing current condition.

NZ Classic Car magazine, September/October 2025 issue 401, on sale now

24 August, 2025

Cuda muscle!
The spirit of a generation
The Plymouth Barracuda is renowned for its reputation as a formidable US performance car, designed to compete with Chevrolet and Ford’s performance vehicles. In its third generation, a variant, the ‘Cuda, emerged as one of the most striking muscle cars produced by Plymouth.
Back in September 2019, current owner John Carson tracked down one of the ’Cuda’s former US owners, Ron Heintschel, who provided a little of its history, as Ron recalls.
“So here is what I can remember on the ’72 Cuda. The car was ordered by the first owner, who lived in Medina, Ohio. At the time, it was a matching numbers car. The car was then sold to a neighbour and then to a guy in Pioneer, Ohio, the dates I cannot remember.”
Ron purchased the car from its owner in Pioneer, Ohio, in December 1992.
“Restoration began in 1992 and was finished in late May of 1993. The car only had a few spots of rust, just under the battery tray on the inner fender line, and two spots on the insides of the front fenders, under the hood.

Motorman: When the top trio took to the road

9 May, 2025

What sort of cars did Chris Amon, Bruce McLaren and Denny Hulme drive when they weren’t on the race track? Motorman knows
Most top racing drivers do care about safety levels of road-going cars for everyday motorists and their all-round abilities behind the wheel. Jackie Stewart for one denied finding everyday driving boring. He took pride in giving his passengers the smoothest possible ride, and encouraged all drivers to actively engage in the task. They also make interesting choices for their transport away from competitive motoring.
Thirty years ago I spent a day with Chris Amon driving on lower North Island roads and I can remember those informative few hours as vividly as if they were yesterday. In 1983 Chris accepted a challenge from Toyota New Zealand to improve its locally assembled cars in a relationship that extended well beyond the end of New Zealand-built Toyota vehicles in 1997.

Lunch with … Roger Bailey

7 June, 2024

Roger’s story is a classic illustration of what hard work, honesty to the point of brutal frankness, a ‘can-do’ approach, and a racer’s brain can get you in this sport of car racing. Roger, or ‘Boost’ as he’s known up and down the pitlanes of America, was who Kenny Smith turned to when he was dragging a reluctant teenager around the different pit garages at Laguna Seca.
“Scott [Dixon] kept complaining that it was too hot and he just wanted to go back to the hotel pool. I had to tell him that I was trying to secure his future — we weren’t getting much of a look in until we saw Roger who knew everyone and set about introducing Scott as New Zealand’s next big thing.

NZ Classic Car July/August 2023 issue 388, on sale now

19 June, 2023

The July/August 2023 issue 388 has a couple of stunning supercars featured and the story of a truly unique restored 1963 Datsun, the first model Datsun sold in NZ.
A quarter of a century before boy racers put their caps on back to front, reclined their seats and drove their cheap Japanese imports through town we saw an altogether different cheap Japanese import here in NZ.
Our cover car this issue was found stored in a shed in Warkworth. A project car, it had spent three decades waiting for the proverbial full nine yards. During that time, a few bits had been attended to: new tyres, new brakes, but not much else. When the new owner took the car he was able to start and even drive the car, although it was trailered back to Auckland. The car has undergone a complete restoration by the owner where he undertook every stage of the restoration himself apart from the engine reconditioning. A stunning classic car is the result of all this effort.