Muscle Car - Ford
Muscle-car from Ford.Mark Ford Muscle Car for fans means no less than the Muscle Car Pontiac. True, all maslkarov Ford, the most popular model is a class pony-car, it is, of course, is a Mustang. On the very Mustang, which was the progenitor of the whole class.
                                                             
Start of production refers to the Ford Mustang in 1964, however, Chrysler Plymouth Barracuda released a little earlier, but due to a successful advertising campaign Mustang won outright competitor. For the first year it sold more than a quarter-million vehicles, and in the next few years, the number of sold Mustang exceeded one million. In the fashion of the time for the next year was restyled Mustang and got involved in the race for power. The base engine was pretty weak, only 101 hp, and the most powerful version gave out 210HP Therefore, for the case took a famous racer Carol Shelby, who made a strong modification of the Ford Shelby GT350, and in 1967 Ford Shelby GT500 (the model involved in the movie "Gone in 60 Seconds"). In 1968 the Mustang set the most powerful engine Cobra Jet, which gave out 410 hpFord Mustang 1964 Ford Shelby GT350 1965

                                                  Still life photo Muscle - Ford Mustang 1964

                                          
                                       Still life photo Muscle - Ford Shelby GT350 1965

                                           Still life photo Muscle - Ford Shelby GT500 1967 
The constant race for power forced to increase engine size, which in turn will increase the weight of the car. Muscle Car became larger and heavier, and it's not like customers. Sales began to fall to the same competitors significantly tightened, Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird drew off part of Mustang fans themselves. The first bell rung out in the early '70s, the fuel crisis has had an effect in the United States. Gradually scale modifications Mustang gone sports version GT, Cobra, Boss. In 1973, the base version developed 95 hp, and the most powerful version with an 8-cylinder engine 156 hp and the 1974 release of the first series of Ford Mustang was stopped. Follow it began production of Ford Mustang II, which is popular even walked maslkarov legend, but it was a simple car with a great name of his predecessor.

 

                                                                   Muscle Still life photo - Ford Galaxie
Ford has produced and full Muscle Car. These include the Ford Galaxie and Ford Fairlane / Torino GT / Cobra. Maslkarom Ford Fairlane was in 1966, at the height of the era of brawny cars. Over time Fairlane got appropriate design and powerful version - Torino GT and Torino Cobra.Ford Galaxie is known as the most powerful series maslkar 

The legendary Dodge Charger muscle car, 1968-70

The restyling of the 1968 Dodge Charger is unquestionably the main reason for its sales success, since the 440 Magnum and Hemi were already available in 1967, and sales were dismal. The new "Coke bottle" look made the Charger one of the best-looking muscle cars, period, with many considering it the best-looking performance car of the 1960s. The base drivetrain remained identical with the 318 on the bottom end. Dodge wrote, “This is no dream car. It’s a real ‘take-me-home-and-let’s stir-things-up-a-bit’ automobile.”

The model line up expanded to include the Charger R/T, equipped like the Coronet R/T - it came with a 440 Magnum, heavy duty suspension and brakes, and the bulletproof Torqueflite 727 3 speed auto with a 4 speed manual optional. The rear bumblebee stripes were a deletable option. Hemi sales went up to 467, still quite small.
The 1968 sales were far higher than expected; product planners assumed they would sell 20,000, but 96,000 were built, and the market might well have taken more. The Charger was a runaway success.
For the next year, Dodge was understandably torn between the usual annual styling changes and not wanting to mess with a good thing; they made minor changes to the grille as a compromise. The 1968 has a chrome bumper under the grille, the 1969 has a chrome center divider in the grille, and the 1970 has a rectangular chrome bumper around the grille

1969 Dodge Charger

Mopaully wrote that MoPar Muscle Feb/Mar 1991 listed the following 1969 production figures: 392 Charger 500s, 67 Hemi 500s, 433 Daytonas with 440, 70 Daytonas with Hemi. Sales were already down, though, with only 69,000 built - still double the 1966 sales.
The Charger was left virtually untouched, and for good reason. They added a center grille divider, and recessed taillights. The backup lights moved to below the rear bumper.
The Charger 500, with a Coronet grille and a flush rear window, was built by Creative Industries; 500 were sold in accordance with NASCAR rules. The main reason for the Charger 500 was to eliminate aerodynamic problems that hurt it in comparison to Ford's lower-power but more slippery racing models. Chrysler had an ace up their sleave, though: the product of extensive wind tunnel testing, the Charger Daytona included a massive rear spoiler and an aero nose. No other car could match it for top speed (200 mph), with its standard 440 and optional Hemi. Its looks, notable today, were not appreciated in 1969.

The slant six was actually added to the range — or this year, though only about 500 were sold. Slant-powered Chargers, if left unmodified, would have been fairly slow (even modified, they had quite a bit of weight to push around).


For 1969, Dodge refined Charger, using a new grille and tail light treatment to bolster the sporty image. New vinyl roof treatments and exterior colors were optional, to appeal to the youthful driver. Engineering innovations ranged from manual tilt seat adjusters and easier rear door lock buttons to improved brake adjusters and headlights on warning buzzer.
A new optional Special Edition decor group for Charger and Charger R/T models was added. It featured leather bucket seats, wood-grain steering wheel, and wood grain inserts on the instrument panel. These cars are identified by SE name plates on the roof pillars. The Special Edition package also included bright trimmed pedals, deep dish wheel covers, and a light group including time delay ignition light and hooa mounted turn signal indicators.





Dodge also had a Charger for the Scat Pack. The Charger 500 was designed for the performance-minded driver; the rear window was slanted more, to be flush with the trailing edge of the rear window pillars; the grille was flush mounted instead of recessed, to improve airflow; and headlights were fixed, not concealed. The 500 was powered by the 426 cubic inch Hemi engine. It was built to meet a NASCAR requirement to allow Chargers to race on the stock car circuit; flush mounting provided a tremendous aerodynamic advantage which was to culminate in the Charger Daytona.

An even wider array of vinyl top choices were optional, adding tan, green, black, and white. The standard engine was the 318 cubic inch V8, but buyers could drop down to the slant six; only 500 did. Two optional 383s were sold, with two and four barrel carburetors. In the Charger R/T, which accounted for 21 percent of 1968 Charger sales, the 440 C.I.D. Magnum, 375 H.P. power plant was standard and the 426 C.I.D., 425 H.P. Hemi was optional.


Dodge also built in 1969 the Dodge Charger Daytona. This model was built specifically for the Daytona 500, and other stock car races. The Daytona marked a concerted effort by Dodge and Chrysler Corporation to take back the NASCAR limelight from Ford. The Daytona featured a wind cheating billet shaped front cap instead of the standard grille, hidden headlamps, front spoiler, flush backlight, and a huge rear deck spoiler. Compared with the Charger 500, the Daytona was about 20 percent more aerodynamically efficient. Dodge built 505 Charger Daytonas, just enought to beat the NASCAR stipulated 500 unit limit to qualify as a production model. Standard engine in the Daytona was the 440 cubic inch V-B, the 426 Hemi was optional.
At the Daytona's first outing at Talladega, Alabama, piloted by Richard Brickhouse, the Daytona won handily. Charger also won at the Daytona 500, driven by Bobby Isaac. Dodge won 22 Grand National races that season, but failed to nab the NASCAR manufacturers’ trophy.



Chrysler started experimenting with aerodynamics in the 1920s, but not until 1969 did they release the most aerodynamic car of its time — one whose drag coefficient was not matched for many years, yet was built on an existing model with relatively few changes. This was the Dodge Charger Daytona, to be joined in 1970 by the Plymouth Superbird.



The 1969 Dodge Daytona had a drag coefficient (cd) of just 0.28, better than most cars made in the 1990s. It would have produced even less drag, if it weren't for the tall spoiler (added to keep the rear wheels on the ground at high speeds). But, despite its 200 mph speed record , the car didn't sell well, even for its limited production, largely — according to sages of the time — because people thought the aero look was ugly. The price was around $4,000, the engine was a 440 or Hemi, and the top speed was practically unbeatable in a production car.

The first-generation Viper, with its aerodynamic shape, had a cd of over .5; the 1994 Plymouth Duster had a cd of .42. ; the mid-1990s Eagle Talon had a cd of .36. Even the sleek Eagle Vision had a drag of .31, considerably higher than the 0.28 of the 1969 Charger Daytona. That car set a speed record that held for 13 years, to be broken by about 1 mph in 1983.

1970 Dodge Chargers

The success of the American Dodge Charger caught the attention of international product planners. While the Charger was far too large and thirsty for South America, the Valiant and Dart were not, and the Charger look was adapted to the A-body platform — hideaway headlights and all — as much as they could swing it. Production was fairly low but many Chargers still remain in South America.

For 1970, the Charger received only minor changes, except for the 500 model, no longer needed for racing with the Daytona  making speed; as happened all too often, the performance name was converted to a trim level, with a standard 318, sitting between Charger and Charger R/T. The Charger's length increased by one inch. The least expensive Charger came with a bench front, while all the others came with bucket seats. The SE package was still available, with the optional bucket seats. Unlike other Chrysler intermediates, the Charger did not have standard 15" wheels.
In 1970, a Dodge Charger Daytona made history at Talladega Speedway when Buddy Baker became the first driver to be clocked at more than 200 mph for a lap on a closed course. That speed record was held for a good number of years.

1970 Dodge Charger
Max track, width	59.7, 76.6		Hip room, f/r	60.6 / 60.4
Height	53		Shoulder room, f/r	58.1 / 58.1
Wheelbase, length	117, 209.7		Front brakes	11 x 3 drums
Headroom, f/r	37.4 / 38.4		Rear brakes	11 x 2.5 drums
Legroom, f/r	41.4 / 34.1		Wheels/tires	14.0 x 6 F70

New features for the 1970 Charger included a front bumper which completely encircled the grille and new full width tail lights, and the Federally mandated ignition switch buzzer to remind drivers not to leave their keys in the car. The R/T got simulated scoops on the door, and a longitudal stripe instead of  the rear bumblebee stripes.

Engine options remained the same, except for the addition of the hot 440 6 pack (three double-barrel Holley carbs monted on an Edelbrock intake manifold). The Charger R/T’s base 440 required premium gas but pumped out a whopping 375 (gross) horsepower at 4,600 rpm, and 480 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm. A single Carter four-barrel carb was used on these models; the cam timing was identical to the Hemi, with 268° intake duration and 284° exhaust duration.

Total Charger production for 1970 was 49,768 vehicles, of which 10,337 were Charger R/Ts. While still a big seller compared with the 1966-67 Chargers, sales fell to a bit over half of what they had been in 1968, and were less than half of 1969’s gangbuster performance. 

The standard Charger came with the 225 slant-six or 318 V8, with a three-on-the-tree manual. The interior had a vinyl bench seat, deep-pile carpet, three-spoke steering wheel with a separate horn ring, heater/defroster, cigarette lighter, self-adjusting brakes, fiberglass belted tires, heavy duty suspension (using torsion bars and a front sway bar), rear bumper guards, concealed headlights, and quick-fill gas cap. The parking brake was foot activated.

The Charger 500 added vinyl bucket seats, a clock, and wheel-lip mouldings. The R/T made the clock optional while adding the 440 V8 with four-barrel carb and dual exhaust; automatic; heavy duty drum brakes; F70 14 inch wheels with white sidewall tires; the R/T handling package; simulated walnut instrument panel; three-speed wipers; and a bumblebee or longitudinal stripe.

The Charger SE was more of a luxury package and had leather and vinyl front bucket seats, a simulated walnut steering wheel, pedal dress-up, lighting group, deep-dish wheel covers, simulated walnut instrument panel, and vinyl map pockets.

Options included air conditioning, cruise, front center cushion with fold-down armrest (for bucket seats), headlight time delay, locking gas cap, luggage rack on the rear deck lid, sunroof, left remote control mirror, right side mirror, power brakes, steering, and winddows, rear seat speaker, a variety of AM and FM radios (with an optional stereo with 8-track player and three speakers, all in the instrument panel), rear shoulder belts, rear window defogger, six-way manually adjustable driver's bucket seat, three-speed wipers, tinted glass, and hood insulation. There were also numerous appearance options. 

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1967 A- PONTIAC GTO- XXX MOVIE CAR!



This is an extremely unique opportunity for movie car buffs, Pontiac enthusiasts, or classic car fans. 1967 Pontiac GTO as seen in the movie "XXX". This is the first time this car has been available for sale to the public. This is a very rare vehicle for several reasons. Only seven cars were modified for filming in the Czech Republic and worldwide display at World of Wheels, Autorama, etc.. This is a miniscule number compared to action films such as "Dukes of Hazzard". The stunt cars were subjected to extreme abuse, so at least one car was left in Prague. Due to time constraints, LeMans models were also used. Some of the vehicles were stripped of their Pontiac engines and refitted with Chevrolet ZZ4 crate engines. Also, after the movie, some aftermarket companies built replicas for display purposes. There are several "XXX" GTO's that exist with no documentation, appearing out of the blue with no ownership history.

Now, to the rarity of this car: It is a real 242 code GTO, not a Lemans. There is a Pontiac factory engine under the hood. The vehicle was not one of the stunt cars, easily identifiable by the extra welded supports under the hood. Complete authenticity documents, movie board, displays, museum pamphlets, etc. are with the car. Complete ownership history. The GTO was first leased, then sold, to the Hollywood Star Cars Museum in Gatlinburg, TN., where it has been on display for nearly a decade. And finally, this may be the only "XXX" movie car that both Eddie Paul and George Barris performed modifications to. Please read the complete story and view all the photos of this piece of movie history. The complete story is in the ad: Description, photos, provenance, documentation, and video links from the public domain of YouTube containing movie trailers and George Barris himself discussing the car at the Hollywood Star Cars Museum. 



Everyone remembers the 2002 blockbuster action film "XXX", directed by Rob Cohen and starring Vin Diesel and Samuel L. Jackson. Diesel stars as Xander Cage, a thrill seeking sports enthusiast, stuntman, and rebellious anarchist who is in deep trouble with the law. He is recruited by Jackson to fight against an Eastern European terrorist organization that is planning the destruction of the world. He chooses the spy role over a lengthy prison term in Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, and the rest is history. Filming of the movie took place in three locations, with the majority set in Prague, Czech Republic. Released in August of 2002, the blockbuster grossed 46 million dollars the first week, over 141 million dollars in the U.S., and over 277 million dollars worldwide. A sequel, "XXX:State of the Union", was released in 2005. However, Vin Diesel was replaced by Ice Cube, and Rob Cohen's directing duties were taken over by Lee Tamahori. The sequel never reached the success of the original. Click on this link to a movie trailer from the public domain of YouTube. This is one of the great action sequences of the movie. 




Classic car enthusiasts flocked to this movie for one reason. Amongst all the foreign cars in the plot, most notably Ferraris, was Vin Diesel's ride- a 1967 Pontiac GTO. Despite the millions of dollars worth of foreign performance vehicles in the story, the GTO steals the limelight. 




World renowned movie car builder Eddie Paul, partner of George Barris, was contracted to construct the vehicles. Paul built seven cars for filming and display. Each vehicle was stripped down, thoroughly inspected, modified, and rebuilt. The stunt cars were upgraded for abuse with heavy duty suspension, welded support gussets in the engine bay, etc. They were also to be outfitted with Chevrolet ZZ4, 350 Cu. In. crate engines. These crate engines were installed in two cars. However, cost requirements dictated the Pontiac engines remain in the other cars. They were unable to fill the order with real GTO's, so they resorted to also modifying 1967 LeMans models. 




The movie's director, Rob Cohen, chose the exterior color, a DuPont shade that hadn't even been manufactured yet. House of Kolors was given the task of blending the custom hue- Dazzleberry. The paint was the most expensive upgrade on the cars. 



Any viewer of this movie will soon realize that the stunt cars were subjected to severe abuse. At least one of the more severely damaged units was left in Prague. A precious few of the original movie cars made it back to the United States. After the movie, another company constructed some of these cars for display across the country, but this example is one of the original Paul/Barris editions. In addition, George Barris added some more upgrades in weaponry and trim to set it apart from the others for display. This includes a four foot long missile that is with the car! This is one of the only examples that both Eddie Paul and George Barris performed modifications to. 



All steel body is finished in custom blended House of Kolors Dazzleberry base coat/clear coat. Exterior finish quality is very good, recently buffed to a mirror gloss. There are a few chips and scratches, and a tiny ding in the passenger side fender. Otherwise, everything is in very good shape. Original chrome and stainless is in good condition. Glass is in good condition all around. Shaved door handles, remote operating doors. Passenger door was disabled for display at the museum, opens from the inside. Plunger needs to be reinstalled in solenoid. Non functional side pipes have been installed. Full dual exhaust runs all the way to the rear of the car. Weld Dragstar wheels with BF Goodrich Radial T/A tires. Custom made hood scoop. Flames on the hood. XXX graphic on both doors.


400 Cu. In. engine, not original engine. Turbo 400 automatic transmission. Power steering. Manual brakes. Factory air conditioning. This Pontiac runs and drives out very well.

Interior is in very good condition. It is a factory black vinyl bucket interior with upgrades and add ons for the movie. Seats in great condition. New dash pad. Front door panels in very good condition. Console is in very good condition. Rear seat is the weaponry storage area. Various weapons and small missiles. (See photos.) Also, the four foot long missile is with the car. 

Rear seat area in very good shape. There are some wear marks on the rear inner panels from raising and lowering the rear seat to access the weapons. There are assorted gauges, switches, etc. added on. Most are non functional and just for display purposes. You cannot really launch a rocket or flame thrower from the inside of the car. Small nitrous bottles installed, just for looks, not hooked up. Grant steering wheel- center cap is missing. There is a solid turnbuckle mounted to the floor behind the driver's seat, to secure a machine gun. Front seats have racing harnesses. 

1968 Holden GTS HK Monaro - Skid King - 69

The crowd is fixated, standing on tip-toes vying for space. Through the thick acrid smoke you can hear the whine of a supercharged small block being dealt to. Through the murk the front of a blue HK Monaro emerges. The crowd is loving it, cheering, arms in the air. Bang goes a tyre. The crowd goes even wilder. A few seconds later another bang, as tyre number two explodes.
As the smoke clears the driver emerges through the sunroof to stand on the front edge of the car’s roof, arms aloft in celebration. He’s not alone, as the crowd cheers and applauds his efforts.
It’s this type of behaviour that brought Tristan Teki and his HK Monaro to our attention. Brutal is the best way to describe the manner in which Tristan treats the HK, but as hard as he is on the car, he’s equally skilled at screwing it together — and he’s pretty flash behind the wheel too. In fact, he’s built a combination that’s been tough enough to handle this sort of abuse for several years now without any major meltdowns. Instead he’s got a few trophies on the mantelpiece at home for his efforts.
Tristan has been destroying tyres for as long as he can remember, but the HK only came into his possession around five years ago. When Tristan purchased the HK, it was fitted with an injected 5.0-litre Holden motor. But it didn’t take long before his driving style didn’t really suit the mechanical componentry of the car. It was a combination of the third broken gearbox and the dislike of showing people a plastic cover in the engine bay that saw him devise a plan to refit a Chev motor.

A quick search on Trade Me uncovered a steel Chev small block for a decent price, so it was bought and dropped in the hole with a turbo 400 trans. The salespeople at Pro Parts in Palmerston North must be bloody good, because Tristan went there looking for a few shiny bits to tidy up the engine bay but instead came out with a complete 8/71 supercharger kit. I guess you could say that it’s shiny and makes the engine bay look the part, at least that’s what Tristan told his wife.
A day later he’d fitted a Holley pump and half-inch lines to feed fuel to the thirsty setup, and with cable ties holding the accelerator cable on, Tristan was off down the road testing. After nearly shitting himself at the car’s new power and dislike for traction, he knew he was onto a good thing.
Little did he suspect that the stock bottom end would last three and a half years of abuse before needing to be cracked open. Included in that time were many burnout comps, street drags and even a few trips down the quarter mile, with a best ET of 11.9 seconds.
Around two years ago and with a bit more cash under his belt, Tristan decided it was time to build the engine properly. For this he called upon the services of Rivers Speed and Spares, who stroked the motor out to 383ci with Manley pistons and an Eagle crank. Edelbrock Victor Junior heads were fitted, as was a Comp Cams cam and roller rockers. The days of it being a budget beater were over.
As a qualified mechanic, Tristan did most of the work at home, including fitting a whole bunch of MSD ignition gear and a well thought out cooling system. The latter includes an electric water pump, larger alloy radiator, the biggest electric fan he could find and a turbo timer. The turbo timer lets the car continue cooling even after the engine has been switched off and Tristan has walked away.
With the engine build going on, Tristan decided to crack open the transmission at the same time. Cameron Head at Automan Specialists was given this job, and as well as freshening it up, he fitted a manual valve body and a Hughes 3500rpm stall converter. So far the combo has been able to handle all the abuse Tristan has dealt to it, as has the nine-inch rear diff.
With the diff came Ford callipers and discs, which have remained in place and are now paired with HZ front callipers. In fact a whole HZ sub-frame and suspension assembly has been grafted into the car. New shocks were added at the same time, while the springs remain standard. Tristan wasn’t too worried about handling, though, because he’s got a Camaro race car for when he fancies turning corners.

It was always important that the car looked good, and thanks to some expert panelwork by Prestige Panelbeaters and paint by Jellymans Panel and Paint it now does. The colour is a bit of a ‘she’ll be right’ custom blue. With the chrome bumpers and bug catcher sticking through the bonnet, it doesn’t look bad. The mix of 14-inch front and 15-inch rear Cragar rims adds to the purposeful look.
Tristan has made sure the car’s interior is as comfortable for cruising the streets as it is sitting on the burnout pad. A set of bucket seats replaces the factory items and a Pioneer stereo system pumps out the tunes should he ever tire of the blower whine. It hasn’t happened yet, so it doesn’t seem likely that it ever will.
With recent success at the Powercruise Burnout competition, among others, he’s got a few titles to defend, so we don’t think the car’s future will change a lot from what it’s become accustomed to. It’s been such a reliable combination despite the trashing that it gets so regularly, and of course Tristan knows how to drive it, and knows how to get the crowd on its feet, so why would he want to change a thing? Except tyres, of course.

1973 XB Falcon Hardtop - Think Big - 55

Most car lovers believe their pride and joy is a female. Craig Murray’s Big Block 1973 XB Falcon is a girl with a lot of spunk — and one huge arse¦
Craig Murray has had a passion for Falcons his whole life. He was brought up with his grandparents, his grandad being a staunch Ford man. Craig’s grandad had XA sedans and wagons as well as a couple of XBs and an XC, but having a large family meant he was never allowed to get a coupe. Craig has vivid memories of jumping in grandad’s XA one Christmas at the tender age of 10, putting the car in drive and heading off up the river bank, promptly getting it stuck and ending up in all sorts of trouble.
Do You Believe In Fate?
Years later and all grown up, Craig was working as a rep for Resene, selling DuPont car paint. This job required Craig to frequent all the local panelbeaters. A shop that Craig visited twice a week was Perfect Autobodies, and on one such visit he spied an XB Falcon in its purest form, shoved in the corner all ugly and looking the worse for wear from a shunt up the bum.
For the next three years Craig kept an eye on the coupe, watching its progress. Evidently the guy who was doing up the Falcon was the foreman at Perfect Autobodies, and was building it as a deposit on his mortgage. As the build progressed Craig lost interest somewhat, as the foreman had decided to paint it dark blue and sit it on a set of Valiant Charger rims, making it look too ‘gangster’ for Craig.
He can’t have been the only one to have this view, because one day ” on one of his regular visits to the shop ” Craig noticed the XB had been sanded down and was being lavishly coated in the Red
Pepper lacquer that adorns it to this day. It must have been a top-notch paint job, because 10 years on Craig gets lots of positive comments about the paint.
Craig kept watching, now with a rekindled enthusiasm for the old girl. Then all of a sudden, one day it had a for sale sign on it.
Driving A Hard Bargain
The coupe was advertised for $12,000 but there was little to no interest in it (remember, this was 10 years ago ” people would be climbing over each other to buy it now). A couple of months passed by and one day the owner came running up to Craig.  “Come on Craig, I see you looking at it all the time. You can have it for 10 grand.”
Craig, cool customer he is, said, “Nah mate, I’ll give you eight.” The guy can’t have been too impressed with that as no deal was done.
Another couple of months passed by with still no sale, when Craig got a phone call out of the blue. You guessed it: it was the owner of the coupe offering it to Craig for eight grand, who was very keen but had to convince the then wife that it was a good idea.
Even though eight grand was a fantastic deal, Craig wasn’t going to buy the car without getting his mate Hibby to look over the engine first. As it happened, the motor had a couple of taps and Hibby told him the cam was stuffed, so Craig rang the guy and said no, he couldn’t buy it.
How did Craig end up with the Falcon, then? The owner’s plan for the mortgage had gone bung and he was going to Aussie to live. He had two weeks before he was leaving and the coupe was the last thing he had left to sell. He rang Craig again at 7am one morning and asked: “How much will you give me for it?” Craig told him $6500. Remarkably, the owner accepted.
Even in 1999, $6500 for an XB Falcon hardtop, painted with new interior and a 429ci big block, was a pretty damn good deal, even if it had no bling and was still sitting on Valiant Charger rims.
Drive It Till You Break It

Craig drove his new purchase around for a few months exactly as he had bought it, until one night when he was giving the car a bit of stick. He parked and went about the evening’s business, but when he went to leave the coupe wouldn’t start. It eventually fired up with a horrendous metal-wrenching noise. Craig drove it around to Hibby’s, who took the heads off, and found it had bent two pushrods and that the cam had three round lobes.
They fixed the heads and Craig drove the car for five years with no problems before noticing that the oil pressure was getting a bit low. It turns out that when the heads and cam busted, all that metal went down to the bottom and sat there. When Craig pulled the engine apart the oil pump looked like 80-grit sandpaper.
By this time Craig’s mate Hibby had shut his own business and was working for someone else, so Craig was looking for a good mechanic to do up the bottom end. He was put on to Darryl Blacktopp, who is well-known in Christchurch street machine and hot rod circles. Darryl did the job and did it well, and since then Craig has struck up a very good friendship with the mechanic.
In The Winter
With the bottom end all done, Craig has had a pretty sweet run with the coupe, but he still tends to take her off the road every winter to do something to her.
When he purchased the Falcon the interior had been completed but Craig has since put in new carpet and a GT dash, and has made the centre console that houses the shiny B&M shifter. He has also installed a big stereo system ” he loves his music and he loves it loud, which might explain why he’s blown up one amp already.
Another winter project was covering the entire floor with squares of sound deadening, which had to be heated with a hair dryer and moulded into every crevice. It took 36 of the 300mm square sheets to cover the whole floor, but they made a huge difference to road noise inside the car.
Metal Mountain
The car’s most immediately identifiable feature is surely the Bill’s Shotgun scoop towering out of the bonnet, which seems to flow with the curves of the coupe’s roof and massive rear end perfectly. Craig always wanted a tunnel ram, and was working on a friend’s car when he spotted one sitting on the floor of the garage. He walked over, picked it up, put it under his arm and said, “Right, let’s make a deal.” Craig came home with his new tunnel ram; his understanding new lady just shook her head. Craig said she is very accepting, and it helps that she is a huge Ford fan too.
Craig is very happy with his tunnel ram and shotgun scoop, even if it took a while to get used to the mountain of metal protruding from the bonnet.
Wide Load
So what’s the story behind the name Big Bum? Craig explained that a couple of years after purchasing the coupe someone asked him what he would want on a personalised plate. Craig says he thought about this for a couple of months before coming up with his answer. “With 295 by 15 tyres under the factory rear guards with room to go to a 315 ” now that’s a big bum.” Moreover, the previous owner had put BB429 stickers on the side of the car instead of the normal GT ones ” they stood for big block 429, but were also perfect for Big Bum. Craig mentioned this to a friend of his who told him that wasn’t going to happen as he actually knew the guy who already had that plate, and it was destined for an XA coupe.
There seems to be a pattern forming here, because all of a sudden Craig got a phone call saying the plate was for sale. The guy had bought the plate but never got it made, so Craig snared it for the $380 the previous owner had paid. Some people seem to have all the luck.
Addicted To That Rush
Ten years on, has any of the passion gone? Hell no. “It’s my dream car. It’s what I wanted as a kid and I’ve got it,” Craig says. “I get a thrill and get adrenaline running through me every time I drive it.” It’s not the most powerful or scary car out there, but it gets Craig’s blood pumping and he really enjoys driving it ” that’s if he’s not sitting in the garage for hours on end just watching it, or looking at all the trophies it has accumulated over the years. Now that’s what it’s all about. Fat-bottomed girls you make the rockin’ world go round.

1966 Ford Mustang Convertible - Virtual Reality - 62

After watching Chip Foose on TV building Mustangs, Carol Lamb decided to find the Kiwi equivalent to build one for her.
Every now and then a car comes along that stands out for no apparent reason. Cars that do this are often more than the sum of their parts, perhaps through good planning, quality workmanship, or maybe the owner’s passion.
Carol Lamb’s 1966 Mustang convertible is one of those cars. However, she’s quick to place the credit elsewhere.
“He really is New Zealand’s own Chip Foose, one of New Zealand’s best kept secrets,” says Carol. She’s talking about Neil Hodgson, who works for Wings and Wheels Taupo. Neil was responsible for project managing the build and performing the bulk of the work on Carol’s Mustang. Judging by what we found when we got the chance to have a detailed look over the car, we’d have to agree with Carol’s description of its creator.
Dreams Become Reality
Despite being a Holden driver on a daily basis, Carol has always dreamed of owning a 1966 Mustang, and it had to be a convertible. So after she and her husband, Greg, sold their earth-moving business, they decided to make that dream a reality.
The starting point for the build was a locally sourced car that was yet to be complied and was in need of a little TLC.
While very modest about her own input, and quick to offer all credit for the build to Neil, we know Carol wasn’t without some great ideas of her own. Either way, her Mustang is now one of the coolest summer cruisers around.
Originally, the car was going to receive a mild tidy-up, nothing too serious. But after having it walnut husk-blasted, it became apparent that serious bodywork was needed to get it into shape, and that changed the direction of the entire build. “It looked good, but after blasting it was Swiss cheese. It had had an accident at some stage and a new chassis rail was fitted, albeit on an angle,” Neil says.
He enlisted Mark Jones Paint and Panel, based in Tokoroa, to do the panel work. “Mark’s not that old,” Neil explains, “but he learnt how to do things the old-fashioned way and do it right, rather than just bog it up.” Mark and his team are responsible for the new floors, doors, guards, front and rear valance, bumpers, bonnet, boot lid and cowl, plus a new inner guard and chassis rail.
While the body was being worked on, Neil set about ordering the rest of the parts he would need. Often Carol would come in with ideas, Neil would come up with a few options, or a photo of what he thought was best, and Carol would give her tick of approval. “She was great to work with, super-passionate, and we had lots of similar ideas,” he says of the experience.
Having such a great owner and builder relationship allowed Neil to order parts and make decisions without needing to check every last detail, which for a car builder is a great advantage. “I did slip in a few secrets that I didn’t let her know I was doing,” Neil says. More on those later.
Once back from the panel shop, and still in primer, Neil worked on the car for three months full-time, fitting all the parts that had been amassed during its time away.
One of the packages that arrived while the car was getting panels sorted was the Total Control tubular A-arms and coil-over shocks, along with a rack and pinion steering assembly. Combined with Koni adjustable rear shocks and King aftermarket leaf springs, the ride is now well and truly beyond anything dreamt of back in 1966.
Also included in the piles of parts was a Ford Racing 302ci engine. “We ordered the engine direct from Ford Racing through contacts I have from working on the [Wings and Wheels-owned] Ford GT,” Neil says. “It’s got 10.0:1 compression and alloy Ford GT40 heads along with Edelbrock fuel injection and MSD ignition.”
Preparing For Perfection
Rather than fit everything completely at this stage, Neil focused on making modifications such as the custom engine and trans mounts, modifying the trans tunnel and the like, so the car could be sent off for paint. After three solid months in Neil’s care, it was back to Mark and the team in Tokoroa for the straight white tinter to be applied. The whitest of all whites available really makes the car stand out, but as with the rest of the build, nothing is overdone.
“We could have gone for six-pot brakes, or massive wheels but we decided they would be overkill and detract from the car,”
Neil explains. “Instead two-pot Baer callipers were chosen for each end, along with 13-inch and 12-inch rotors. While by no means a small brake setup, they don’t scream for attention; rather you know they’re there and you know they’re good.” Same goes with the wheels. A retro-looking Shelby Cobra rim was chosen in an 18×8-inch diameter — not too big but not too small.
That vision of the Mustang as a total package extends to every aspect of the vehicle. The interior, for example, may look beautifully restored and original but is far from it. There’s a 2008 Mustang shifter, while Auto Meter gauges adorn the dashboard.
Carol’s favourite touch? “The water bottle holder!” she says, laughing. “It’s impossible to find a cup holder that fits a Pump water bottle, so Neil made me one. I love it.” So much for the custom console, billet cluster, Vintage Air air conditioning system, beautiful leather retrim or the rear view camera screen that blends seamlessly into the car… Although she laughs about it, Carol does have a valid point: how often have those plastic water bottles cluttered the floor of your own vehicle?
The holder was one of those little touches Neil neglected to mention to Carol. As was mounting a rear vision camera in the old key hole on the trunk lid, and fitting LED back-lit sills, both things Carol is now more than happy with. The attention to detail extends throughout the vehicle. An example is the engine bay, where there is a plethora of custom fabrication work to get things exactly right. Not only does all the engine bay work look good, it’s functional, too.
Looks Good, Goes Better
The joy of the brand-new injected crate motor is that it starts first time, every time. It also adds to the car driving every bit as well as one that’s just off the lot. Since the build was completed late last year, Carol’s Mustang has travelled around the North Island completely without trouble. There are not a lot of freshly finished vehicles that will do that without at least some teething issues.
The Marshall Transmissions-built EF XR8 four-speed auto and 8.8-inch diff fitted with a torsion limited slip head also played a big part in this.
It’s not often that we think of an owner suiting their car, but if ever there were a case, it would be Carol and her Mustang. It’s great to meet someone so passionate about their vehicle, yet so modest at the same time. Carol enjoys the Mustang so much that she’s not afraid to share it, insisting NZV8 drive it to our photoshoot location just to see how fabulous it really is.
It’s easy to see why Carol is so happy with the outcome of the build. It drives beautifully, everything works like new, and while it turns heads, it doesn’t scream for attention. If you know what you’re looking at, you’ll see it. If not, you will just have missed one of the highest-quality built cars we’ve ever had the chance to feature — along with the coolest owners we’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

1964 Studebaker Commander - The Head Turner - 63

What do you get when you mix one police-spec Studebaker Commander with a 500hp Chev and eight years’ hard work? One tough Stude, of course.
When I think of a commander I think of strength (at times in the face of adversity), power, order, guts and glory, certainly not Studebakers. I had a think about it and took a good look at what’s out there being modified and came to a conclusion: Studebakers are custom cars sitting still. Some cars look menacing sitting still, some cars look ugly sitting still. But Studebakers, well, they look like they’re waiting. Waiting for an owner to bring out their true spirit, that custom car spirit; I’ll stick my neck out here and say that rodding spirit. Their owners are like Mopar fans, an eclectic bunch who probably believe that if it’s not a Studebaker, it’s just a bread baker.
Kimball Thomson is a collector, he likes Studebakers, and parked in his garage amongst other models he has a totally cool 1964 Studebaker Commander. This particular Commander started life as a police cruiser, and after an extensive eight-year body-off rebuild by the previous owner in Melbourne, it was purchased by Kimball when he spotted it at a car show. But it wasn’t a straightforward sale. “The owner originally didn’t want to sell it. I wanted this one, it said something the others I looked at didn’t have.” The sale was eventually concluded and the latest addition was imported into New Zealand in 2009 to become part of Kimball’s collection.
Step inside, walk this way, you and me babe, hey hey!
The interior, with its full complement of new glass and screens fitted around a retrimmed bench seat interior, heralds a classic feel. The metal dash was resprayed to match the upholstery, the doors were tricked up with some Falcon armrests, and the seats rebuilt, then the whole lot got re-covered in a low-key mix of top-shelf embossed grey fabric and marble grey leather.
The Quicksilver shifter fits with the curves of the ’60s interior and could almost be overlooked, it really does blend in that well. But the masterstroke has to be the wood rim Mustang-style twirler with the billet centre. It completes the subtle interior, tying it all together perfectly right at the driver’s fingertips.
The only post-importation modification has been the interior sound install, which was taken care of by the crew at Street Soundz in the capital.
You step out of the Commander after checking yourself in the XY-GT mirrors and are greeted by an exterior covered in a deep ocean of Honda Forensic Red. Laid on by Melbourne sheetmetal ace Guido Grima, the top coats are the crowning glory to the bare metal respray that graces the Studebaker’s body.
The trim curves gently along the car’s exterior, the flared guards adding feature to the flanks against the subtle arc of the bonnet, roof and boot line. The sharp lines frame the flat sections of the doors and pillars, and from the smoothed and re-chromed steel bumpers over the smoothly fused XR8 bonnet bulge, around the flared guards and onto the ledge that is the rear light treatment, this car oozes cool in a way other cars ooze muscle or speed.
Stepping back you see a vehicle that the uninitiated could walk past and not notice. It has a tough stance, clean lines and straight panels that all scream quality, but it doesn’t have the huge, whining blower or the wide rubber behind the ground-scraping guards to shout for attention: no loud stripes or wild wings adorn this Commander. I did say cool, not raucous. Yet once you look for the first time you are drawn back to the car time and time again.
But if the mirrors and power bulge, along with XB bonnet pins, draw you in, it is the rolling stock that hooks you. The choice of wheel, so critical to the final package, was bold, and akin to the twirler in terms of capping off the exterior. Polished and smooth, the Centreline five-spokers at once add contrast to the Forensic Red and enhance the body trim, which was so painstakingly restored to factory glory. The 16×7 and 16×8-inch front and rear split shod in GT Radials looks tough, with just enough dish to make you second-guess a traffic light duel, but not so much as to be budget busting when it comes to getting new liquorice rings after a few antics at the charity burnout comps.
The eternally fashionable twin chrome tailpipes cap off the exterior picture.
The work on the Commander’s body and cabin set the scene, they get you dialled into the rest of this car, piquing your interest, begging the question of how good the rest of the Studebaker must be based on what is already apparent. However, it’s the hard work you can’t see that sets this car apart from its peers.
Here comes the truth, baby!
The underside of the Studebaker is as meticulous as the topside. A Navy man would be proud. Signs of usage aside, the car would win trophies at any show on undercarriage alone. The shortened nine-inch diff housing filled with 3.1:1 gearing dominates the underside. These Commanders aren’t actually that wide, so the big diff housing makes itself seen. Traction bars and a rear sway bar keep the back tyre contact to a maximum at all times, and good old drum brakes out back with Leyland callipers gripping XY Falcon discs up front keep the friction on tap as well.
A custom twin two-inch full-length exhaust is ceramic coated to the tailpipes and stands out underneath, with a beefy custom tail-shaft nestled between a pair of massive free-flow mufflers.
Gas shocks all round keep those Centrelines and GT Radials planted on the tarmac, while freshened factory leaves and coils keep the body up off the rubber.
To ensure the suspension and steering work properly, the spring towers were also strengthened with extra reinforcing. That custom tail-shaft slots into the back of a John Marshall Transmissions-beefed Turbo 400. These things are good for plenty of street power, as well as inspiring confidence with their reliability. Extra clutch packs were fitted for positive shifts to transmit the fat torque this engine makes.
Graham Extreme Engines in Melbourne screwed together a stout 400ci small block Chev for the car. C’mon, the factory 289 was never gonna cut it, so why bother? A standard bore, four-bolt mains block was found and given a clean-up, then stuffed full of CP custom pistons and H-beam rods. The 18-degree aluminium Bowtie cylinder heads were fitted with titanium valves and Jesel shaft mount rockers.
With an ICE ignition system firing all cylinders, reliability counted when this engine was built. A 750cfm carb fed by a BG220 fuel pump was fitted to a Weiand intake manifold, with a K&N filter dropped down over the top. The engine bay is impeccably presented, with the braided fuel lines, alloy rocker covers and ceramic-coated headers all combining to provide a silver lining behind a Forensic Red cloud. A flexi fan blows onto a heavy duty four-core radiator to keep it all at a safe operating temperature. The engine bay, while dominated by the silver centrepiece, is clean and understated with custom inner fenders and a smoothed firewall surrounding the engine, while ancillaries like the battery and wiring are all hidden elsewhere.
How does this Commander rule the roost? “It’s great to drive. Everywhere you go people are looking at it, it gets attention,” Kimball says. He has been enjoying the fruits of Guido Grima’s labour, and the Studebaker has been hitting the streets regularly. It’s smooth on the road and there’s no sign of its age, especially not up against all the clones that populate our roads these days. And while it’s a long way from its beginnings as a police cruiser, this is one Commander that gets my allegiance. Yes sir!
In Hot Pursuit
Another of Kimball’s Studebakers is an immaculate 1963 Lark Police Special.
In the days before flower power and muscle cars, hoons in Australia had it easy. They could outrun the local constabulary with little worry that they’d be apprehended if the cruise suddenly went all cannonball run. The police cars supplied by a particular four-letter manufacturer were no match for the boy racers of the day, and it wasn’t until the appearance of the Studebaker Lark in the early ’60s that the playing field was evened up in favour of the boys in blue.
The Lark was in service with the Victorian Police from 1961, initially as a four-door, but from 1963 a two-door variant was released for use primarily in pursuit roles. It was powered by a 289ci, 225hp V8 motor lifted out of the Studebaker Hawk, backed by a three-speed manual with heavy-duty brakes and uprated suspension.
Kimball’s car is a genuine Victorian Police pursuit special. After undergoing a meticulous restoration, the Studebaker Lark was refinished in the car’s original police standard colour option, Powder Blue. Aside from a four-speed manual slotting in where a three-speed once resided, the car is as it was when it entered service with the Victorian Police.
Studebaker had an illustrious motorsport career in Australia, which was at one time run alongside its career in the police force; the Victorian Police Motor Sports club raced the same cars they used to chase the crims, and the Lark went on to racing greatness at Phillip Island, Sandown and Bathurst.
The Studebaker Lark is fondly remembered for its days as a police chaser in real life as well as on TV, with a starring role in the early cop show Homicide. Eventually it went on to become a cultural icon in the West Island city of Melbourne, where the Studebaker Lark is said to be as well-known as the green trams that once populated the city centre.

1964 Studebaker Commander – Specifications

Engine: 400ci (6555cc) small block Chev, four-bolt mains, custom CT pistons, H-beam rods, 18-degree aluminium Nascar Chev bowtie heads, hydraulic roller cam, Jesel shaft mount rockers, titanium valves, 750cfm Holley, Barry Grant fuel pump, ICE ignition, two-inch pipes, 3.5-inch collector, handmade extractors, four-core radiator, de-loomed, fabricated inner guards, de-seamed firewall
Driveline: Turbo 400 transmission, extra clutch pack, shortened Ford nine-inch diff
Suspension: Original Studebaker with 24mm stabiliser bar, rear sway bar, traction bars, gas shocks
Brakes: Falcon disc, Leyland callipers, XB pendulum pedals, drum rear
Wheels/ tyres: 16×7-and 16×8-inch Centerline Convo Pro rims, 205/55R15 and 225/55R15 GT Radial tyres
Exterior: New glass, Honda Prelude Forensic Red paint, bumpers de-bolted, de-chromed boot and panels, bonnet pins, XR8 bonnet scoop
Chassis: Reinforced around the spring towers
Interior: Stock interior with new trim and dash painted to match, Mustang wheel with handmade billeted centre, shortened steering column, Falcon arm rests, Pioneer head unit, amp, and speakers
Performance: 290kW at wheels at 6000rpm (approx 373kW/500bhp at flywheel)

Kimball Thomson – Owner Profile

Car club: Studebaker Drivers Club
Age: Old(er)
Occupation: Self employed
Previously owned cars: Nash Metropolitan, Dodge Kingsway, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Chev Malibu, Mercedes 280SE, Plymouth Fury, Subarus, two Sierra Cosworths, MkIII Cortina GT, three Studebakers, Mazda RX-4, Ford Focus XR5, Suzuki Wagon R, Mini Cooper, two Ford Sierra XR 4x4s, Ford Cortina Ghia MkV, two Ford Telstars, two Ford Mondeo V6s
Dream car: My supercharged Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk
Why the Commander: The history as a Victorian police car is unusual, and the superb custom job is a change from my other original restorations. Studebakers make great custom cars. Studebaker parts are readily available at a cost much more friendly than other marques, and with the ease of fitment of modern GM components, they open up a whole new world for people wanting something a little different.

1959 Cadilac Coupe Series 62 - Opulence And Excellence - 25

In the vast, flat expanse that is Hamilton City, it appears more and more car builders are attempting to stand out from the crowd. One of those caught up in an addiction to excessive modification is car dealer Mark Hayward, with his ’59 Cadillac Series 62.
Eagle-eyed readers will recognise this fine ’59 as being the same one featured way back in issue number four of NZV8. Since then it has come a long way in the never-ending quest to stay one step ahead of the crowd.
From the time Mark first purchased the 5.7 metre-long black beast from an American car dealer, he knew he wanted to make it just that little bit more special than any other ’59 in NZ. As the car had spent many years in a museum in St Louis, Missouri, it was in fantastic condition, and the panel and paintwork had already been completed. But little did the previous owners know what would become of the vehicle once it was shipped to the bottom of the world.
Recognising that it looked like an old man’s car, Mark hunted around the internet for an airbag kit specifically designed for this model. After all, his car would come over in a container and it would be almost criminal not to fill the boot with parts. Despite the horror stories you hear about parts going missing in transit, the Air Ride Technologies gear turned up with no dramas.
Once the car was landed and complied, its first stop was none other than Magoos Street Rods and Custom in Masterton, which was given the duty of installing air struts in each corner. The task of filling the bags is entrusted to two Viar compressors and 9.5mm lines. While some may say the suspension should have remained stock, the vehicle’s size meant access problems aplenty, and the adjustable ride height is the only way the car can get around town without running aground. Lifting the old girl off the ground now simply requires the push of a button attached to Mark’s key ring, or by using a digital controller mounted in the glove box. As you can see, when it’s down it’s really down, and although the car can still roll at this height, the steering cannot be turned. When fully up, the car develops the stance of a lanky teenager, looming far too tall above its massive feet.
Speaking of which, the wheels are themselves very impressive bits of gear. Measuring in at 22 inches tall and 10 inches wide both front and rear, the Intro billet wheels are shod with 265/30R22 and 295/25R22 tyres respectively. Amazingly enough, no major modifications were required to get the big-dollar rims under the guards and rolling freely. The change from the stock 15-inch rims to the 22s brought with it the addition of monster front brakes. Brett at Future Performance was given the honour of installing Wilwood four-pot callipers and 380mm discs where the front drums once resided. Down the rear the stock drums remain, not that it’s possible to see them thanks to the low ride height. Besides filling the rims, the reason for the brake upgrade was to ensure the 2100kg car would still haul up safely with the extra power planned from the new motor.
After getting bored of the stock engine remarkably quickly, Mark had a worked 454 (7440cc) dropped in the hole. But he grew tired of that quickly too, so he recently had one seriously angry 468ci (7669cc) big block built by Craig Hammond to a specification Mark will not tire of for a long time to come.
The balanced rotating assembly consists of flat-top Speed Pro pistons and forged rods to provide a 10.1:1 compression ratio. A Holley 850cfm double pumper carb feeds air and fuel through an Edelbrock Torker 2 manifold into 110cc Performer RPM aluminium heads. Here they are at the mercy of Manley stainless steel valves that receive orders from a Comp Cams 294-degree solid cam, Comp Cams pushrods and matching roller rockers. To close the 2.19- and 1.88-inch valves there’s a set of heavy-duty Comp Cams 924 double valve springs. Firing the big block into life are an MSD6AL ignition and MSD Pro billet distributor. If you were thinking this sounds more like a race engine than one for a cruiser, you would be correct. The combination is angry. Very angry. With 373kW (500hp) at the wheels, the big cruiser will deal to many unsuspecting and eager competitors at the traffic light grand prix.
Of course, turning the power into forward momentum in a heavy vehicle such as this requires a pretty tough trans. Thankfully Mark had Craig piece together a TH400 auto with a shift kit and Hughes 2500rpm stall converter.
Each year, the main event for the car is the Beach Hop, and this year Mark’s company, Tristram European VW, was a sponsor. Luckily for Hop visitors, this didn’t mean the car stayed at home to be replaced by a VW, as the Cadi is the ultimate lads’ cruiser. Despite his car being angry as all hell and thirsty on gas to say the least, Mark cruised the streets of Whangamata all weekend long for the third year in a row.
Due to business commitments the car isn’t used much these days, so for the right price it could be pried from Mark’s hands. But that doesn’t mean his days of owning cool Yankee steel are over, as he has his heart set on a ’57 or ’58 Buick LWB Limited. It took a long time to find the ’59 you see here, so we know once Mark has a goal in sight, he won’t give up until it’s a reality. When his Buick dream becomes one, you can be sure it will be even more impressive than the Cadi. And that is far from a small task.

1970 Holden Monaro - Beyond Immaculate - 30

In these days of candy paints and two-tone colour schemes, getting a white car to stand out is about as easy as convincing your partner there’s room for three in your bed. Only a few people can pull it off, and when they do, the results aren’t just good, they are great. Jarod Mahon’s 1970 Monaro is the poster child for standout white cars. With its perfect stance, stunning panel work and angry-as-a-frog-in-a-sock motor, the HT stands well clear of the competition.

Every now and then a show car comes along that makes others pale into insignificance. This nitrous-snorting street and strip-driven HT GTS is one of those machines.

The man behind the machine, Jarod Mahon, hails from Huntly, and although he’s always liked the HT shape he doesn’t limit himself to being a Holden man. In the past all sorts of things from worked four-cylinder Cortinas to ultra-powerful Commodores have filled his shed, but for the last three years, all of his attention has been on the beautiful HT GTS.

Bastardised Properly

The elderly Palmerston North resident from whom Jarod purchased the car “may have accidentally been informed the car would be restored to its former glory, and not chopped up,” says Jarod, laughing. “But now it’s bastardised properly I reckon.” While not totally sure about his choice of terminology, I have to agree. Every single aspect of the car has been re-worked and perfectly finished, but just like the subtle choice of white paint, none of the modifications are over the top.
Take, for example, the tough stance and low ride height. Getting the car to sit that low wasn’t particularly hard, simply a matter of resetting the rear leaves, adding 51mm blocks and fitting six-cylinder front springs. But getting the car to ride nicely at that height was a step further than most would take. Then again, the fact Jarod made sure each and every bolt head on the car was turned to the same direction is a sign the car is far beyond perfection, and is just one key to the subtle first impression it gives.
To provide the vehicle with that added driveability there are stepped rear chassis rails and mini tubbed wheel arches that are not only wider, but also higher than stock. The reason for the extra height is that the car will soon see some drag strip action, but rather than raising it to allow for slicks, the guards were lifted. Instead of the front suspension and steering geometry being thrown out of whack by the ride height, the front cross-member has been modified to correct the adverse effects of lowering the car. Along with the cross-member modifications a Castlemain Rod Shop steering rack has been fitted to provide the car with more up-to-date steering characteristics.

“‘Carl told me to harden up and GIVE it A 200hp SHOT, but I think I’ll try and get used to it how it is first.’ Fair enough too, since the engine was dynoed stateside at over 500hp without the giggle gas”

Apparently our Jarod has a reputation for being a wee bit hard on cars, and though it was built to the highest of show quality finishes, his treatment of this HT was to be no exception. When talking about the vehicle’s rear end Jarod tells us, “Lee [from Diffs R Us] knows how hard I am on stuff, so knew to build the diff as tough as money can buy. And despite me promising him I would break it, so far it’s held up.” That tough-as-nails rear end consists of a shortened Ford nine-inch diff fitted with a Strange head and Currie 31-spline axles. Judging from the difference in tread depth between the 225/45R17 front and 285/45R17 rear tyres, I’d say the diff has had a good workout too. The wide rear tyres are wrapped around a set of 17×10-inch Simmons FR rims, while the fronts receive seven-inch-wide metal. Simmons rims may be on every second car these days, but there really is no other rim that looks as good, let alone on such a range of vehicles.

1961 Chevrolet Impala - Real Fine 409 - 62

Jack Rainbow’s slammed ’61 Impala Bubbletop must have been what the Beach Boys were talking about when they sang, “She’s real fine, my 409”.
Real muscle car power was brought to the people in the early ’60s, especially with the arrival of the 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS 409. Chevy built 491,000 Impalas that year. Only 453 had the SS (Super Sport) package, and of those just 142 got the 409ci engine.
Word spread quickly about a mainstream Chevy V8 with 409lb/ft (554Nm) of torque and the ability to do mid-15-second quarter miles with the standard 3.36:1 rear axle and four-speed manual. The Beach Boys even immortalised it in the song ‘409’ (She’s real fine/my 409).
Jack Rainbow’s 1961 Chevrolet Impala may not be an original SS 409, but with a 409 W series motor now resting between the front guards and an impeccable build quality, it’s “even better than the real thing” — thought I’d keep up with the song theme with that little U2 snippet.
But I’m getting way ahead of myself here, let’s go back to the beginning…
Second Solution
It all started in 2002 when a 16-year-old Auckland lad, Jack Rainbow, started building a ’55 Plymouth station wagon. He began by lowering the roof 2-inches and turning it into a two-door. That’s when the money ran out.
Fast forward two years, and a now 18-year-old Jack decided the Plymouth would never be worth the money he was going to sink into it, and so the hunt was on for a new project; one with style enough without chopping the roof, and with the correct number of doors to begin with.
Jack went to have a look at a red 1961 Chevy Impala Bubbletop that was being pulled out of a shipping container after 20 years of storage.
He bought it on the spot.
Blister In The Sun
The Impala wasn’t running, but that didn’t matter because Jack had no intention of cruising around in a mundane 283ci-powered Bubbletop.
After taking a few photos of his new purchase the Impala was stripped down, and the first thing to get the Rainbow attention was the chassis. This was sandblasted and painted, and new bushes were installed throughout. A couple of coils were cut off the springs and everything was pieced back together.
With the chassis looking like new, it was time for the body to get some attention.
Before going into the container in which it sat for 20 years, the Chevy had been partly restored and had already been sanded back and repainted, but two decades of sweating in a container had taken their toll. The new paint had blistered badly and had to come off.
Hi Ho Silver Lining
Jack and his dad, Ian, were keen to get the body soda blasted but didn’t know a lot about the process, so took one of the front guards to the soda blaster to see what it was all about. They couldn’t believe their ears when the guy told them to take it home and wash the excess soda off with water, then give it a good wipe dry. Hold on, you can’t get bare metal wet, it will rust right before your eyes; but he guaranteed it wouldn’t show any signs of rust for at least three weeks.
They did what they were told and left the newly blasted guard in the corner of the lounge, which is where it sat for six months without showing any signs of surface rust. Jack and Ian were converted.
Overall the body was in pretty good condition, and after soda blasting there were just the normal dents from years of use to take care of. As with most of the build, the panelbeating was done at home, but the task was handed to Graham McNab who came by to get it sorted. The Impala was also primed in the garage and only then did it leave home to be painted.
Pete from GA Car Painters in Pukekohe was handed the responsibility of covering the huge Chevy panels with Audi Silver, a colour picked by Jack after seeing a silver Impala the same as his in an American magazine. Until then the car was destined to be black, a favourite colour of Jack’s for muscle cars.
The first thing he did after the return of his newly painted car was to fit new 15-inch American Racing Torque Thrust mags. I am a strong believer that wheels can make or break a car, and I think Jack has got it spot on with his choice. When questioned about the size of the wheels and the reasoning behind not fitting 18 or 20-inch rims, he said, “I like a decent sidewall on a tyre. I’m not into the rubber-band tyres.”
Bad Motor Scooter
Now that the Impala was looking like a million bucks, it was time to give it the performance to match. The car was rolled in through the front of the garage, where the 283 engine was pulled out with a chain block attached to the rafters. The car was then rolled out the back door of the garage, with the new engine dropped in on the way out to the back shed — simple.
The engine now residing in the engine bay is a 409, as fitted ex-factory in 142 of the 1961 SS Impalas that rolled off the assembly line. And how did Jack come by a 409? Dad, of course. Jack’s dad, Ian (you might remember his 1950 Business Coupe from the cover of issue 53), was buying an engine from the States for one of his builds, and the deal was that to buy one you had to buy two. Bummer — but not for Jack. The engine was originally given to Jack, but he ended up buying it off dad anyway.
Once the Impala was returned to the shed, it was time to put it all back together, and get Graham around again to line up all the panels properly.
With everything in place, with the glass fitted and the sounds wired up by Jack himself, it was off for the car’s final trip away, this time to Sku at Design Auto Interiors in Rotorua to get the upholstery sorted.
How Low Can You Go?
Jack drove his newly finished Bubbletop Impala around like this for the next seven months until he got sick of people using it as a bar leaner at its ride height. Out came the suspension and in went an Air Ride Technologies airbag kit from the States. In keeping with the tradition of the build, Jack tackled this task himself.
The kit came with Shockwave front bags, new A-arms and bars for the diff. Everything went in pretty easily once Jack had worked it all out, with only minor adjustments needed to the exhaust to make it all fit. He is very happy with his new adjustable ride height, and likes the way it makes the Chevy more stable around corners. The only thing to remember with airbag suspension is to make sure you don’t have the car sitting too low when going up mates’ driveways, something Jack didn’t do one day and only realised upon hearing an almighty bang when ascending a friend’s drive. He got out at the top to find oil gushing all over the white driveway and a large crack in the sump.
Cruisin’’
Given it’s such a stunning street machine, you’d guess it only comes out on fine weekends or to the occasional show. Hell no. Jack drives this beautiful beast all the time, rain or shine. In fact in 2009, three years after the Impala hit the road, Jack and some mates piled into it and made the 1100km trip from Auckland to Muscle Car Madness in Christchurch, where the Chevy got in the top 10. With $1000 dollars spent on petrol and friendships tested, you’d think he would mark it up as a once in a lifetime experience. Not Jack, he did it all again this year, and after telling everyone who would listen how great it was, there were three other cars following him down this time.
The Impala has also scored Best Chevy in the Pukekohe Hot Rod Club for 2008, and Best Burnout at the club’s Christmas party.
We Are Family
It’s pretty obvious Jack got his passion for cars off his dad. “It has always been hot rods and muscle cars for me,” says Rainbow Jr. There are not many families that can boast both father and son cars in NZV8 magazine. You could say Jack was born into the scene, with a dad who owns a 1950 Business Coupe and a bad-ass 1937 Convertible that won nearly every award available a few years back. Not to mention a mum with a 1956 Ford Crown Victoria, and older sister with an El Camino. With the way the Rainbows build bitchin’ street machines it probably won’t be the last time you see a Rainbow car here, either.