Kiwi Hot Rodding

Thanks heaps to all for their help

2011-05-10T23:14:00.000-07:00

There is alot of people that we wish to thank for their help, support, advice and parts for making our '32 come to life in time for our wedding back in November. The car is the result of a childhood I dream after riding in the late Pete Dore roadster when I was 10 years old (31 now) and it is the support and help from my family, friends and key people within the industry that made this project reality in time for our wedding.

As we enter winter we felt it was long overdue to acknowledge and thank you all. We have just returned from the Marineland Rod Run in Napier with 3400 miles on the odometer. The car won Best Hot Rod at the Swap Meet and Show and on Saturday at the run won Best Nostalgic. At the 2011 Sony Xplod Beach Hop the car placed in the Top Ten at the Waihi Warm Up party. At the Surf City Rod Run in Gisborne the car won
Sponsors Choice, Best Hot Rod and Rodders Choice. At Kumeu the car was displayed inside and won Best Hot Rod. This is really humbling for what we wanted in a hot rod - a driver!

Since the wedding on 27th November, we took the car on our honeymoon in Waiheke Island, then attended the Southside club run, the December Mid West breakfast, North Shore's Toy Run, the Grand National Roadster Show in Whangamata, the Jalopy Dust Up, day trips to the drags, Kumeu, Surf City Gisborne Run, Sounds of Chrome at Hampton Downs, the Beach Hop, Nostalgia Drags, and the Marineland Run. It was important that
this car was driven as thats what it was built for. It clicked 2000 miles before throwing a rod in the 283 engine on the way home from Gisborne so Dad kindly loaned me a 383 Chev to see out the remainder of this season's events.

So thanks to you for making it happen:

PPG paint - Good guys yellow
Prepped & Painted by Counties Auto Painters
Panel prep guidance by Mike Roberts & John Lisle
Chassis rails and parts from Rocket Speed Equipment
SO-CAL shocks, Deuce Factory batwings & Lokar handbrake from Rods By Reid
Front cross member, screen and support from GMT Hot Rod Parts
Stainless front hairpins from Juniors
Winters Champ rear end from Phil Game - PG Hydraulics
Rear ladder bars by Mike Roberts
Brake parts from Ajays
Halibrand front wheels and support from Steve & Sue Keys
Brilliant front seat by Ian Goodwin
Insulation from Dynamat
Mirrors and parts from Hot Rod Lane
Vintique accessories from Magoos
Rebel Wire kit from Trad Speed Supply
Fasteners and hot rod parts from Key West Fabrication & Supplies
Steering shafts from Com Tech
Coker dirt track tyres (not yet fitted) Garth Hogan
Louvered rear deck lid from John Key
Parts and support from Pete Chapouris

We tried to be fair to our supporting advertisers of NZHRM by buying our parts from all of you and we appreciate the deals or sponsorship given.

Thanks to LVVTA for working with the government so that we can drive fenderless, topless hiboy roadsters

Thanks to Paul & Liz Grace understanding the deadline of the car being readied for the big day and also featuring the car in the Feb 2011 issue of NZHRM.

Fabrication help from: Mark & Janne Stokes, Mark & Gaylene Homan, John Hinton, Mike Roberts, Mac's Speed Shop, Fab Tech

Assembly help from: Mark & Janne Stokes, Mark & Gaylene Homan, Rob Watkins, Chris Hornblow, Ron Amstad, Rob Webster

WOW - its been a long time posting!

2011-05-10T23:08:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of the wedding day and off course the car made it!

HIBOY progress

2010-09-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

As I write this, its 8 weeks to my wedding where I want to have my roadster at. Its a big job! Currently the body is almost ready for the top coat and the chassis is ready to sand blast.
Various items are getting chromed and Ian Goodwin has done the upholstery. I have everything for this car.
Paint is by PPG and Counties Auto Painters.
Engine is 283 and four speed, Winters rear end by Phil Game, Buick drums all round, Halibrands and ET's and inside are SW gauges and a Bell wheel as well as a Hurst shifter.....
.....hopefully I make my deadline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Deus Ex Machina

2010-09-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

We have been going to a very cool motorcycle cafe and shop in Auckland City called Deus Ex Machina.
Its a great location for cars and bikes and enthusiasts of all motoring things to meet. Great coffee, breakfast and retail shop.
The Queen City Roadsters meet there regularly as do various other groups on their way to different events.
Its a great place - see you there.....

Bundy projects

2010-06-17T01:50:00.000-07:00

It was a busy month or so leading up to the Hot Rod & Speedshow in Whangarei over the first weekend in June.

Dad was getting his Model A roadster pick up ready and I was getting my 32 ready. Both cars were obviously entered Unfinished where Dad picked up Best Unfinished at the show.

His car looks outstanding in bare metal!

Cruisin Queen City Roadster Style

2010-06-17T01:04:00.000-07:00

The recently reformed Queen City Roadsters in Auckland, New Zealand have enjoyed alot of interest from the likes of other rodders, the NZ Hot Rod Magazine and also the Hot Rod Revue DVD. Here are some videos from my iPhone from when Cal and the team were filming for Hot Rod Revue - visit www.hotrodrevue.co.nz for details on ordering the DVD - its very cool!

We also go to the motorcycle cafe in town once a month for breakfast - at Deus Ex Machina - funky as place!!!!

The Queen City Roadsters

2010-04-22T20:45:00.000-07:00

Gone but not forgotten

A glimpse at the Queen City Roadsters

Today, we think nothing of being able to drive the length of New Zealand for any given rodding event however, time away from work and travelling expenses can slow this desire down. In the sixties, there was great desire for a very staunch and niche group of guys to drive their roadsters to events all over the country. That group was the Auckland based, Queen City Roadsters and their active participation and positive promotion of hot rodding is even very impressive by today’s standards. It turns out that these channelled and American themed early bodied rag tops influenced a great number of people into rodding as past or current rodders recall the impact these cars had on the street or at shows.

The Queen City Roadster’s story is one that had interested me greatly, however forty plus years takes its toll on memories, not to mention the passing of some key people and no firm documentation in any records other than early club corner sections of New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine. Written by pioneering president of the New Zealand Hot Rod Association, Ralph Wright, he remembers the club as a “boutique” group of guys with a specific interest in early roadsters. “There was Auckland Hot Rod Club, then Pukekohe, Wheels Incorporated and then Queen City Roadsters in Auckland”, remembers Ralph.

The late Kevin Dolores was the main instigator and each person I spoke to said that Kevin possessed great leadership skills and his wife Margaret remembers Kevin’s great attention to detail. Vern Hoskin remembers it like this, “the idea was Kevin Dolores to start a club modelled on the L.A. Roadsters in the USA. The late Graham Hobbs knew Mike Gearing so with Kevin , Mike, Graham , Garth Hogan, and myself we meet at my parents home where one of the first meetings was held around 1967”. The linking of the L.A. Roadsters to the Queen City Roadsters is further proof of how much more closely aligned to the USA scene we have been than that of our Australian counterparts. Whether or not any contact was made to the L.A. Roadster club, we don’t know but leaves us with interesting speculation.

Upon formation of the club, Mike was the only one with a car on the road at this stage. Featured in the Aug-Sep 1967 issue of NZHRM, Mike’s roadster was built by himself with work commencing around 1962. This car possessed excellent proportions and brilliant build quality and finish utilising such parts as a dropped axle and also the OHV Cadillac V8 engine. Mike later became a member of Riverside Rodders and was also the Secretary of the New Zealand Hot Rod Association and had rebuilt the roadster into its gold guise and fitted a McCulloch supercharger as featured in the June 1973 issue of NZHRM. He later sold the car in 1978 to fund his drag racing career and Nick Boblea is the current owner of this car.

The Feb-Mar 1968 “new color issue” of NZHRM featured the ’68 Roadster Round Up and Vern’s “Kookie” style T Bucket appeared in there under construction with a ’59 283 Chev OHV V8 being used. After selling the bucket, Vern is unsure of where it is now but is now into old motorcycles and has a Camaro. Looking back, Vern comments, “At the time I also had a 1936 Ford sedan and we use to get bottles of Coca Cola plus big bags of ice, and with the back seat out of the car we would take it down to the Kopuku Drags and sell it to make our money and did not have club fee’s”.

Margaret Dolores remembers the day that Kevin picked her up from work in Upper Queen Street – the ’32 was like something she had never seen before. “It was white and named “Wild Thing” – a name that was prone to gaining sarcastic attention so Kevin proceeded to rebuild the car at his parents place in Northcote”, remembers Margaret. “I also remember Mike Gearing and myself going to Kevin’s regularly to help on the car”, says Vern. The original deadline to complete the rebuild for Kevin & Margaret’s wedding went but the completed car was featured in the Feb 1970 issue of NZHRM now named “The Collector”. In fact Kevin’s 32 even featured in the February 1971 issue of Rod & Custom Magazine in the USA using Allan Porter’s photography. The Dolores roadster passed thru a number of owners up and down the country before being sold to Australia where Tony Cassar has rebuilt the car and unchannelled it in the era of a late forties, early fifties highboy.

Then there was Maurice Campbell who had been bitten with the hot rod bug after being very impressed after riding in the Gearing Caddy powered roadster. “I was visiting my girlfriend at the time and was introduced with Maurice who showed great pride in English sports cars”, remembers Mike, “I took him for a ride and that was it”. An already channelled ’32 was purchased and Mike built alot of the car for Maurice using a brand new 283 Chev from Tappenden Motors. Like he had done with his Cadillac motor, Mike adapted a Jag gearbox to the Chev engine. This car was featured in the 1968 NZHRM Roadster Round Up under the ownership of Dave Morris before being sold to Gary Rae of Auckland Hot Rod Club who proceeded to put 35,000 miles on it before the car was damaged badly in a garage fire. Gary still owns the car and has a fully documented history of it and is rebuilding the car as this is written.

Dave Kirk was also a Queen City Roadsters member with his “Must Drag” channelled 32 which also featured in the ‘68 Roadster Round Up issue of NZ Hot Rod Magazine. Its history as a hot rod goes back 10 years prior when the Nicholson Brothers channelled it in the late fifties. Of all the people we have spoken to about this article – it is the 1968 Roadster Round Up issue of NZ Hot Rod Magazine that stands out for many as their favourite issue as along with the Queen City Roadsters cars, there were similar roadsters of Keith McQuade, Adrian McNamee, Barry Brewer, Graham Vautier, Dave Chung, not to mention Les Ireland’s bucket and Roger Devlin’s Wild Honey in its more refined stage.

Two other iconic cars of the late sixties were the Model A Tourer of Terry Vaughan and the Model A roadster “G.P. Deuce” of Gary Sword & Peter Barnett. Both owners were members of the Queen City Roadsters with these show and go hot rods and again both were NZHRM feature cars. Terry’s tourer was on the cover of March 1969 and later featured in the May edition whilst the G.P. Deuce made it into the August 1969 issue but did not feature on a cover despite being advertised on the cover in the back issues adverts that ran in the magazine.

As most people would already know, the Vaughan tourer has been under the ownership of Wayne Bishop for many years now and the G.P. Deuce was extensively rebuilt by Riverside Rodders, Terry Fergusson and the car is now in England. Vern Hoskin’s reminded me of the fact that both his bucket and Terry’s tourer were used for a television advert that was filmed in Queen Street and edited and screened in Australia. Vern’s bucket was also used in a local movie here in New Zealand as well.
Garth Hogan had a ’34 Ford sedan that he had hoped to turn into a tourer, at the time he was also the NZHRA Secretary but resigned from this and the club to attend Waikato University. This was also announced in the April 1970 issue of NZHRM with Mike Gearing stepping up to the NZHRA Secretary position. However, Queen City Roadsters was not part of an incorporated society, therefore, Mike could not be eligible to hold post on the executive of NZHRA – sound familiar? “Terry Fergusson arranged with the Riverside Rodders club for me to become a member, but even in the NZHRA AGM I did not know if I was eligible until Terry came inside the door and gave me the thumbs up”, remembers Mike.
It is interesting to note that Queen City Roadsters had only been listed as a charter club to the NZHRA but by July 1970 the Club Addresses listed in NZHRM’s Club Corner no longer had Queen City Roadsters listed.

“We had some good times just cruising together as well, but I left and came to live in Napier in 1970”, remembers Vern and from there the club kind of took its own path. Kevin Dolores eventually joined Pukekohe Hot Rod Club after crewing with Ralph Wright on one of his altered before Kevin himself campaigned his own cars. Mike Gearing went on to run Top Fuel dragsters and has a very colourful drag racing and engine building career as Gearing Engines. Garth Hogan went on to found Pioneer Auto Parts and embark on an incredible drag racing career. Maurice Campbell now lives in Sydney, Australia. Terry Vaughan is in the USA and Dave Kirk and Gary Sword are still based in Auckland.

The Queen City Roadsters showcased the professionalism of a club that is still strived for today. Their cars were always displayed immaculately and it is evident that Kevin led the members with excellent public relations skills. This is evident with the newspaper clippings that the club featured in along with the Radio Hauraki appearances and the use of the club member’s cars in films. Not to mention the extensive coverage of the Queen City roadsters in NZHRM at the drags, runs or shows as well as features.

This article has sparked interest for a close group of guys with roadsters to resurrect the Queen City Roadsters name as a tribute to the original club and its members. Stay tuned as things progress.

Margaret Dolores remembers:
“Kevin & myself were riding with Mike in his roadster, the car had small bucket seats so I was sitting on a towel over the handbrake all the way to Wellington and back! A car passed us and we caught the smell of race fuel and it was all on! There was no way that Mike was going to be beaten so we raced this car as I hung on for dear life!” Laughing about it today, “it wasn’t that comfortable”. Kevin was supposed to rebuild the car in time for our wedding but it didn’t get finished in time for that but remembers that they moved to Waiuku, South Auckland in around mid 1968 for Kevin to begin working at the NZ Steel Mill where he eventually became a Senior Sales Representative. When Margaret was pregnant with Jason, the 32 was the only mode of transport so it was used to take Margaret to the maternity home in Waiuku at midnight. They were greeted by nurses who couldn’t work out what the noise was behind these low small and dim headlights! “Kevin would always be rechroming things on the 32 before each show and stripped Jason’s cot of its chrome fittings as well”, remembers Margaret. His attention to detail was evident with anything that he did right thru to the uniforms with the drag racing team. “Kevin had an idea to have an elite roadster club and organised meetings and got badges printed as well as compliments cards and membership cards. We went to as many runs, shows and drags as possible. I remember along the southern motorway one day we did 100mph!”, says Margaret. “I also recall the indicator signals that we would do in the car as we went around corners with our hands flashing in and out”.

Mike Gearing remembers:
“Kevin Dolores was the instigator, a mover and a shaker and was in fact a boy scout where I believe the told him that he was a natural leader”, comments Mike. But he also had a great sense of humour as Mike recalls, “ we went to the Mount and erected a tent to display our cars, as I put the tent pegs in, Kevin was following behind pulling them out!” Mike remembers the clubs origins came about from the influences of the L.A. Roadster Club in the USA. “We were just a casual group of guys – friends with roadsters that did everything together, it was good fun”, remembers Mike. “I then went on to the NZHRA committee and also became a Show Judge and as a result I just don’t like shows. My initial reasoning to join the NZHRA was to help get the Wiri Drags going to help fundraise for Champion Dragway”.

Me ole roadster

2010-04-22T20:37:00.001-07:00

A sure surprise at the Beach Hop was seeing my old model A roadster! Now owned by Neil Surtees he has a full on rebuild planned in gloss black!

With alot of help from alot of people I built this car forties style when I was about 15 or 16 I guess.

Found an A chassis and running gear at Whangamata and the body came from Argentina - a B engine and outside header and away we went.

I fitted a five speed to it and got the A axle dropped too.

Over time it was featured in the first issue of the Petrolhead newspaper, various magazines including Car Kulture Deluxe

Visual differences are the red wheels and wide whites, the HEMI and the Pontiac tail lights.

What a blast from the past.......

Cars of The Beach Hop

2010-04-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

There were heaps of high quality cars at this years Beach Hop but these are some of the ones that did it for me

Lindsay Win's Model A coupe on Deuce rails, The Goldrush gasser, Ted Williams '56 Chrysler, Rob Webster's '60 Pontiac hard top

I missed not having my own car there - but then there is next year right?

Weez in town

2010-04-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Keith Weesner and his partner Melissa Pringle were in town as hosted by the Scroungers for the 9th Annual Hot Rod Blow Out. Well what a time they had huh? They went to the Beach Hop in Whangamata, a special BBQ at Rocket Speed Equipment at Hamilton and of course the Hot Rod Blow Out.

The two roadsters are shot outside the BBQ at Rocket and the other shot is Keith and Melissa at the Blow Out selling Weesner Art and Merchandise.

There is certainly something about Keith's art that has you looking into the the neither regions of the garage to make his art come to life - maybe one day huh?!!!

Those little pages

2010-04-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

Collecting - hoarding - buying old JUNK! Its all part of the hot rodding make up right? Well that includes magazines and I love those little pocket mags of the fifties and sixties.
What is surprising is how many of them pops up in New Zealand. I have a number of Rod & Custom, Car Craft, Rod & Restyling etc and recently came across these from the HOT ROD Technical Library.
Anyone wanting to build a traditional rod - this is the stuff to research. What is also interesting is how early fibreglass bodies, torsion bars and disc brakes were available....
Makes you think doesnt it......

Vandalising the Blow Out

2010-04-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

This year at the Hot Rod Blow Out, Buck Rodgers offered for me to drive Vandal into the show. What a privilege that would be but why me?

I have been fascinated with hot rod history and really enjoyed documenting the Vandal & Black Sabbath history for the NZ Hot Rod Magazine.

This year, Vandal was one of the drawcards of the show and adding to that was the Graham Berry and John Reid donated model of Vandal that Berry built - it went up for auction and was won by Grease Martin who has distinctive memories of the car as it was part of the cars in his formative years of Hamilton hot rodding.

I drove into the show in the morning and back out of the show at the end of the day. It must have been freakin insane to drive this car in the early seventies. There was just nothing else like it when John Reid started to build this incredible car in his late teens.

It was also cool to see some of the previous owners of the car at the Hot Rod Blow Out - John & Janet Reid, Willy Pelzers, Martin Bennett, Aaron Hemmingson, and now custodian for Starry - Buck Rodgers

Thanks to Buck Rodgers and Chris Malcolm - Vandal is back for all to enjoy again

32 Progress - QC Champ Rear

2010-04-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

I love quick change rear ends and I have always wanted to fit one in my roadster. But I like the early style with a transverse spring and to fit a quick change it all comes at a price.
The opportunity to get a Champ style rear end came up but I didnt like the large webbed alloy side housings. So it was back to the earlier style V8 quick change using an early Ford diff as the basis.
I weighed up the options:

The period but smaller V8 QC I felt looked too small for the back of the car.
I would need to get all the internals new and then get it machined to accept modern axles.

Back to the champ - I didnt like the adaptor rings to run side axle housings so I wondered how we could get something done that looks like an early ford style. The champ is a 31 spline Detroit Locker unit and would need side housings and axles.

Phil Game at PG Hydraulics - world famous in NZ sprint car and modified racer had the Champ and was intrigued to come up with something that fitted my narrow parameters of style. We did a deal - I now owe him a bunch of labour on his trick Model A Tudor!

The result is better than I imagined and PG was brilliant to deal with, and set out to do the very best work possible.

We established that we could make new side bells and then weld the tapered housing on to this and currently its ready to mount in the car and then the axle ends can be welded on.

The attention to detail is awesome and it looks old but is slightly newer if you know what I mean. Proportionately it all works well where as the webbed side bells give too much of a bulky look to the centre section.

At the end of the day it depends on what you are looking for but if you want something like this contact Phil Game at PG Hydraulics.

Rat what? - They are Traditional Hot Rods

2010-04-12T15:25:00.001-07:00

The good ole rat rod vs shiney debate pops up again.

The rat rod term was coined by the late Gray Baskerville when he wrote an article for HOT ROD on the Shifters and then again for the Choppers. At the time there was hot rodding going along from the red paint and billet era into the phase where Chip was still at Boyd's and every car was a swoopy coupe or roadster. These gigabuck cars were extensions of the rodding menu and have to be commended for their creativity and sometimes engineering and detail.

But this form of rodding was way to expensive for guys to get out and have fun. Back in the mid to late eigties Jake got his Model A tub going in 28 days with stuff lying around the garage, drove it to P-Town and brush painted it. It won the Stroker McGurk award as it reminded everyone of the heritage of hot rodding and was built cheaply (but well) to have fun. Robert & Suzanne Williams had similar cars, so the younger generation from the Shifters and Choppers started to build these more affordable cars using original and authentic parts bolted together they looked ratty - hence the term rat rod.

Like all good things - the rat rod term was embraced and raped!!!!!

It was then common practice to see guys building these "rat rods" with no floor, no brakes, more rust the better, no suspension - you name it - a culture began that rebelled against all other cars that were shiney, and cars started to be built that didnt represent the traditional rod movement. The Shifters, Choppers and even our own Scroungers are embarrassed to be classified as rat rodders as to them they are trying to recreate an era in time using old parts and build techniques to create their own vehicles.

Talking to older generation guys both in the USA and here, they too are embarassed that people think a rat rod is what they had back in the day - its all BULL SH&T! Looking at black and white photos in Don Montgomery or Dean Batcheleor books doesnt mean that every car had matte black paint and inches of rust, no floor or firewall and was built to be unsafe!

Those guys wanted to build the best they could with the money, time and talent they had. I really admire the Scroungers club and similar people with similar cars that understand the culture and the place in time that they are trying to build a car to - thats smart and there are some really cool rides being built that dont have fake patina, welded in rust panels, missing floorboards or firewalls and the owners dont have a terrible attitude that goes with it all.

Yes its about having fun with cars, its about building or doing your own thing but its also about understanding history, the culture and what that means to build this cars today safely.

The pic is from this years Hot Rod Blow Out hosted by the Scroungers - guys that understand the heritage of hot rodding and the pioneers of it all. The lead car in this shot is Chris Hornblow's trad and bad A coupe with a 409 & 4 speed - thats a HOT ROD!

Sad day in the roadster world

2010-04-12T14:40:00.000-07:00

David Allen - owner of the famed Boyce Asquith Deuce roadster has had a major accident with the car due to winds on the I-5 causing the car to roll and flip. He was on his way home from the Goodguys event in Del Mar.

Here is to a smooth recovery for the car and owner.

The car itself was voted as one of the 75 Deuces to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the 1932 Ford. Originally built by Boyce Asquith who passed away from cancer, the car was a B&M project and was a true street strip roadster running mid 8 second passes.

This car has incredible appeal from all over the world, I distinctively remember what it was like to see this iconic car drive into the California Hot Rod Reunion one year. Just awesome. What a car!

Wed 14th April update from Linda Allen, David's wife:
Hi Greg - Can update you on this as have been talking to Linda.

Dave sustained major trauma to his right arm and there was initially some concern it could have needed amputation: crushed artery, 4 major lacerations, lost some skin on bicep, so he was bashed up pretty badly plus some broken ribs, minor cuts and abrasions on left hand and head.

Surgery went well. They repaired the artery by doing a bypass using a vein from his groin. His tendons and nerves looked OK, and they cleaned out all the wounds.

His right arm is heavily bandaged and his hand is swollen. His left fingers are a little swollen, but all fingers are moving well. He looks like hell, of course, and is having his pain managed.

He's been in a neck brace since his rescue, and the MRI shows that he has a fracture in cervical vertebrae 5 and 6.

The staff thinks he will be in the hospital at least a week. Now that the neck is involved with more surgery scheduled for Friday USA time, it may be longer. We don't know at this point.

Roy arranged for collection of the car which has been deemed repairable and is safely in storage.

Cheers

Lloyd
(Lloyd Wilson of Magoo's Street Rods, Masterton)

THE LOOK!

2010-03-16T19:04:00.000-07:00

What do all these cars have in common? - THE LOOK!
What makes a car iconic or standout from the rest? - THE LOOK!

Getting the look is not about buying all the best or latest parts and often if you are in a position to do the work yourself then there is no temptation for comprimise of pre made parts to affect the desired stance.

These cars are just a few of my many favourites. Study them for a minute - they are just basic old hot rods really arent they? The stories to these cars have been well documented but can you imagine the fun to be had piecing each one of these cars together?

That then results in a car that has the LOOK from any angle be it standing still or moving down the road!

Model A Centre X Member

2010-03-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

There is still a bit to do but here is progress on the A chassis. With hole saws and files etc - the fabrication is starting to take on a look as if Henry did it himself by making the holes/slots in the chassis look like stampings opposed to racey lightning holes

Deuce style K- Member

2010-02-18T11:03:00.000-08:00

Well its day five and the Model A Chassis now has a K-Member as part of the stages to a full X-Member that we have fabricated from folded channel.

There is still plenty to do as the RH leg needs to be notched and modified for the booster and master cylinder to sit in there between the leg and the chassis rail.

The slots need to be cut into each component and the rivets need to be fitted and then the hole for the tail housing needs to be cut.

Heaps of room for where the shifter needs to go and with some careful thought - fitting a brake and clutch pedal should not be a problem

Three more to go.....

2010-02-17T03:20:00.000-08:00

Doing the X Member for this car it was important to design and construct it in a way that looked like it could have left the Ford factory. That meant that extra time has to be taken to ensure a perfect fit of each component as it interlocks and over laps with the other.
Shown is one leg to the four required to make the "X"

Boxing and strength

2010-02-16T11:17:00.000-08:00

Of all the material that I have read about chassis construction - if you have well thought out cross members, your strength is in them and not so much the chassis rail boxing or heavy wall material for the cross members.

With TJ's roadster chassis - we are opting for a traditional flavor that means we will partially box the rails at the engine and rear end areas with the X member going between the two boxed areas.

The rear boxing plates are in - a half day each on these to make from three pieces and finish to look like it is one piece stamped! The start of the X member has began with the main plate being built to resemble a '32 K member.

Next up is to finish this main plate and then build the "X"

Firestone Dirt Track Tyres

2010-02-12T03:55:00.001-08:00

I love them!
I have been a huge fan of Firestone Dirt Track Tyres with their diamond cut tread pattern and their racing heritage they rate hugely on the smorgasboard of must have hot rod parts.

Lobeck ran them, as did Chapouris with Limefire, Jake, P'Wood and also Dennis Kyle among many and reading the magazines about these cars and the components used made for quite a desire.

So you can imagine the heart rate as I saw these ones today and got given them! WOW! Yes, they are hard and perished but even if they are mounted for a photo on my 32 - that fix will be cured!

My 32 Progress

2010-02-12T03:41:00.000-08:00

Over the last few nights I have been able to make great progress and get the doors latched and catched using Rocky Mountain Hinge Co bearclaws from JR & Flick at Rods By Reid.

Just got the LH door skin clecoed on tonight too so I can mount the door handle and hook the linkage up.

Then it not much more to complete the body work - finish the cowl vent, decklid and floor.

TJ's Roadster

2010-02-12T03:35:00.000-08:00

Between magazine deadlines, events and the desire to work on my own car it makes it somewhat tricky to work on jobs due to there just not being enough time in the day!

Anyway, things are still progressing nicely on TJ's roadster with the rear cross member almost ready to weld in for good.

It is based on folded 1/8" plate from FabTech and I modified it to resemble an early Ford V8 style rear cross member.

Next up is the fish plates in the joins and then teh step boxing and then the centre X member.

Whakatane Rod Run

2010-02-03T18:28:00.000-08:00

It was wet and windy but 100 cars turned up for the fun times to be had with the guys and gals of Whakatane Rod & Custom Club

Awesome road trip with heaps of old style hot rods enjoying the Kiwi countryside

Real racing!

2010-02-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

Racing Rods
Celebrating Bruce McLaren
By Greg Stokes

Punchline – any hot rodder that wouldn’t have appreciated the NZ Festival of Motor Racing needs to have their head read! Simply put, the two weekend festival at Hampton Downs one week and then Pukekohe the following was the red blooded hot rodder’s fix to circuit racing. Celebrating the life of Bruce McLaren, the sight and sound of the biggest fields ever of Formula 5000’s and Can Am Cars was truly sensational as these stack injected V8 engine powered lightweight’s rumbled, burbled and cackled on down shifts, their way round the two well known race tracks. For most people young and old it was a first time glimpse as to how racing really was – seat of your pants action before computer controlling and political correctness came to play to give diluted racing that we think is cool today.

Supporting classes included the Historic Class where two stand out cars were the 1959 Old Yeller 2 Buick Special built by Max Balchosky in the USA and the twin supercharged 1935 Alfa Romeo Tipo with torsion bar suspension and lots of elaborate fabrication and flair. The Historic Class also featured many Ford Flathead powered specials as well as local cars such as the Stanton Corvette, the Lycoming Special, Gee Cee Ess Special with the mix of cars coming from New Zealand, Australia, UK and USA. The Old Yeller 2 however, stood out from a hot rodder’s perspective as it was one of the few hot rods that went road racing in the fifties in the USA and created quite a history with legends such as Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney sliding behind the wheel.

The Old Yeller 2 is one of nine cars built and the third car is always on display at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. Owned by Ernie and Elaine Nagamatsu from the USA, the car is displayed with a complete photo history and still runs a big Buick Nailhead engine and eagle eye hot rodders will also spot the ’50 Pontiac tail lights.

Also of great interest to hot rodders was the 1960’s & 1970’s Saloons and GT’s classes where cars such as the Sidechrome Hillman Imp and the Cologne Capri’s are racing with the likes of the Ivan Segedin Fleetwood Mustang and Dale Mathers prepared Mustangs ranging from BOSS 302 fast backs to GT-350’s. Not to mention the Trans Am style AMC Javelin of the Stacey Family and also the Robbie Francevic driven “Custaxie”. Truly the golden years of motoring are celebrated with this event, and why not? The UK have the Goodwod Festival of Speed and the USA has similar events at Laguna Seca and Monterey.

Naturally the Bruce McLaren Trust had a great display with memorabilia and also apparel available and it was also the most impressive display of McLaren race cars ever collated. Again, of interest to hot rodders is the fact that Duncan Fox & Tony Roberts have for a number of years preserving McLaren cars and vintage race cars for a world wide market. For a while the metalshaping talent of Mike Roberts was also employed for the fastidious craftsmanship required along with the CNC machining capabilities of John Parker. Their efforts have strengthened the celebration of all old historic race cars and has put New Zealand on the map within those circles carrying on from where Bruce McLaren left off.

Put the last two weekends aside in 2011 as the NZ Festival of Motor Racing returns to celebrate Chris Amon.

Deuce parts, progress and 30th

2010-01-26T00:19:00.000-08:00

Well, its been a while since I gave a decent post on here and reason being is that there has been so much on. First up - very good friends, Mike & Kathie Craig of Campbell CA, USA visited the Thursday before the Kumeu Hot Rod Festival. I first met them when I worked at Pro Topline back in 2002. They ran a Jr Fuel car back then with Kelly their daughter driving. Now they campaign a 5 second Nostalgia Top Fuel digger. Awesome people and we had such a fun day together. We first went for coffee at Deus Ex Machina - a funky little motorcycle shop in town with a cafe - great place!

The Friday of Kumeu was special as it was the estate garage sale of the late Ian Golder - a founding member of East Bay Rods with a penchant for '32 Fords. Four of us went along and didnt come away empty handed. I scored a firewall, 4pce hood, cowl vent and other bits and pieces for my roadster. It kinda made going up to Kumeu seem like a bit of a deflator (if there is such a word).

Saturday I fitted all my parts up and it was a real shot in the arm of enthusiasam. Then the next few days I worked on remounting the engine so that I could mount the column better with the big Bell wheel. This past weekend was a very special surprise 30th birthday at my parents and what a night it was. I got a set of SW gauges for the roadster and a voucher for Ian Goodwin Upholstery - it all blew me away. Even the cake - with the late Pete Dore roadster on it - the car I am patterning mine from.

Project progress

2010-01-13T01:59:00.000-08:00

Along with progressing on TJ's car - steady progress has been made on my 32.

Today we mocked up TJ's roadster to work out ride heights and diff measurements

I am still carrying out body work and mounted the rear lights

New Years Day Show & Jalopy Dust Up

2010-01-13T01:49:00.000-08:00

We went to the New Years Day Show at Whangamata - great turnout of cars and also of public. It was at the Whangamata Club and featured a wet t shirt comp, bike show and the Beach Hop roadster and Harley was on display.

Then on the 9th it was the Jalopy Dust Up - heaps of cool cars and people - a great day and made me more determined to work on my 32 for next year!

Xmas/New Year Progress

2009-12-30T03:39:00.000-08:00

Due to my arm giving me grief earlier in the year - I got quite a way behind with progress down stairs with my own 32 roadster, and the two jobs I have - a 28 roadster and 32 Tudor build.
My T went just before Christmas Eve to its new owner and the cool thing there is that they plan to carry on the build as I intended! I was able to get the Tudor's BB Chev and Turbo 400 trans mounted and while I waited for more steel to arrive for the Model A chassis job, I worked on my 32.
After Christmas I had the roadster body attached to its inner steel structure for the final time and then I completed some steel work in the cowl area in order to hang the doors and make the door frames.
Then just a few days prior to New Years I have been able to make the rear chassis kick up's for the Model A project.
I can now guilt free go away for a few days content with what I have achieved and think of the next few stages for each car.

Queen City Roadsters

2009-12-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

In the 500th Issue of the NZ Hot Rod Magazine I wrote the article on the club history as it was always something that I had a great interest in – after all – roadsters are the epitome of hot rodding right?

Speaking with Mike Gearing, Vern Hoskins and the Dolores family was a real pleasure to hear first hand of what it was all about. Here is what stood out in my mind:
1) The L.A. Roadster Club was a huge influence in the formation of QCR.
2) The quality of the roadsters in QCR and how they were presented was of a high standard that would be more than acceptable today
3) The members had the vision of a line up of roadsters cruising together
Why start the club?

The Queen City Roadsters is something that I had always wanted to recreate and the timing of the article and also my own ’32 build led me to think the timing was right. The beauty of this club is we are all on the same page in terms of what we want out of rodding and our own cars. There is no rules, there is no expectations, there is no leader, there is no affiliations – its just about a group of guys wearing the shirt, running the decal on the screen, enjoying the picture of roadsters travelling together etc etc.

If you wanna go for a run somewhere or have a BBQ – let us all know – its low key – its fun and when its not fun anymore we just hang up the hat!

Who are we?

Greg Stokes – ’32 Roadster
Paul Servantie – ’32 Roadster
Troy Weeks – ’32 Roadster
Mark Barton – ’31 A-V8
Ted Morgan – ’28 A-V8
Kelly O’Donnell – ’28 A-V8
Mark Stokes – ’30 A Rdstr P/Up
Rob Watkins – ’40 Convertible
Nigel Oliver – ’30 A Roadster
Alan Hulse – ’32 Roadster
Brian Smith – ’32 Roadster
Graeme Belsham – ’32 Roadster
Dale Clothier – ’28 coupster
Steve Keys – ’32 roadster
Grant Stables - '32 roadster
Paul Grace - '27 T Modified
Ian Taylor - '32 roadster
Royce Everett - 32 roadster
Peter Tomkies - A Tourer
Neil Baker '28 A Roadster
Keith Golder '28 A-V8 & '34 roadster
Chris Hornblow/Larry Beck '32 roadster
Bill Smith - 27 T Roadster
Tony Johnson - '28 A Roadster

Shown here is one of the window decals that I have had Chris Walton at Decal Productions print for me.

Here is to going TOPLESS!

Fabrication Progress

2009-12-16T19:48:00.000-08:00

After the problems I had with my arm, I am about a month behind on the fabrication work I do. I have sold my T now and that leaves my 32 roadster to build. But I also have a Model A roadster and a Deuce Tudor build on the go.

Deuce Tudor progress - fitted trans mount that I fabricated to look like it was a stamped piece - awaiting actual engine and other components.

Model A roadster chassis - steel to be folded has been ordered to make the centre crossmember and I mocked up the block and gearbox and then ran wide mask tape where the general layout of the cross member will go.

My 32 - lowered the headlights, worked out a way to mount the steering box, fitted the 5 gauge Stewart Warner dash insert, getting the body ready for some fibreglass work and started to make the frame for the new decklid as well as worked out a way to fit a cowl vent in.

East Bay Rods Christmas Lunch

2009-12-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

Another great day out to Mangawhai for an excellent lunch. Highlights included Nigel Oliver's black 30 A roadster, Paul Servanties red 32 roadster, Keith Golder's Model A on Deuce rails.

Great weather and more reason to get stuck in and work on my 32!

Rocket Speed Equipment Open Day

2009-12-16T19:40:00.000-08:00

Rocket Open House

Dan & Gary at Rocket hosted an awesome day! Can you imagine travelling to an event in a line up of roadsters? Well, it sort of happened unplanned this past Saturday to and from Rocket Speed Equipment’s Open House in Hamilton. I call it the first unofficial Queen City Roadsters outing – my apologies as this wasn’t planned to be like this and sometimes the best things are the unplanned ones.

I went with Ted Morgan in his 28 on a Deuce frame and we met with Kelly O’Donnell and Mark Barton, Kelly’s roadster was driven by friends whist the Rocket built chassis of Mark’s was transported down to display at Rocket. Its going to be a very cool car and it was then that I tagged the trip as our first unofficial outing. It looked like wet weather was on its way and we copped it and scored some excellent shots which will appear in Feb 2010 NZHRM, the day itself at Rocket was awesome and the weather got better for the trip home – more pics here, http://www.nz-hotrod.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=4789

The trip home was most special though as we were joined by Nigel Oliver and his wife Linda in there incredibly cool little black ’30 roadster that has a cool belly pan and outside headers. Three topless and similar styled roadsters was truly a sight you only think you would read about in Morty’s Hop Up Annual’s or The Rodders Journal. We had a special photo shoot here too.

2009 Toy Run

2009-12-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Great weather made for a huge turnout. Highlights were Servantie's roadster, Horny's coupe etc

Yank Tank Thursday

2009-12-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

Final Yank Tank Thursday at Botany Town Centre was on the last week of November on a Friday to coincide with Botany's Christmas Celebrations - here are some pics from the night

Mid West Breakfast Pics

2009-11-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the pics

Vintage Midgets & Hot Rod Breakfast

2009-11-20T10:55:00.000-08:00

Well I havent posted anything on here cos I havent felt like it. Really, I had an infection in my elbow so only just the end of this week did it all come right.

Last weekend was the Radio Hauraki Night of Legends at Western Springs Speedway in Auckland where about thirty or so Vintage Midgets were on display as well as going for a "chug" around the track. By far my favorites were Gordon McIssac's Number 9 and also Roger Elliot's Number 76 Kurtis Kraft.

The next day was the monthly Rodders Breakfast by Mid West Street Rods at BP Autobahn, Dairyflat off the Northern Motorway. About a 100 cars headed to Dellamura's and KeyWest Fabrication - by far my favorite cars of the day was Steve Dally's 33 Tudor and Steve Foster's 33 Coupe

A great weekend to be had followed by a week of rest for my arm. This weekend is the Stragglers Charity Show in Cambridge that has around 500 cars. Should be good.

Keith Weesner to visit NZ

2009-11-11T13:19:00.000-08:00

Its official and hot off the press – The Scroungers are hosting noted car culture artist, Keith Weesner as their guest of honour at the annual Hot Rod Blow Out next year.

Keith is also a member of the noted CHOPPERS Car Club from Burbank California and is the son of automotive journalist, Jerry Weesner. Its the first time he will have visited New Zealand and he will be at the Blowout with his art, shirts and generally hanging out enjoying the atmosphere of the Hot Rod Blowout.

Keith is a painter and illustrator whose work reflects his obsession with car culture, vampy women, cinematic settings and brooding characters. Keith studied automotive design at Art Center Pasadena, but was pretty much born drawing. He is inspired by golden age illustrators like N.C. Wyeth and Andrew Loomis, and 20th century painters like Sargent and Hopper. His brush inking style sprang from Rex Burnett, Wally Wood, Ed Newton and Robert Williams' Inking styles. His ink designs for hot rod T shirts have become iconic in the hot rod community. No doubt you will have seen his art or have a piece of your own.

Keith is both a rod & custom car guy with a forties era Model A roadster on Deuce rails with flathead driveline and a Hallock style screen and ’40 Ford dash. His custom however is something that has gone down in history for its own style with tones from the Buster Litton car from the early fifties – Keith’s started out as a single spinner shoebox Ford. His grounding in car culture, art and the camaraderie of the CHOPPERS members is what sets his art apart from the rest in today’s car culture art world.

Meet Keith Weesner at the Hot Rod Blowout, Rosebank Speedway, Sunday April 4th

Model A Resto Rod Build

2009-11-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

This weekend some proper progress was made on this Model A for a friend. Its an early '28 roadster and he wants to build a 60's style trad/resto rod using an original Ford body and chassis so the idea here is to lift the body and deal to the chassis and drop the body back on albeit being about a foot lower to the ground.
The original influence for this car was the "Hartmann Roadster" the black one with cool stance. The actual car is the brown and black fendered car as you see here. The A running gear has gone into my T.
This weekend I fitted the front boxing plates and the front crossmember. Its going to be boxed in the rear of the chassis and then a folded channel cross member will go between the two boxed areas.
The car is run a dropped I Beam on four bars and a 283 and four speed with twin fours. Should be a cool little roadster once completed and also a fun car to drive

Stance & proportion

2009-11-02T11:09:00.000-08:00

Waiting for steel for one of the other projects as well as running out of drive for the other, I commenced to mount the shocks and headlights to the 32. The commercial lights are 33 Ford and I also have some smaller SO-CAL headlights for a different look.
Friday night I tidied up the frame horns and actually lowered them down about 1/4" then on Saturday I started to mount the shocks. By Monday night I had the shocks on and the headlights mounted. The biggest thing is make sure everything is symetrical so it looks right for that perfect head on shot. Note the shock mounts were designed to look like the end of the dropped axle.
I ended up remaking the front spreader bar to try and give some balance. The Moon tank itself comes of an old Fuel Altered from the USA and will be left dents and all but also removeable.

Progress

2009-10-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

I went to work on the Model A chassis I am doing as a job, oops - wrong steel so then I completed as much on the intake/exhaust of my T before I need to get some more steel.
So I shuffled things around to work on the other job I have - '32 Tudor and then my own '32 roadster. Awesome weather is great to have whilst working on a roadster and Ted & wal turned up in Ted's Model A on Deuce rails and then Dale Clothier and his brother Pete turned up in his roadster "HAMB" and we fiddled with the rear spring to make the suspension work better.
Next up on my 32 is finish the shock mounts and mount the headlights.....

NZHRM - 500th Issue

2009-10-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

Our milestone 500th edition is celebrated by our biggest magazine ever. Packed with history and features this is most likely the most collectible hot rod magazine in NZ history.
Already the feedback to this has been outstanding. Features like Hornblow's coupe and gasser, Project T history, Pinkee's 32 Tudor, Squeak's '40 coupe, Jeff Klein's '32 and the history of the Queen City Roadsters make this a very special read! Order here: http://www.nzhotrodmag.co.nz/product.php?id=283

Light Fabrication & Chassis Work

2009-10-28T18:16:00.001-07:00

Since starting my 32 and building my T I have really enjoyed building and fabricating stuff. I am doing work on a couple of other cars and really enjoy it. I would like to do more to fund the build of my 32 and whatever other projects are on the go. I can do chassis work to any stage, modifications, traditional stuff a specialty, and also trad headers and exhaust

Event Coverage - 2008 & 2009 Hot Rod Blow Out

2009-10-28T11:59:00.000-07:00

Hosted by the Scroungers Car Club, these guys love traditional hot rods and history so they decided to have a show to celebrate it. Its become one of the must do events on the calendar. These pics are from this 2008 & 2009 event at Rosebank Road Speedway, Avondale, Auckland. The 2010 event is on Easter Sunday.
Great bunch of guys, cool cars and great atmosphere.....

Fav shots from here and there

2009-10-28T04:36:00.000-07:00

Here are some fav shots from shoots I have done or events I have been to. Sometimes its the details that stand out. The model shots are of Amy Maulder - a fantastic lady with great personality, style and talent.

Event Coverage - 2009 Jalopy Dust Up

2009-10-27T23:39:00.000-07:00

Over the next few posts I will be uploading previous events that have run - this is the 2009 Jalopy Dust Up that was at the Waihi Dirt Track Club. This awesome event is on again on January 9th 2010.

Father and son project

2009-10-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

I have always admired nostalgia drag racing and I have learnt of many fast four banger powered dragsters. Here in New Zealand the closest thing to that off the wall different attitude is the dragster of Gary "Grease" Martin & Andrew Rea. Its a Ford flathead powered dragster that has run low eights with a blower, intercooler and injection on alcohol.
These guys are very talented and when it comes to serious flathead Ford V8 ingenuity - they wrote the book! A few years ago they started to build ideas to fabricate an all new car to NHRA spec so they could run on nitro. I pitched the idea to them that I would be interested in buying the car for a father and son project nostalgia front engine dragster. We talked some more over time and it was agreed that we could purchase it. I had no idea on price but the hook was set. We kept in touch and followed their progress and both Gary & Andrew were suggesting things for our configuration - VERY HELPFUL.
As their car progressed we ended up with a more complete car and after a little while we got the call that it could be delivered to us. Both me and Dad have a few projects and things to go thru before any thing major is started upon but its great to have the car there and mock it up and think about this or that. Its a chrome moly frame car that Brian Thexton imported to NZ in the sixties, Geoff Mitford Taylor, Tony Marsh and Paul Tollinson have owned the car also.

Building the T - less is MORE

2009-10-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

Everyone doesnt get this build here in New Zealand - they think its too high, too tall too everything - PERFECT - I never was a good listener anyway!
I started by folding up some 4"x2" channel and built a chassis with a flat front cross member and a kicked up rear - everything has been done to look like its riveted in there.
The 28 running gear is being used with my four banger motor from my 29 pick up. I steeled out the body myself also.

Am I mad - two projects?

2009-10-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Its crazy to build two cars at a time - thats what everyone tells me anyway. I had mentioned to Squeak Bell (great bloke by the way) that I was looking for an early T body as I had always liked the Multi Aldrich and Isky T roadsters. As always timing is never perfect when you stumble onto these things but it appears that it has a bunch of history and I ended up "having" to buy it. Check out this link here: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=374603

Anyway, I had no intention to build this car until I confirmed more of its history and also once I had finished the '32. Then I started talking to TJ about his project and we did a deal where I ended up with all the running gear - I built a chassis and started to build the T. Then the '32 body came up so I jumped back on to that and then I have decided that its not too much work to get the T running. It has also appeared on Mark Morton's Hop Up website: http://www.hopupmag.com/index.php?/weblog/article/C5/

The lower shot is the actual body I started with and the other shots are what has influenced the build

Building my Deuce

2009-10-27T14:32:00.000-07:00

Cos I have limited money and I dont want a catalogue car I have build alot of the car myself. I started with some bare rails from Rocket Speed Equipment in Hamilton and then built my own frame using an original K member that I turned into an X member with Model A cross members front and rear. I got a 5" I beam from Rocket Speed Equipment and used Deuce Factory batwings from Rods By Reid in Tauranga to attach stainless hairpins from Juniors in Wellington.

I got a body shell from Deuce Farm and currently steeling it out myself.

My '32 Ford Roadster

2009-10-27T14:18:00.000-07:00

When I was 11 years old - back in 1991, I remember going for a ride in the late Pete Dore '32 "HIBOY" roadster. I said then that one day I would own that car. Well, Troy Weeks liked it as much as I did and he bought it and still owns the car albeit in a different guise now. So the next best thing for me was to build my own. I also really liked the orange roadster of Dennis Kyle so my stance and component choice was based on that whilst the yellow influence is Dore.
The roadsters of Lobeck, Chapouris and Brizio are also influential too.
Just this year I made a start on the frame and just recently scored a body. I have been collecting parts for a while from the finned Buick drums all round to the Moon tank and a couple of sets of wheels and tyres. Steve and Sue Keys ordered me a Limeworks column and wheel in exchange for some work on their '32 Tudor that they are building.
Dennis Kyle has been brilliant to deal with and is flattered that I like his car so much. The late Pete Dore was something of a legend to me as his cars always stood out for their trad styling but he also had a workshop next to my Dad's so I hung out there alot.
From the top is the renowned Limefire of Pete Chapouris - built in 79 days as a B&M project just after Pete and Jake had sold Pete & Jake Hot Rod Parts.

The two orange shots are Dennis & Debbie Kyle's car from Long Beach, California. Whats there not to like about this car with its multiple sets of wheels and tyres, moon tank, quick disconnect head lights, louvres, Greek style pinstriping, Bell wheel, Hurst shifter, 5" axle and a Halibrand diff.

The two yellow shots are the roadster of the late Pete Dore of East Bay Rods in Auckland New Zealand. Pete told me that it was the roadsters of Gary Kessler and Phil Cool that influenced this car.

A new start in blog rodding

2009-10-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hi, this is a new start to my blogging so that anyone I know or that is interested can keep up with what I am doing here in New Zealand. The next few posts will be a bit of what we have done lately and and what I have been working on.
The pic I have uploaded here is what I have been working on lately - a '22 T Roadster and also my dream '32 Ford Roadster. I will follow on with specific posts of each - I am also doing a couple of other jobs for other guys and would like to do a lot more of that. Its been hectic lately as the 500th Issue of the NZ Hot Rod Magazine came out last week and leading up to that has been incredible. It was our biggest ever issue and already there has been fantastic feedback. As I attend events for NZHRM I will post a few pics up for all to see as well.