All articles in ‘Motoring’

Once again I was called up to join the judging team for the prestigious America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award. This has been running since 1949 at the Grand National Roadster Show held on the last weekend of January at the Pomona Fairplex in California…

Time sure flies when you are having fun! It seems like yesterday that we attended the annual Rebel Round Up at Pukekohe Park Raceway and it’s on again Saturday 15th February. The hot rod and custom car themed event tips its hat to the whole culture arou…

The Classic Motorcycle Festival is set to be bigger than ever this February. Last year, 3,500 racers and spectators descended on the famous racetrack in Pukekohe in the first week of February. Over 300 racing machines from the 1940’s through to the 1…

Cast your mind back to the late eighties/early nineties at Champion Dragway (now Meremere Dragway), a new class of quarter mile drag racing was sweeping the nation – WILD BUNCH! This class essentially took the street appearing two door saloon car and stu…

Pukekohe motor racing star Liam Lawson has returned home from another successful season in Europe, where he finished runnerup in the Euroformula Open (EFO) championship and won the Rookie of the year title. Lawson was signed by the Red Bull Junior progra…

The late 1960s saw the best pre-Formula One racing this country has ever experienced. Racing took place over January, during the European winter, giving the Formula One teams a chance to test new chassis and suspension systems prior to the upcoming Europ…

At the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California back in January it was an honour for us to meet Jim "Jake" Jacobs who was the other half of Pete & Jakes Hot Rod Parts which GMS Hot Rods are dealers for. Pete & Jakes were founded in 1973 shor…

50th NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky Four guys from New Zealand recently did a whirlwind trip to the USA in August for the 50th NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Leaving cooler temperatures behind in New Zealand’s winte…

Due to the 3M sponsored visit of internationally renowned automotive customizer Chip Foose, this year’s CRC Speedshow was set to go off the hook. There were so many attractions to the show which kept the increased public numbers entertained all day. The …

The annual CRC Speedshow has become New Zealand’s premiere automotive event which caters for all things automotive related and everything in between. This year’s event is sure to be a very memorable one with the guest appearance of renowned USA automotiv…

In the automotive world and in particularly in New Zealand, we have our fair share of artists. To be more precise, these artists can work sheetmetal into beautiful art forms as they restore, recreate or design their own automotive fantasy. Allow me to in…

The motor's running so belt yourself in for a great ride! Steel 'n' Wheels Festival 2019 is hot on our heels. Put it on your calendar and don't miss it. Waiuku Steel ‘n’ Wheels Festival 2019, Sunday May 12th, 10am-2pm The motor's running so belt yo…

A selection of great events from the 2019 car season. As I write this, we are staring down the deep barrel into winter, day light saving has passed and I’m reflecting on how good the summer car season has been. It seemed like it was never going to end an…

If it isn’t broke then don’t fix it and that was the formula for this year’s annual Rebel Round Up at Pukekohe Park Raceway back in February. The organisers tweaked and adjusted things for a smooth running event but the recipe was the same. Fun with ol…

The world’s longest running indoor show celebrated its 70th birthday over the last weekend of January 2019 in Pomona, California, USA. The Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) didn’t just turn 70; it also enjoyed a very high attendance due to the diver…

In years gone by, it has been a rite of passage for many New Zealand Kids to watch mesmerised trackside, Hot dog on a stick in hand, while custom and hand built road cars race round an oval dirt track, in all or nothing, guts and glory type racing that i…

The automotive hobby is an interesting one with it being a big melting pot of people and so many interesting vehicles. We have featured Bob Neville’s “Lucky 17” Ford Model A boat tail speedster before but it’s worth talking about again. The neat little c…

If last year’s Rebel Round Up event was anything to go by, this year’s one will be equally successful. The hot rod and custom car themed event tips its hat to the whole culture around it celebrating days gone by with live bands, retro fashion and of cour…

In recent years, primarily at Meremere Dragway, New Zealand drag racing fans have been treated to some of the most extraordinary Top Fuel drag racing thanks to Marsh Motorsport and Mount Shop. Top Fuel is the highest ranked form of drag racing with nitro…

New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine’s Rob Campbell passed away 17th of September 2018. Rob Campbell, to me earned his title “Rodfather Rob” due to his influential role in the formation of organised hot rodding in New Zealand. New Zealand Hot Rod Magazine’s Rob …