Octane Fix Online Issue 06

Thunderbirds are GO! I can feel the excitement in the air already!

With all the cancellations and postponements over the last month, hopefully it gave more time for the almost finished builds to be finished ready to start cruising the summer season again.

All going well, we will be back into the drag racing, burnout and show circuit again in no time.

As for us, we are full speed ahead into the next magazine already, photographing some very cool feature cars and having a ball going back through the years runs and compiling the photos and videos to bring to you.

I’ve definitely been having some awesome flashbacks to the events like the drags and burnouts going back through the photos!

As you know, if you have seen me at the events, I’m crazy busy capturing it all and

there’s sooo much going on that I tend to forget bits. But then I flick back through the photos and say to myself “DAMN that’s cool!” haha

Thanks so much to our sponsors here as well with their advertisements in the magazine. It is what keeps this alive so next time you are looking for goodies for your build or cave, definitely contact these companies in here and support them too, after-all, it’s all a big circle. So, this is one very cool issue if I may say. There’s a couple of my favourite events in here.

We have massive coverage of the Stragglers Rod & Kustom Club Charity Classic Car and Family Fun Day at Lake Karapiro. This is one very cool event.! It’s like the beginning of the summer car show season with all sorts of cool automobiles rolling in to the Karapiro Domain to get amongst it.

This is such an awesome day and massive turnout!

AND THEN the coolest drag event for old school enthusiasts. The Nostalgia Drags held at the Napa Autoparts Dragway Meremere. This is just AWESOME! That’s the only way to describe this entire weekend as it leads into the NZ Hot Rod Drag Nationals the day after as well. If you want to see old school gassers wheel standing off the start line and some incredibly fast Wild Bunch and FED cars pulling some awesome quarter mile times, then you definitely need to check out the videos with this article. This is such an amazing event and I just love it! I haven’t missed it for years!

So GET AMONGST, jump in here and check out the massive photo coverage and don’t forget to kick back and watch the videos as well. It’s what we are all about!

Cheers all, see you out there!

Giggles (aka Bogan)

EDITOR / PHOTOGRAPHER / VIDEO: Kelvin Couchman (aka Giggles or Bogan)

DESIGNERS: Lisa Lewis & Michael Bogalo

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO! Dot Reeve

Now doesn’t this stunning car take you back to a dreamy Pearl White Thunderbird straight out of the American Graffiti movie.

This is honestly an incredibly beautiful example of the Thunderbird. Dot managed to find this car in Pirongia after spotting it on TradeMe. Having always wanted one, she grabbed this one off Kevin Gawne who had given it a full make over nine years earlier. Since then, Dot and her other half Lionel have meticulously looked after it and it shows with all the trophies they have won at various events like Americana, just to name one!

For a car that was built way back in 1957, before so-called technology, the style, finish and finesse in these cars is truly admirable. The extras built into these cars to give a true driving experience with comfort and style is just awesome! From electric windows to fourway electric seats that move backwards automatically when the ignition is turned off, simply to allow for easier entry and exit from this low lying car.

Ford thought of all sorts of things to make this a “brisk luxury tourer” and not just a sports car to compete with the Chevy Corvette and the European sports cars. The Dash is like a work of engineering art with the chrome bezel gauges, recessed warning lights and moulded in switchgear looking stunning as if futuristic for the era.

The dash fascia being a machined bezel running full length of the dash to wrap around the corner onto the door cards looks stunning with a hand-crafted look as if built for an aircraft. The bucket styled seats and centre console match the aircraft feel with the Thunderbird embossing adding style and class. The door-card armrests also have the shape of the Ford wing tied together with the machined bezel to give the interior a fully complete moulded look.

The fibreglass roof of these models can also be removed should the sun be shinning and you feel like the breeze needs to blow through your hair. The 140mph speedo and built-in rev counter gives you an idea that something is going on under that hood that’s going to make this Thunderbird fly.

The awesome V8 rumbling sound from the exhausts built into the rear bumper lets you know already, but upon lifting the hood to see the 312 Y block V8 sitting in there nice and snug, you know this little two-seater is going to jump at some point.

These were actually the last two-seater cars by Ford to be sold until 1982 so an incredibly rare car even back then. It’s always the quiet ones you need to watch too. This quiet unassuming lady is actually quite a rev head. Lionel and Dot are also life members of the Tauranga Classic Motorcycle Club. Dot’s been riding pillion with Lionel since they were teenagers and she has also been a motorcycle rider herself. Having owned two Suzuki GN 250s which she used to ride to work, a Suzuki 700 Marauder, Triumph 900 Legend, and a 550 Virago. They also attend most Classic Motorcycle Rallies in the north island. This really is a stunning car. The design and workmanship from factory being fully appreciated and enhanced by Lionel and Dot is truly awesome. From cruising the street, like American Graffiti, looking for mischief at the local burger bar to wandering around our NZ roads to a picnic at a park, this beautiful tourer really is in a class of its own.

Give me the dirt…

YEAR: 1957

MAKE: Ford

MODEL: Thunderbird

COLOUR: Colonial white. Repainted about thirteen years ago.

ENGINE: 312 Y block, carburettor 465 CFM fuel slayer vacuum secondary. Has a modified cam. Intake manifold has been slightly modified. Ignition system is SRM drop in electronic ignition & MSD cooling system has been fitted with a high flow water pump.

TRANSMISSION: Ford o’matic automatic transmission

DIFF DETAILS: Standard diff 3.1 – 1 ratio.

SUSPENSION: 1 inch sway bar on the front and KYB gas o’matic shock absorbers

BRAKES: Standard drum brakes with factory fitted brake booster

WHEELS: Factory fitted chrome wire wheels fitted with 205 75R x 14 American classic white walls

INTERIOR: Factory fitted with power seat and windows

STEREO: Standard factory fitted radio

Q&A:

So how long have you owned the car Dot? 4 years

Where did you find it? Spotted it onTradeMe in Pirongia

What made you pick this car?

I’ve always fancied having one

What would be your favourite car to have? This one!

What car would you like to test drive? None

Any other cool cars in the shed?

We have a 1968 Mustang Coupe,2016 Dodge SRT Challenger, 1929 Morris Oxford

What other cool cars have you owned? This is the first car registered in my name,the other cars are jointly owned.1939 Fordor Ford flat headV8,1947 Super de luxe flatheadV8 coupe

Any you wish you still owned? The 1939 Fordor

What cars are on the wish list? None at the moment

Favourite style of car ie. Coupe or wagon etc? Coupe

What do you love about the car scene the most? Meeting other people with cool cars

Favourite car movie?

Gran Torino

What’s on the stereo right now? Nothing

Favourite band / singer to go cruising with on the stereo?

Elvis Presley

Are you involved in any car clubs?

TaurangaVintage Car Club,FordThunderbird Official NZ Club, Early FordV8 Club,Dodge Owners Group

Anyone you would you like to thank for helping with the car?

Lionel Reeve:chief mechanic,car groomer and chauffeur

Anything else you would like to add?

This car is magic and I am very lucky to own it.Was beautifully restored by Kevin Gawne and lots of extra work done by Lionel. It has been a prizewinning car at Ford meets,shows and was American Embassy pick atAmericana 2021

CHARITY CUSTOM & CLASSIC Car Show 2020

Here’s a throw back to 2020 since we are missing out on this awesome charity car show this year.

This awesome event is truly a fantastic day out! It started many years ago as a smallish show in the Cambridge Domain raising funds for local charities. But as all these non-affiliated shows do, they just seem to grow and grow as the word gets out.

The first time we went along in the Coupe, we could see it wasn’t going to be long before the Cambridge Domain would be too small. As it just so happened, the next year a storm ripped through the area bringing branches down from the trees in the Domain

making it an unsafe area to be holding such a show.

Rather than cancel the show, which was looking likely, the Stragglers Rod & Kustom Club decided to move it to the Karapiro Domain on the edge of the Waikato River. This turned out to be an amazing move for the club as the show grew massively from then on!

Being an ‘open’ show for anything classic or custom opens the door for all sorts of car clubs to come along. Entry in the gate is as simple as it gets. Just a gold coin donation to park up and enjoy the day is all it is.

This obviously isn’t much but when you get over a thousand cars rolling in, emptying out their ash-trays into the donation buckets, it soon turns into an awesome fund raiser for the club.

All the funds this year went to

foundations helping local families in need, so it’s a fantastic day for a fantastic cause.

The venue itself is awesome! There are three different areas for parking up and for the retro caravans, you can even park up the night before to get the whole day in.

This is now one of the biggest shows on the calendar to get along to now.

The club has certainly got stuck into it, organising kids entertainment, rock ‘n roll dancing with the live bands and heaps of food vendors to feed and water the masses.

Being in November, it seems to be the kick starter to the summer season of car shows.

Lots of new builds roll out from being built over winter and with everyone

hanging to get out cruising again, it turns into a massive show pretty quick!

The gates open at 9am but the park is pretty much full of very cool cars by morning smoko time!

With heaps of huge trees to park under it has become car show/picnic day out at the domain.

Gazing out from the hill over a field of cool cars lining the edge of Lake Karapiro is a pretty cool way to spend a sunny sunday.

Lake Karapiro in the Waikato area is pretty central to most areas of the North Island, so car enthusiasts from all parts roll in for this day.

It’s an awesome day to see what else is around in the car scene and a great day for catching up with others in this car family of ours.

This is one you definitely want to get in your diary for November next year!

See you there!

PRESS PLAY TO SEE THE FULL VIDEO

THANKS TO THE FOR THE VIDEO SOUND TRACKS SURVIVORS OF THE LOST AND FOUND

Bowie’s 2 HORNY

This is totally from the unexpected files this one!

You simply can’t predict what is going to happen when you rock up to a lady sitting in a totally cool 1940’s Hot Rod truck to say “I love your truck”.

The next thing you know you’re off to photograph five very cool cars and you get to meet a real character of a gentleman named Mr Ray Bowater or “Bowie” as he’s really known.

The truck itself, well, that’s a whole other story I’ll get to as there’s a bit of a collection of cars here to show you.

Bowie has had octane running through his veins forever it seems. The rack of trophies on the wall from dirt track racing shows his love of horsepower, speed and the love of competing.

This gem of a Mustang is just one of three tucked away in the shed between Joy and Ray with all being quite rare in their own right.

Knowing that Bowie always wanted a

Mustang like this, his mate Harley spotted this one in bits tucked into the corner of a shed in Tauranga. So the mission was on to go check it out and see just what this pile of bits actually was.

After clearing the way to it, pumping the tyres up to push it out of the shed to have a proper look at it.

The ID tags were dusted off showing it as a “J” code car. Stating it as a genuine Cobra Jet 429 Mach 1 Mustang and the love affair began!

That was twenty-nine years ago that this love affair started. From there on, for the next two and half years, the car got the full rebuild from engine, paint to interior and still looks in awesome condition.

The engine didn’t quite stay the 429 though. With Bowie’s love of speed and torque, a 460 crank and rods were slipped on in there. I’m picking the theory of “because you can” caused that to happen.

Being the rare car it is didn’t stop him from testing it out either. Meremere Dragway has had its fair share of visits

to slam the C6 auto down the track and see just how good the drag pac torsion bars are.

When I say this is a rare car, I’m actually saying that Ford only built 1865 of these Big Block Muzzy’s!

The wheel base was actually extended by 2.5cm to fit these big block engines in. Originally they only punched out around 370hp but Bowie’s one now punches out around 540hp through a three-inch exhaust system.

So you can see why he’s called it “2HORNY” although with that much grunt slamming him down the quarter mile, he probably is after that too!

When I was a kid, all I used to draw were these Mach 1 Mustangs and XB Falcon Coupes. The long sleek lines giving that aerodynamic look along with the thump of a Cleveland engine just captured me, so I know exactly why Bowie always wanted one of these and can see why he still has it too!

Top man!

Give me the dirt…

MAKE/MODEL: 1971 Ford Mustang Mach1 – 429 Super Cobra Jet

COLOUR: Blazing Yellow. The black stripes were added to break the yellow although not actually used on this model produced before June 1971

ENGINE: Ford 429 big block stroked to 460 with a trick cam ground to suit, built by Pullman Racing producing 540hp Counties mufflers, Derek Price installed the twin 3”exhaust system to let it breathe and it certainly gives it a crisp lumpy sound that’s awesome!

TRANSMISSION: Ford C6 Automatic trans

DIFF: Ford 9” with the Drag Pac Torsion bars

WHEELS/TYRES: Magnum Mags with TA Radials 265

INTERIOR: Relined by Ross McLasky in Tauranga to original Cobra Jet specs

STEREO: Factory unit as well as the AWA separate unit with CD stacker

Q&A:

So how long have you owned the car Bowie?

I bought it when I was 35, so it’s been 29 years now!

Where did you find it?

A Good mate HarleyWhack found it for me inTauranga

What made you pick this car?

I’ve always wanted a Mustang

What would be your favourite car to have?

My late brother Brain Bowater had a Falcon GT HO 1971 XY Falcon. Bathurst John Goss McCloud model

What car would you like to test drive?

GT Ford 450 – very rare car! Maybe a Lambagini

What other cool cars are in the shed then?

T Bucket,1940 Pick up truck,Shelby GT500 Mustang

What other cool cars have you owned?

Mk1 Cortina with Reg Cook engine

What cars are on your wish list then?

XB Falcon Coupe

What’s your favourite shape of car then? Coupe or Fastback

What do you love about the car scene Bowie? Meeting the people and checking out other cool cars

Favourite movie?

Bullitt (of course) andTwo Lane BlackTop (excellent movie if I may say)

Favourite band to go cruising to? Bee gees

Anyone you would like to thank for this mission here Bowie? Yeah, my good mate (Harley Whack) Ross McClean for finding it. David Mills (Millsy) Road and Track Performance for running the engine up. Ross McLasky for the upholstery. Derek Price at Counties Mufflers for the exhaust system and ME for all the time, blood, sweat and no sad tears,just happy for putting it all back together.

What a neat project it was and what an awesome car it is! Hot n Horny “2HORNY”

SHELBY RIGHT Bowie’s

You can tell Bowie really does have octane running through his veins when you see that this is his daily driver!

If he’s not doing skids in the driveway in something old-school, then he’s about to in this modern-day muscle car!

Now this thing is no slouch either. I don’t think he would get bored stepping out of the Mach 1 Big Block Muzzy into this since it runs a Supercharged 5.4L V8 punching out 540hp through a six-speed manual gear box.

Apparently the more the traction control bangs the better, is the rule with this thing.

As you can imagine, Bowie hasn’t left it alone as a factory car with all that grunt. The suspension has had a make-over to drop it lower to the ground along with the stereo improved to hear over that grumbly ole V8. Of course the extra graphics have been added to make it his own.

This toy also gets to hit the drag strip as well as the highways. There’s been a few fun days at the track along with a South Island tour of around three thousand kilometres with the ‘Back Yard Tour’ organised by Noddy and Andrea Watts who founded Beach Hop many years back.

JOY’S TOY

So don’t be thinking that Bowie has all the toys either. Joy Rose, Bowie’s other half, has this little gem parked between the Shelby and the Mach 1.

It’s pretty obvious to see that the same octane runs through her veins as well.

This Screaming Yellow (the actual paint colour name) 2006 Convertible Mustang is Joy’s second rare Mustang she’s owned.

After finding this one in Botany, she simply fell in love with it and sold the other to take this one home.

It too is no slouch, running the 4.6L V8 engine under that Shaker hood but back to an auto trans in this one.

The suspension package is supplied by Rousch, sitting her low on the tarmac and improving the handling performance. Up front the big Brembo brakes do the stopping work on this sneaky little package.

The factory roll bar looks totally at home on this with the roof down as if delving back to the 68 Shelby days of the early Mustangs.

The car was actually imported from Santa Margarita, California in 2017. Having already won many trophies back in the states to featuring in the 2020 Auckland Santa Parade along with winning more trophies here, this stunning example of the Mustang is definitely staying in Joys part of the shed.

When you ask Joy what her favourite car is, or would like to drive or own, the answer is always “MINE!” Although a Tesla or Aston Martin would get a fair peddle given the chance she says.

You can bet that one of her and Bowie’s favourite movie is “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen in that famous Mustang.

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Nostalgia Drags

NAPA AUTOPARTS DRAGWAY

HOOKED UP AND SMOKING!

This is one of the coolest events and weekends ever!

If you love old school drag racing, hot rods and muscle cars like I do, then you NEED to get along to this!

Bay Rodders Tauranga run this awesome event at the Drag strip in Meremere at the beginning of each April. This is for any old school drag car or hot rod built before 1978. But only open to vehicles with an American or New Zealand Origin.

This year was extra special as not only were the Wild Bunch and FED cars smoking up the track but the NZ Vintage Gassers were in there too. This made for an absolutely full-on day of racing from some seriously cool and fast cars.

I think the appeal of the Nostalgia’s is that it is hard-core grab hold of that steering wheel and hang on type racing! Seriously, these cars seem to be in a state of controlled out of controllness! That’s not even a word, but nothing describes these things!

Technology does not even enter into these cars. It is fully old school from mechanical injection to good old carburettors bolted to them blowers! It takes you straight back to the days when your left leg was stronger than your right for the clutch and you didn’t shift gears in that four-speed box, you slammed them!

Now don’t be thinking the old Vintage Gassers are slow either! These things fair launch. With the front wheels high in the air and that back bumper hitting the tarmac, crossing the line at 157.5mph

(253.5kph), at a time of 8.993 seconds to rip down that quarter mile drag strip. Don’t be thinking you’re going to take that on in your modern-day shopping basket!

The Wild Bunch are even faster tearing out passes into the low seven’s and even six second quarter miles at around the 200mph mark. They definitely look a lot more under control than the Gassers. Although this only tricks you into a false sense of controllness, there’s that word again!

The FED cars bring out the class and style of the early Nostalgic drag cars. They are simply pieces of art which just so happens to have a huge blown V8 placed into them!

Pulling much the same times as the Wild Bunch cars and lifting the front wheels off the tarmac when leaving the start line, these things are arrows

on speed but almost seeming graceful about it all.

I have to admit though, with how these cars leave the line so straight, in most cases! The build quality and thought that has gone into them is very impressive indeed. There really is a lot of control taken by these drivers and they certainly know their cars. Especially dialling in their own estimated times to within points of a second over that quarter mile. Extremely impressive!

So along with all this entertainment, the hot rods and muscle cars get amongst it all too.

With classes for Flathead, pre 49 to pre 78 and Vintage Super Stock, Vintage Gasser and the Gasser comp cars getting in there as well.

It really is a full-on day of racing with never a dull moment.

The Napa Autoparts Dragway Meremere run an awesome track! The enthusiasm from the volunteers behind it make everything flow so smooth and their events are awesome!

The carpark behind the pits is a full-on hot rod show by itself. This area is set aside for muscle cars and hot rods to park up creating an awesome display if you wish to go walkabout.

Trade stalls and food vendors line the walkway around the staging area so there’s no need to miss any action.

As part of this weekend, Bay Rodders also run the NZ Hot Rod Champs on the Sunday.

The keen ones rock in on the Friday to stay the weekend and get amongst it till Sunday afternoon camping out on the back field.

Prizegiving on Saturday night for the Nostalgia’s is always a good night. Live band “Kicking Mary” fully rocked the house and kept the party mode going throughout the night.

This is such a cool event. People travel from all over NZ and even Australia to get to this, even bringing their own cars across the ditch.

So that shows just how cool this weekend is!

PRESS PLAY

Test & Tune #1

Comp Meeting #1 ..............................................................

Test & Tune #2 .................................................................

Comp Meeting #2 and Outlaw 71 ........................

NDRC WELLINGTON INVASION

Comp Meeting #3 and Group 1 ...............................

NDRC NATIONALS.............................................................

NDRC NATIONALS.............................................................

Comp Meeting #4

Comp Meeting #5 and Wild Bunch.....................

Sponsors and volunteers Fun Day ......................

Saturday 13 November 2021

Sunday.............................. 14 November 2021

Saturday ........................ 27 November 2021

Sunday............................. 28 November 2021

Saturday 8 January 2022

Saturday .............................. 22 January 2022

Saturday ............................. 19 February 2022

Sunday................................ 20 February 2022

Sunday 27 February 2022

Saturday ................................... 19 March 2022

Saturday ...................................... 23 April 2022

Gates open 5pm

NSDW #1............................................ Friday 5 November 2021

NSDW #2.................................... Friday 19 November 2021

NSDW #3............................... Friday 3 December 2021

NSDW #4........................ Friday 14 January 2022

NSDW #5.............. Friday 4 February 2022

NSDW #6............ Saturday 6 March 2022

NSDW #7................ Friday 25 March 2022

NSDW #8.................. Saturday 9 April 2022

Sponsors & Volunteers Fun Day.............. Sunday 24 April 2022

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