T E C H T I P S — H O W T O S TA RT T H AT B A R N - F I N D M O T O R
THE LEGEND OF Tom Slick
INSANE STREET-DRIVEN ’Vette FEB. 2017 ISSUE 141
$11.99
Plus: 800hp Shelby GT500 + dirty talk with Kristin Vermeulen + the History of Rat Attack + Port Road turns 50 + much more
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e r a l F r a l o S
X ’72 GT e t a l u mmac gh to be i s ’ t r ou Bu Dave t bright en ce; it’s got d s e pa isn’t ju m outer s supercharg ro seen f an enough ! th re more get it the to grunt
X th GT u o Plym 1972
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T/ E BUR OY S: DAV CR WORDOS: ADAM PHOT
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1972 PLYMOUTH GTX
ENGINE: 440ci big block Chrysler, original 440 block, Eagle crankshaft, Eagle rods, JE pistons, custom-ground hydraulic roller camshaft, Edelbrock Performer RPM alloy heads, Comp Cams Pro Magnum roller rockers, Edelbrock Victor 440 single-plane intake manifold, Edelbrock Ultra Low Profile intake elbow, ProCharger P-1SC supercharger, custom intake piping, ProCharger front-mount intercooler, custom supercharger drive system, Holley Dominator fuel pump, Holley EFI fuel filters, Holley billet fuel-pressure regulator, braided fuel lines, custom-fabricated stainless fuel tank, FAST XFI fuel injection, MSD Pro-Billet distributor, MSD 6AL ignition, MSD HVC II ignition coil, MSD ignition leads, MSD crank trigger, TTI four-into-one headers, three-inch mandrel-bend exhaust, Meziere electric water pump, custom radiator, fabricated top and bottom hoses DRIVELINE: New Process A-833 four-speed manual, McLeod flywheel, McLeod clutch, Dana 60 diff, narrowed diff housing, 9¾-inch crown wheel, 3.54:1 ratio, Sure Grip LSD centre, shortened axles
the listing, the GTX was all original apart from the worked 440 under the bonnet, although the original engine did come with it in a crate. Everything seemed to fall into place, and Dave says that he took the risk and bought it on the basis of the photos and a phone call. Following an agonizingly long wait, Dave was not disappointed when he finally got his hands on the car. Everything was original, even the floorpans, and the only rust was surface level on the bits that Detroit had deemed unnecessary to paint. “I set about putting into place a plan that I had spent the previous few years working on, to bring the car up to where I wanted it,” Dave says. “I still remember walking into Steve Sankey’s office at Classic and American Restoration Services (C.A.R.S.) and seeing a poster of a ’72 Road Runner from NZV8 magazine [Brent Hyde’s; NZV8 Issue No. 50] on his wall. It almost entirely matched what I had intended to do. Despondent, I shelved the project and set about looking for another car.”
SUSPENSION: Factory torsion bar front, VariShock adjustable front shocks, Ridetech four-link rear, Ridetech RQ Series adjustable rear coilovers, front and rear sway bars BRAKES: Wilwood master cylinder, Hydroboost hydraulic brake booster, Wilwood four-piston calipers WHEELS/TYRES: 15x8-inch and 15x12-inch Center Line Convo Pro wheels, 225/70R15 and 295/50R15 BFGoodrich Radial T/A tyres EXTERIOR: Shaved and tightened front bumper, custom-fabricated grille, custom slide-up headlight covers, mini-tubbed rear, custom rear bumper, custom rear valance, 1969 Mustang mirrors, Cromax High Solids Suzuki Champion Yellow paint, Ringbrothers billet bonnet hinges, custom radiator cover panel, smoothed engine bay, custom under-bonnet panel, custom airbrushing CHASSIS: Chassis braces INTERIOR: Flaming River steering wheel, Cipher Auto Euro Series racing seats, custom leather upholstery, Racetech five-point harnesses, Hurst shifter, pistol-grip shift handle, New Vintage Performance Series gauges, Auto Meter shift light, carbon-fibre–print cluster PERFORMANCE: 550hp at the wheels, 5psi boost; estimated 650–690hp at the wheels, 12psi boost
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he 1960s are fondly remembered as the glory days of American muscle, while the ’70s are better known for the death of the muscle car. Thanks to the perfect storm of skyrocketing insurance premiums for high-performance vehicles, the 1973 oil crisis, and ever-tightening emissions regulations, the allAmerican muscle car was on its knees waiting for the guillotine to fall. Maybe that’s the reason early-to-mid ’70s Chrysler B-body muscle cars just don’t have the universal appeal that their late-’60s counterparts do, or maybe it’s the styling — a decidedly ’70s flavour. Whatever it is, they are far from a common sight in New Zealand, and that’s what makes Dave Burt’s incredible example stand head and shoulders above nearly anything else that has been built locally — ever. When Dave got the urge to import something from the States in 2008, the exchange rate had dipped into the 55-cent range — not friendly to the wallet, and certainly not to the asking prices for cars over there. During Dave’s search, he stumbled across a ’72 Road Runner; with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it was probably for the best that he
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ended up missing out on that car, albeit barely. “There was something about that shape that really appealed to me. I soon found myself trawling sites looking only for ’71 and ’72 Road Runners,” Dave says. Fast forward a few years to 2011, and the global financial crisis had begun to pinch pretty hard in America, stirring up a fantastic exchange rate that was coupled with US car enthusiasts selling their toys at prices almost half of what they were selling for only a few years earlier. Now was Dave’s time, and he knew it. Dave recalls, “I think I bought the car in my mind as soon as I saw it — a 1972 Plymouth GTX with a Track Pack option, one of 219 built, which came with [a] 440 big block, Dana 60 rear end, and A833 four-speed, complete with a pistol-grip shifter. Only in America can you change gear and think about your gun at the same time!” Despite the fact that, back in the early ’70s, these cars were being priced out of the market as soon as they were born — for the reasons mentioned — someone, quite fortunately, had had the foresight to option up and buy one, only for it to find its way onto eBay many years later. According to
That was a case when buying based on photos didn’t turn out to be one of Dave’s better plans, and he spent the next 12 months putting a new floor into a 1960 El Camino — but that is another story! Over the next few years, Dave enjoyed the GTX, managing a few runs down the Meremere strip at the Father’s Day Drags and open days. The car managed to run into the 13s with its original rear leaf springs and skinny radial tyres — sometimes tramping so bad that it almost flipped the diff around. In hindsight, Dave acknowledges that this was where the build really began. “I figured [that] I should stiffen up the suspension, get some decent rubber, and maybe get a bit more power out of the engine,” he recalls — and we know what a slippery slope that can be. “After a bit of research, I found my way to Carl Jensen and the team at C&M Performance. I told them I would like to freshen up the engine and maybe chuck on a supercharger.”
Interview
KRISTIN Vermeulen
Queen of the Clay INTERVIEW: TODD WYLIE PHOTOS: ADAM CROY
Kristin Vermeulen may not look like your average super-saloon driver, but don’t let that fool you into thinking she’s not capable of sticking it to the boys!
NZV8: We’ve been lucky enough to watch you race, but, for those who haven’t, can you give us a quick rundown of who you are and what you do? Kristin Vermeulen: I’m 24 years old, and I have been racing in the Super Saloons class since I was 16. The race season runs from Labour weekend to the end of March, and I usually manage to fit in about 30 race meetings during that period. I’m registered to Waikaraka Park in Auckland but have also had many opportunities to travel throughout New Zealand, even as far south as Cromwell. Auckland and Cromwell are my two favourite tracks; with Cromwell hosting the New Zealand Super Saloon title in January, I’m looking forward to heading south. When you started racing at age 16, did you jump straight into super saloons or did you come up through the ranks? I came through the ranks. I started racing in ministocks when I was 11. Ministocks are a junior class that run a Datsun/Toyota 1200 engine. I travelled all over the North Island, at times clocking up more than 70 meetings in one season, and collected a few trophies along the way. The Ministock class has a cut-off age of 16; I turned 16
in January 2008 and began the new season in my super saloon. That must’ve been a huge jump from ministocks? Yeah, it took a little while to get used to. It was certainly very different going from a lower horsepower car to something with 800 plus. During my first season, I predominantly raced at Baypark and spent the time just getting used to the car. I was lucky in that my dad, Willie, previously had a race car similar to a super saloon, which we raced at Waihi Beach. At 14, I had shared that car with Dad for a season, but it was still a big step; Baypark was a lot bigger and a faster track. There were a lot of different factors to take into account, but I got there — lots of perseverance and plenty of track time. How many seasons have your run your current car for? I have been in the Super Saloons class for eight seasons. When I started in super saloons, my first car had a Pontiac GTO body with a 760hp Chev. I raced that car for two seasons before purchasing the Hypermac car manufactured and previously owned by Shane McIntyre.
MY FIRST CAR HAD A PONTIAC GTO BODY WITH A 760-HP CHEV
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1988 MITSUBISHI LANCER GSR
The Se soned
DRIVELINE GEARBOX: GRP-modified TH350, Hurst ratchet shifter, Auto Trans 7200rpm race convertor, ATI Performance Products trans brake, ice-box trans cooler FLYWHEEL: Custom flexplate DIFF: Modified Toyota Hilux housing, 3.9-ratio, billet full-spool, Mark Williams axles
JASON HORN RETURNS FOR HIS 12TH SEASON AND HE’S GOT SEVEN-SECOND PASSES IN HIS SIGHTS WORDS: MARCUS GIBSON PHOTOS: ADAM CROY, LANCE FARROW
SUPPORT STRUTS: (F) KYB shocks, (R) Strange alloy doubleadjustable coilovers BRAKES: Simpson parachute, (F) Legnum calipers and rotors, (R) Legnum calipers and rotors EXTRA: Jegs four-link kit, chromoly rose joints throughout, McDonald Bros sprung wheelie bars
SHOES WHEELS: Max Racing three-piece, (F) 15x5-inch Performance Challenger, (R) 15x9-inch three-piece billet drag TYRES: (F) 24x4.5-inch Mickey Thompson ET Drag, (R) 28x9-inch Mickey Thompson ET Drag
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he 2016 drag season began at Meremere last month with the Spring Nationals. Among the import cars in attendance was a little yellow Lancer, kicking off its 12th season on the fly. Jason Horn and his 1988 GSR Lancer have not missed a season since the early 2000s, back when the car was 4WD and dominating the Night Speed Drag Wars. As for most, those were the events that began it all for Jason and his little yellow Mitsi, which proved extremely competitive. The factory 4WD configuration was pushed to its absolute limits with a 9.54 at 232kph, which is a New Zealand record for the quickest factorygearbox 4WD. Soon, an unquenchable thirst for quicker times took hold, street driving became a thing of the past, and he set a goal of running into the eights. In 2011, the decision was made to swing the engine around in the ‘wrong’ direction and bolt a much stronger Turbo 350 trans onto the back. A tubular front cross member was put together, and the factory rear four-link set-up was retained with the addition of a ‘Japanese nine-inch’ — a Toyota Hilux diff with a billet full-spool; suspension-wise, it ran some basic King springs and KYBs from its street-driven days. But the motor package was anything but street, feeding in excess of 600kW to the 26.5-inch slicks.
INTERIOR SEATS: (Drivers) Parts Shop Max STEERING WHEEL: Nardi 330mm INSTRUMENTATION: Factory EXTRA: Carbon door cards, RS door pulls, new headliner, retrimmed interior, dash recovered in suede by Midnight Upholstery
less than convinced that such sizes were even possible to put on the ’70s-era chassis. What they didn’t count on, though, was that Vince planned to chop into the factory metal and replace the tiny rear arches with the much larger 930-style flares, along with carbon 930 front guards, bonnet, and boot lid. It seems he’s a Jack of all trades, as he also grafted a custom front-bumper blade with a 934 valance on top of the factory option and added an RSR rear bumper and RSR 964 carbon wing down back for good measure. Adam from C’s Garage lent a hand with the front-bumper support and oil-cooler mount to ensure that Vince didn’t destroy the one-off bumper. While that was underway, attention was also turned towards the interior, which had seen far better days. The idea was to go big on the exterior and stay refined on the inside, so all the factory kit was retrimmed in black, and the dash was recovered in suede by Midnight Upholstery. Ask anyone who has worked on a car’s interior and they will no doubt tell you about the hordes of downright weird things that appear from the crevices during a retrim, but Vince wasn’t expecting to remove the headlining and have two American $20 bills fall out onto his lap — perhaps that wealthy company exec was interrupted
ou’ve got to appreciate the finer things in life, and, back in the early ’80s, there would have been nothing better than a wealthy company exec railing a line of Columbia’s finest off the dashboard of a brand-new Porsche 911 SC while on the way to a company-bankrolled ‘party’. That’s the quintessential American dream that many a European sports car has become associated with over the last few decades, anyway, though the description is a scene more likely to be found in a Hollywood film than in the real world — such ideas don’t come out of thin air, though …
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Well, Vince Pieterse is not a company exec, nor does he attend company-bankrolled parties after railing lines from the dashboard of his ’78 911 SC. He’s spent the better part of his involvement in cars and motorsport at the other end of the spectrum, frequently found piloting the likes of Silvias, as he has a severe soft spot for vehicles of the Japanese variety. A self-confessed serial seller, he tells us that, after selling up whatever car he had when the urge to push away from the rough-and-raw door-to-door proximity of drifting grew, he began eyeballing luxury European cars. A fan of the sleek 911 since his childhood, Vince couldn’t help but buy one of his own, and went through three other examples before obtaining the car you see before you. “The first lot were already modified, and I spent a lot of time reverting them to stock,” he says. “They are getting to be quite valuable cars, so, each time I finished one, it wouldn’t hang around for long, and I wanted to buy a stock one to modify it in my own way.” This car had been on his radar three years prior to purchase but hadn’t been within his price range. When it was the right time, Vince had to hunt the owner down through an old work email, and, as he had changed jobs twice in the interim, the car was hard to find. When he finally found it — the kicker being that the seller had lived only 500m from Vince the entire time — he discovered that it had been deregistered and rust had formed. After that ordeal, modify one he did. He tells us the plans were much to Porsche purists’ disgust — Porsche owners are a very specific bunch of enthusiasts, and there was much discussion about the ‘overly ambitious’ choice of feet and the huge guards that encompass them. The special-order Work Meister 3Ps measure in at 18x9.5-inch (+12) up front and a massive 18x12-inch (-20) down back — needless to say, the old boys were
Vince says that when he consulted a few Porsche enthusiasts about his plans, he was told the wheels would never work and that he was a fool for trying. What those folk didn’t count on was the huge 930 flares he also planned to run
EXTERIOR PAINT: Bare-metal respray in VW/ Audi white (X3344) ENHANCEMENTS: Porsche 930 front guards, bonnet, and steel rear quarters; custom front-bumper blade with 934 valance; RSR rear bumper; RSR 964 carbon wing
HEART ENGINE: Porsche, 3000cc, flat-six (air-cooled) BLOCK: Factory HEAD: Factory EXHAUST: Two-inch serrated stainless system FUEL: Bosch K-Jetronic injection IGNITION: Factory ECU: Factory COOLING: Front-mount oil cooler
The 1978 car’s 3.0-litre heart features the era’s pinnacle of fuel injection technology — Bosch K-Jetronic. This fueldistributor system is controlled by airflow, which determines how much fuel is sent off to each injector — cutting-edge stuff back then, not so much today
EVENT DEMON ENERGY D1NZ ROUND ONE
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DEMON ENERGY D1NZ NATIONAL DRIFTING CHAMPIONSHIP GOES INDOORS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY WORDS: NZPC PHOTOS: RICHARD OPIE
The hype leading up to the event was unlike anything we had seen before, and come Thursday — when all the teams rolled into town and got their first look at the surface — excitement had peaked. The event format was slightly different for the new season, in that both Pro and Pro-Sport practiced and qualified on day one, with day two reserved for the real action — the battles. Pro-Sport had a Top 32 format and Pro an all-new Top 24. To put even more pressure on the Pro drivers, the top 16 qualifiers advanced straight to the Top 16. Fans got their first taste of the venue under lights on the Friday, when they discovered what it’s like to have a 2JZ banging the antilag inside a stadium. The Pro-Sport field saw surprise entry — Bruce Tannock in the Achilles Radial S13 — who is doing double duties this season, running both championships with only a tyre change to the 235 required for Pro-Sport. Bruce showed his experience when he nabbed P4, but it was Cody Pullen-Burry in his K-Spec S15 who grabbed P1 with an 83-point run. Mechanicals plagued TJM driver Ben Jenkins, who blew an axle during warm-up and skipped his first run while the crew repaired the car, only to have two axles blow during his do or die run. He was not the only driver who didn’t qualify, as Keiran Stewart also failed to post a score in his MX-5.
With a new season comes new looks, and new liveries. Brad Smith’s now-turbocharged 350Z was certainly a standout in the looks department
unedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium has played host to many different events and sports in its lifetime, including rugby, with the mighty All Blacks. But one thing that was never on the radar for the stadium was motor sport, until the Demon Energy D1NZ National Drifting Championship Series came a-knocking with what was the most ambitious track project in the series’ history — a complete custom-built track inside the indoor stadium. To make it happen, crews worked around the clock the weekend before to lay plywood, plastic, and boxing before 37,000 square metres of fibre-reinforced concrete was laid 90mm thick. It was then semi-polished to reduce the chance of smoke killing the visibility, and the resulting track surface was a challenge for teams, with grip levels changing throughout the weekend as more rubber was laid. Reportedly, some teams ran tyre pressures as low as 10psi in an attempt to find maximum traction.
A less grippy surface and a very tight, technical track promoted one thing — door-to-door action all weekend long. This is the type of drifting we love!
No this wasn’t a Pro-Sport entrant, the NZ Silver Fern Rally was in town and put on one hell of a sideways show
D1NZ D1NZ NATIONAL NATIONALDRIFTING DRIFTINGCHAMPIONSHIP CHAMPIONSHIPBROUGHT BROUGHTTO TOYOU YOUBY BY 64 themotorhood.com/nzperformancecar