Cruise Martinborough 2023

WELCOME

Hard to believe it but this year marks nine years in a row we have enjoyed Cruise Martinborough. Nine years of cruising the Wairarapa highways, nearly nine years of the Saturday show day around the Square.

I say nearly as of course last year was a somewhat reduced event with the red light cancelling most of the event as the country went into its last lockdown.

Takes me back to the rst event which some will remember was held in December 2014. We had a Friday cruise to Tui Brewery which seemed like a great idea but was quite a lengthy trip in hindsight.

With a few break-downs we soon changed the schedule to locations within easier reach from Martinborough.

We are pleased to be back at the Gladstone Inn, the quaint little country pub situated next

Cruise Martinborough turns nine!

to the Ruamahanga River with great food and entertainment on tap.

Bring plenty of spare rubber as the all- time favourite is back. It would be rude not to. Masterton Motorplex will host us for an afternoon of grudge racing. The Drive-inmovie is back too!

For the Wairarapa Community, it’s a great chance to get up close and personal with some of the coolest rides in the country. Some are built right here in the Wairarapa so do come along to one of the events and check it out.

Thanks so much to everyone who plays a part in this event by attending, helping or simply enjoying.

Damien Pivac

A warm welcome to Cruise Martinborough

After the ongoing challenges of COVID-19, I’m sure participants in Cruise Martinborough will receive a very warm welcome and great hospitality from residents and businesses throughout the region. It is always a pleasure to have familiar faces and new visitors, in superb vehicles, enjoying what we have to o er. Masterton District Council continues to put an emphasis on ensuring our roads are maintained and improved and this year has been one of our most challenging with our rural roads in particular having been put under considerable pressure due to

heavy rains.

If you’re travelling around the region, please be mindful of the conditions.

As a Council, we are working hard to prioritise work where it is needed.

O the roads, you can check out our beautiful Queen Elizabeth Park and Henley Lake, both winners of international Green Flag awards.

And, if you’re brave enough, try out our fabulous revamped skatepark! Enjoy your stay!

Masterton District Council’s Mayor, Gary Ca el

Welcome to the 9TH Cruise Martinborough

Cruise Martinborough is a colourful and fun event aimed at letting hot rod, classic car and muscle car enthusiasts have fun in Martinborough and the Wairarapa.

I’m biased, but Cruise Martinborough takes place in one of the most stunning parts of New Zealand for car-lovers.

From a dash over the 500 metre Remutaka summit, down a stunningly picturesque winding road to Featherston, then on to Martinborough, this will be an event that any car-lover will remember.

I know that you will enjoy our rambling

rural roads, coastal panoramas, great shopping and excellent vineyards.

Make sure you visit all three of our towns. Martinborough has great wine, Featherston has New Zealand’s best cheese shop, and in Greytown you can find New Zealand’s classiest chocolatier.

While you are in our towns enjoy our cafes and take time out to walk and relax. If you want some variation from driving, consider hiring a bike.

Have a great time while you are here!

South Wairarapa District Council’s Mayor, Martin Connelly

FROM 5PM Orientation and programme collection

Martinborough’s social hub

The Pukemanu Bar & Eatery in Martinborough’s Square will again be the social hub for Cruise Martinborough.

It will be the location for Orientation & Programme collection on Wednesday at 5pm, live entertainment on Friday evening from 7pm, and 8pm on Saturday night, and Sunday Brunch and Prize Giving from 10am on Sunday.

You are bound to meet some of the town’s friendliest, most down-to-earth characters there.

There’s pool, darts and free wifi, Sky Sport, TAB and gaming, and a great function centre if you are planning an event.

To find out what is happening at the Puke check out its Facebook page.

@ Pukemanu Bar & Eatery

MOVIE

The World’s Fastest Indian

“If it’s hard, work harder; if it’s impossible, work harder still. Give it whatever it takes, but do it” - Burt Munro

As a young lmmaker in the 1970s, Roger Donaldson had worked on a documentary about Burt Munro called “O erings to the God of Speed.”

After making the New Zealand classic Smash Palace in 1981, the lm director, producer and writer went on to have a successful career in Hollywood.

In 2005 Donaldson was nally able to make his lm about Munro, with Anthony Hopkins in the leading role.

In 1967, Burt Munro is a folk hero in Invercargill, known for his friendly easy-going personality and having the fastest motorcycle in Australasia.

He’s also known for his habits such as revving his motorcycle early in

the morning, urinating on his lemon tree, and not mowing the lawn.

However, Munro has a dream - to travel to Bonneville Speedway in the United States to test his motorcycle’s capabilities. Cruise Martinborough’s Drive-In Movie on Friday evening starting at 6pm, The World’s Fastest Indian tells the tale of how he achieves it.

Showing at Martinborough’s Rugby Grounds, with food trucks on site.

DRIVE-IN

A night to remember at The White Swan

On Thursday night, Cruise Martinborough will be heading to The White Swan in Greytown for a night of fun, great food, refreshments and live music. Some exclusive food and drink vouchers will be available for Cruisers to use on the night.

There will also be live music from 6pm to 9pm to get the deck swinging in true cruiser style.

The White Swan is an iconic country hotel in the heart of Greytown with a real passion for the region.

At The White Swan, they celebrate the best of what Wairarapa has to o er, through their food, beverages, accommodation, and warm rural hospitality. Come to The White Swan and you’ll be connected to the whole region through the produce they use, which is fresh and locally sourced wherever possible, the wine list, which is proudly all Wairarapa based, and of course, the people.

The White Swan has plenty of spaces to suit your mood. People say no visit to

Greytown is complete without a drink on their sun-drenched deck. The main bar is perfect for get-togethers and casual meals. The dining room is ideal for something a bit more special or intimate, or try out the new Garden Bar

tucked out the back and away from the hustle and bustle of main street.

So stop in for a drink, lunch or dinner, or stay the night, and experience the best of rural New Zealand.

A new sponsor, new judges and new organiser for

MISS CRUISE

Martinborough 2023

Now in its fourth year, Miss Cruise Martinborough has, for the rst time, its own sponsor“The Beauty School Dropouts”.

Caption: Nicole Halliday (left) and Bernadette Forsdyke at Cruise Martinborough 2021. Credit: Glynn Henderson Photography

Started by Fran Robertson and Monique Kimber-Bell in 2015, The Beauty School Dropouts caters to the market in New Zealand for vintage and pin-up styling.

One of its stylists is Nicole Halliday who lives on a lifestyle property out at Longbush, east of Martinborough. A mother of two, when Nicole is not working for the Beauty School Dropouts, she’s working in public relations for the Defence Force, or shooting in her makeover photo studio - The Fire Inside.

Nicole was crowned Miss Cruise Martinborough in 2021, and is back again this year as its organiser. This year’s judges are the current Miss Autofest title holder Madam Rou, and Beauty School Dropout’s stylist Sarah Bauer. They’re both Miss Pinup New Zealand alumni, so they know just what to look for in Miss Cruise Martinborough 2023.

The Beauty School Dropouts will

contribute to the prize hamper for Miss Cruise Martinborough, and are also donating the sashes to be worn by the winner and runner up, which are beautifully handmade by Fran.

As in previous years, The Beauty School Dropouts Miss Cruise Martinborough competition will be a relaxed pin-up competition where competitors simply dress up for the occasion.

This years’ competition will run pretty much exactly as the last event.

Arrive before 11am, look for the small table near the Cruise Martinborough trailer to add your name to the list, have your photo taken by Nicole in front of one of the beautiful cars, and judging will be done by assessment of the photos. No scary stage or catwalk for this competition! All names must be on the list before 12 noon.

The entrants will be advised on the day where to meet for the group photo and prize giving.

TOP TIPS for putting together your Miss Cruise Martinborough

look are:

Find an out t that screams your personality and sets you apart from others.

Think about the shoes, jewellery and hair accessories - do they t with your look?

Really take time with your hair and makeup as these can make or break a vintage inspired out t.

You can nd further advice by viewing The Beauty School Dropouts’ tutorials on Facebook.

Todd Wylie

Cruise Martinborough welcomes back regular head judge Todd Wylie as one of its three judges for 2023.

As editor of NZV8 magazine for 14 years and chief car wrangler for TV3’s Muscle Garage before stepping into various roles within the vehicle safety arena for LVVTA and Waka Kotahi, Todd knows a thing or two about what constitutes a quality car.

Ben Martin

Ben Martin has been in the paint and panel industry for 25 years and is owner of Customs Bodyshop in Upper Hutt.

When judging the cars in Cruise Martinborough, Ben will be looking for “creativity, finish, and the all-round look of the vehicle.”

Backing up his “on the job” experience are his own multiple award-winning builds, including his ‘Necessary Evil’ 1956 Cadillac which was a previous winner of Cruise Martinborough’s sought after Top Entry award (prior to his judging involvement).

Todd has an eye for things that are different, and always encourages vehicle owners to break the mould a

bit, rather than follow the same old path.

Of course, to attract his attention, vehicles must be well-engineered to back up their good looks, but that’s not to say he only has an eye for ‘big budget’ builds.

Nathan Thomas

Born, bred, and still living in Lower Hutt, Nathan’s interest in cars goes back to when he was a kid.

“I had a neighbour with an early Corona that had a 351 Windsor in it, and I spent many an hour over the road at his house, learning all about cars and street

driving around Wellington. We both have a very keen interest in cars and, as we have both aged, our interests have remained similar.”

An automotive technician by trade, Nathan appreciates all models, makes, and genres.

“I really enjoy seeing something that’s outside the norm, and appreciate di erent or unusual engineering ideas. I like it when you can tell the owner has put heart and soul in to their ride.”

PRIZE DRAW ENTRY FORM

Please note photocopied entries will NOT be accepted, one entry per programme. You can enter as many times as you like. Only correctly completed entry forms will be accepted.

Please submit your completed entry form to the Cruise Martinborough black trailer by 2pm Saturday.

Winners to be announced at 10am Sunday prize giving at Pukemanu Bar & Eatery.

MARTINBOROUGH

PROFILE

Across a generation and a half, from 1947 to 1957, the entry-level Chevrolet pickup was the ½ ton 3100.

Colin and Shelley Pope of Kaponga, Taranaki, have owned their 1951 pickup for six years, after looking for something di erent to buy and seeing it for sale on Trade Me.

“It came out of Arizona as a stock standard 3100 Pickup,” says Colin.

“We drove it for 12 months, then made a decision to do a complete restoration.

“It has air conditioning, power steering, Tremec t56 6 speed manual, digital instrumentation and electric windows.”

A classic American pickup a ic Pi up

PROFILE

Jason Randall had grown up around cars and always wanted a classic car.

“I started looking in early 2021. I was looking for a late 60s/early 70s V8 and it had to look cool, but other than that I was pretty open to what we got.

“For the budget we had I had expected to get a car that needed some work.

“I had made offers on a few cars but hadn’t secured anything when we came across this car on Trade Me.

“When it was first listed it didn’t have the photos up and I had to google what a Plymouth Satellite looked like.

“It’s quite a rare car in New Zealand so I hadn’t come across it before. There are only 10 registered Satellites in New Zealand of that body shape.

“My wife Leonie and I facetimed the owner who was north of Auckland and

instantly we knew this was the car we were going to buy.

“Leonie and I both loved the 1970s muscle car look and when she heard the engine start up, she said ‘just buy it’.

“I flew up to Helensville the next morning and drove it 825kms back down to Blenheim, without a problem.”

The car has a recently recondition 440 big block engine with alloy heads, MSD ignition and a mild cam, plus a recent respray in its original colour, and new mags.

The car was built in 1972 as a show room model car and it originally came with electronic windows, electric seat adjustment and air conditioning, says Jason.

In his early days, Jason had a club/rally Toyota Starlet “but this is my first classic car.”

“We are loving the classic car/ muscle car scene. We’ve been down to Muscle Car Madness, Kaikoura Hop and to our first ever Beach Hop in November.”

“The Blenheim Hot Rod Club (Sun Valley Roadsters) which I’m a member of, has been a great source of knowledge and its members are always keen to lend a hand or offer advice.”

A true American Muscle Car

“Just buy it!”

PROFILE

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The 1948 Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan Coup was part of the Chevrolet Special Deluxe Series, produced from 1941 to 1952.

Taylor Smith’s car features the streamlined curves and classy chrome that made the model so distinctive.

The Upper Hutt resident bought it eight months ago.

“I’ve always loved the shape of the aerosedans, and they are fairly uncommon over here - a cool car to ll the gap while our 1957 Chev Belair convertible has undergone a full restoration.

A curvaceous coup e olet tline Aerose n Coup

“It’s already become part of the familymy kids love it as much as I do!”

PROFILE

In love with Big Jon PROFILE

Debby Connor of Wellington saw her 1975 Dodge Pickup for sale when she was getting a warrant of fitness on her other truck 25 years ago.

“Who wouldn’t. He’s beautiful. His number plate is B1GJON.”

Debby is so satisfied with B1GJON that she has never considered getting anything else.

“I don’t need to. I’ve got the best.”

Debby has been a member of Cam County for the last five years and was previously a member of Feilding Hot Rod.

General Motors was king of the hill around the time it introduced the Chevrolet Malibu in 1964 as a mid-size car.

At the time, GM comprised 50% of the entire market, with 25% of the entire market being Chevrolet alone. Named after the coastal community of Malibu, California, the model was marketed primarily in North America. The first Malibu was a top-line subseries of the mid-sized Chevrolet Chevelle. The Malibu was generally available in a full range of body styles with interiors that were more lavish

A Malibu muscle car

than the lesser Chevelle 300 and 300 Deluxe models. The Malibu SS was available only as a two-door sport coupe hardtop or convertible.

Super Sport, or SS, is the signature performance option package offered by Chevrolet on a limited number of its vehicles. Russell Shaw of Petone, bought his 1964 Chevrolet Malibu SS three years ago from a guy in Hamilton who was moving back to Australia.

“I liked it because there aren’t many around. It’s a coupe and has a big block, 8,455 cu, two door, rough and ready. It’s the first muscle car I’ve ever owned.”

Photo: Graham Meiklejohn