The Daimler SP250 was born when Edward Turner, head of the Automotive Division of BSA – at that time Daimler’s parent company – was given the brief to develop an all-new volume production car. Eschewing the use of Daimler’s more traditional six-cylinder engine, Turner developed a new 2.5-litre V8. Already known for his hemi-head Triumph [...]
The P1800 story really began in 1953, when Assar Gabrielsson of Volvo was shown around Chevrolet’s Michigan factory. At that time, Chevrolet had only just set up for the all-new Corvette. Gabrielsson was so intrigued by the Corvette’s fibreglass body that he also visited Glasspar, a fibreglass specialist based in California. While Volvo were probably [...]
In June 1947 Ferdinand Porsche allotted project number 356 to a new car design he was working on at his factory in Gmünd. This new car was to be built with Volkswagen parts – all that was available to Porsche in those immediate post-war years. During March 1948 the first Type 356 car (356–001) was [...]
Having completed his NZCE with Winstones in Auckland, Neil Fraser’s first business venture was the acquisition of Reid Trailers, but while he busied himself designing and building trailers he also took to the racetrack in a Lotus Cortina, and it was here that he first came across the car that would shift his focus away [...]
The father-and-son team of Gavin and Myles Hicks are well known within local classic-car restoration circles, and over the years many concours-winning cars have emerged from their well-equipped home workshop. Together they can tackle virtually all aspects of restoration, including everything from mechanical rebuilds to spray-painting. Additionally, Gavin is a dab hand with a sewing [...]
While I was checking out the classic cars entered for sale at Mossgreen-Webb’s classic car auction, held at Sir Keith Park Memorial Aviation Display Hall at MOTAT on June 18, I found myself standing next to a classic racecar that I first saw on Saturday, January 8, 1983. Back then I snapped a few shots [...]
Glen, an Auckland-based business advisor, can’t remember a time when Bristol cars weren’t part of his life, and like many of us his enthusiasm for these cars was handed down to him from his father, Lane. Now on to his sixth Bristol (the first being a 401) Lane has been driving and fettling these quirky [...]