Corvette
October 25th, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
Some people out there think that the days of barn find cars are completely over, but they’re wrong. If anyone needs proof, check out this highly collectible Corvette pace car that has just been uncovered in a Detroit storage facility.
It’s history begins back in 1978 when Chevrolet celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Corvette by pacing the Indianapolis 500 and releasing a handful of special-edition pace car replicas to the public. Just 6,502 of the black and silver Corvette models were built and unsurprisingly the vehicles sold out quickly. Seeing the potential of this model as a future collectible, the original owner of this 1978 Chevrolet Corvette pace car bought the car and immediately tucked it away in his garage for safe-keeping.
There is sat for many years until in 1995, the owner sold his house and had the Corvette pace car transferred to a Detroit-area storage facility, where it was locked away again – this time under a pile of boxes. It stayed in storage until it was uncovered recently, it is now on sale with just 13 miles on the clock through a dealer in New England, U.S.A. According to the dealer website, the original tyres still hold air, and the engine still runs. Read the rest of this entry »
October 19th, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
Everyone likes getting a bonus for hard work done. A few extra grand in your pay at the end of a contract can make all the hours of hard work worthwhile. But what’s better than a few grand? How about a mint-condition 1969 Corvette.
Actor and all round cool cat Johnny Depp received a surprise C1 Corvette gift on the set of his upcoming movie The Rum Diary. In the film adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson novel Depp drives a 1959 Corvette on screen and was apparently quite taken with the classic. When production wrapped, the film’s director Bruce Robinson gave the ’59 Corvette to Depp as a “thank you” gift for all the actor’s hard work during the film’s making. Read the rest of this entry »
May 11th, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
Buying cars form overseas vendors via internet auction sites is fraught with danger, as we’ve all come to realise over the past few years. The temptation to hit the ‘buy now’ key is a something many of us find irresistible – and it was a temptation that Greg and Diane Haliday couldn’t resist when they spotted this Corvette for sale.
Like most of our readers, I’ve certainly heard my fair share of horror stories associated with the importation of cars, especially 
from the US – with unsuspecting new owners ending up with anything from mild dissatisfaction to a complete and utter financial nightmare.
Our feature car, unfortunately, confirmed an all too familiar story for Greg and Diane Haliday. Sure, they’d imported cars from the US before, and yes, they’d been disappointed and vowed never again. But when a 1958 Corvette looks like a million dollars on a computer screen and is described as a “good driver” with a numbers matching drivetrain, then I’m with Greg and Diane on this one.
I’d have pushed the ‘buy now’ key if I had the cash available.
It wasn’t really as if it was a rush decision, Greg and Diane had been looking around for a nice early Corvette for some time, and had done their homework researching the differences between the varying Corvette C1 models produced between 1953 and 1962, eventually deciding on the 1958 model. I have to agree, it’s the nicest-looking of the C1 ’Vettes. Diane had also spotted one at the Kumeu Hot Rod Festival which only confirmed they’d made the right choice. Read the rest of this entry »
May 2nd, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
It might not be bigger than a royal wedding but the Fast Five movie is in NZ cinemas right now and it’s got the kids going crazy. The car-themed film features the same action stars Vin Diesel and Paul Walker but the more impressive co-stars are, like always the cars.
In this fifth installment of the Fast and Furious film franchise a whole new batch of vehicles debut and this time it’s mostly about American muscle. Car guy/funny man/denim ehtusiast Jay Leno gets a good look at the film cars in his awesome garage and has used it as an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage (see video below).
Leno has movie car builder Dennis McCarthy on hand to show off the C2 Corvette Grand Sport replica he built for the film. It features a 1980s Corvette suspension and a custom body by Mongoose. While many movie cars are powered by fairly limp engines, this Vette still comes packing 500 ponies. Since the Corvette was built for movie production, there are another nine copies floating around a couple of them even sit on Volkswagen platforms so they can handle the film’s off-road stunts.
Read the rest of this entry »
March 18th, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
The NCRS New Zealand (National Corvette Restorers Society) are holding their National Judging Meeting at Shed Five in Auckland this Saturday (19th) and Sunday (20th).
The NCRS are serious about Corvettes and are a group dedicated to the restoration, preservation, history and enjoyment of Corvettes. All cars will be judged not against each other but by the original factory status of each vehicle. The NCRS will be judging and displaying various Corvettes over this weekend and have issued an invite for all fans to swing by and check it out. So if you’re a die-hard Corvette enthusiast looking for guidance for your own model or you want to come along and dream then Shed Five this weekend is where you belong.
Special parking is available for all American cars and Hot Rods at Shed Five and BBQ lunch will be served in the car park.
Shed Five is located on the top parking deck at 90 Wellesley Street, Auckland.
February 23rd, 2011 by NZ Classic Car
Once iconic automaker AC Cars has just released the initial details and images of its new 2011 AC Cobra MkVI. This ‘new but old’ machine which will debut at the Geneva Auto Show next month and is being released to celebrate the company’s 110th 
birthday.
Set to combine American muscle with precision German engineering, the AC Cobra MkVI is powered by a Corvette V8 engine developing 430 bhp. Unfortunately that’s about all the technical details that have been released about the car so far. But AC also announced that the base model Cobra MkVI price will cost 109,000 EUR, plus taxes.
In Europe, the new AC Cobra will for sale in the UK, at the Brooklands AC Heritage Center in Surrey, and in Germany, at AC Germany located in Dresden. For the USA, Iconic Motors will sell the retro machine.
To read more about AC Motors and the new Cobra MkVI, check out the full press release below. Read the rest of this entry »
October 18th, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
Not a lot has been happening at defunct British sports car maker TVR in the past few years. The company was bought by Russian rich kid Nikolai Smolenski from late founder Peter Wheeler when it was in serious financial trouble, he didn’t do much with it, declared it bankrupt to clear its debts, then bought the company out of bankruptcy. After that there has been little news for badge fans except for a court case with a TVR remanufacturer and some rumours about using an American V8 to power the firm’s new car.
The V8 issue finally appears resolved with the Corvette’s 638-horsepower LS9 winning the deal. The new TVR car it will be used in is to be called the MD-1.
The question almost everyone is left asking is, will the car be at all British? With Smolenski looking to draw a line under the Wheeler era once and for all it seems unlikely. Although, currently the MD-1 is being developed by a UK firm, but Smolenski says production could shift take place in Europe or South Africa just as easily.
So could a South African-built, American-engined TVR still be a TVR like the Griffith or the Tasmin (pictured)? Smolenski thinks TVR fans wouldn’t think so, but he doesn’t really seem to care.
Wherever it is build the new LS9-powered MD-1 will be exclusive, with just 250 made annually when it arrives in 2012.
August 2nd, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
1000hp Corvette street test by Nelson Racing Engines
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