Event Coverage The Beach Hop, Whangamata NZ

I've just got back from this year's Beach Hop, and to anyone planning to come to NZ next year this really is a not-to-be-missed week.

Although it's billed as a rock'n'roll festival (and there are live bands everywhere all of the time) it's acknowledged as the biggest Hot Rod/Musclecar/Classic meeting in NZ and probably in the southern hemisphere.
Based around the town of Whangamata on the East coast of NZ's north island, the Car Culture takes over the town and surrounding area for the week. What appears to happen is if you live there and own a Rod/Musclecar/Classic then that's OK, but if you don't you move away for the week and rent your house out to a rodder. Every road is like a car show, every supermarket carpark is a sea of gleaming paintjobs and shiny wheels, every available parking space is taken.
Each day there is a cruise to another (local) town with a car show at the end of the cruise, and every night there is a massive cruise along the main drag which lasts until the early hours of the morning.
The quality of some of the cars is truly world-class, the equal of anything you would see in Europe or the US. The NZ hot-rod industry is booming at the moment, and importing talent from Europe, the UK and US to help make it happen (myself included).
All of the local businesses are friendly and welcoming, it's a shame the cops operate a 'zero tolerance' regime for the week, making sure everyone there is abiding to the letter of the law, with tickets being handed out for 'missing' front license plates and noisy exhausts. Didn't stop us firing up our supercharged alcohol altered on it's trailer and then towing it through the town (there may have been alcohol involved.....)

Without a doubt it is the best gearhead event I have ever been to. The only thing that would improve it (IMHO) is a swap meet.

Get to NZ at the end of March next year, and tell them that Legend sent you!

 

Its an event I hope to get to one year, still a bit of a trip from the bottom of the Island. Are you bringing the Altered to Masterton this week? JW

 

Nah, all tucked up for the winter now!

 

Most likely will rain anyway JW

 

No pics then ?????

 

Look it up online. There are already thousands of photo's out there and will undoubtedly be more.
Unfortunately I was working there so didn't have lots of opportunity to wander around with a camera....
https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=b...kvfLAhUJFJQKHX17APcQ_AUIBygB&biw=1440&bih=743

 

Went over there from Australia a couple of years ago. Definite optical overload. If you can get there , do it. You won't be disappointed.

 

Whatever the next apocalypse may be, rest assured the best of metal-smithing and hot rodding will be alive and well in NZ! Gary

 

Legendlives - Thanks for link but, hope someone will post some pics here too

 

Link is not to beach hop, but pics from all round the world with those key words.

 

http://www.themotorhood.com/themotorhood/2016/3/24/experience-beach-hop-16

 

Is there a thread covering the 2017 Whangamata Beach Hop? Or were there no Hamb friendly cars there?

 

I heard from someone that went that there were very few early cars. JW

 

Thought that might be the case. Saw acres of fake patina fresh out of US shipping containers heading down that way last week.

 

Mrs W wants to take her 65 Mustang to it to say she's been, I don't feel like going at all. It appears too large for NZ and seems ''Fake''to me. JW

 

There were a distinct lack of HAMB friendly early cars at the hop which is normal. My wife is the wheel police and I think she would have run out of bad taste violations . I think a lot of the later pre 72 cars are owned by folk from the city who are not necessarily car people and have a cheque book and want to be part of the scene . Whangamata is a picturesque sleepy seaside village of under 4000 people and reportedly it swells to 100000 for the hop weekend. 1200 registered cars plus 1500 unregistered and all the lookers. Cruising is like a slow moving car park at times.
It can be considered fake , but we really enjoy catching up with good buddies from NZ and the USA Australia etc. makes it worthwhile, enjoying it for what it is ,not what it once was ,or could be in a perfect HAMB world.
See y'all there next year for sure. Catching up with cool buddies again .
We were lucky in that our shoebox received the favourite ford award. And our good buddies ( Jimmy and Kerry Keeys) with the very very cool custom chopped merc also invited us to be on Gene Winfields stand at the event. Memories to treasure.
Apparently FB has some picture worth checking out.
Note to self , suck it in next time ,ha.

 

Lucky bugga Brian, how cool is that to hang with Gene.........CooooooooooLLLL. JW

 

I tried bumping an old beach hop thread the other night for pics, but I guess most end up on fake book.
I've had two cars returning home through my town, toot to me while out in the Hot Rod, one was a blue 56 Plymouth wagon.
Our local club hosted Chuck Miller last night, who was in the country for the hop.
For those who don't know who he is, he's the fella who built the Red Baron, and other cool show cars.

@Kiwi 4d I got a smile outer you saying your wife is the wheel police. That's priceless.
Nice to see you guys hanging with Gene.

 

My wife's wheel police infringement notice.

 

I like it. JW

 

Pronounced" Fonga Ma tar" I believe ,got me the first time,I thought it was
" Wang ga matter"
Went there and had a ball a few years back with some mates,met some good people,was a good place to go on the way to the Blowout.Now that was cool!!
NZ rules

 

Hey guys I'm a newbie on here. I had my camera at Beach Hop as I do at most events I attend
and I've done my best to sort the H.A.M.B approved rides from the rest, apologies if a few accidentally slip by. More to follow...
Ivan

 

Great pics Ivan and a big thanks for posting.
Welcome to the HAMB. JW

 

Brian you are way to modest!didnt you also win that clown award last year?
I was also under the impression that the Ford was Wendy's car,but we didn't see her up on stage receiving the cash.

 

Cheers . I've also added some photos in the Nostalgia drags thread from last weekend for anyone that's interested. I'm keen to share future local event coverage from down here with our fellow H.A.M.Bers as well as uploading a few from past shows as I go.

 

Good to see some life in this Group, go for it. JW

 

Done and dusted!

 

Thanks Ivan, nice work.