NZ Trip....Scrounger Mike ( awesome fab' pics)

We visited Raymond Smythe, Mike's neighbor to the right, but not Mike, he wasn't around. Here are some pics from Raymond's shop........

Raymond has been racing this dragster for several years, if I remember right it has run a best of 7.4 sec's. It has been very reliable with an iron Chrysler. He tried a Donovan with more HP for a while but it overpowered the chassis.





Here is Raymond showing me his 32 2dr sedan project.n It has a cherry body just pulled from a stocker and the rest of the car was sold on. Powerplant is a blown Hemi. Chassis is from Kiwi Konnection in Bakersfield.





A friends sedan was in the shop getting some repairs.......

 

The Donovan makes a nice conversation piece.............



Beside the Donovan is this display case of all kinds of dragster toys, models etc One of the coolest collections I've ever seen!!



Here are some of the older ones, some seriously bitchen stuff!!

 

And he decorates his shop so well!!! Now...if you guys would have just moved out of the way,LOL!!!

 

Not H.A.M.B. friendly but some amazing metal work, chop, wedge section etc.All metal finished....













Nice scoop!



A fewe more pics of Mike's Buick.....









Mike has been working on thes flathead dragster...









Here is a sneak peak at Mike's current personal project. Y block powered 28 pickup with some very cool and fresh fab" ideas. I will start a thread about it soon.....

 

Damn Kevin, I had no idea that Mike was that talented. One helluva nice guy too. Tell him I said hello. I wont be able to make it to B-field this weekend to hang out with you and the fellows. (I have to work). Man, I want to go down to NZ to hang out with Squeak and the guys someday soon. Dale

 

That sedan is one of the most bitchin cars i have ever seen, ever. He is a phenom...his fab skills are out of this world. I dont even feel worthy enough to read this post,or look at these awsome photographs. I have such a man crush right now. Hey kev, i seen some of your shop in the new rod & custom. You got some real cool stuff.

 

And I thought kiwis carved everything out of wood. Sorry blokes I better apologize before a war canoe lands lol. Great skills, really shows the talent out there.

 

Thanks for posting these pics-truly awesome fab work!!!!

 

Great to see local guys and their skill being shown to the multitudes.
There is so much hidden talent in this country.
Be nice to see a lot more shed raids...

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Good to see this post back from the dead. It was nice to have another look. He should sell these scoops!

 

Awesome Fab skills, especially that Cobra body! Thanks for putting up the pics.

 

Awesome slot car , by the way the other pics are damn good as well.

 

Mike Roberts RULES.

 

Amazingly talented and nice people as well. That 32 gets the wheels driven off it!!

 

That man is a God

 

these guys make me want to throw out my tools.. and sell my crappy cars.... Hey kev. can you show us something you built when you were first starting? what was your first project?

 

Clever bastard

 

Can't wait to say hello to Mike again.

 

Kev, I'm a little concerned, where have you been taking him??!! I'm getting the feeling that we're going to have to move to a bigger workshop when he gets back with all his purchases......

 

WOW, the dudes got some mad fab skills

 

Thanx for bumping this one, I'd missed it the first time thru.

I've never once seriously considered moving to New Zealand, but now it appears that my whole life, up to this point, has been spoiled by some badly flawed logic.

When that Buick is finished, it should make Cadzzilla look like a Checker cab!

 

Fenerskirt (Mike's wife)....Mike is having a great trip! Don't worry, Chris has him beat when it comes to finding junk to bring home!

Sledbuilder....Here are some fenderwell headers I built for my friend Steve Brown (r.i.p.) when I was 18 or 19. You couldn't just go buy a pair in NZ in the 70's.

 

The King of Scroungers.

 

Id like to spend the day with Mike to watch and learn, Ive never heard a bad word about him, real top bloke & wife ...........

 

those are some amazing projects.

good things always seem to come out of clean garages.