Hi all I've been browsing the HAMB for years, thought I better say Hi and post something about my ride. I've always looked to the HAMB for inspiration. I remember growing up in the 70's reading my uncles NZ hot rod mag from the 60's and 70's, then getting a job on the milk run and buying my first NZ hot rod mag 1982ish. So glad to find the HAMB and seeing all the old styles and traditional hot rods which influenced me as a kid. Last year I bought a 57 Chevy, I've kept it stock apart from the wheels and tires, still running drums all round I used some semi metallic linings work real good, a 283 and 3 speed O/D manual box, it has air conditioning which I want to ditch, I hate seeing that compressor on the motor. I got it on the road a week before Christmas, and went on our annual trip to Auckland to see family. One hell of an adventure. First we stopped in at Rotorua to pick up the old man, who brought his 71 MGBGT along, the wife was driving my son in the front, I'm in the back keeping the Beer and wine company, were just slowing down for a round-a-bout and I feel a huge vibration. I'm trying not to freak and I yell at the misses to stop, the shacking gets worse but she pull the old girl up, we all climb out and inspect the car, turns out that 4 of the 5 right rear wheel studs have sheared off. Crap stuck on the side of the road middle of nowhere oh and it's Christmas day too, good thing the misses is organised, she's got AA plus which gives us a free tow yay, lucky for us someone is working. We then pack the the boy off with Dad to Auckland, at least they will get to tuck into the food. I pull off the left wheel and steel a stud for the right side, now I can move the old girl, choice nearly sorted. So that leaves me and the misses with the beer, wine, food and a long weight? no long wait, different part number. So the tow truck turns up good bloody good bloke, gets the 57 on board no hassle. This is where it get interesting, were cruising on the Auckland motor way and we see red and blue lights flashing, the towie pulls up, cause he just got called from base to attend it. So there is a 1990ish Nissan Sentra angled parked between the armco barrier and the cheese cutter wire barrier. There were 3 cop cars and a couple of bikes, they had the guy and were cuffing him, but everyone was covered in mud, which was strange as there was no mud to bee seen, and one of the young cops was going to have an almighty black eye boxing day. We eventuality got the story from the towie, the car thief was being chased by 6 cars and 2 bikes and got to the Bombay hills just out of Auckland then decided to turn back, no idea why maybe he forgot the milk, while heading back the cops deployed the stinger, he hit it and the fork which he used to start it fell out the steering locked and he bounced off a Subaru full of young Asians guys and ended up between the barriers, so then this winner decided to sprint across the motorway with the police giving chase. You all still with me? He jumps over the bank into a swamp and the cops follow, hence the dirty cops and mud covered idiot, when I first saw him I though he was making a 70's fashion statement, you know all brown corduroy. The cop with the soon to be black eye got his foot stuck and smacked into a perfectly placed branch, it must have been just like a Benny Hill show, but no half naked woman. By the time we were dropped off we were keen to leave the car at the in-laws and carry on with him. Can't wait for the next big trip in the 57. Cheers Chris
Welcome to the Hamb, sounds like an adventure for sure. There are a bunch on here from New Zealand, sounds like a great place to live.
The Jalopy Journal
