NZ Trip 2011....HR Blowout/shed visits/Nostalgia Drags...PICS GALORE!

Well hurry up already!

 

Wow, one of the best threads in a very long time!

 

Thanks great thread, nothin better than cool cars an the Kiwi coastline.
before I look at your next pics, Im gonna get some fish n chips an a battered sav!

cheers.

 

NZ; Fantastic place filled with fantastic friends.

Some of the neatest Hot Rods too.

CM

 

Beautiful country and beautiful cars.....thanks for posting them...

 

This photo turns me on so much...

 

^what is that?

 

On the left we have an apple turnover with cream, it is chilled. One bite is pure heaven. I think the guy from Scotland is looking for a warm one. On the right is a steak and pepper hot pie. Both have pastry like you don't find easily in the US.

 

ahh thanks kiwi,sounds good I'll have one of each.great pics btw

 

Kev,the pepper steak looks like the yummy pies that you can buy at the BP gas stations here....this is gonna be a cool thread,great pics,keep em coming.Thanks for the pics of the 55,got runner up,maybe Kiwi Kev should have been driving...

 

DAY TWO....Saturday.....Chris's shop, Blowout show setup, Hall of famers dinner.

The plan for Saturday was to get over to the show location and get things set up for the show. We started by loading a bunch of signs etc in Chris's roaster pickup. In Chris's home garage were 2 iconic cars from NZ hot rodding. The Mike Ujdar (silent J) channelled 32 roadster and the Robin Unkovich front engine dragster.



Here is how the dragster looked in its Glory days. I used to watch it run in the early 70's. It ran on gas and sure layed down some smoke! Chris is partners in it with fellow Scrounger Mal. They are kinda collecting parts for a restoration one day.



The roadster was a true survivor story. Mike built it and took it to many shows and rod runs back in the 70's but it was parked with tranny problems and life just got in the way. Before he knew it, 32 years had gone by. Mike stays very busy running his apple orchard and health issues also take alot of his time. Scrounger members Chris Piaggi and John Pavlovich knew the roadster was just sitting and convinced Mike to trust them to get it running again for him so he could drive it into the show. That is the kind of show the Blowout is, much respect is payed to the early pioneers of NZ hot rodding and their machines. It took a huge effort from Chris and Mike, the heads came off the engine, the headers were clogged with rust flakes, there was a lot of chrome to bring back to life etc, etc. Many hours donated just to see a cool old hot rod get a second life.





Here is a shot of the Three Amigos. John, Chris and Chris's son Carson....



Here are some pics from Chris's workshop. I would say Chris is the biggest hot rod junkie I know.....
If you do a H.A.M.B. search for Scrounger Chris you will find a thread about him, I can't seem to make a link stick.



























Rough bodies are saved in New Zealand! There are many skilled panelbeaters.

 

Kiwi hot rodders were very creative in the early years. Speed equipment was very hard to get your hands on so they made their own. Check out all the home made intakes Chris has aquired over the years......























Chris has his own survivor from the 60's. It is nicknamed the Monkeemobile. We loaded it up on the trailer to get it over to the show location....

 

bitchin photos...if only I was a goofy footer

 

Great bunch of pics. Good looking food, scenery, cars and collectibles. Sounds like a wonderful trip!

 

After setting up a few things for the show we had just enough time to give the roadster a quick test drive, the engine had been fired but no test drive yet. It had been raining all day, we had our fingers crossed for Sundays weather.





Unfortunately at about 30mph the front end started bouncing like crazy due to out of round tires from all those years sitting. Mike would still get to drive it through the gate and into the show but not from a couple of miles away.

Next we headed into the city (Auckland) for the Hall of famers dinner that the Scroungers put on for the Hot rod heroes who have been put in the scroungers hall of fame. It gives them a chance to mingle and BS about the old days because it can get hectic at the show. The location for the dinner was a cafe called Shed 5. Cafe! Shit man, this place was a combination museum, private motorcycle collection, workshop, auction house, art collection, clothing store and so much more. A super cool location for an event like this.

This is the dining table I saw when I walked in the door!.....



A few more pics from the evening....









Picture is blurry but the wall behind the diners is covered with vintage BMX bikes...

 

so far it looks like your having way tooo much fun

 

amazing

 

They are old school lookin' fish 'n' chips.
Kool thead Kev, Thanx.

 

Save a spot for me in NZ!!!!

 

Makes me want to take a vacation to NZ. It has always interested me from WWII to everything else there.

 

Great pic's, keep 'em comin.
For those thinking about emigrating here we have a VERY strict entry into the country = You have to bring all you cool stuff with you.

Scotty.

 

Thanks for the journey, must do this trip very soon.
Mikes fabrication is amazing.

 

too right....

come on down,we dare ya...bring some cool rides with ya

 

I've experienced a lot of things on the H.A.M.B. over the years, but I've got to admit that this is the first thread to make me hungry!

 

Just to clarify - I'm a south canterbury lad, living in Scotland - you can't get a good pie here.

 

We tried didn't we Russell , great to have met you at the nostalgias too . Rod .

.

 

The 409 FED is my brothers. Great day.

 

Kev, it was good to see you at the blowout. That day & the Nolstalgia drags are the highlight of our summer events.
Russell.

 

Awesome thread!

Thanks!

 

Kev,
Jeez, Louise... the metalwork done by those guys on the the aircraft and pickup and other cars is nothing short of amazing. Thanx SO much for posting these photos. I'll probably spend a lot of time drooling over their work. Gary