Preview: New Zealand Classic Car issue No. 320

A R ACI NG LEG E N D — M CL ARE N F50 0 0 M1 0 B NEW ZEALAND CLASSIC CAR AUGUST 2017 ISSUE 320

DODGE CHARGER • DATSUN 240Z • MCLAREN F5000 M10B

HEMI PERFECTION 1 9 6 6

D O D G E

C H A R G E R

ISSUE 320 $9.99 INCL. GST AUGUST 2017

themotorhood.com

IMAGINATIVE SPIRIT

HEAVY··DUTY RAMMING

HIGHWAY MASALA

DATSUN 240Z

ROAD TEST & TOWING GUIDE

A TRIP TO NEW DELHI

DO N N A N D E RSO N — TR E KK A A DV E NTU R E TO TH E CA PE

FEATURES

4 HOLY GRAIL 1966 DODGE CHARGER

16 IMAGINATIVE SPIRIT 1972 DATSUN 240Z

28 HILL-CLIMB MASTER MCLAREN F5000 M10B

40 HIGHWAY MASALA A TRIP TO NEW DELHI

SPECIAL FEATURE

58 HEAVY-DUTY RAM PLUS THE DOS AND DON’TS OF TOWING

16

40

4 58

28 2

New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com

68 JAPANESE NOBILITY

68

HINO OBSESSION

COLUMNS

46 KITS AND PIECES 52 MOTORMAN 74 ROADSIDE RELICS 76 LOCAL MARKET REPORT 92 PRICE ON

CONTENTS

320

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK — SEARCH ‘NZ CLASSIC CAR ’

AUGUST 2017

EVENTS 84

86 88

RALLYING IN NEW ZEALAND 50TH ANNIVERSARY NORTH ISLAND TOUR HISTORIC MUSCLE CARS CAFFEINE AND CLASSICS

46

52

88 86

REGULARS

38 READERS’ WRITES 39 ONLINE THIS MONTH 66 SUBSCRIBE AND WIN 78 NEWS 90 EVENTS DIARY 94 BEHIND THE GARAGE DOOR 96 CLUB CORNER 98 AUTOMOBILIA 101 QUICK QUIZ / CROSSWORD 102 SELL YOUR CLASSIC 103 EDITOR’S PICK 104 CLASSIC CARS FOR SALE 110 LOCAL SPECIALISTS 112 NEXT MONTH

78 themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car

3

FEATURE 1966 Dodge Charger

W ITH A N I M M E N S E K N OW LE DG E O F A LL TH I N G S M O PA R I T M AY C O M E A S A S U R P R I S E T H AT T H I S N U M B E R S M ATC H I N G , H E M I - P O W E R E D ’ 6 6 C H A R G E R R E P R E S E N T S R O D N E Y A N D Z E TA H O L L A N D ’ S F I R S T F U L L B U I L D O F T H E I R O W N , T H E R E I S N O B E T T E R W AY I T C O U L D H AV E COME TOGETHER Words: Connal Grace Photos: Adam Croy

4

New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com

l i a r G H O LY

themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car

5

FEATURE 1972 Datsun 240Z

THE SPORTS CAR

y t i l a n o s er

P

16 New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com

WITH

“WITH THE BIRTH OF THE Z, THE COMPLEXION OF THE AMERICAN SPORTS-CAR MARKET CHANGED OVERNIGHT” — YO S H I H I KO M AT S U O Words and photos: Quinton Taylor

O

ne of the most successful sports-car lines ever produced, the Datsun 240Z’s innovative design signalled the emergence of Japan as a major contender in world markets. And, given Datsun was wholly owned by Nissan, it heralded Nissan’s entry into a period of serious international motor racing and rallying.

The phenomenon of the Z, also known as the ‘S30’, was originally created specifically to cater to the US market, and it was a car ahead of its time. It was not only an innovative design, but it also set standards of reliability and ruggedness that many competitors found hard to equal. The launch price of US$3500 in 1969 was a critical factor, as it offered so much as standard equipment for such a low price, and it went on to be the number-one-selling sports car in the world.

Development of the 240Z was not without controversy, and what an involved story it proved to be. At the end of the day, Nissan acknowledged the skill passed on by its consultant, designer Albrecht Goertz, and the impact his ideas had on sports-car design.

Katayama — father of the 240Z Many great sports cars have been conceived through the vision of one man. The 240Z — and the line of later models that followed through to 1978 — might never have happened had it not been for the drive and initiative of Nissan Motors US president Yutaka Katayama.

Crucial to the development of the GT programme for Datsun were the change of direction from producing successful-butdated designs, such as the MGB-like Fairlady roadster models, and the American attitude towards Japanese econoboxes. Three factors that greatly assisted Datsun in its quest for an outstanding design were the emergence of the GT style of car in the US, the early influence of consultant designer Albrecht Goertz, and Datsun’s acquisition of Japanese company Prince Motors.

Katayama was sent by Nissan management to the US in 1960 to manage the company’s Western US Datsun car operation, at a time in America when anything labelled with ‘Made in Japan’ was perceived as lacking quality.

Nissan officials in Japan fully expected him to fail, and with just 1000 units sold each year in the US and an advertising budget of US$1K, this seemed entirely possible. Katayama quickly realized that the key to the company’s success would be reversing market perception of Japanese products. He needed innovative designs that offered not only performance, reliability, and value for money but also dimensions and specifications more in line with what the US market expected. A favourite personal yardstick of design for Katayama was BMW’s hugely successful 1600 sedan, and he pushed the home design team to include a number of modern features to make the new car competitive.

It was no surprise that when Datsun launched

themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car

17

MOTOR SPORT FLASHBACK McLaren M10B

Special SUPER

28 New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com

THIS MONTH MARKS 80 YEARS SINCE BRUCE MCLAREN W A S B O R N I N A U C K L A N D , O N A U G U S T 3 0 , 1 9 3 7, A S EOI N YOU NG WROTE I N BRUCE MCLAREN: THE MAN AND HIS RACING TEAM, “UNDER THE SIGN OF VIRGO, THE CRAFTSMAN. IT WAS PROPHETIC” Words: Michael Clark Photos: Adam Croy, Bruce McLaren Trust

themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car

29

ROADSIDE RELICS Words and photos: Trevor Stanley-Joblin

Hino bus converted to camper at Hector, West Coast

This 1949–’54(?) Chevrolet truck is a roadside relic in Ashley, North Canterbury, at the entrance to a farm. They were a nice-looking truck for their time

1951 Austin A40 parked up for a couple of years, now at council / Housing New Zealand units in Wainoni, Christchurch

Toyota Land Cruiser at Waipara Garage, North Canterbury

Many old rusty trucks and vans. These are just six of around 30 to 40 in the collection. Berlins area, State Highway 6, between Westport and Inangahua

THIS MONTH, TREVOR REVISITS HIS ROADSIDE RELICS FILES AND DISCOVERS MORE UNUSUAL VEHICLES — OR WHAT’S LEFT OF THEM

74 New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com

A roadside advertisement for farm-bike services on the Amberley–Sefton–Ashley road, part of the Inland Scenic Route 72. Note the old ute as a trailer

A very good Maxi and Datsun 100A(?) as part of a private collection at Ranfurly

These Volkswagens were not parked here yesterday, judging by the silver birch trees

Three of many British vehicles being saved by somebody in Tapawera

Just before Reefton, in the Lewis Pass, is a very small settlement named ‘Blacks Point’. This mural is on the Blacks Point Museum wall

This Morris Oxford is one of about 30 vehicles in the Neudorf-Dovedale area in Motueka

Land Rover in reasonably good condition in Kaikoura themotorhood.com | New Zealand Classic Car

75

PRICE ON Words: Greg Price

Collecting auto memorabilia And why you must have that rare, hard-to-find item

92 New Zealand Classic Car | themotorhood.com