THE COVER STAR! 1981 CHEV CAMARO Z28
It’s not easy to make a 1981 Camaro look good, but Michael Crawley knew that with the right team on board, anything was possible!
They say fashion goes around and comes back again. What’s hot in one decade is laughed at in the next before being reborn again in decades to come. The 1981 Chev Camaro may have missed that memo. Not only was it unpopular when it sat lingering in GM dealerships when new, it’s never gained popularity ever since. Michael Crawley may have inadvertently become the one man to change that though.
HIGH STANDARDS - 1968 HK GTS MONARO
What was meant to be a quick turnaround for Ryan Dunn’s HK Monaro quickly turned into a year-long journey, transforming it into an Aussie-inspired tough streeter
Ryan Dunn, the owner of the perfectly-stanced HK Monaro you see before you, doesn’t take sides when it comes to the mighty lion or the blue oval. Instead, he shares the same philosophy as many of us — if it’s tough, it’s tough. And at just 33, he’s already owned his fair share of dream rides, including VKs, XWs, and XYs. After parting ways with his XY Falcon, the hunt for his next project was on. In today’s world, the best leads often come from scrolling online — and Facebook has become a go-to.
BOX OF TRICKS - 1980 FORD FALCON S-PAC
Nathan Thomas’s boxy S-PAC XD Falcon is packing a special little surprise…
KUMEU HOT ROD AND CLASSIC FESTIVAL 2025
It’s been a while since we last made it to Kumeu, but with its 25th anniversary, it was the perfect time to check it out!
The last time NZV8 attended the Kumeu Hot Rod and Classic Festival was a few years ago now, but being in the area this time around, it was a no-brainer to check it out — especially for the festival’s 25th anniversary. Just 25 minutes north of Auckland, Kumeu offers a perfect escape from the city’s hustle. Held at the Kumeu Showgrounds, the event stretches across a few acres of flat land with older sheds scattered about, making it the ideal spot for an event that’s run like clockwork for 25 years.
HIGH STAKES - 1984 CHEVROLET EL CAMINO
With another daring and edgy creation rolling out of the RE Automotive stables, Todd Holland’s latest take breathes fresh energy into New Zealand’s lowrider scene
The early hours of a Friday morning are an odd time to be scrolling for cars, but that’s exactly what Todd Holland was doing when he stumbled across the 1984 Chevrolet El Camino that would soon fill his workshop. Restless and unable to sleep, Todd found himself scrolling through Trade Me, hunting for a project. Among the rough and ready options, one car stood out — a recently imported El Camino, road legal and tidy enough to pass compliance. By Friday night, the deal was done. The following day, Todd was on his way to Auckland with a trailer, and by Saturday afternoon, the car was back at his workshop, ready to become something special.
