For a small car show, Waiau Pa Hop just keeps getting bigger. This year’s, as always, took place at the Clarks Beach Reserve, in the pleasant Clarks Beach region south of Auckland.
However, while the location is quiet, an exception may be made every August, when the old-school circus rolls into town.
Boasting a large car show of hot rods, classics, and muscle cars, the event recipe is simple, with a focus on keeping all attendees well catered for. While the car show is the most obvious way this is achieved, entertainment is also provided in the form of live music and games for the young ones, and who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned sound-off?
This year’s winner was Bruce Hornell, whose Chev Silverado clearly meant business even at idle, with a furious cackle emerging from the open headers before he even thought about smashing the gas.
Somewhat quieter, for a change, were the cars comprising the Kiwi Carnage Burnout Assault Team — New Zealand’s only dedicated team of burnout vehicles that have competed at a professional level in Australia, and will be doing so later this year, before hitting the pad at Summernats 31.
But things aren’t all big cams and loud exhausts. In amongst the ranks of cars on show, we found a range of interesting vehicles, including a ’71 Buick Riviera ‘boat tail’, an immaculate ’51 Studebaker, a ’60 Buick Electra in original patina, and a ’57 Chev Cameo — beautifully restored and mildly customized, and one of only 2244 produced in 1957.
Jack Martin and Louise Smith are often sighted at rod runs and events in and around the Auckland region, and with a car as cool as their ‘KOOL30’ Model A coupe, why not? It looks good, goes good, and has a bunch of trophies befitting a hot rod this well done.
Pete North’s ‘AGGRSV’ Holden LX Torana hatch is another common sight at events, and he was joined by his son Cam, in his smooth Holden VH Commodore.
Flying the Ford flag high, William Chapman took the opportunity to cruise along in his newly-completed XB Falcon coupe. The matt orange means business, and those tubs out the rear aren’t just for show — with a supercharged 460ci big block under the bonnet, this thing means business. Watch this space for a full feature in NZV8 in the near future.
1966 Oldsmobile 442. The ‘442’ denoted the four-barrel carburettor, four-speed manual, and dual exhausts these cars came with — features that marked this high-performance production car as being a cut above the regular Oldsmobile Cutlass.
Award Winners
People’s Choice — Steve and Leanne Milne (1956 Chev 210)
Best Hot Rod — Doug Crackett (1927 Ford roadster)
Best Classic Car — Aaron Smith (1968 Pontiac Laurentian)
V8 Sound-Off — Bruce Hornell (Chev C10?)
