Established just three years ago by Jason Hanson, Auto Colour Matrix (ACM) has quickly got on the map for their custom work. But not just the Kiwi map, mind you. These boys have been ruffling a few Yankee chains with their work as well. Any given day you can take a walk through the ACM workshop and find a bunch of projects as diverse as Paris Hilton’s undies — from full-frills to not much at all. If you’re after the works burger, then this is the one place you can drop off your precious ride and get it all done. Or, if you are after a simple touch-up, but want the same treatment as those with big budget¯builds, then this could be the place for you.

Never Say Die

When we dropped in there were several projects under construction. One beast was simply getting a new vinyl roof put on, while a Mopar was undergoing a complete restoration. It didn’t stop there. A peek in the spray booth revealed another side to ACM — custom airbrushing. We quickly got the impression that no job is too small or, indeed, too large for this team to tackle.

Speaking of tackling, there were a few owners’ names being kicked around the workshop. ACM is rapidly becoming well known amongst the league and union boys as the place to bring your Yankee muscle to. With their one-stop ability and quick build times, its easy. Drop your machine off, go take on the Aussies and the South Africans, then come home to a brand new machine to kick ass on the street. What could be better than beating the world’s best, then coming home to a world-class custom car? We’ll be featuring some of their massive rides in future issues of NZV8(i), so keep an eye out.

Teach The Teacher

There’s another side to ACM. We caught up with them one day as they were heading out the door. Were they knocking off early to head to the pub? Nup, they were going to the local school to take a class! With the car scene alive and well here and around the globe, there is a ton of interest in the high schools. Jason talks to the class about a career in the automotive industry, as well as driving home the ‘do it once, do it right’ approach. He’s seen too many kids that decided to lower their cars by simply chopping the springs in order to save a few bucks. Many of them don’t realise the danger this puts them and their mates in, so Jason drives that message home — hard! It’s a great approach because the kids can see first-hand the cars these guys have built. Plus, when you pull up to a school in a blown ’68 Camaro, you get instant respect. Then, of course, the teachers get involved by volunteering to jump in one of the supercharged beasts while it’s doing a massive burnout.

Words: Photoman Photos: Quinn Hamill

This article is from NZV8 issue 17. Click here to check it out.