Photos: Popeye Pics

The big night for the automotive aftermarket industry has been and gone, and once again, it was a big one.

The annual Aftermarket Industry Awards black tie dinner and awards ceremony was held at the Logan Campbell Center on Saturday night, with a record attendance level.

While there were a few glitches along the way, and some learnings for next years event, all in all it was a big success.

Many of the results came down to the wire, with some as close as one public vote.

The categories, and winners on the night were:

Best Local Product – RimPro-Tec

Best Support Of The Import Industry – NAC Insurance

Import circuit car of the year – Harry Dodson’s Nissan GTR

Import Drag Car Of The Year – CBR RX-2

Drift Car Of The Year – Shane Poulton’s Nissan S15

International Ambassador – Mad Mike Whiddett

Import Panel/Paint Shop Of The Year – GT Refinishers

Import Street/Show Car Of The Year – Mohammed Khan’s Honda Civic

V8 Car Club Of The Year – American Muscle Car Club

V8 Drag Car Of The Year – Reece Fish’s ’56 Chev

V8 Circuit Race Team Of The Year – Andy Booth Woodstock Racing

V8 Street/Show Car of the year – Ivan Jujnovich’s ’55 Chev Pickup

Best Support Of The V8 Industry By A Company – Smits Group

Import Car Club Of The Year – Untamed motorsport

Import Performance Workshop Of The Year – STM

Import Retailer Of The year – TRD (North Shore Toyota)

Personality Of The Year – Mad Mike Whiddett

V8 Drag Team Of The Year – Morice McMillin Shapes Roadies Funny Car

V8 Interior Shop Of The Year – Stitches Upholstery

V8 Panel/Paint Shop Of The Year – Matamata Panelworks

V8 Performance Shop Of The Year – C&M Performance

V8 Retail Shop Of The Year – Rapid Radio

Wholesaler/Distributor Of The Year – Sony

Congratulations to all the winners, we look forward to seeing them keep up their hard work for the next 12-months.

For more images, head to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/nzv8magazine

The Kiwi Hot Rodder’s Guide To Life written by NZV8’s very own Steve Holmes offers a fantastic look into the sheds and lives of many New Zealand hot rodders. Full of great photographs, the book is a full-colour testament to the passion for hot rodding that resides in the garages and hearts of many Kiwis. Many readers will be familiar with names in the book, but may not know just how dedicated they are to the hot rodding scene. The book is an inspiration for those of us who can only dream about owning an impressive shed full of cars and memorabilia. A very worthwhile read and a great Christmas gift.

To enter in the competition, click here.

Where: Good bookstores nationwide
RRP: $39.99
More info: www.harpercollins.co.nz

The December issue of NZV8 Magazine has just hit shop shelves so it’s time to get a fresh fix of all that’s happening on the kiwi V8 scene. The new issue comes fully loaded with feature cars, news and event reports so grab your copy before they sell out.

In this month’s issue we have two Buick his’n hers cover cars, one is a 1970 Buick GSX with a 396ci big block and its mate – a 1971 Buick Skylark. We also feature an chopped, tubbed and blown ’55 Chev custom with a 406ci small block. There’s a unique LPG-fed XP Falcon Coupe and a Nascar-powered Valiant Charger which produces 700hp. We have a special feature celebrating this year’s Chevrolet Centenary and a how-to guide to installing your own audio system. Our dream shed article sees us head to Wellington and we have three event reports from Bathurst 201, the SPCA charity show and the National Hot Rod Show. It’s a packed out issue. (more…)

Parkside Media’s stable of market-leading motoring magazines continues its stronghold on the New Zealand Automotive category as reported in the latest Nielsen Media Research readership survey, with all three titles holding their ground.

Parkside’s top performing title, NZ Performance Car, continues its long reign as the country’s most read motoring magazine, with 283,000 readers.

Parkside’s founding title, NZ Classic Car, continues to record impressive results 20 years after the first issue rolled off the presses. Nielsen’s survey shows an increase to 155,000, making it the third most read automotive publication in the country, now overtaking NZ Autocar for the first time.

NZV8 has remained steady, the youngest of Parkside’s motoring titles also measuring a readership of 126,000, proving itself to be a true heavyweight within the motoring category.

The good news continues for our automotive portfolio, with latest Synovate Aztec sales data showing the top 50 motoring magazines in New Zealand and outlining our strength in the key categories. (more…)

The September issue of NZV8 Magazine has just reached shop shelves and it’s full up with a whole load of feature cars, news, event reports and everything you need to know about the V8 scene in NZ. Grab a copy before they sell out.

In this month’s issue we have a striking cover car in the form of ’69 Holden Monaro HT. This LS3-powered machine is beautifully detailed and finished to a standard that’s rarely seen, even in a NZV8 feature car. Other cars in the new issue include a big block Plymouth Satellite and a 1987 Ford Thunderbird drag machine that runs a 522ci big block Chevy engine. We also check out Craig Date’s drag-spec T-bucket which can pull 9 second passes making it one of the quickest in the country. Our final feature car is certainly unique, it’s a Nissan Navara ute powerd by a twin turbo LS1 engine, with 700+ horsepower this is one scary mini truck. We also have an special feature showing some of the craziest engine conversions in the country and then we get serious with advice on how to do a conversion properly. We take a close look at Ford’s new supercharged ‘Coyote’ V8 engine and get some technical advice on choosing the right clutch.

All this plus the usual advice, readers’ rides, shed visit and news to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. This is an epic issue so make sure you pick up a copy now before they sell out!

NZV8 Magazine celebrates an important milestone this month with our 75th issue and to mark the occasion a Collectors Edition magazine has just gone on sale. It’s a bumper mag with plenty of special features so make sure you grab your copy before they all get snapped up.

In this month’s special edition we have an immaculate Chevrolet Pickup truck as the cover car, it’s finished in a gold hue and is built with absolutely staggering attention to detail. Other feature cars include a tough ’68 Dodge Charger packing a 518ci big block motor and four-on-the-floor transmission. There’s also a rugged Ford Model A Rat Rod which is surprisingly high-tech and the awesome Dynacorn 1969 Mustang Fastback that features in the Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed video game. We get our first look at the 2011 V8 SuperTourers race car and see exactly what it takes to put one of these beasts together for next years new race series. Our dream shed feature takes us to Glen Taylor’s mini-township which has been built over the past 50 years. Our tech section shows how to perform a cam shaft upgrade on a Commodore and also explains oil terminology. We have a feature on the golden boy of NZ V8 racing Shane van Gisbergen and we have a special article looking back at the past issues of NZV8 Magazine and showing just how far we’ve come. (more…)

It’s time to scrape together some change and rock down to the local dairy or book shop because the July 2011 issue of NZV8 has just hit the shelves.

In this month’s issue we have a special cover story that features the cars of a die hard Ford Family. Two brothers show us their immaculately finished Ford XA Coupe and XW Ute, both machines are packing Cleveland power and pump out some serious ponies. Other feature cars include a fascinating LPG-snorting Chevrolet C20 pickup with a well worked 350ci small block engine. We also show Gavin Green’s strip-spec 1968 HK Monaro with it’s lengthy specs list and whopping 1628Nm of torque. There’s also a crazy cool 1970 Dodge Challenger and the Synergy Midget race car with its small-capacity V8 engine that revs all the way to 13,000rpm. We have a special guide to choosing and installing sound insulation into your vehicle and we cover some bolt-on performance parts that are new to the market. We also get along to CMC Round Six and bring you back a event report on how it all went down. (more…)

MotorSport New Zealand has announced that it has reached an agreement with the NZV8s category management team on the way forward for the NZV8 Championship racing category.

With the new V8 Supertourer Series due to kick off later this year, some NZV8 race teams have swapped over to the faster new series. Finding themselves in a battle for survival the NZV8 Championship is looking for new ways to stay relevant in a much more competitive climate.

MotorSport New Zealand president Shayne Harris announced yesterday that the 2011/12 New Zealand championship will be contested in the current cars with some possible enhancements which will be announced shortly.

“Construction of the new generation Ford FG and Holden VE models that will be introduced for the 2012/13 season is well underway and further details will be released next month,” he said. “These new cars should not be confused with the V8 Supertourer. That car is contesting a new series outside the MotorSport New Zealand championships. (more…)

It’s time to find that ten bucks behind the sofa and get down to your local dairy or book shop because the May 2011 issue of NZV8 magazine has just hit the shelves.

This month’s issue is a pearler with a very special cover car – Greg Murphy’s Nascar powered Dodge Charger. Murph’s Mopar machine has been three years in the making and packs a 750hp 358ci Nascar V8 engine, it’s a serious ride. Other feature cars include a brutal ’68 Chev Camaro RS/SS with a 540ci big block and also an immaculately finished ’64 Chev Impala with an LS1 engine and a extra low stance. We also have a blown small block Mk1 Ford Cortina with a sketchy amount of power and racing intent. In this month’s event reports we cover the inaugural industry awards ceremony, the annual Nostalgia Drags the huge American Muscle Car Club Show and the ITM 400 street race. We test six different Holden air intake systems and our Dream Shed section takes us to Dave and Cathy Parker’s large rural garage.

All this plus the usual advice and technical information, readers’ rides and competitions to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. Pick up a copy now before they all sell out!

It’s time to grab ten bucks and rock down to the local dairy or book shop because the May 2011 issue of NZV8 has just been released.

This month’s issue is a beauty with an epic 1965 Chevrolet Malibu gasser cover car. This wild Chevy is powered by a 427 big block engine and is fully street legal despite some intense drag stip style. Another feature car from the new issue is a gorgeous 1939 Ford Coupe, thousands of hours were spent making this machine one of NZ’s most beautiful cars. We also have two chopped-roof Cadillacs, a ’47 and a ’49 both finished in matte black with plenty of chrome, they’re a real spectacle. Prepare to be charmed by a 1933 Ford Pickup it’s a distinctive machine with a 305ci small block and finished in a bare bones, rat rod style. It’s been a busy time of year for events and we have them covered with reports from the Whangamata Beach Hop and the Hot Rod Blowout. If racing is more your thing, then check out our coverage of CMC round four and the grand final of the Century Batteries Power Series. We also bring you some knowledge with a article highlighting some of NZ’s top V8 workshops and our dream shed section takes us to the Southward Car Museum. There’s also two huge posters for the garage wall included in this issue. Bonus!

All this plus the usual advice and technical information, readers’ rides and competitions to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. Pick up a copy now before they sell out!

LG Motorsport’s Angus Fogg maintains a narrow advantage at the top of the BNT V8s Championship points-table after the sixth and penultimate round of the premier touring car series in Taupo over the weekend.

Fogg, from Auckland’s North Shore, has a lead of just seven points over former NZV8 champion Kayne Scott after a challenging weekend for the LG-ZB Falcon driver.

“In Saturday’s qualifying, there just wasn’t any pace in the car and we weren’t 100% sure what was wrong,” says Fogg, who managed the eleventh fastest qualifying time, just missing the top ten.

Race one and things looked to be going Fogg’s way as the driver got an absolutely brilliant start to leapfrog from 11th to fourth within a few hundred metres of the rolling start.

“I got a good break around the outside over a bunch who were snarling each other up. That was pretty good to hold fourth and take the 54 points. We changed a couple of things with the car, but regrettably the car was pretty average and it was a bit like being a ping pong ball in that second race. The LG-ZB Falcon sustained some damage and eighth was the best we could do.”

The team changed the car’s set-up back to what it had been, giving Fogg a stronger car for the long reverse grid race. “The car was pretty good,” says Fogg. “I was rocketing my way forward through the field pretty well until I flat-spotted a tyre. A lap later the right front tyre was ripped off the rim after I’d gone past the pit lane entry, so had to do a whole lap on a flat tyre. The LG-ZB Falcon crew got the wheel changed and at least got me out to finish the race and score whatever points we could.” (more…)

Sunday was a huge day at Fram Autolite Dragway! NZPC vs NZV8 Drag Combat was everything we could have hoped for (apart from a few cars breaking down causing delays), with heaps of street and drag cars smashing out runs on the strip, sweltering heat and a massive crowd. The V8s pushed hard and showed the import fans that their really is ‘no replacement for displacement’.

Look out for full coverage of this event in the next issue of NZV8, but for now, check out the gallery below. (more…)

The very first Drag Combat event is on this Sunday (Dec 5) and will see NZV8 go head to head with NZ Performance Car in what’s set to be an epic battle of eight-cylinder versus import. It’s a true grudge match and there can be only one winner on the day. Us V8 fans need all hands on deck so why not join the battle, assemble your crew and take your car to the strip to help defeat these import drivers and their toy cars. Anyone can take part and vehicles of all abilities are welcome. If drag racing isn’t your thing, there’s also a hardcore burnout comp for those who absolutely hate rear tyres. If you’re ride is too precious or you’re just scared, that’s cool, come along anyway, there will be plenty of racing to watch throughout the day.

The racing is simple and Drag Combat will enable drag racers to compete at their E.T brackets. The Drag combat E.T Bracket classes are 7sec, 8sec, 9sec, 10sec, 11sec, 12sec and 13seconds.

To compete all you need to do is bring your car to the event, have 2-3 qualifying runs and from the best E.T that you have managed to run, you will then be placed in that Drag Combat E.T Class. From there you simply are running heads up with whoever rolls up next to you. The track will be fully prepared as well.

(more…)

The January 2011 issue of NZV8 has just hit the shelves, so grab a copy today.

In this month’s issue we have a stunning Ford Mustang ‘Elanor’ replica built entirely from new parts. It’s an awesome machine with immaculate build quality, all new components and comes packing a 650hp World 427 crate motor. We also feature two of Australia’s fastest small-tyre race cars and take a close look at a 1957 Ford Country Wagon which has been turned into a super cool summer cruising machine. We have a huge event report from the recent Powercruise in Taupo and also report back from the 2010 Chevy Nationals. We check out a 1961 Dodge Pioneer which is a very rare locally assembled model and our ‘Dream Shed’ section turns up an eclectic mix of cars and artwork. We also have a bumper Christmas Gift Guide with all the hottest products included to help you with pressies for the family and some ideas for yourself.

All this plus the usual advice and technical information, readers’ rides and competitions to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. Pick up a copy now before they sell out!

John McIntyre won the second round of the BNT V8s Championship at the Ruapuna circuit outside Christchurch this weekend, improving his overall championship position to second behind Angus Fogg. The two-time NZV8 champion made the most of every opportunity to earn points, but faced some challenges during Sunday’s three races.

After qualifying fourth on Saturday — not as well as he wanted — the Nelson-based driver then experienced a less than ideal start for the first 12-lap race.

“We had good car pace, but I got off to a bad start, getting shuffled backwards a couple of places. But I did manage to get back past some key contenders like Angus Fogg and Andy Booth to finish third. When Kayne Scott was penalised for excessive speed at the rolling start, this promoted our Amcor Falcon to second place.”

On the front row for race two beside Craig Baird, McIntyre performed flawlessly to power away from the start line and gain a handy lead going into the first lefthander.

“That was an awesome start in race two and, from there, it was plain sailing through to our third win of this season, so the whole team’s very happy to secure maximum points.”

For the third race, with its reverse grid starting order, McIntyre started virtually at the back and worked his way through the field to cross the line fourth.

“It was a typical reverse grid race. You’ve got to keep an eye on the guys you’re racing against at the top of the points-table and make sure you’re not letting them get in front of you. Again, the Amcor Falcon showed excellent race pace and we were pleased to get through most of the field to secure a solid fourth place.”

The John McIntyre Racing team return to their home bases in Nelson and Hastings for a seven-week break until the third round of the NZV8s’ 2010/11 season at Teretonga Park outside Invercargill.

(more…)

The very first Drag Combat event is on next month (Dec 5) and will see NZV8 go head to head with NZ Performance Car in what’s set to be an epic battle of eight-cylinder versus import. It’s a true grudge match and although it isn’t going down for another few weeks those import lovers are already talking like they’ve won it! We can’t let this happen so why not join the battle, assemble your crew and take your car to the strip to help defeat these performance car fans and their toy cars. Anyone can take part and vehicles of all abilities are welcome. If drag racing isn’t your thing, there’s also a hardcore burnout comp for those who absolutely hate rear tyres.

The racing is simple and Drag Combat will enable drag racers to compete at their E.T brackets. The Drag combat E.T Bracket classes are 7sec, 8sec, 9sec, 10sec, 11sec, 12sec and 13seconds.

All you need to do is bring your car to the event, have 2-3 qualifying runs and from the best E.T that you have managed to run, you will then be placed in that Drag Combat E.T Class. From there you simply are running heads up with whoever rolls up next to you. The track will be fully prepared as well.

Some of the serious firepower taking part on the day includes doorslammers driven by: Mike Witteveen, Wayne Hussey, Wayne Yearbury, Mark Bardsley, Graeme Bates and Reece Fish

So what do I need to kick some import ass?

Just the usual stuff required for any drag racing event, refer to the handy bullet points below:

• Street cars on require current wof and rego to race
• You require a current valid driver’s license, or if not you must have an NZDRA license, and you must produce this.
• All vehicles will undergo a basic safety check
• Approved crash helmet required.
• Roll cages/half cages must be homologated by NZDRA cages or LTSA

How much is it going to cost?

Spectators $20
Drag Racing $50
Burnouts $50
Children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult.

I’m in! So when and where do I join the fight against the imports?

Where: It’s on at Fram Autolite Dragway, Meremere, Mercer
When: Sunday 5th December 2010
Time: Competitors 7am, General public 9am, Gates close 5pm

To find out more about entering Drag Combat and being part of this drag racing spectacle, click here.

The August issue of NZV8 has just hit the shelves, so grab a copy today.

In this month’s issue we have a crazy customised Holden Torana cover car that really must be seen. We also feature an old school 1949 Ford Bonus packing a Chev 402 and 10-second Commodore Ute streeter. We have a full event report from the Aussie Winternationals and we bring you more on the new LHD regulations. We interview world-renowned technical expert David Vizard and we meet a family that has five members racing in the same class. We feature a 500hp Studebaker Commander and have news from the Central Muscle Cars series.

All this plus the usual advice and technical information, readers’ rides and competitions to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. Pick up a copy now before they sell out!

Plus: If you buy this month’s issue from participating Shell Service Stations you will receive two Fly Buys bonus points.

At the 2010 Magazine Publishers Association (MPA) Awards Ceremony held last night (24^th June) NZV8 Magazine took out a ‘Highly Commended’ award for the Best Digital and Print Integration category. Against stiff competition form 10 other magazines it’s a huge credit to the magazine and website.

Out of around 800 magazines available in new Zealand, Parkside Media (NZV8’s Parent Company) are understandably very proud that their only entry in the awards was placed so highly.

A huge thanks must go to NZV8 readers and website viewers with whom it wouldn’t have been possible without.

The winner of the award was OhBaby Magazine, who’s forum has over 22,000 active members, so was always going to be a hard one to beat. The NZV8 team are confident with a little fine tuning they can take out the gold next year.

NZV8 magazine and website are in the running for a prestigious Magazine Publishers Association award. Nominated in the ‘Best Magazine/Online Integration’ category, the winner of the award will be announced in a lavish ceremony tomorrow (June 24) night.

With the ongoing success of NZV8 magazine and ever increasing traffic to the website, NZV8 is a strong contender for the title. Congratulations to all the team who work on NZV8 and good luck at the ceremony tomorrow night.

Check back for the results from the MPA awards later this week.

The April issue of NZV8 has just hit the shelves, so grab a copy today.

In this month’s issue we have a priceless hand-built wide-body Mustang cover car lovingly created by Burke’s Metalworks. Other feature cars include a staunch ’73 Holden GTS Monaro and a super cool custom ’69 Chevrolet Camaro. There’s also a tubbed and blown Chevrolet 150 and we have an event report from Americarna Taranaki for you to check out. We bring you coverage from the round three of the Century Yuasa Power Series and the Central Muscle Cars when they raced in Taupo. We follow The Rock FM’s build of the ‘Folden’ – half Ford, half Holden and we are offering you an awesome subscription comp where you could win a Suzuki B-King motorbike worth $20k.

We have all the usual advice and technical information, readers’ rides and competitions to keep you up to date with all that’s happening on the NZ V8 scene. Pick up a copy now before they sell out!