CHROMING UP CROMWELL

THE ANNUAL CROMWELL CLASSIC CAR AND HOT ROD SHOW PROVES THAT THERE’S A WHOLE LOT MORE GOING ON IN CENTRAL OTAGO THAN JUST FRUIT GROWING!

Cromwell, in Central Otago, is a popular holiday destination not only for us Kiwis but overseas visitors as well. Throughout the summer, it is overrun with holidaymakers, due to its proximity to tourist hotspots like Queenstown and Wanaka, and also Lake Dunstan, a man-made lake that was created as the result of the building of the Clyde Dam. Alongside a visit to one of the many orchards in the area to purchase apricots or peaches, there are also many wineries to stop by for those who enjoy their fermented grape juice. For car enthusiasts, the Southland Ford Falcon Club plays host to hundreds during the running of its annual event, the Cromwell Classic Car and Hot Rod Show, which is held at the Alpha Street sports grounds on the third Saturday of every January. The event was originally run by the Roxburgh Lions and was based on a gathering of Henry Ford’s finest, but, in recent years, it has been run by the Southland guys, who have opened it up to any vehicle. Kicking off the high-octane-fuelled weekend is the Friday-night cruise, which is hosted by the Alpine Street Machines club based in Cromwell. The club boasts over 50 members and is very active in the Central Otago car scene. The cruise this year had plenty of people lining the streets as the cars were taken on a tour through town and out to Bannockburn before returning. With entry to the main event on Saturday only $5, it is a well-supported event, with all proceeds going to a very worthy cause: the New Zealand Heart Foundation. The weather forecast leading up to this year’s show was

Left: Ian and Averil Boyd have a nice little ride in their ’64½ Ford Mustang, assembled on 18 May 1964 as a D-code, which was only used in the 1964½ time frame. When found, it had been in storage for over 20 years with 70,000 miles on it. The car is very original and received a cosmetic restoration in the late ’90s before being imported into New Zealand in 2006

Left: Taylor Peterson has one tough ’77 Ford Capri — a car that he’s owned since he was 15. Back then, it had a two-litre in it; now, it’s two years into being rebuilt as a monster. This event was its first outing with a 347ci Windsor Dart block, AFR 220 heads, T&D rockers, and a 6-71 billet blower, complete with Joe Blo mechanical/EFI-blend fuel system. Behind this powerhouse is a Dominator converter backed by a Rossler Power-Glide trans. Taylor has made his own sheetmetal nine-inch diff housing and filled it with a Strange Pro HD alloy centre and 35-spline head and axles. The car should be finished later this year and will hit the strip as funds allow