HAPPY 60TH, NZHRA
PEOPLE HAD AN ABSOLUTE BLAST SEEING CAR COLLECTIONS
The New Zealand Hot Rod Association (NZHRA) recently had a Covid-delayed celebration of its 60th anniversary. For two weeks during September, the ‘Diamond Cruise’ travelled from one end of New Zealand to the other, stopping at hot rod clubs and shops all over the country. Those who attended said it was an unreal journey as the cruise zigzagged its way through the country, starting in Bluff and concluding at Cape Reinga. Just over 20 hot rods, classics, and street machines did the cruise in its entirety, with others opting to join in and out of it along the way. There was a reported 100 cars at one time.
One of the stops in Auckland was to my own shop, GMS Hot Rods in Kumeu, West Auckland. The shop has been running for five years and specialises in the design and fabrication of hot rods and custom cars. It is a full shop with lots going on, but there were also visiting cars on display. Included was Tania Foster’s ’36 Ford coupe and retro caravan, Mark Stokes’ ’40 Ford Tudor from Pukekohe, and Dion Winsor’s ’32 Ford Tudor from Waiuku.
What makes Dion’s car very special is that it was originally hot rodded in the late ’50s/early ’60s and was at NZHRA’s first promotional show in 1961 at the Epsom Showgrounds. At the time, Rhys Rogers was on the founding committee for the NZHRA and the Tudor was active in the formation of the association. Fast forward to the present day, and it was on display at the GMS stop of the 60th anniversary celebration of NZHRA — how cool is that?
Dion grew up with the car; his late father, Glenn, worked on it, rebuilt things, and took the family out in it. Glenn was a life member of the Glen Eden-based Harbour City Rod Club then a member of Franklin Street Rodders in Patumahoe. Since owning the car Dion has joined Franklin Street Rodders, and is enjoying the car as he pays tribute to both the history of the car and the memory of his father.
Back to the NZHRA Diamond Cruise; on the Sunday before the cars reached Auckland, the run stopped in at Riverside Rodders in Hamilton.
We happened to be in Hamilton, and decided to drop by and see what was happening. It was great to catch up with NZHRA president Tony Robinson and his wife Teena. The concept of this run was pitched by Tony to NZHRA as a way for more members and clubs to actively celebrate the 60th anniversary, as opposed to a restrictednumbers dinner or suchlike. In talking with Tony, I saw the passion in his eyes for it all, and I came away thinking, “Wow, that’s a pretty cool idea actually — basically a rolling road show from one end of the country to the other, giving all the members the opportunity to participate however they choose to.”
Jack Martin and his partner, Louise Smith, from South City Cruisers were the only Aucklanders to do the entire trip. Yep, they drove from South Auckland to Bluff and then drove past home to carry on to Cape Reinga — in their buggy springsuspended Model A coupe! Aside from one other Aucklander, who couldn’t get a ferry crossing to head south, Jack and Louise were the only ones who represented Auckland. I found that hard to fathom when you consider the numbers of the association, the number of retired members, and those who would, at the drop of a hat, spend longer and more money overseas. To be honest, I felt guilty myself for not doing the whole run in my roadster — I have a dream of driving the length of New Zealand in my own car.
Sure, there are plenty of reasons we can’t do everything but, as Jack pointed out, “It’s a sad day when there’s so much apathy out there!”
There have been many things said of the NZHRA over the years, and I have offered constructive critique in the past, but it makes you wonder what people want out of rodding when you think about the numbers who didn’t participate in the run.
People I spoke to on the run had an absolute blast seeing car collections, rod shops, and visiting clubs throughout the country — and that all added to my regret about not attending. As a member of the New Zealand Hot Rod Association since my late teens, I wish the NZHRA a happy 60th — here’s to more years ahead.