‘Magoo’ all revved up for Beach Hop
Keen petrolhead no stranger to event, and plans to arrive in the convoy
The 55s have a floating grill that doesn’t appear to be attached. They never had a reversing light at the back only a chrome blanking plate.
When IanMcGowanhits the road to join the convoy heading to the Repco Beach Hop, he’ll be crusin’ in his 1955 Ford Ranch Wagoncomplete with 9’ surfboard on top.
Heis no stranger to Beach Hop, he’s only missed a handful mostlywhen he lived in Australia.
“I missed the first one and went to the second and third in the Ranch wagon.”
There’s no denying this Kiwi bloke, nicknamed Magoo, is ahuge classic car enthusiast and has amotorised classic caravan on hoists in the shed, which he uses for going to swapmeets.
He’s also restoring a 1947 Desoto he boughtwhenhewas 17 and a 1925 Chrysler truck.
I askedwhyhis green classicwas called aRanch wagon?
Back in the day, he says these vehicles had to be registered as an agricultural vehicle.
“In those days you couldn’t bring cars into the country unless they weredeemed ‘priority supplier.’ You could only bring in awork vehicle.”
The right-hand drive wagonhad a small spot of rust on the rear mudguard above the wheel, that didn’t look too bad.
But on closer inspection the whole bottom of the car and front floors had to be replaced.
The mudguards, bonnet, tail gates all needed the rust repairs.
Ian wanted to keep it original and got the 1955 colour book and the painter matched the green colour with the Ford brand available and kept the cream on the bottom and the roof.
Thewagonhad a 390cubic inch motorwhenIan bought it, but for nostalgia he put a 272 motor in it, since that’s what theycameout with originally.
“People call it a boat anchor cos it’s heavy.”
It has a 4-speed early Ford gearbox and cruises comfortably at 100km/h. Ian admits that since it’s been on the road, he’s never tried it out.
Hesays “you have to allowmore stopping distance with 2 tonne you’re trying to stop. There’s no braking like moderncars.”
The interior is cream and green leather and wasupholstered by Performance Trimmers in Waihi.
It’s likely the carcamein from Canada andwas assembled at the big and
Ford plan in the Hutt Valley, Ian says. “The cars were completely built here. The wagons camein without wing mirrors on the mudguards as these were extras.”
Ian has put Ford mirrors on from thesameera. The NZones had an indicator stick on the steering wheel, this one is built in. It has a radiomadeatPYE at Waihi too. “In that era a certain percentage of parts had to beNZmade.
“The sunvisor was aNZ addition in that style.
“The 55s have a floating grill that doesn’t appear to be attached. They never had a reversing light at the back only a chrome blanking plate.”
Ian changed it and put lights in. He also putmagwheels on to match the era, but still has the original wheels. Ian’sownedabout 20 cars. Heclaims he doesn’t have a favourite—“I like
Ian McGowan
them all.” His enthusiasm has rubbed off on his sons — one has 10 cars, all finished hot rods, and the other has two 1961 Plymouths.
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Beach Hop 2020 starts with theWaihı Warm Up Party next Wednesday and runs until November 29.