Hot Rods in New Zealand

Posted on March 9, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

09 Mar

I have been into Hot Rods for Many many years, I stopped counting after the 3rd decade and, being a Brit, I dreamed of living in the Great USA and having my Own Roadster and eventually take a drive on the Dry lake at El Mirage.

I grew up in London, then moved as part of the London Overspill to the East coast of Great britain, and from there, I got the American bug- we lived close to the American Air bases, IE, Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Bentwaters etc, the village that we lived in (Rougham) had an old WW2 Runway, complete with control tower and Nissan huts etc, this was where they originally had 3 runways and this is where the:

47th Bombardment Group (Light)

322nd Bombardment Group (Medium)

94th bombardment Group (Heavy)

All took off from on their dangerous missions and many never returning, I learned to ride a motorcycle on the 94th Bombardment runway and it is still there today.

We attended many Air shows over them years on the USAAF bases and I loved the whole Americanism that was there, it was a little part of the USA right where we lived, one of the Airman at the show gave me a magazine to read and it was a copy of Hot Rod.

It was a Black and White magazine from 1951 and the guy stood next to his Model A Roadster looked a little like me. That was it, I was hooked and loved Everything American.

I still have that magazine and now I am living my dream, I am here in Southern California, where Hot Rodding was Born and I now own a 1928 Model A Roadster complete with Flathead V8.

In the UK in the 1980’s I had a Right Hand drive, Chopped and channeled 1932 Three Window Couple and that was my own little piece of California everyday, even driving for the first year with no floor and having snow or ice pour into the coupe whilst driving to work was a fun experience for me.

I am not the Odd one out here, people all over the globe Love the Nostalgia that an old car gives you and you cannot get much further away than New Zealand, these guys know their stuff and have the bug like me, but this time, the Whole family are gear heads.

I love it, so- today i wanted to share a little into what makes us tick and this video pretty much sums it up.

Enjoy your day.

Hot Rodding is a Passion all over the world

Posted on August 19, 2016January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

19 Aug

I have been into Hot Rods since I was a Teenager, I am originally from North london, but Mum and Dad moved more times than I care to remember, but, we lived on the ast coast in East Anglia for a number of years and that is where I got my real affection for Hot Rodding, we were close to numerous American Air Bases and I remember seeing a Model A Roadster and thought to myself,”Why would I want a Morris Minor, when I could drive something cool like that?”

You would think that I am just a small minority of people that would really dig the American lifestyle, especially the Vintage era too- But you would be so wrong, People all over the world are as nutty as Hot Rods and the lifestyle as me.

So today I thought that I would add some video’s that I enjoy and I am sure you will too.
Below is a video from Down Under and as I did live there for 4 years, wanted to add this fella’s place and its really cool too.

“The year is 1947, an ex-serviceman returns home to Southern California. His old ’32 Ford Roadster is removed from the shed, and the guts of a wrecked ’39 Mercury sedan are transplanted in, giving more power, braking and top speed, essential for the dry lakes racing career he will embark on. He outfits the motor with products from the growing speed equipment industries catalogues, and races his car against fellow car club members and the clock.

The car also serves as daily transport for him in the mild So Cal climate, the loud twin exhausts upsetting the locals still not used to the returned soldiers need for peacetime thrills. The era immediately following WW2 in Southern California was the time frame and inspiration for me to build an accurate recreation of a stripped down, dry lakes racing, late forties street roadster. Something of a time machine, so that a drive down the street or across the state could become a journey back sixty years.

Rancho Deluxe is my full time business, building traditional hotrod classics and components, and assembling period correct cars. The Rancho Deluxe roadster is my expression of a true Hot-Rod, a time machine back to when innovation was hand built, and the true test of man and machine was flat out across the Lakes”

-Ben Thomas
Owner of Rancho Deluxe
Melbourne/ Australia
ranchodeluxe.com.au/
The above article taken from:
Fuel Magazine Australia Issue No.4 fuelmagazine.bigcartel.com/product/fuel-magazine-issue-04
fuelzine.com
Check out another article on Ben Thomas:
mrblanc.com/ben-thomas-at-rancho-deluxe/
Director:
Tom Broadhurst
longwalkfilms.tv
Director of Photography:
Daniel De Silva
Assistant Camera Operators
Aaron Cuthbert
Tom Broadhurst
Editor/Color Grading
Daniel De Silva
Music
“Take the A Train by Bass, Bone, Blue”
Gemma Boyd
gemmaboyd.com
soundcloud.com/gemma-boyd

Rancho Deluxe from Long Walk Films on Vimeo.

Below is another bunch of Hot Rodders but this time it is in New Zealand, they have some serious machines and are as passionate about Nostalgia as I am.

Hot Rod Revue: Frankton Roadsters from Cal Thorley on Vimeo.

How about this awesome 1932 Roadster with a Riley Overhead valve conversion, piece of art I think, Love this Basso 32.

Next up is some cool vids of flattys.

ANTIQUE NATIONALS- Great Sunday out.

Posted on June 30, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

30 Jun

Well Sunday was a bloody Hot day to be at the drags but for some cool rides and great racing, the Antique nationals is always a fun event.
Below Marky of the Shifters, puts his ” Purple people Eater” through it’s paces and this time the Altered is pretty much sorted and puts the power down to the Tarmac, I think the photographers were expecting that Epic 4 wheel Arial run from last year, but it was sweet, she hooked and launched, good job Marky.

Always great to see the Hot rods run and this time on the 1/4 mile so they can really stretch their Flathead powered legs.

Awesome atmospher and everyone is friendly at this Annual event.

I’m not the best camera guy but wanted to capture as much as I could in the heat.

Diane Branch gets into it and love seeing Girls race and she was quick too.

The staging lanes had some cool rides getting ready to let it all go on the 1/4.

Squeak Bell of the Shifters runs his Chopped rod and is sat right in the backseat area, so Nostalgic and fun to watch,albeit my wobbly filming but was trying to watch him and film at the same time.

Cragar powered Midget looked so awesome, but took too long to make a pass, but got hm sitting on the track.

Always love the Gassers and plenty of them to see at Fontana this weekend too.

Diane Branch takes the Win, great to see and of course hear.

My mate Charles Girlfriend Runs her coupe and gets away well, only to be pipped at the end.

I love Motorcycles as you know.

The WL surely was a fun and fast machine for its time and still running strong.

Always great to see a couple of Trumpys going at it.

Let’s hope next year we get more bikes to race each other.

Plenty to see and love the step side.

Pick ups are popular as ever and the weather was perfect for today’s racing at Fontana.

Trumpy sits after going to Tech and ready to race.

Tom Branch from Pasadena and his oh So Nice Roadster awaits his tech band and then he is ready too.

Great to see a modified and it was fast fr a four banger too.

Gassers, freight trains and mountains with the Sun out, superb day ahead.

Love the little A-Bone and it was fun seeing this machine get a work out on the 1/4 mile.

Love this and would be awesome as a shop delivery, Acme sponsored. ” American Company Making Everything”

Diane Branch getting her ride Teched.

Squeak Bell of the Shifters sits and awaits tech.

Braver man than me, half naked and in an Altered too!

Nice little Scalloped T awaits a check.

Yes please, loved this Caddy- same color as my Triumph too.

Loved these two just sat on the tarmac, the roadster is just right.

I so wanted that Roadster just right in every way for me.

Just chilling before the call to get o the strip.

Cool 5 window with slicks, awaits the call.

Loved this Midget and boy what a slick Mill.

Nice to see still around.

Three window on the strip at half gallop and sounded great.

Such a Clean 29 Roadster and ready to take it for a blap up the strip.

Great day to see so many rides stretch their legs.

BLAAAAP!!!!!

Roadster pick up was Blown, but not a fan of Yellow though.

This 5 window was so sweet.

How can you not love a Gasser, looks fast just standing there.

Gimme, Gimme, Gimmee!

Hanging out at the track.

A Brace of rare tin that’s for certain.

Bills three window is right on the money and a Genny 32 too, how rare is this these days.

Yes please bill, I will gladly look after this for you.

Such a period Hot Rod and was stoked to see and hear it.

Would love to have this Coupe in my driveway.

Dakota checks out the Roadster, hopefully we shall have another soon.

Pheanton anyone?

Sport coupe with a Rumble seat is classic.

Little 8BA flatty with Copper water pipes is a great ride.

Another ride that was great to see, as not too many sport coupes around as rods these days.

I loved this little Modified.

So perfect a find, see, they are still out there.

Not a fan of the rim color but to each their own, but a sweet T though.

Even the Grill shell is nice, be so cool to find something like this in an old abandoned shed.

So much cool stuff to see that day.

I love all the flathead motors.

What a killer Rod, such a nice job and Black is awesome.

1939 tear drops and even a quick change rear.

The belly tank didn’t make a pass on Sunday, would of loved to see it go.

Double engined Dragster was unique and Two 4 pots would of sounded amazing.

Sweet.

This is the only place you will see rare set ups like this and glad I was there.

Track nose, nerf bars, dual carb four banger,the whole nine yards, yes please.

Such a rare Roadster and seeing a 4 banger with all the speed equipment was a treat.

A rare Four Banger powered 3 window, boy what a neat ride this is.

Totally blown away with this set up.

And more to see as you walked around.

Hubba Hubba!

What a great day to see all this.

Cant wait for the nest one.

These sounded so good when they were running, an unusual noise too.

Some money thrown into this Bonneville runner deuce.

Love the Motor in this Roadster too.

The little 5 window A Bone had a wicked engine too.

Ton of work but it was a strong car.

But I love the V8’s though.

Staging lanes at the track.

Pllenty of people turned up.

Just cool to hang out and see some buddies I had not seen in many years.

Here is where someone’s Grandad was this weekend

Markys Purple people eater did well .

Bit of British tin with the Anglia sit up and Beg Gasser.

Marky sets up on the lane ready to hit the loud button.

Nice step side with flawless paint hits the strip.

Flatty powered Rail gets ready to run.

A warm day for sure but remember, bring a Hat- I didnt.

Little T awaits his time to have a go.

This was aptly named the brick but the little Motor screams.

Neat shoe box ford ran great all day long.

More staging lane activity.

Caddy powered roadster and this girl build that ride and races too.

Such a great day here.

Awesome T trackster was great to watch run.

Both these cars ran and really well too.

These both raced and was a close race too.

Rob of the shifters, towing Squeak Bells rod to the lanes.

Shugs Mrs ran her Roadster and Shug ran his, great couple I have known for many years.

Shug has this up for sale if interested?

Shuggy hooking up Squeak Bell’s ride.

I love Gassers and had a 55 in the UK, so love to see these, Kota has a 56 so we always check the tri-Chvys out.

Sweet hearing the Caddy mill at the drags.

Nice eh?

57 Gasser this time

Busy day on the staging lanes and a plethora of rides to feast your eyes upon.

We walked this area a lot and spoke to many faces we knew.

Just heading to the lanes to race.

Cannot get enough of this ride.

This fella lives up the road from us in Whittier, drives on the road.

You should try and come out to this event it sure is fun but- bring a hat its HOT!

Getting ready to hit the 1/4 mile.

Trying to keep cool at Fontana can be quite a task.

Love that Four Banger Motor, Cragar powered.

Shugs other half, gets ready to Tow Squeak Bell’s Rod out to the strip.

Great Girl and also dry lakes races too.

Squeak is ready to run.

Rob of the Shifters gets all set on the staging lanes, he is towing another car this weekend as well but is also running the strip in his coupe.

Rob gives us the thumbs up as he gets all set to light them up.

Shug looks on as time ticks and the starting line gets closer.

Yes, plenty of rides to see that day.

Coupes line up and give it their all.

I spent all day walking around and meeting people, Dakota and I had a great time and so look forward to next year.

Roadster gets into it as he floors the accelerator.

Love this Roadster.

This five window sure looks toughs as it awaits the green.

Gassers are always fun to watch and unpredicatbe as they can wheel stand at any moment.

Everything goes on the strip.

This Girly will take the win, never race her, she is awesome. That Caddy motor sounds unreal.

Dont ya love watching all this stuff?

Slick stepside threw down a good time too.

I loved seeing these race, the coupe has my buddies Girlfriend at the wheel.

Diane gets on it and takes the win

Great racing all day long.

Coupe and sedan go for it.

Both flatty powered the truck has rear engine flatty.

Great close racing.

Awesome sound too when these get on it.

That flatty rail hauls some serious Arse!

5 window and Roadster hit the track.

Roadster pick up took the win but the T Tracksers are suprisingly fast.

How cool is this shot?

This race looked uneven but were so close, I loved watching the T Model.

All sorts of rides races all day.

Even some fun time was had too.

The rail was fast and looked well.

Roadster gets the head on the roadster pick up.

This 4 Banger 5 window was so nice.

When all fails, try a Whizzer to race!

A fun day and glad I could share it with you.

Shug, the flying Scotsman head to the lanes.

Nostalgic real genuine Three Window was such a great thing to see in real life.

Shugs Girlie checking the track out.

Yes- the Camfather- Ed Iskendarian was even there chatting to everyone.

Shugs Mrs turning around track side in her T Roadster.

All rides there were great to watch race.

Squeak takes on another ride.

Love Gassers.

Shug gets all set to lay some Scottish power down the track.

This 5 window was quick all day.

Classic stance.

Never got bored of hearing that Caddy Mill fire up.

Gassers are such a cool thing to see and never tire of this stuff.

The Shugster cruises back after towing.

So next year, come out to the Antique Nationals as its a heap of fun, we may even be racing there next time.

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