History
This is how it all got started.
At the age of 17 (no dates required) I was convinced by a good friend of my Fathers that a Holden Torana was ideal as a first car.
After a short search of local car yards and a thorough inspection of a LC Torana from Baillie Farmers Motors in Hastings it was decided it was perfect. It had a 161 motor and 3 speed.
This car served me well, with many trips all over the north island ,until while cursing the Auckland car yards a VB commodore seemed more practical,
It had a blue 3.3 and 5 speed, an ex company fleet vehicle, this was great but the temptation of a V8 was to strong.
I then found a HJ Premier, powered by a 253 V8 and auto was no slug and in pristine condition.
Sadly this was stolen from outside the stortford lodge hotel in the late 80’s.
During those past few years while driving these, I would also have numerous project cars, not to many of them would see the road, at least not road legal, just to be test driven.
Some of these included -
Holden Brougham
Several Toranas, one with a 253
EK with 202
And the back yard was scattered with parts cars, donor cars and project cars.
The next few years saw a fleet of VL, VN sedans for the family vehicle, while my choice of company runabout was always a Holden ute or 1 tonner.
In 1993 I purchased a new VR SS Ute and quickly clocked up 200,000 kms and a stack of speeding tickets.
When business took priority and required an extra truck, the ute was traded on a R series Mack.
It took until 2006 when a new VE SS ute was put to work, and more speeding tickets to go with it
About that same time I brought a VN SS for a bit of fun and experienced the enjoyment of owning an old V8 Holden again.
Another VB came up for sale and remembering the first one I owned approximately 30+ years earlier, I brought it.
It was then I realized I had the bug and these cars had to be saved.
Along came a VC V8.
First thinking I would do them all up I was also buying Donner cars and parts
I was saving them from wreckers yards, scrap yards, boy racers and rusting under trees.
It has become obvious to me that there is not enough time or money to restore them all. (although I wish I could)
At present I drive a VU V8 LS1 ute, it has travelled 424,000 km and remains my go to vehicle for trips out of town, Usually towing a tandem trailer loaded with the latest purchase.
See a list of success stories