Part 2 - 2024 Kumeu Classic Car & Hot Rod Festival: Classic Restos - Series 55

Fletch moves into the Show Shed to see some of New Zealand's finest cars and meet with Show Shed organiser Andy, who tells how this year's event differs from past years. Inspired by a visit to SEMA in the US and now in partnership with Mothers, the high-performance car care product supplier, the show has attracted some outstanding vehicles. 

Fletch discusses the judging process for the 'Shine' award competition, which had a field of top-class entries. The 'Shine' award winner is a beautifully presented 1934 3-window Ford Coupe with a 427ci engine, finished in Ford Focus blue. The owner, Keith, also took out the 'Best Ford' Trophy, rounding out a very successful weekend.

Next is Brent with his 1956 Chevrolet Belair, which underwent a complete rebuild and is now sporting an LS3 engine and dual turbos, ‘just to keep the engine bay balance’, as Brent put it. It is presented in a spectacular 2-tone effect of specially formulated black and silver colours. Fletch notes that 1955, 1956, and 1957 were the iconic years for the Chevrolet Belair, and Brent's car is an outstanding example both inside and out.

Fletch is also impressed by an eye-catching Porsche 356, which stood out among the larger American cars. This original 1.3-litre model has matching numbers and is presented in the traditional Porsche silver with a red interior. These cars are very rare, particularly in New Zealand. Proud owner Alan, a Porsche fanatic, imported it from Australia in 2018 and says, 'It looks like a piece of art'.  Judges awarded Alans' Porsche 356 the 3rd place trophy at its first-ever showing at Kumeu.

Paul shows Fletch his 'Wild Honey' 1940 Ford Hot Rod, which he acquired in 1985 and has a history of Hot Rod shows up to 1975. Despite being in poor condition, Paul loved the look and style of the car and rebuilt it from scratch. Today, it is an outstanding example and winner of the Classic Car Hot Rod section at Kumeu 2024.

Another Paul has a similar story of a lengthy rebuild. His beloved 1969 Chevrolet Camaro underwent a thirteen-year complete ground-up restoration. Paul had a vision for the build from the start and remained true to it. The Camaro now has an LS2, 6-litre engine with a six-speed manual gearbox and bigger brakes and wheels, making it very comfortable and easy to drive. Fletch says, 'It makes a statement standing still'.

Fletch catches up with Kumeu event organiser Ken Galvin, who mentions that this is the 30th year of the event, with a record 47 car clubs in attendance, 370 trade sites, and 100 swap sites. It's a magnificent achievement but Ken is already considering how to make next year's event even better.