NZ Newbie

-
RT Dude

RT Dude

Active Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2011
Messages
44
Reaction score
1
Location
New Zealand
Hi all from New Zealand.
I signed up as a member here a while ago in my quest to find an original survivor 68 Dart.
After around 18 months of looking for the right car, I finally found a 68 Dart GT with a 273 out in California so I thought it was about time to say hello.
I have used a lot of the info from this site during my search, and I will probably be asking a few questions as I am new to the A-Body world.

I know that pictures are great so I will try and post some up soon. :cool:
 
Welcome to FABO...when I ran a Vauxhall, we used to have a lot of members from NZ..

Grassy
 
Here are a couple of pics from when the Dart arrived in the country.
 

Attachments

  • Arrival 1.jpg
    68.5 KB · Views: 117
  • Arrival 2.jpg
    72.9 KB · Views: 112
SpikeWills69 said:
Welcome and very nice looking Dart. Be sure to keep us updated. What are you towing it with? Just curious.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the welcome guys.
Spike - The tow car is my company car. Its a 2011 Holden Commodore Station wagon (Australian built) running a V6 with around 230kw. I think some of these were rebadged in the USA as a Pontiac??, and they are really popular here.
 

Attachments

  • Arrival 3.jpg
    59.5 KB · Views: 128
My memory is failing but isn't Holden an Australian offshute of Vauxhall. Vauxhall was distributed in Can/US via Pontiac....

You car is the Vauxhall VXR8. Interesting how you rate you car in Kw vs. HP....which would be @ 308 HP...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_VXR8

I don't know a Canadian version of this (Pontiac is now history) but maybe there is a US version ?

Grassy
 
grassy said:
My memory is failing but isn't Holden an Australian offshute of Vauxhall. Vauxhall was distributed in Can/US via Pontiac....

You car is the Vauxhall VXR8. Interesting how you rate you car in Kw vs. HP....which would be @ 308 HP...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_VXR8

I don't know a Canadian version of this (Pontiac is now history) but maybe there is a US version ?

Grassy
Click to expand...
Good memory Grassy.
Holden is a GM subsidiary (not sure who owns it now though lol) and yes they were exported from Australia to the UK and rebadged as a Vauxhall. Also rebadged as a Pontiac GTO in the USA and a Chevy Lumina SS in the Middle East.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontiac_GTO#Fourth_generation
It is one of the popular large size wagons down here along with the Ford Falcon wagon, which will no longer be made due to Ford australia closing its manufacturing facilities in the next few years.

The Kw vs HP thing is for new vehicles. Metric system I suppose. All of the old muscle cars and the like are still quoted in HP. Especially modified engines. Horsepower Sounds better too IMO.
 
Swinger340Canuc said:
Welcome aboard RT Dude, nice looking Dart you found,congrats. Is there a significant vintage Mopar muscle scene in NZ?
Click to expand...
Thanks Swinger 340. The Dart is a one original owner car from new, and yes the Mopar muscle scene here is not too bad for a country of only 4 million people. Here is the local forum site http://www.nzmoparforum.co.nz/
We have a mixture of older RHD cars, new cars like Chrysler 300C and Dodge Nitro with the steering wheel on the right hand side, Australian Valiants and LHD US imports to name a few.
The NZ Mopar registry is slowly growing in size also http://www.nzmoparregistry.co.nz/
 
Man that's a nice score you found! And also, welcome to the forum! Maybe you could list a rundown of what you want to do to it, once you get it all settled in!
 
cudavert said:
Man that's a nice score you found! And also, welcome to the forum! Maybe you could list a rundown of what you want to do to it, once you get it all settled in!
Click to expand...
Thanks Cudavert.
The decision was made to keep the car as original as possible as it is a one owner survivor car, but we have to make it road legal here, so a few parts have to be changed.
We have to change all of the ball joints, shocks, fuel tank and fuel lines (as the tank is full of rust), and restore the brakes. This is not compulsory here, but makes the car a lot safer to drive. The brakes (drums and pads) must be measured to confirm they comply with local rules and the hoses must be replaced.
The car comes with the original wheels and hubcaps. The tyres are shot, so I have decided to go with 15x7 rallyes and 235/60/BFG's.
Have also decided to fit a TTI exhaust system, with 40 series Flowmaster mufflers and dual chrome tips.
Will possibly have to do more to make sure the car complies with our rules.
 
RT Dude,

Keep us posted (with pics) please. I really enjoy hearing how others are doing with their cars.

Canada has been metric for 40+ (?) years..I would have thought that Kw would refer to the expanding electric car market.

BTW, sweet car.

Ian.
 
Nice ride my brother from down under!..Welcome aboard!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top