Although you see a lot of English cars in my garage, I must say I have no real preferances - other than for Jaguar, XA Falcon Wagon's and V8's with tyre shredding power. I know I did not pick up my car obsession genetically as my Father had some pretty apalling cars, Mum did have a Ford Pop at one stage but I really think I was too young to be influenced by that.

I do however have 4 memories from my childhood that have stuck - and I think there is an explanation for how I turned out here somewhere.

1. When I was a young child (6-7) my Grand Father had a Jaguar Mk10, my strongest memory is sitting in the back on the leather seats, and looking through to the front and seeing the wood dash, rows of gauges and switches, it really went too.  It came to a sad ending with a pole - apparently driving home from his club the cigar smoke impaired his vision and he left the road and hit the aforementioned pole.

2. A few years later we had a neighbour with a Morgan sports car, the owner was always willing to take us kids for a quick spin around the block, it felt very quick too and very exciting.

3. I was born in England and my family emigrated here when I was 10, by then I was well into cars. I remember being picked up on arrival at Auckland Airport in an XA Falcon Station Wagon, all I could see from the back was the instruments set into deep binnacles in the dash and a bonnet that didn't seem to end - and the whole family (parents, 4 kids), luggage and driver fitted! Remember that coming from  England in the early 1970's I was used to Hillman Imps, Escorts and the like, I had never seen a car so big that wasn't carrying royalty.

4. Skateboarding around the streets with my mates, around 14 years old, I heard the rumble of a V8 with open exhausts for the first time, the driver of a primered '62 Chev turned out of a street at an intersection where we were standing; and layed down a very impressive set of stripes! I think the noise and smoke has had me hooked on V8's since.

Current Fleet

1984 Stage 3 Land Rover V8 - ex-Army

I was looking for something a little different, and ended up with the 'Landy' in the fleet, it drives like a truck, has foam seats about as comfortable as an old NZR bus seat and is very efficient at turning petrol into motion, I have worked out about 6km per litre on a trip cruising about 85-90 kph.

1977 Jaguar XJ6 S2

I have known this car for over 20 years, still in original paint and runs very well thanks to some pretty meticulous servicing by the previous owner - who is a good friend. I thought about modifying the car a while back, but it is too original and too nice to do that, so plans are to rebuild her in a few years. For a 35 year old car it drives almost as good as any comparable modern car. The sad thing is that people think that old Jags are complex, they are pretty simple cars really and easy to maintain, Makes a brilliant tow car as seen on the left with Peter Greenfield's Tipo C Alfa Romeo Grand Prix Car - On the way to Hampton Downs for the recent McLaren Festival..

1984 Jaguar XJ6 S3 Sovereign

My drive car/hack, over the next year the 'Sov' is scheduled for quite a bit of work, Vanden Plas interior, full Kicker audio system, 20" wheels (seen in last S2 photo), lowered and re-painted in a dark cherry pearl or metallic. I will keep the 4.2 injected motor.

Past Favourites

Sad memories, left picture is not one of my engines, I just like the picture as this is what happens when you mix Notromethane and Hydrazine in a Dragster engine, right picture shows my old dragster engine, I did the damage using Methanlol but kept the block around the crank, killed a strong 427 Chev though :(

Here is a bit of history, originally called 'Soap' built by Graham Berry, this was the first NZ built dragster to run 200mph, also Garth Hogan's first on Nitro, I ran this with the ill-fated 427, then with a 327 in blue and white, the tow vehicle in the last picture is a special ute I built 900mm longer than standard so I could carry crew and put all my gear in the back.

Here is a Mini I built for Drag Racing, unfortunately I sold this when I moved to Auckland so have not driven it down the track, It was completed by and is raced by a freind in Wellington and runs in the 10's

Here are some shots of a car that has been in my garage for a number of years but is not mine, I have been rebuilding this E-Type Jaguar for a freind, the underside is painted body-colour, every component re-built and carefully being re-assembled, I have just fitted the wiring looms, the new front brakes are almost fitted and plans are to have it starting off the ignition key within weeks.

My Dream (Lotto) Garage