Event Coverage PHOTOS: AMERICARNA 2009 In NEW ZEALAND - Second AMAZING Time In A Row! Modem BUSTER!!

I can't even tell you how honored and stoked I was to get invited back to Americarna this year. I am always grateful of the cool things I get to do that are associated with hot rodding and Americarna is DEFINITELY one of them!

This time around I took my wife and daughter with me and we added on about a week to explore more of the amazing country that is New Zealand. It only took a day or so to get used to driving on the "wrong" side of the road. Actually driving through a ton of the country was worth the effort. The scenery everywhere is breathtaking!

I could get pretty sappy about New Zealand's people, cars and scenery. Everything about their country is AMAZING!!!!

Just a warning for some of you. There is some content in this post that may offend. Meaning, there are some pictures that do not contain a period perfect car, nor anyone with a pompadour or cuffed jeans. Please take comfort in the fact that most of it will appeal to real gearheads. Keep in mind that the event is open to any American made vehicle of any year. I'm just showing some of the stuff that is on the HAMB-friendly side.

My family and I spent the week as the guests of John and Diane Rae. John is the head of Americarna. Other Americans on-hand included Gary and Marilyn Meadors (who brought their car over to cruise) and Gary and Karen Schroeder. In all, I think I counted 17 Americans who made the trip.

For all the info on Americarna, check out their website at www.americarna.com or www.americarna.co.nz If you have even the slightest chance to get to go - DO IT!!!!!

The day we arrived we accidentally found ourselves at the Auckland Zoo. That's what happens when you let the wife read the map. While the zoo is nowhere near being traditional hot rod related, the Auckland Zoo is the most beautiful one I have ever seen and I highly recommend experiencing it.

I wasn't in the country five hours before I was attacked by one of the locals - some kind of crazy looking bird (not the type from England) in one of the cages. As you can see I wasn't smart enough to learn after the first bite.



Most of the animals did not do interviews.






OK, onto cruising...
Day one of the event started the week of screaming school kids on the roadside. Like I said last year, it's an amazing thing to witness. The kids, the flags, the enthusiasm for the cars and America. WAY COOL!




Our first stop was the New Plymouth Airport for a little aerobatic display. Gary and Marilyn Meadors didn't hesitate to drive their road warrior roadster through the "landmine" laden cow pasture to park.








This was mine and my daughter's favorite. 1952 Vampire. WOW!

 

OK, on to some of the cars!

 

We stopped at one school for lunch. The kids performed a traditional Mowry welcome ceremony for all of us. VERY cool!!!


Then a Haka.

 

Pleased you and your family enjoyed yourselves, hopefully next time you will get a chance to explore further down country.

 

Yes, they carpeted this tunnel again this year for the cars to roll through.


-Insert sheep joke here-














One thing I missed doing last year was touring the Fun Ho! toy museum in Inglewood. After seeing it this time, I sure am bummed I missed it last year. I met the guy (yes ONE guy) who now makes all of the cast aluminum toys by hand. He gave me a private tour of his tiny workshop and even let me buy a couple of unfinished cars that he was in the middle of painting. The company was established in the '30s and once employed over 200 people. Now it's just the ONE guys making them. He does all the casting etc. himself. Neat guy and a neat place.

 

He's been using the same pile of sand for casting for the last 12 years!
























Man, those HRMNZ guys have good taste. I'd drive this in a second!!!! I WANT IT!


This year's helicopter ride to Opunake Beach was nowhere near as exciting as last year's in the Bell, but it was a lot of fun anyway.

 

We landed in a random cow pasture to drop one of our passengers off and took a few minutes to get some more driving shots.

 

I sure dig Opunake!


So did my daughter.

 

I did a short interview with the guys from this TV show.






I still LOVE this pickup!!!

 

One of the days, some of us got to tour Eagle Automotive. They convert left-hand drive cars to right-hand. I know it's not HAMB stuff, but I thought you guys might appreciate the STUNNING craftsmanship. Each car is a one-off project and the transformation costs about $30k NZ. Check out some of the finished dash work. It looks great in the pics, but is simply mind-bottling (Blades Of Glory joke) in person. Oh, and they have a Nitro-powered five-gallon margarita blender!!!






Under a 2009 Dodge Challeger SRt-8.










This is the dash for the SRT-8.




The owner drives a sprint car for fun.

 

When I first saw this contraption come in on its trailer I thought it wa just a prop. It actually RUNS and DRIVES!








John Rae has some pull. He was able to get a Police escort to drive his racecar from his shop to the fairgrounds.

 

The front of the 12-mile long line of cars!












Miss Americarna 2009 - Crystal.


Everyone loves FREE cake!


Don't ask me.

 

The start of the Friday night cruise in New Plymouth. It was PACKED!














Saturday is supposed to be the "main" day of the event. It's the day when the public gets to come and hangout with the cars at the raceway. The forecast was absolute shit and pretty much came true. Literally gale-force winds and pouring rain didn't stop people from coming to see the cars up close. Too cool!

 

I did not ride this.






This band of 12-year-olds was really good. They played Jimi Hendrix and Black Sabbath covers, plus a few of their own songs.








Crystal and friends.

Crystal picks the winner of the giveaway Pontiac.


Needless to say the winner was pretty stoked!


The Americarna crew! Way to go guys!!!!!!!!

 

I was asked to pick my favorite "post '60" car of the event. While Foose wheels aren't my style, this family knows how to do it right. As if the Fury and matching camper weren't enough, the child seats for their two sons were even upholstered to match the interior in the car.
They are drivers and you just can't beat that!


The two boys were REALLY stoked with the trophy.




OK, some of the following is a bit on the family vacation slideshow side, but I just want to illustrate how beautiful New Zealand is.

After Americarna we headed to Taupo for a day. This boat cruises up the river to the falls. That morning we were the only people to be there. It ended up being a private tour for the three of us. The photos do not do the scenery or the falls justice.


It's crazy how clear the river was!










We got to within 30 feet of the falls. The color of the water and the strength of the current were unexpected.








The next day we were off to Rotorua. They have a tram ride up the mountain to this luge ride. These things hauled ass! We could never have them in America with the number of lawyers we have. You could seriously eat shit on them. I got up onto two wheels a number of times and on the advanced track there are two places where you can get completely airborne!

 

The next morning we headed for the Agrodome. They have a sheep show (insert sheep joke here) and a farm tour.

This happened.


They eat out of your hand!




It's hard to tell from this photo, but that thing is at least SIX FEET tall at the shoulder! Seriously!


We spent the last two days back in Auckland. We checked out MOTAT (Museum of Transportation and Technology).











This display motor was cool!


You could turn the crank and watch it work.

 

Great pictures, lookes like alot of fun, and an awesome trip. Kind of makes you think about things, they celebrate, what we take for granted. Thanks for posting all the pictures.

 

awesome photos. very cool. glad you enjoy our paradise. we got some great cars, just drive on the wrong side of the road. lol.

 

Very cool pics KIRK! Glad you had a great time over here.

 

Yep.
Awesome few days were spent there.
I would do it again in a heartbeat.

.

 

Incredible, beautiful photos of a beautiful country full of happy people!

Thanks for the post. I assume we'll get to see some of the off topic cars in the Gazette?

 

neat stuff dude........happy for you and your family !!

 

WOW Kirk you are livin' the life. That looks like the perfect vacation. Car shows and air shows for me and the museums, the zoo and beautiful scenery for my wife. The waterfall trip looks unreal. I gotta ask though, are you nuts feeding those ostrich? Didn't you learn your lesson at the zoo? Thanks for all the pics!!

 

Thanks for the photo tour again Kirk, it sure looks like a great time.

 

Very COOL!

 

2 reasons why I like this thread:

1. I've been to several different countries internationally, and I've always had to hide that I'm American for safety.... lot of USA haters out there.

2. Scenery pics! I never knew NZ is so gorgeous.. Thanks!

 

Looked like quite a few great Caddies over there...and looked like a great time...I woudn't mind doing that trip...

Thanx for the pix,

R-

 

Looks like a fantastic event, beautiful country. Good job with the photos, BTW.

Aren't there any Studebakers in NZ?