Mustangs go full throttle in the South

The rags to riches Cinderella story is a tale as old as time in car restoration circles but visitors to the Southern Muster in Invercargill were in for a treat last weekend.

Former Taranaki farmer Nigel MacDonald turned up in his rare 1967 GT500 Shelby Mustang for the 45th National Mustang Convention held at ILT Stadium Southland.

Mr MacDonald said while he owned other 1967 models, he was determined to own a ’67 GT500 Shelby in his lifetime.

There were only about 3000 Shelbys manufactured in 1967, but 1100 were GT350s and the balance were GT500s, he said.

Connections in the United States told him they had found his car in 2006, and it arrived in 2007.

He made an "investment" of NZ$200,000 for the classic, but since its restoration, expected it would be valued at nearly NZ$340,000. Taranaki was home to the "Pony" collector but he did not begrudge the 4km per litre fuel economy to drive the 7200cc car to Invercargill.

"It’s a little bit bony (to drive) on the rough stuff, but it loves when you get on to a nice road — it just cruises."

In the past 35 years he had collected a ’67 Mustang Convertible, a ’67 GT350, ’67 Mustang Fastback as well as a ex-red Dawson Trans Am Shelby race car.

It would be unlikely he would ever sell the GT500, but if the offer was in the seven-figure bracket, he might be tempted, he said.

Southern Mustang Club president Mark Reidie said the club had a record turnout of about 2000 people for the weekend convention.

It had provided the opportunity to see some rare vehicles — including Mr MacDonald’s, which was believed to be the only one of its kind in the country.

Visitors could admire 155 Mustangs from the original 1964 model to the latest releases, including an electric model.

Aucklander Craig Borland’s ’69 Restomod Mustang received The People’s Choice award.

The Mustang had always been considered a "blue collar" car because of its affordability — the initial 22,000 1964 models sold for $2500, and it was a car model people were attracted to, he said.

"It’s hard to put your finger on, but I think it’s just the compactness and the history involved in it. "They’ve always been affordable and good-looking toys — obviously the classic ones get out of control.

"They are still the most popular sports car in Germany. Their popularity just never wanes."

For the past six decades the car had always been manufactured in the United States in Dearborn Michigan — including all the right-hand drive models imported to New Zealand and was the all-time largest single selling model of car in motoring history, Mr Borland said.

It had been seven years since the national convention had been held in the city and the visitors had been impressed with the Southern hospitality and particularly loved their cruise through Queen’s Park on Sunday morning, he said.

But it was the open-throttled rumbles around Teretonga that had put the largest smiles on faces, he said.

 - By Toni McDonald