Innholdsfortegnelse for Just Cars #334 23-12 i Just Cars

Following the release of the Review Panel Report in late February, Targa events return for 2023 with the Targa Great Barrier Reef on 1-3 September, followed by the flagship Targa Tasmania, now on 23-28 October, instead of the usual April date. Targa Australia P/L opened entries for both events in late March, announcing major changes to the entry fee structure at the same time. What’s being described as a “complete overhaul” of the entry fees has been introduced to offer more pricing options for entrants. For the first time, entry fees will be based on competitors, rather than the cars they drive, with discounts applied based on time of entry and/or years of competition. Years of Attendance discounts start at five years, which is applicable to people entering their fifth…

Currently listed with Lorbek Luxury Cars, Sydney, this 1954 Chevrolet Corvette is ready for the next owner to enjoy. The 350 V8 upgrade delivers abundant power, while the automatic transmission provides driving convenience. Given this car’s modern engine, the next owner can afford to be a little less precious with it than a factory-authentic restoration. The V8 makes it more practical for regular driving, too. Despite the older restoration, the Polo White exterior and Sportsman Red interior still present exceptionally well, with the convertible hood and side curtains in similar condition. The radio upgrade incorporates a modernised face and additional speakers, but both are subtly integrated and don’t impact the aesthetics of the cabin. At time of writing, the odometer reading was 57,415 miles (92,400km). First-generation Corvettes are very rare…

Introduced for the 1968 model year and remaining in production until 1982, the third-generation Corvette is the signature example of the model to many casual observers. The C3’s new exterior styling, inspired by the Mako Shark II concept, was matched to an all-new interior, but many mechanical features were carried over. Engine options included 327, 350, 427 and 454 V8s, while a 305 V8 was unique to Californian-delivered examples. Manual and automatic transmissions, in three- and four-speed, were available, with some of these engine and gearbox options carried over from the C2. While hidden headlights were standard on the C3 Corvette, this custom convertible has glassed over their openings entirely and relocated them to the lower grille as part of an extensive makeover of the fibreglass body. On this example, the…

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MG used April’s Auto Shanghai motor show to announce they’ll be officially returning to the sportscar field with their ‘Cyberster’ EV roadster. The first sportscar to wear an MG badge since the mid-engined MG TF was discontinued in 2011, the Cyberster is due to be released in 2024; just in time for the centenary of the first MG model, the 14/28 Super Sports roadster. Additionally, MG says the Cyberster will open a new chapter in the MG story, with other recreational and performance models to come, breaking out of the compact and SUV space that the brand has occupied since it was reborn under SAIC ownership. “This is the perfect time to introduce an MG that completely reconnects with our performance DNA and is designed to enthral the driver on…

After initially being non-committal on his future in Supercars, Shane van Gisbergen has announced his intention to remain in the category for the medium term, singing a multi-year contract extension with Red Bull Ampol Racing (Triple Eight Race Engineering) on 21 April. “Extending with Red Bull Ampol Racing was a no-brainer for me. It’s certainly exciting to continue with the best team in pit lane and I’m stoked to be able to stay,” van Gisbergen said. “I’ve never been happier at this team.” Although confident in his team, van Gisbergen had expressed some reservations about the Gen3 rules ahead of their introduction this year, with rumours he would move to NASCAR. But with the all-new Camaro ZL1 proving to be competitive (the Kiwi won two of this year’s opening six…

With 2023 marking 70 years since Chevrolet’s introduction of the Corvette, it’s no surprise that this year’s Corvette Nationals was a big one, with entrants coming from all over Australia, while their vehicles covered the breadth of production for the All-American sports car. Hosted by Corvettes of Melbourne, Surf Coast Corvettes and Vic Vettes, the first Corvette Nationals to be held since 2019 was centred on Ballarat. As the central Victorian city was at the heart of the state’s gold rush era in the early 1850s, the ‘Gold Rush’ tag for the 2023 Nationals was more than appropriate! More than two and a half years in the making, with stellar efforts from the organising committee and club members more broadly, the Gold Rush Corvette Nationals saw GMSV (General Motors Special…

When the C2 Corvette was losing its competitive edge against the Shelby Cobra in US racing in the early 1960s, GM authorised the development of a ‘lightweight’ version with a spaceframe chassis, thinner fibreglass panels and stripped-out interior. The result was called the ‘Grand Sport’. To homologate the Grand Sport, 125 needed to be built, but only five were completed before GM instituted a ban on factory involvement in racing. Ultimately, those five did the job they were designed to do – beat the Cobras – in the hands of privateers, but as the production minimum wasn’t met, they were ineligible for the class they were originally intended for. Attending the Corvette Nationals from NSW, this Grand Sport tribute restomod started as a stock C2, before extensive bodywork modifications were made,…

Australia’s largest transport and logistics specialist insurer, National Transport Insurance (NTI) have announced details of their latest vehicle raffle in support of MND research, with tickets available now ahead of the draw at the NTI Townsville round of the Supercars Championship in July. Named ‘Daphne,’ this 1954 Chevrolet 5700 COE was found on a farm in the USA and brought to Australia, where it was fully restored and customised for the express purpose of being raffled for the MND and Me Foundation. “Daphne was purchased by a young Australian working on that US farm. Its original owner was supportive of the re-sell once she’d heard about how it would be restored and raffled for the MND cause,” NTI CEO Tony Clark explained. Once in Australia, the 1954 body was separated…

It’s hard to believe now, but there were several points in the early history of the Corvette when it looked like the All-American sports car would be axed from Chevrolet’s lineup. It’s even harder to believe that the Corvette largely owes its survival to Ford. Most people know that the Corvette was created in response to a strong sports car market in the USA in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Against the Porsches, MGs, Jaguars, Triumphs and others that were coming into the US in small but significant numbers, it made sense to offer a home-grown alternative. Chevrolet wasn’t the first to respond, with a multitude of small, sporty offerings announced from a variety of sources. Some of these were dreamers who never got further than sketches or a…

The Corvette’s first major styling change came with the 1956 model year, when the headlights were moved forward and the stone shields removed, while the tail lights were tunnelled into the rear guards and exhaust outlets repositioned. The most obvious design change, though, was the addition of coves on the flanks, which were trimmed in stainless steel and could be painted in a contrasting colour (either silver or beige) for extra cost. While today, many Corvettes from the era seem to have this treatment, just over one third of buyers selected it in 1956. A less obvious change was the addition of exterior door handles for the first time, with proper wind-up windows introduced, too. In concert with the latter, a removable hardtop was also introduced, with this option said to…

When you go to a car show, the last thing you expect to see is a boat, especially one with “car” features, but that’s exactly what this unit is. In 2008, US ski boat builder Malibu produced a limited-edition – the Corvette Z06 Sport V – with Corvette mechanical and cosmetic features. The 7.0-litre LS7 V8 was the same engine used in a C6 Corvette Z06, producing 505hp and capable of 65mph (about 56 knots or 104km/h) on the water, which Malibu claimed made this variant of the Sport V the fastest inboard production boat on the market. In the cabin, Malibu added genuine Corvette seats (with heating) and a car-style dash, power windows, a multi-outlet heater and carbon fibre detailing. The amps and speakers for a Rockford Fosgate sound…

NSW MAY, SATURDAY, 27TH, 2023 HOTROD AND CUSTOM AUTO EXPO SYDNEY On the last weekend in May, the Hot Rod and Custom Auto Expo will get underway at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse. The largest show of its kind in NSW, the prestigious event is a melting pot of Sydneys car culture, combining stunning elite level hot rods and street machines with the underground lowrider and kustom kulture communities. Custom motorcycles, dozens of car clubs, a trade show, outdoor car corral and entertainment for all ages also feature throughout the entire weekend. Website: hotrodandcustom.com.au JUNE, SUNDAY, 11TH, 2023 MIDCOAST FORD MOTORFEST Annual car show supporting palliative care. Trophies, most popular show north of Sydney. Contact Laurie for more information. Lauries 0402 315 215, glhac@outlook.com JUNE, SUNDAY, 11TH, 2023 ANNUAL BORDER SWAP MEET…