New Zealand Spottings - Horopito xmas eve special!

[Mat.T]

So rather than a traditional Uk Christmas and new years, family arguments so much food etc, I manage to avoid it entirely by spending 3 weeks in Newzealand! In a rented camper van with 3 mates. We traveled all over the north island and most of the south in those 3 weeks.

 

I will deal with the general car spottings later, first I will post up the Horopito scrap yards photos. I've wanted to visit Horopito since seeing a few photos online a few years ago, the place also got an article in retro cars mag. It really doesn't disappoint.

Its set in the middle of nowhere on the edge of Tohunga national park. so in a beautifully location. I could have spent all day here but we needed to push on to Wellington to catch to ferry to the south island.

 

website: http://www.horopitomotors.co.nz/

 

This is how i spent Christmas eve, 25degree heat wandering round a scrap yard!

 

bloke in the campsite we stayed the night before said that you couldnt miss the place:

enterance to the parts sheds and office

every scrap yard needs a big dog, this chap wandered over to check us out then wandered off

innside the buildings, when we turned up there was no one about (appart from the dog) So we put some money in the donations box and started to look round the 'museum' If you need an obsure part for a car chances aer these guys have got it!

 

outside in the older part of the yard:

nissan patrol

cars as far as the eye can see:

[fotorabia]

Me old local haunt..ive photographed that dashboard as well methinks..unfortunately Horopito are rather expensive and stuff rots away rather than being sold on..but is a great Disneyland..all fantasy..

[Mat.T]

maxi!

rust and lichen

austin a55? ute

russian Gaz or volga?

2000 and chassis

skoda 1000mb and austin tasmin?

valiant

[DSdriver]

Wonderful, it must be fantastic to be in a country that has no concept of the value of scrap metal.

[fotorabia]

DS..actually..Horopito does realise that and have been clearing stuff away..when i was there last year they had filled containers..they operate as a normal garage anyway..so the classic shite is a sideline..

[Mat.T]

this looked pretty clean

 

http://www.trekka.co.nz/history.htm

 

 

starting to get on to the more modern stuff

one of a few ID/DS

mate having a good look at this Tercel as a few weeks before we left for NZ he brought one for £150 in poo brown (The Turdcel)

404

cortina was very clean and in the back ground half a million £££ worth of 2 door escort

and some more:

[Mat.T]

DS..actually..Horopito does realise that and have been clearing stuff away..when i was there last year they had filled containers..they operate as a normal garage anyway..so the classic shite is a sideline..

 

yeah they were clearing stuff there were piles of engine blocks and axles ready for scrap, then is like you say most of the cars just rot!

[Mat.T]

herald ute -home made

nice mountain

skyline

meastro van and dodge spacevan

vans

fiat or fso?

seth look

bedford

hiace was well picked over, all the bits i need for mine were gone!

[Mat.T]

mk1 hiace

Torana

holden ute

flowering subaru

ds/allegro

renault

sandman

BL corner

mazdas

bedford/izuzu KB

datsun 620

 

[Mat.T]

back in the sheds, the work shop

no idea why this lot were inside

 

 

out side the yard

crown wagon

i've got one of these:

and one of these

 

finally big v8 jeep thing towing a bedford lorry with a mk1 capri on the back

 

rest of the pics are here:

http://s689.photobucket.com/albums/vv25 ... /horopito/

 

enjoy!

[Skizzer]

Jesus wept!

 

That's a mk2 Capri

[Jon]

Hey Mat, looks like you enjoyed what is probably NZ's most interesting tourist attraction. Take a look at the thread I posted a while back here (http://www.autoshite.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=5371) to see how things have changed a little. Certainly, the Fiats seem to be a little worse for wear - the 850 did have its rear screen intact at one point and the 2300 wagon looks to have taken some damage to the rear too, no doubt when the bushes behind it were removed.

 

I returned for a visit in July but saw most of what you saw so won't bore you with the same stuff. However, you seem to have missed these gems, so I'll leave them here:

 

 

 

[RedSparrow]

Amazing, thanks!

No idea they flogged Maestro Vans over there. I know they did Montys, all MG badged as I recall.

[Split_Pin]

That looks like you had a wonderful holiday!

 

I dont know which I am more envious of, the great cars or the great weather!

 

Interesting to see the Chrysler/Talbot Alpines in NZ.

[Mat.T]

cav_estate: looks like I did miss a few bits! Although after a couple of hours i'd given up taking photos and had got a bit sun burnt.

[PaykanHunter]

I will deal with the general car spottings later, first I will post up the Horopito scrap yards photos. I've wanted to visit Horopito since seeing a few photos online a few years ago, the place also got an article in retro cars mag. It really doesn't disappoint.

Brilliant!!!... Brilliant!!!... Brilliant!!!... Thanks for posting the photos mate! Beautiful weather, epic scenery, and this junkyard?... This is Heaven then!...

 

I spotted these two Hunter Estates, got any more photos of these by any chance?..