Kiwi Kev's backyard Hot Rod Shop.

[cajunfirehawk]

WOW! Your shop is like Hotrodtophia!

 

[Non Member]

Can you adopt me.........love it..

 

[smokediver]

I wish we had your weather over here ;-)

Greeting from the Netherlands

 

[sidewayz71]

The coolest, so much hot rod history.

 

[Kiwi Kev]

Put a new sign on my gate....

 

[Omphaloskeptic]

Well, what happens to the NON-trespassing violators; reads like the trespassing violators get off too easy. lol

 

[LoRollinLS]

hahahahaha

 

[Call me the Breeze]

Nice sign!

 

[LoRollinLS]

What project are you working on right now Kev? Post pics!

 

[Kiwi Kev]

I need to pay some bills so I started patching up my very rough 34 ford coupe body figuring I would sell it but after a few patches went in started liking it too much so have decided to keep it.

So I have decided to build a Willys pickup to sell. I had 2/3 of a Willys frame and some rough sedan body pieces back in my little junk yard, also a bunch of other parts that should go together and make a 60's drag style 1940-ish Willys pickup. I got all the parts together and got this "before" shot.

 

[tinbender 66]

Hell, you're almost there!!

 

[Red Leader]

Have I posted in this thread yet? If not, I should have.

FANTASTIC. 5 stars

 

[boss429kiwi]

What a great shop to hang out and work in. Just an amazing collection of fine old hot rod and race equipment. Thanks for sharing.
I couldn't help but notice the row of New Zealand Hot Rod magazines in your magazine rack in the "library". I'm wondering if you know my friend Lloyd, Magoos Street Rods, from Masterton? We built a '30 Model A Roadster pickup together in my shop here in Auburn. You might have the Nov 2008 issue of NZ Hot Rod that had coverage of the build.

Lloyd at Magoos restored my Mustang Boss 429.
Kiwi Kev, where are you from in NZ?

Gary Mcneill
Dunedin, NZ
1970 Superbird, 6 pack, 4 speed
1970 Mustang 428 Cobra Jet, 4 speed
1969 Mercury Cyclone 390GT, 4 speed

 

[Call me the Breeze]

You're Killin me Kev... be sure to show us the pick-up! It will be a Gasser right?

 

[Kiwi Kev]

Willys PU will be gasser style for sure.

Gary, My family lived in Mt Roskill when I was born and moved to Wellsford when I was about 5. Lived there for about 5 years then moved to Drury where I spent my teenage years. I lived in Takanini right before I moved to the States.

 

[68-camaro]

Wow! Can I come visit if I get out there. I love Willys

 

[markviii]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all.

Chris

 

[markviii]

above altered - we love Willys too!

Happy New Year!

 

[charlief1]

above altered - we love Willys too!

Happy New Year!

LOL Nice try Chris but I caught you pretty lady. May God bless all of you in the new year.

 

[LoRollinLS]

Nice pictures Kev. Thanks for the update.

 

[impala_631]

Very very cool shop, one of the best on here, so much style!!

 

[charlief1]

One of my friends directed me to your thread Kev. I am in awe with your skills and have posted pics of the 2 door conversions of the wagons on turbobuick.com. I'm a Buick head and am working on an 83 T type with a lot of mods that should get in in the 10's I hope. I'm an ASE certified tech that has specialized in suspension for many years (30) now and have taught quite a few guys over the years how to make their cars work better. If you were closer I would be more than happy to buy you a beer and light up the smoker to offer you some really tasty food.

Thank you for posting what you have so far and I'll be watching to see what else you come up with in the future.

 

[Mikie]

Does anyone know the actual square footage of this single-story garage?

 

[ed_v]

One of my friends directed me to your thread Kev. I am in awe with your skills and have posted pics of the 2 door conversions of the wagons on turbobuick.com. I'm a Buick head and am working on an 83 T type with a lot of mods that should get in in the 10's I hope. I'm an ASE certified tech that has specialized in suspension for many years (30) now and have taught quite a few guys over the years how to make their cars work better. If you were closer I would be more than happy to buy you a beer and light up the smoker to offer you some really tasty food.

Thank you for posting what you have so far and I'll be watching to see what else you come up with in the future.

My dad had a '83 T-type when I was in high school. I loved that car

Kev,

Everytime I look through your thread I get more jealous. You are living the hot rodder's dream

Ed

 

[eborcim]

Kev, when you build something from pieces like the Willys, how is it titled for ownership? Doyou use the main cabin, the frame, or have a special determination by your DMV? I would think CA is one of the stickier states to try this in.

 

[Kiwi Kev]

Eborcim....When I bought the Willys sedan it came with papers and black/yellow plates so it was pretty simple.

Mikie...I will measure the square footage and let you know.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kev,

Everytime I look through your thread I get more jealous. You are living the hot rodder's dream

x100.

Not that I NEED my girlfriend's "permission" but she'd have a cow if I tried to put up all that old signage in my backyard. I especially love your mock gas island.

But who am I kidding? It's not like that big vintage tin is all that available anymore and if it is, it's mega bucks now.

Kev, You realize that if you sold all that tin (PLEASE don't!) that you'd get enough to finance a helluva nice rod, right?! I'm assuming that acquiring it has taken a lifetime. ANY idea at all how much you've laid out over the years to get it all? What has been the most and least you've paid for the big ones? I love them all.

 

[Pete J]

Eager to see what becomes of the pieces...

 

[Bashman]

Hi Kev,

This is Kent Bash. I've been reading your post, and viewing your photos. I'm interested in possibly writing an article about you and your garage. Could you contact me via email:<[email protected]> Thanks.

 

[wugamumtafish]

Well, thats an hour of my life I've just lost! That is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best garage I have ever seen in my life! You couldn't even begin to replicate it, as its just evolved over the years. The work you do in there is superb, but the soul of the place must just be inspirational. Man, if I can achieve 1/100 th of what you do, I'll be happy. A long a sucessful future to you fella, you look like you're enjoying it!

 

[z289522]

Well my **** is numb read all 22 pages awesome,i need to get my place organized and get the 46 chevy truck in their,this thread get my blood flowing thanks kev.....

 

[Kiwi Kev]

Mikie... The square footage for the garage is 629 and for the carport side 378 so just over 1000 feet for everything.

Here are a few pics showing some progress on the Willys pickup project. I haven't started on the cab yet but will do soon.

I decided to build a facade on the front of the garage this weekend. Although it looks OK in night shots the garage is really pretty shoddy looking. I thought it would benefit from a face lift. First a high tech blue print was drawn up.

Before pic kinda shows the funkiness....

After all the signs etc were removed this was all that remained....

A couple of good friends, Victor and Perry, came by and spent the day helping out. It was all framed today and tomorrow will be covered with 6x1 cedar with a redwood border. Then some signs will go back up. I will bend up my own flashing to redirect water behind the facade. The garage needs a new roof bad! Hopefully next year. More work tomorrow but we are having fun!

I will hopefully have some pictures of a better looking garage after the weekend.

 

[charlief1]

Speeling is a gud skil to acuire Kev. Just having fun out of you.

 

[Kiwi Kev]

Not as bad as you think, half my spelling mistakes are just my bad typing.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kev, I really like your sketch. It's gonna looks even better (as if that's actually possible!). Will you leave the wood unpainted or will you paint? Faux patina?

I'm thinking it'd look a bit better put a bit of the same half-round Art Deco type details you have on the right side of the sketch on the left side too.

 

[charlief1]

You night want to consider going with tin on the roof Kev. If you get lucky you might even be able to find some vintage metal to use on it and make it look even mor old school.

 

[JeffreyJames]

Damn Kev that's gonna look incredible!!!! I like where you're going with it.

I have 600 sqft in my garage and I can't fit as much as you so I definitely need to start space saving and putting things in more strategic places for sure.

 

[Toolbag]

I loved the way it looked before can't wait to see some pics!!!

 

[KiWinUS]

Man , thats gonna look awesome Kev !!!!

 

[Bib Overalls]

Done right funky is good.