Another work of automotive art has rumbled out of the Rods by Reid workshop at Te Puna.
Showcasing skill and passion, applied in equal measures over more than 4000 painstaking hours, the latest Rods by Reid creation is a stunning '33 Ford Cabriolet being shipped to California next week.
The black-plum cabriolet also shows off the 45 years of hot-rodding experience which rank John Reid as not only New Zealand's elite hot-rod builder but one with an international reputation.
Rods by Reid was commissioned to build the cabriolet for Philippines-based ex-pat Kiwi Steve Payne.
The story began in the annual Sema (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) automotive show in Las Vegas in late 2008. Payne and Reid were at the show when a full steel reproduction of the '33 Ford body was launched by the American Speed Company from Michigan.
"We saw the body and Steve asked me if would I build a car for him if he bought one," says Reid.
"The body arrived two and a half years ago. It was the first one to be exported and the only one in New Zealand."
Rods by Reid sheetmetal fabricator Nakija Klaus penned concept drawings and the project began. The body has been massaged and smoothed with some unique Reid touches including an intricate three-piece hood, while Payne selected and shipped his choice of powerplant - an 8.6-litre all-alloy Keith Black Hemi running a twin-carb setup.
While the final destination for the car will be Manila, the build timetable has been dictated by a decision to show the car at the Good Guys West Coast Nationals at Pleasanton, California, in late August.
"It's the biggest hot-rod event on the West Coast. There will be 3500 to 4000 cars there over three days and this year is the 25th anniversary, so they will be pulling out all the stops," said Reid.
He is attending the show and hopes interest in the car will lead to new export orders.
One-of-a-kind cars need some special care for the trip across the Pacific and there's no wharfside loading for the cabriolet. Instead, the shipping company has dropped off a container at Reid's workshop for the car to be carefully loaded.
"The manager of the shipping company is flying up from Wellington to supervise the loading. When it gets to California I have some friends to look after it. It gets the ultimate in care," says Reid.
The cabriolet showcases the design, engineering and attention to detail that makes Rods by Reid highly regarded internationally. Reid has been involved in hot-rodding for 45 years and started Rods by Reid to build cars professionally 17 years ago.
"John builds world-class cars," said Paul Grace, NZ Hot Rod Magazine publisher. "He is the elite New Zealand hot-rod builder and has been since 1967 when he built a T-bucket that just knocked everybody's socks off."
Reid's cars have won eight national titles and hot-rod enthusiasts can identify a style that distinguishes his cars.
"If you know what you're looking at it's in the detail like the independent suspension and the rake and style," says Reid.
"I mocked up this car with the body just sitting on the frame four times before I was happy with the look. There's a "Reid Rake" and getting that right is really important for this style of the car."
Virtually all the work on the car was completed in Tauranga. The Rods by Reid frame rails are the basis for the rolling chassis, while the independent suspension and sheet-metal fabrication work is done in-house by Reid and Nakija Klaus. The paint work is by High Impact Auto Painters in Tauranga.
"We call it Black Plum. Steve wanted it to look like a glass of good red wine," says Reid.
The only time the car was away from Tauranga was for Ian Goodwin Auto Upholstery in Auckland to complete interior trim work.
While the cabriolet won't be displayed in New Zealand before being shipped, Reid is confident it will lead to orders to build similar cars.
"I've got three serious guys talking to me about one of these cars. I think we'll end up building one or two and they will stay in New Zealand."
Reid's shop generally has four cars under construction at any time - one nearing completion, another at the initial bare chassis stage and two at various stages of completion. Rods by Reid not only builds complete "turn-key" hot rods but will supply partially complete cars for customers to finish themselves.
"They are custom cars, so the customer has to get what they want," says Reid. "We're a small fish in a very big pond but with the internet, people now track us down from all around the world. We've had Germans and Swedes who can hardly speak any English track us down and visit the shop."
And the cars have to be more than merely a showpiece, as Reid's customers like to hit the road and enjoy their hot rods. One client has already driven more than 20,000km in a car that was completed only 14 months ago.