Kiwi dad who sold his first car, a 1978 Holden Kingswood in 2001, buys it again 22 years later

A Kiwi man who sold his first car, a prized classic and now rare 1978 Holden Kingswood in 2001, has miraculously been reunited with his family car 22 years on thanks to “small world” New Zealand’s help.

Growing up, Andre Hawke had cherished memories riding in his family’s brown HZ Holden Kingswood 308 5 litre V8 in Christchurch before himself becoming the proud owner of the Hawkes’ heirloom.

However, when he was 17 he decided to part ways with his pride and joy, selling it for $2500 after he admitted “Skylines and other stupid bogan cars” caught his eye.

But in 2021, 20 years after selling it, he found the original owner’s car manual in storage, which sparked his curiosity about what happened to the Kingswood. It would eventually lead him on an emotional journey and eventual reunion.

After discovering the manual in storage, his initial intention was to track down the current owner so he could gift it to them. Then the prospect of seeing his old love return to the family became a reality.

“It [the manual] had been in a lockup since 2001. It started to rekindle some ideas about the memories about the car and that sort of thing, and I thought, oh, well, let’s see if it still exists and see if we can track down the owner and return the manual,” Hawke told the Herald.

Andre Hawke poses alongside his then Holden Kingswood outside his Christchurch residence he grew up in as a kid more than two decades ago. Photo / Andre Hawke

He posted an image of his car on numerous social media pages asking if anyone knew the whereabouts of the 1978 Holden Kingswood.

Within two hours he struck gold.

“To be perfectly honest, it was a bit of a catfishing exercise as well as wanting to return the manual. With the power of social media, I was in touch with the owner within a couple of hours and found out the car had been in Gore.

“It had actually gone through two hands, but the owner in Gore had it for 19 years. He’s a mechanic and an absolute legend as well. He looked after it.

“I sent him the owner’s manual and said to him, look, if you’re ever interested in selling it, keep my details and maybe at least give me the first option to buy it.”

Sadly, he had no interest in selling it, but two years later Hawke was down in Gore on a hunting trip with his dad when he reached out to the owner to ask if he could see it because “we hadn’t laid eyes on it for 22 years”.

The mechanic said yes, and even allowed Hawke to take it for a spin. The car still had the original paint, engine, transmission, and the same power and roar Hawke had fallen in love with.

Andre Hawke's once 1978 HZ Holden Kingswood 308 5 Litre V8 is now proudly his again. Photo / Andre Hawke

The only change to the car was it had been lowered.

For six years it had hardly been driven but was well maintained. Thankful for one last ride, Hawke left Gore and his dream of the Kingswood returning to the family had disappeared.

Or so he thought.

Surprisingly, two months later, Hawke received an unexpected call from the mechanic who said he was prepared to sell it back to the family 22 years after letting it go.

“He said he’d had a chat with his wife and it was time to move it on.”

It didn’t come cheap, with Hawke forking out more than $50,000 to have the Kingswood return to the family.

“It’s probably the worst investment you could ever make,” he laughed. “But it’s a bit of an honour and privilege to have it back in the family.

“It’s more than a car. It’s the feeling you get when you’re in it and the memories that flood back. Driving it for the first time on Sunday it was like I had parked it up the day before and got back in it despite the fact 22 years had passed.

“It looks the same, sounds the same, it feels the same. It’s quite funny.”

Andre Hawke then purchased the Kingswood back more than two decades later, and drove it to the exact spot to replicate the last photo he took more than 22 years ago. Photo / Andre Hawke

As Hawke was driving the car home, he happened to be passing his childhood neighbourhood so he decided it was the perfect opportunity to recreate the photo he had taken 22 years earlier.

“It just so happened, we were going past the area where we used to live as a kid and where that original photo was taken in 2001. So I pulled back in there and parked it exactly where it was parked, you know, 22 years ago.

“Got our arms crossed and tried to replicate the photo and it actually came out pretty good.

“It’s a great cruiser as well. It’s got a big V8. The rumble of the V8, it cruises beautifully. I’m planning to do many more trips in it over the coming years.”

Despite the wallet taking a heavy hit, Hawke told the Herald buying the car back was worth every penny.

Now that he had his own kids he’s hoping he can share a slice of his childhood with his own, and give them the chance to forge their own memories together, the same way he and his own father did in the 1990s.

“It’s more so about the memories. I associate it with my dad who I’m really close with. He taught me how to drive in that car and how to do basic maintenance on that car. It’s a father-son connection.

“Now that I’ve got kids I’m thinking about future memories I can make with my kids in that car. Some people just wouldn’t get it but that’s the thing with items that are sentimental, other people don’t get it which makes it unique and personal.

“The memories of doing some skids when I was a young bogan come to mind when I look at her. Things like piling my friends in and heading down the country for rugby tours.

“It might be the worst investment monetary-wise, but it’s certainly given me a trip down memory lane that is priceless in the end.”