All the radness you need to see from the 2018 V 4 & Rotary North Island Jamboree
Variety is the spice of life. And that’s exactly why I look forward to hopping a plane straight out to all those non-Auckland-based events taking place around the country. It makes for the perfect chance to get up close with those builds I’ve only had the pleasure of seeing online and shoot the shit with people I’ve yet to met in the flesh.
Sitting damn-near the top of that is the V 4 & Rotary North Island Jamboree. Set in the sleepy country town of Feilding, Manawatu, it may not seem like one of the biggest automotive centres in the country, but come Jambo time it — this year held over March 24 – 25 at Manfeild Circuit — it see the constituents from all the lower-north import hot spots swarming on one place: Wellington, Taranaki, Palmy and everywhere in between turn out heavy with cameos from those further north and a handful from down south.
What that means is you can guarantee that you’ll be casting your eyes over cars and meeting people that you’ll only catch at this event, and that’s what makes Jambo a calendar staple for anyone within the scene.
Saturday was an all track affair in-collaboration with Chrome Expression Sessions that saw a massive collection cars let loose on the track for cruise with your mates sessions mixed in with a touch of drifting and speed runs. Line-up an Evo in your Skyline five-up and find out real quick who’s going to be tearing up at the end of the back straight, or simply let that gate sing the some of turbos worldwide for the enjoyment of the crowd. Whatever you felt the need to get up to — within reason — was permitted and you could send a full day of seat time if you played your cards right. And you’d be surprised at how many cars that had pedalled the track hard for the better part of the day were hit with a quick bucket wash, waxed up and polished down before being chucked into the show hall for the following day’s main event.
Only a few were treated to a taste of what was to come, so for most rolling up at the crack of dawn on Sunday was the chance to get your ins on what was going down — albeit a few pockets of spectators and competitors alike look as though they had made the most of the weekend away with a brew or three the night before. Stand out cars were spread throughout, including Tony Hill’s just-completed Evo 1 that had undergone a full top-to-bottom build that saw the 4G63 heart overhauled heavily and backed by a PPG dogbox, along with a new set of Heritage wheels, widebody kit, crispy red paintwork, and a full seude and caged interior ( which you can catch in our next issue) — earning a total of six awards including best build quality; the current issue’s cover car, a 20B-powered Mazda 1300 screamer that’s been tubbed to fit a massive pair of 18×10.5-inch Simmons FR17s down back, owned by Simon Andrews Mcleod also made an appearance; as well as Paul Edlin’s 400kW 4A-GE-powered AE86 drag car that features a Formula Atlantic head and Holset HX35 snail.
The ex-Ants Wong K20A-powered EK sedan that did the rounds the world over back in 2012, including being debuted on the cover of NZ Performance Car issue No. 184, came out of the woodworks in its current guise that retains most of the original form just as Ants had sold it. And of course, it would be an injustice to not mention Wiremu Bürkhardt’s immaculate Mazda B2000 that’s been bagged and slammed, and is now motivated by a 13B spinning-dorito.
Wherever the entrants hailed from, everyone really showed up to continue Jambos reputation of being one hell of a good time, and we could ramble on about all the rad shit there all day, but by now no doubt you’re all gagging to pour over the images for yourself, so enjoy the following gallery on us! Full Jambo coverage can be found in print form in NZ Performance Car issue No. 258, on sale 30 April.
Award Winners
Rotary Class
Best RX3/808: Bryan Foothead — Mazda 808 [FOOTS]
Best RX7 (S4-5): Lance Collis — Mazda RX-7 S4 [S4SKID]
Best Late Model RX: Claire Eveleigh — Mazda RX-7 [RXGURL]
Best Rotary Conversion: Shaun Williams — Mazda 323 [IOPNER]
Best Commercial RX: Wiremu Burhardt — Mazda B2000 [B2K]
Best RX Other: Simon Macleod — Mazda 1300 [MR1300]
RX Master: Lance Collis — Mazda RX-7 S4 [S4SKID]
Piston Class
Best 4 Cyl Piston: Chris Burrett — Mazda Familia GTAE [AL4SPN]
Best 6 Cyl Piston: Vincent Liao — Nissan R35 GT-R [EVIL35]
Best 8 Cyl Piston: Derak Govind — Chevrolet Camaro
Best 1970-1989: Suhail Sahib — Datsun Sunny [NFORCA]
Best 1990-1999: Dan Haworth — Nissan Silvia [DEVIAT]
Best 2000-2009: Vincent Liao — Nissan R35 GT-R [EVIL35]
Best 2010+: Derak Govind — Chevrolet Camaro
Best Piston Conversion: Dan Peterson — Toyota Corolla KE30 [1DVSKE]
Best Piston Vehicle Overall: Chris Burrett — Mazda Familia GTAE [AL4SPN]
Club Awards
Best Club Theme/Display: Fijian Car Club
Best Club Attitude: WTF – Wellington Trucking Friends
Best Presented Vehicles: Stealth Ride
New Club On The Block: Wellington RE
Top Club – Runner Up: Fijian Car Club
Overall Top Club: Untamed
Manufacturer Class
Best Subaru: Nicole Roberts —Subaru STi [HDGRL]
Best Honda: Danny Morar — Honda Civic EJ7
Best Toyota: Lawrence Saxby — Toyota Corolla [OW8NC]
Best Nissan: Dan Haworth — Nissan Silvia S14 [DEVIAT]
Best Mazda: Chris Burrett — Mazda GTAE [AL4SPN]
Best Ford: Tony Stewart — Ford Escort [PISTON]
Best Mitsubishi: Gregory Pask — Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 [MITSI8U]
Best Euro: Abdul Imran Khan — Volkswagen Golf GTI [BOUNZZ]
Tough Street
Graphics: Vick Bhatti — Nissan R35 GT-R [ILL35T]
Suspension/Brakes: Elliot Brown — Nissan 180SX [KYOKI]
Undercarriage: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Innovation: Vick Bhatti — Nissan R35 GT-R [ILL35T]
Engineering: Elliot Brown — Nissan 180SX [KYOKI]
Build Quality: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Drivers Attitude: Vick Bhatti — Nissan R35 GT-R [ILL35T]
Wheels: Vick Bhatti — Nissan R35 GT-R [ILL35T]
Interior: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Engine Bay: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Bodykit: Elliot Brown — Nissan 180SX [KYOKI]
Paint: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Display: Tony Hill — Mitsubishi Evo 1 [EGOETA]
Power Output: Ifraz Begg — Mitsubishi Evo VIII [YDRAGU]
Race Car Awards
Best Drag Style: David Adlington — Mitsubishi Evo [EXAQTR]
Best Circuit Style: Blair Cornelius — Mazda RX-7
Open Class
Best Paint: Wiremu Burhardt — Mazda B2000 [B2K]
Best Original Paint: Alan Brown — Fiat 125T
Best Extreme Paint: Jarred Webber — Toyota Hilux
Best Engine Bay: Shaun Williams — Mazda 323 [IOPNER]
Best Displayed Vehicle: Sharon Gooden — Toyota Mark X [QUP2NV]
Best Graphics: Annie Matthews — Mazda 323 [HELARX]
Best Bodykit: Scott Barriball — Nissan 180SX [H8ONME]
Best Engineering: Martin Kostuik — Subaru K75 Truck [KWIKID]
Best Minitruck: Wiremu Burhardt — Mazda B2000 [B2K]
Best Rims & Tyres Suited to Vehicle: Simon Macleod — Mazda 1300 [MR1300]
Best Stance: Claire Eveleigh — Mazda RX7 [RXGURL]
Best Original Interior: Megan Scott — Ford Escort
Best Modified Interior: Jarred Webber — Toyota Hilux
Best VIP Style Vehicle: Josh Burrows — Lexus LS400
Standout/Encouragement Awards: Zac Jackison — Toyota Corona [OGJDM]
Standout/Encouragement Awards: Steve Kerr — Nissan S15 [EVILSX]
Standout/Encouragement Awards: Stan Aldridge — Mercedes Smart
Standout/Encouragement Awards: Jasper Forbes — Toyota Hilux [DROPED]
People’s Choice Runner Up: Dan Haworth — Nissan Silvia S14 [DEVIAT]
People’s Choice: Suhail Sahib — Datsun Sunny [NFORCA]
