SHOWSTOPPER
Had there been a car of the show, this Torana would have got my vote. It was a great show. There were two very rare Mk1 two-door Lotus Cortina convertibles there, but the Torana had me the minute that I saw it. I was able to track it down through the Falcon Fairlane Car Club and finally met the owner, Wayne Smith, on the week of the 2024 show. Wayne had entered the car again, appearing with his partner Jo and a mint two-door 1974 Mk1 Ford Escort that he had just bought and driven down from Auckland.
Christchurch-born Wayne is a quiet and unassuming semi-retired businessman. He started his career in 1985 as an apprentice fitter and turner at Mace Engineering in Christchurch. Mace was involved in some significant manufacturing projects, producing performance parts for both Ford and Holden, and made components for the New Zealand Navy’s Anzac frigates and in the 1990s. From there, Wayne formed an equipment hire company, which he sold after 30 years of service.
