116 | AUTOMOTIVE Kruzin Kustoms T T Virginia Wright 20 years of crafting custom cars Kruzin Kustoms can restore cars, or build cars from the ground up, customising according to clients’ wishes. Those of us whose only knowledge of hot rods and classic cars is admiring their beautiful and timeless quality as they cruise along the road might be surprised to know that this is a multi-billion-dollar industry globally, with a thriving market here in New Zealand. Part of that industry is Palmerston Northbased Kruzin Kustoms, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. “It’s massive here in New Zealand. Shows like the Beach Hop, which is New Zealand’s overall event of the year, has 100,000 people there on a Saturday and basically sells out Whangamata for the week at the end of March,” says Dylan Smith, co-owner and manager of Kruzin Kustoms. It was set up by his parents Kendal and Rachel Smith in 2005 as a hot rod shop that caters for the custom culture, as well as the traditional aspects of hot rod building and restoration of classics and muscle cars. “Generally speaking, hot rods are pre-1949, cruisers date between the ’50s and the mid- ’60s, then come muscle cars up to the mid- to late ’70s, including classics in their own right like the Mustangs and Camaros of the day,” explains Dylan. At Kruzin Kustoms they restore cars, or build cars from the ground up, customising according to clients’ wishes. “American and Australian mainly – things like Chevys, Dodges, Fords, hot rods, muscle cars, and classic cars. We do restoration, as well as panel and paint, but we’re not a crash repair shop,” explains Dylan, who clearly loves his job. “We’re just about to start a build on a 1967 Chevy Chevelle that’s getting a brand-new LT4 engine and a 10-speed automatic out of a 2024 Corvette, all climate-controlled air-conditioning, electric-power windows, and independent front and rear suspension. We’re making a 1930s’ or ’40s’ vehicle up to the 1970s, drive like a brand-new vehicle, basically.” It’s one of about 25 cars at various stages they currently have in their 1100sqm workshop that are being worked on by different members of their 11-strong team, which includes engineers, mechanics, and panel beaters. They do everything in-house apart from the electrics and the upholstery: full mechanical work, engine transplants, all forms of engineering, air bag supply and installation, chassis fabrication, plus full panel and paint work. They build their own chassis for four vehicles: 1935-1940 Fords, 1953-1956 Fords F100 pick-ups, 1947-1954 Chevy pick-ups, and 1955-1959 Chevy pick-ups. It’s not just the mechanical side that benefits from their close attention to detail. One of Dylan’s favourite vehicles says it all. A Chevy 1971 C10 pick-up truck they took to America to compete in the “World’s Most Beautiful Truck” awards, and while they didn’t win there they were in the Top 10 of the 8000 trucks on display afterwards in Dino’s Git Down Truck show in Las Vegas. It’s not just about the cars, either, for Kruzin Kustoms, it’s about the people looking to restore or customise their vehicle, whether it’s from a rusty old hulk (few and far between these days in New Zealand), or starting from scratch. “We get to build peoples’ dreams. They come to us with something they’ve always wanted to do, with a drawing or a photo of a car they’ve seen overseas or on Google, and it’s our job to make it happen. No two builds are ever the same, because we customise exactly to what our clients want,” says Dylan. While Kruzin Kustoms could be seen as a small part of what is a $468 billion industry, for anyone coming to them to get their dream car made or restored, it’s the most important part there is. Specialists in V8 Engine Repair & Modified Vehicle Certification Our well-established workshop in Levin promises you Top Quality Repairs and Servicing. Andy Smith | www.smithautos.co.nz | 06 368 2928 | smithautos@xtra.co.nz Proudly supporting Kruzin Kustoms YOUR ONE-STOP PANEL & PAINT SHOP • Panel beating & Refinishing • Vehicle Detailing • Decal Application • Vehicle Restoration • Windscreen chip repair and replacements 06 356 8218 | info@dittmer.co.nz | dittmer.co.nz
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