For anyone thinking the heart of the Mopar muscle beats only in North America, a recent car show deep in the New Zealand countryside offers stunning proof otherwise.
The annual Mopars in Morrinsville event gathered an incredible line up of classic and custom Dodge, Plymouth, and Chrysler machinery, showcasing a vibrant and dedicated enthusiast community down under.
Musclecars Universe host Andy attended the 2025 show. He commented “New Zealand is a great place for muscle cars and American classics.” The diverse field certainly backed up his claim.
Attendees saw everything from iconic American iron to unique vehicles specific to the Australasian market, like Australian-built Chrysler Valiant Chargers packing Hemi inline-six engines with triple carburetors – a setup Andy noted is “bit different from the standard V8 you guys are so used to.”
The video featured some genuine heavy hitters that would draw crowds anywhere in the world. Andy highlighted the presence of legendary Wing Cars, including a ’69 Dodge Daytona and a ’70 Plymouth Superbird.
“What an incredible car guys,” Andy remarked. He also spotted a ’68 Plymouth and suggested it deserved international recognition at SEMA. Other standouts included a period-correct ’69 Super Bee Hemi drag car with a potent Ray Barton-built engine and a cleverly executed ’69 Super Bee restomod seamlessly integrating a modern Dodge Hellcat interior.
The quality across the show field really impressed Andy. He exclaimed: “These engine bays are mint man this is how we do it in New Zealand guys we take care of them.”
He addressed potential viewers wondering about these cars’ presence overseas, explaining, “this is what they’re doing overseas they’re getting driven taken care of restored and sometimes modified.”
Rare finds, like an early ’66 Barracuda and a manual-transmission ’73/’74 Road Runner “a rare car for us in New Zealand,” according to Andy, further illustrated the depth of the local Mopar scene.
Events like Mopars in Morrinsville demonstrate the enduring, worldwide passion for classic Mopar muscle. Even in an era increasingly focused on electric vehicles, dedicated classic car enthusiasts are gathering to celebrate and share these iconic designs to ensure the unique rumble and high-impact style of classic muscle cars continue to thrive and inspire new generations of fans globally.