Dream Weaver

“I was perfectly happy,” he says.

It’s hard to imagine anything more satisfying than building a car and then driving it 1000km to celebrate.  What made this project a smidgeon more satisfying is that it represented a boyhood dream come true.

Graham Berry, who was famous for racing cars in the 1960s, sells the fibreglass body and chassis kits that become, with effort, replica 1966 AC Cobras (or Shelby Cobras as they are known in the USA). Paul remembers, as a child, seeing the first replica at the Auckland Car Show. “I thought it was the best thing, ever.”

Over the years, he grew to realise that he could build one – and when an opportunity presented itself seven years ago, he took it.

Over eight months, slogging into the night after his day job and straining friendships in the process (“it cost me two girlfriends”) – he put the car together. 

He found a simple, common Ford Mustang engine – a 289 – and collected all the pieces needed to recreate the original American-motor, British-body configuration. Finding authentic bits and pieces, such as instruments out of old English cars, was a challenge he relished.

“I really enjoyed searching for parts. I tried to find pieces that the original would have had. And I did – I found $10 parts that were just right, and that was a real thrill.”

Paul confesses that six months into the project, “You could have bought it off me for anything”. But he persevered, pulling on inherited reserves. “My father had race boats and cars, so I grew up around these things. I just love all mechanical things,” he says.

Until the day it was due to be painted, it was going to be blue. “Then I thought, I wanted something really bright – so I went into the local pool hall and borrowed a number 13 ball.”

Matching the orange number 13, complete with white stripes, was an inspired choice. It looks fast. It looks like sports cars ought to look – the sort of sports cars boys fall for.