Self confessed petrol-head, Keith has a life-long love of all things ‘car’, but high on the bucket list for many years has been the Leadfoot Festival.
Starting out in the UK, Keith’s passion was for stock car racing and rallying, both behind the wheel and as part of a service crew. On moving to New Zealand in 2007 he re-kindled his love of motorsport, so retirement has never really been a consideration, because the lure of a V8 has proved too much. The Chevette was Keith’s last rally car in the UK, so when this particular car was seen at Hampton Downs with Tony Lynch, he just had to own it – especially because it was in the exact colour of the rally car. A dream come true.

Keith Hamnett - 1979 Vauxhall Chevette

Self confessed petrol-head, Keith has a life-long love of all things ‘car’, but high on the bucket list for many years has been the Leadfoot Festival.
Starting out in the UK, Keith’s passion was for stock car racing and rallying, both behind the wheel and as part of a service crew. On moving to New Zealand in 2007 he re-kindled his love of motorsport, so retirement has never really been a consideration, because the lure of a V8 has proved too much. The Chevette was Keith’s last rally car in the UK, so when this particular car was seen at Hampton Downs with Tony Lynch, he just had to own it – especially because it was in the exact colour of the rally car. A dream come true.

1979 Vauxhall Chevette:

Re-engineered from the suspension upwards, this 1979 Chevette is a dream to drive. It was built for Targa and circuit racing. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, this Chevette has a 4 litre Lexus V8 engine which has been completely reworked, producing 327hp and 288 ft pounds of torque. With a top speed of 260kmh (plus) and a rev limit of 8500rpm it makes for an exciting ride. The gearbox is a Toyota W55 Supra 5 speed with a custom gear set and the rear axle is a modified Hilux LSD 4.5:1. All the brakes and both front and rear suspension have been custom-engineered for the car.