John is 72-years-old. He joined the Wellington Car Club in 1963 and started racing in 1965. In 1974 John raced an XA Falcon coupe for four years, then a RX3 Mazda till 1983 when he then shifted to Rotorua in 1984 and built a panel beating and paint shop from scratch. In 1991 John found Jim Palmer’s first 1971 Holden XU1 in a wrecker’s yard and rebuilt it and raced this car on and off until 2012. John also drove the XU1 in the 1996 Targa Rally and has been racing the 1965 replica Rod Coppins Zephyr Corvette.
He also managed Joe McAndrew and his rally car for the 1992 and 1993 rally seasons.

John Marslin - 1971 Holden Torana XU1

John is 72-years-old. He joined the Wellington Car Club in 1963 and started racing in 1965. In 1974 John raced an XA Falcon coupe for four years, then a RX3 Mazda till 1983 when he then shifted to Rotorua in 1984 and built a panel beating and paint shop from scratch. In 1991 John found Jim Palmer’s first 1971 Holden XU1 in a wrecker’s yard and rebuilt it and raced this car on and off until 2012. John also drove the XU1 in the 1996 Targa Rally and has been racing the 1965 replica Rod Coppins Zephyr Corvette.
He also managed Joe McAndrew and his rally car for the 1992 and 1993 rally seasons.

1971 Holden Torana XU1:

1971 Holden Torana XU1, first raced by Jim Palmer, was found by John in a wrecker’s yard in Rotorua. John rebuilt this car and has raced it in two early Hamilton Road Race Meetings and four Wellington Street Race Meetings, also three, three-hour race meetings at Pukekohe and Manfeild, plus two race meetings at Ohakea Airforce Base. He has also competed in the 1996 Targa Rally and many hill climbs, sprints and clubman’s meetings.