A 1939 DeSoto coupe will be one of many extraordinary vehicles at the Great USA Day show on Saturday.
Owner Lindsay Divett said the car was "just junk" when he bought it, so it was sent to New Plymouth where Eagle Automotive owner Willie Roach spent four years completing a comprehensive rebuild.
Instead of returning the coupe to factory condition, the build has evolved into a hybrid machine that combines 1930s styling with contemporary upgrades.
The vehicle now features a 5.7-litre V8 Hemi engine and an eight-speed transmission.
The running gear was salvaged from a 2016 Dodge Challenger, while the seats were taken from a Chrysler PT Cruiser to keep the parts within the same manufacturing family.
"So we tried to keep the Chrysler look."
Many exterior panels were recreated from scratch, including the nose and running boards.
"They made the boot and all that sort of thing."
While retaining the original look, modifications were made to accommodate modern features, such as extending the back guards to fit the rear end.
Contemporary luxuries including air conditioning, power steering, bluetooth stereo and a reversing camera have been added.
"You don’t see very many DeSotos around and when this came up for sale, I thought, that is totally different, I wouldn’t mind that, so I managed to buy it."
Despite the extensive work, the vehicle is not kept hidden away from the elements.
"This is an all-weather car. I drive it in the rain, in the snow, in anything," Mr Divett said.
"It goes bloody well, it is a big engine in just a small car, light body.
"It is a car to be used."
