A LIFE IF SPEED
NZV8: Let’s begin by talking about your early years. Where did you grow up and how big were cars for you in those years?
Kiwi Steve: I was born and raised in Napier, and yeah cars formed a lot of the basis of my teen years. Typically back then, when you were 15, you could just go in and sit your licence and drive yourself home.
What sort of cars were you kickin’ around in?
In the early years it was Mk1 Escorts; I also had a few Minis. My brother had an Anglia and friends had Morris Minors. We’d do demolition derbies in Humber 80s, etc. My dad was into American cars. He had a Corvette and a couple Camaros. When I was 17, I bought a Chevy Nova and that was the basis for things to come American, car-wise.
Were you working here as a mechanic / car builder in New Zealand before you left?
No, I’m actually a sparky — figure that one out.
What age were you when you packed your bags and left New Zealand, and what was the driving force to leave? I got into a bit of bother in my late teens, and then I tried to find a better path, so I entered what was called the Youth Skill Olympics. It’s basically the Olympic Games for apprentice tradesmen. It’s a very rewarding way for apprentices to further themselves and make a mark in the world. I won the regionals, and then the New Zealand finals, which got me a trip to the UK to represent New Zealand in 1989. I stayed over there for three-and-a-half years, and went all over the place. While over there I went to the US to visit my sister, who was working as a camp counsellor. I bought a couple cars and shipped them home to New Zealand, as I knew I’d be heading back there eventually.
Once you returned home, how long was it before you packed your bags again and left for the US?
It was only a year or so.
Was that the plan when you returned — just to leave again?
No, I had no. I just wanted to come over for a couple months and have a look around, and then that turned into a job offer, and I kind of never looked back. I returned to New Zealand after six months to sell some stuff when I figured out I was probably not going to be back for quite a while.
