NZ Performance Car: Hi, Dave. We’ve seen a few of
your scale models online. How long have you been
building them for?
Dave: Hi, NZPC. I’ve been building models since I was about
seven years old, but I’ve been seriously building more solid
examples for just over a year now.
We understand that within that past year you’ve made
a few notable examples?
There’s still a few in my mini-stables that are awaiting livery
decals to be made. However, I’ve had a go at ‘Mad Mike’
[Whiddett]’s ‘MADBUL’ RX-7 and ‘HUMBUL’ RX-7, as well as
Andre Simon’s ‘DOCILE’ Evo II and some detailed replicas of
old WRC [World Rally Championship] legends such as Tommi
Mäkinen’s Evo XI and Colin McRae’s 22B WRC.
How did you originally become interested in cars?
Well, my dad was always into motorbikes, cars, and speed, but
I think my real passion came from my mate, Mark, taking me to
watch the WRC New Zealand years ago. The anti-lag going bang
and crackle, and the flames, seeing cars go mental on gravel — it
all just made me fall in love right away!
What has your involvement with them been since
then?
I’ve had a dabble, but it’s such an expensive hobby and, sadly,
one I’ve never really had enough coin to enjoy. I’ve had a fun
Toyota DX wagon with a 4A-GE Trueno engine, a GTT Caldina,
which was a bit of a nightmare, and my favourites have been a
1992 Mivec Cyborg and my current purchase: a 2008 Suzuki
Swift Sport. I love how it’s such an unassuming car yet packs a
nice naturally aspirated punch when needed. Mods on it are just
HKS ram intake, aftermarket exhaust, and it’s chipped — reliable
fun on the daily.How did you find yourself building miniature versions;
was it an evolution of your full-sized interest on a
smaller scale?
Yeah, you could say it’s an evolution. I’m a big ideas person, a bit
like Mike Whiddett, but without the budget for it, so I decided to
make my dream cars in scale form, because I can sustain that as
a hobby from a monetary point of view. I get to do things like my
current project of putting a V12 in a Mazda MX-5 or slam out and
widebody a Lambo Countach, all at minimal cost — although
some of the kits I make and kit-bash aren’t cheap in the end.NAME: DAVE BAILEY
AGE: 38
LOCATION: RAGLAN
OCCUPATION: SALES CONSULTANT AT HRV WAIKATO
FACEBOOK: 124KUSTMZ