2000 - On the Road - Classic Cars

Do you know any of the cars on this page? Maybe driven one or owned one. Don't say 'yes' too loudly as you will probably be showing your age.

The On the Road stamp issue featured six post-war cars that have been and still are seen on New Zealand roads. One of the challenges faced in producing this stamp issue was to select six cars out of the numerous makes and models that presented themselves. The six selected are all landmark vehicles that introduced a motoring innovation and were highly popular motoring choices in their time.

The Six Stamps.
Showing mint and used examples for each stamp.

 
40c - 'Volkswagen Beetle.'
The Volkswagen Beetle (originally called the Kraft-durch-Freude-Wagen – 'Strength through Joy Car') was one of the first small, affordable family cars, popular for its tough, air-cooled engine and no-nonsense engineering. It was a popular car in New Zealand in the 1960s and has recently been re-released in a streamlined design fit for the 21st century.

 
80c - 'Ford Zephyr Mk I.'
The Ford Zephyr MK I was produced by the British in 1950 and rapidly became a motoring icon – treasured for its space, powerful six-cylinder engine and good looks. Its modern suspension design offered a smoother ride than available at the time and is now widely used throughout the motor vehicle industry.

 
$1.10 - 'Morris Mini Mk II.'
When the Morris Mini MK II came along in 1959, it turned car design on its side with an east-west engine layout, allowing more of this chic little car’s bodywork to be used for cabin space. In 2000 the Mini was still being produced 40 years on and was placed second in the international Car of the Century list (a promotion run by the Automobile Association New Zealand to celebrate the better and more influential examples of one of the most defining inventions of the last century).

 
$1.20 - 'Holden HQ Kingswood.'
General Motors’ Holden HQ Kingswood cemented New Zealand’s enthusiasm for big family cars. Introduced in 1971 as being equally at home in the city or on rough roads, the HQ offered variations such as the ‘ute’ and the station wagon, making it a popular hit with Kiwi home handymen. Safety was emphasised in the HQ design. It was the first Holden built with a semi-chassis frame which improved rigidity and reduced noise and vibration. This series also introduced features like flow-through ventilation and four-wheel coil springing. Nearly half a million HQs were sold making it the biggest selling of all the Holden model ranges.

 
$1.50 - 'Honda Civic EB2.'
In 1972, Japan made a spectacular entrance to the international car market with the Honda Civic, a lively two-door hatchback offering excellent cruising ability, front-wheel-drive handling and highly cost-effective fuel consumption.

 
$1.80 - 'Toyota Corolla.'
Then came the Toyota Corolla, setting standards for reliability, longevity and customer satisfaction. The Corolla is a fine example of how far the car has come since the end of World War II, offering performance, handling accessories and economy undreamed of then.
(In 2019 the Toyota Corolla is still being produced. Admittedly, it has changed so much over the years but still shows Toyota got it right with this mid-range car.) 

First Day Cover - 1 June 2000.

Limited Edition - collectable.
Limited edition collectable containing exclusive stamp products not available anywhere else.

Limited Edition Signed First Day Cover - 1 June 2000.

Miniature Sheet Booklet.
Miniature sheet booklet including seven miniature sheets, one for each of the six different denominations and the last incorporating the complete set of six On the Road stamps.






Set of Maximum Cards.
Set of six pre-paid souvenir cards featuring a stamp on the front and artwork from the stamp issue.

Framed Presentation.
A framed presentation showing two sheets of the 80c - 'Ford Zephyr Mk I.' Below this is the maxi card of this same stamp, followed by the issue First Day Cover showing all six stamps. A full set of these framed presentations were produced but I've only managed to find an image of one of them.


Technical Information.
Date of issue: 1 June 2000.
The number of stamps: Six.
Denominations and designs: 40c Volkswagen Beetle, 80c Ford Zephyr MK I, $1.10 Morris Mini MK II, $1.20 Holden HQ Kingswood, $1.50 Honda Civic ED2, and $1.80 Toyota Corolla.
Stamp and first-day cover designed: Cato Partners, Wellington, New Zealand.
Miniature sheet booklet designed: Comm Arts Design, Wellington, New Zealand.
Photography commissioned: Lance Lawson, Wellington, New Zealand
Printer and process: Southern Colour Print, Dunedin, New Zealand, by offset lithography.
The number of colours: Two colours - black and one special metallic per stamp, with overgloss.
Stamp size: 30mm x 30mm.
Miniature sheet size: 150mm x 100mm.
The number of stamps per sheet: 25.
Perforation gauge: 14.
Paper Type: 103 gsm red phosphor coated.
Period of sale: These stamps remained on sale until 31 May 2001.


Some of the images in this post were used with permission from the illustrated catalogue of StampsNZ
You can visit their website and Online Catalogue at, http://stampsnz.com/

Information & images for this post came from.