Roy “Hoogs” Hoogeveen immigrated to New Zealand from Holland when he was just two years old. His parents were never into cars, but he found his purpose with mechanics early on – first restoring antiques, then moving under the bonnet to build a lifelong career as a technician with Honda.
Photography by Emily Chalk
“I was a car nut and still am a car nut — my son's taken over that trait as well,” says Hoogs in reference to how it all began. “As soon as I got my license, I got a car, and then I wanted to do stuff to it, and then I wanted another car — that love of cars keeps growing.”
For many, a first car is a means to an end. Something to get them from A to B. For Hoogs, his first car, a 1954 Vauxhall Velox, represented freedom and identity. It had a 3.3 engine and uniquely featured a ‘three on the tree’, meaning the gear shift leaver was located on the steering column instead of on the floor.
“I bought it for a crate of Waikato Green,” he says candidly, referring to one of Aotearoa’s most iconic beers. “I took the boot off the car and tore a hole in the roof so we could go possuming.” And so the adventures began.
Hoogs’ first break into mechanics was with Honda, a job that has since seen him enjoy a lifelong career with the brand. Today, he works as a respected technician at the national distribution centre in Nelson, with decades of experience under his belt.
Hoogs was just 19 when he went on holiday to the shores of Tasman and saw an ad for an assembly job at the then Honda car plant — the same age his son, Jayden is now. “He's right into it. He's got three cars, I can't keep up with him. He's always swapping and changing cars. He's probably worse than me now.” Hoogs also has a daughter, Shania (22), who may not share her younger brother’s passion for cars but she’s clearly inherited her dad’s hands-on nature — she works as an optical technician at Specsavers.
When Hoogs isn’t in the workshop with Honda, you’ll find him under a bonnet at home, often with Jayden by his side. “It feels really special having him there. I don't think he's going to move out of home anytime soon,” he says with a chuckle. “It's quite good to work together. We get pissed off with each other sometimes, have disagreements, but get back into it again and carry on.”
Jayden might be more car-obsessed than his dad, but by recent count, Hoogs’ collection of 10 still gives his son a run for his money. “I'm a V8 fan but the Honda's are still close to my heart because I've worked for them for so long. Everyone else was collecting Civics and Accords and all the rest but I thought ‘Bugger it, I’ll collect preludes and see what happens.’ Then before you know it, within 18 months, I've got all five of them.”
When asked, “Why V8s?”, Hoogs doesn’t hesitate. “When you jump in these cars, you turn the radio off, you wind the window down, and you just listen to the rumble while you're cruising down the road. It’s smiles for miles, as they say.” It’s not about horsepower, it’s a feeling of freedom.
Hoogs is also the president of local Nelson car club, The Stray Katz, a small, family-oriented club of around 40 people. The founding members didn’t fit in with the traditional culture of other car clubs, hence the name. Hoogs has helped shape a group that, at its heart, is about connection. “Everyone gets together, has a good laugh and helps each other out.”
Unlike other groups, there’s no criteria based on what car members own or a particular interest, either. “The beauty of our club is everyone's a committee member, so everyone has an equal say,” Hoogs says. “It’s basically like a big family. I didn't think it'd be like that but now I'm stuck in the middle of it, it's pretty cool. They keep voting me in for president, so I must be doing something right!”
Throughout the year, the club runs and attends various events but there’s one that’s especially dear to Hoogs’ heart. “The Memorial Run honours all the past people that have passed away. It sort of hits home a bit. It’s hard, but it's good at the same time. It’s quite prestigious,” he explains. “We also do fundraisers which produce a lot of money for cancer charities or Hospice. I like doing the fundraising thing, it’s quite cool.”
While Hoogs may know his way around an engine better than most, it’s clear that cars have never just been about power and speed; they’re a vehicle for bringing people together. Cars are how he connects with those he loves – his mates, his community, his son. And with plenty of projects on the go, he’s not planning on slowing down any time soon. “If you want to get into cars, don’t procrastinate about it,” he says emphatically. “Just go and do it like I did. Grab the bull by the horns.”
“The best song for a car ride is Bad to the Bone by George Thorogood And The Destroyers. My son used to sing it all the time in the backseat.”
