Man Torque at 88 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow, right next to the local hotel, offers the widest possible range of gifts for all ages and lifestyles.

Howard says the store can offer the gift for the man who is hard to buy for, or the one who thinks he’s got everything. It offers an incredible range of licensed products including Ford, Holden, Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, Coca Cola, Bundaberg Rum, Zippo lighters to Leatherman tools.

There’s also a range of clothing and colourful chess sets as well as statues and figurines, jewellery, fragrances, books and an extensive range of bar wares.

Man Torque is currently working with local internet designers Yuranga developing a complete e-commerce site that is scheduled to be online mid July.

Born in Broken Hill and educated locally before attending Scotch College in Adelaide, Howard joined his father in the hospitality industry and later took over the family business. He and his wife Heather and children, Lee and Louise, came to Wollongong for “a sea change”.

A car enthusiast 

Always a car enthusiast, Howard began by modifying an XC Ford Falcon panel van before switching his attention to the new generation of “street machines” by making modifications to the vehicle in the late 1970s.

That was at a time when panel vans were the craze for young Australian car enthusiasts and in the early ‘80s he switched his attention and built an XA Ford Falcon sedan into a show car of the highest standard. It was regarded then as a standard setting car in Australia and helped to establish Howard’s growing reputation as an elite car builder.

Along the way Howard has received many major awards for his work in this field and when he and his family came to Wollongong in 2005 he continued his passion for street machines, commencing with a long planned idea to recreate a Ford Mustang. The Mustang was debuted at Summernats 20, winning Top Coupe and Top Paint plus placing in the Top 10.

He firmly believes that modified car building in Australia is now stronger and better than it has ever been.

If you want to see some of his works just log into howardastill.com and/or rarespareslegend.com.au and you will be more than pleasantly surprised.
 

Man Torque is a finalist in the New Business section of the Illawarra South Coast Local Business Awards with the winners being announced next month.