Not old enough to go to New Zealand and they are familiar with our numbering system, so "registered as a 55" won't work either.
Would love to find out more detail on the car, was it a kit sale and you built it or was it assembled by an outside shop?
Lots of little details that aren't consistent with a factory build, but nothing that looks errant or hard to correct except maybe an unknown metal piece on the clamshell.
Would love to see drivetrain pics and a pic of the factory build tag also.