C100 driver has it - if you want a grunty private taildragger for you and girlfriend/wife/other to fool around in buy a late 50s C180 - you want to haul big loads out of dumb places, or want to go hunting/fishing with a couple of mates and a shedload of gear at high DAs/on floats, buy a C185.
Zeebee - A C180/185 is the best aircraft in the world in NZ. A Bonanza is the best aircraft in the world in Oz.
I saw that 182->180/IO550 conversion at Makarora last year and chatted over MANY beers with its proud owner about the hassle etc in achieving the result - VERY nice machine