Innehållsförteckning för April 2022 från Street Machine

AFTER a stack of COVID-induced false starts, Meguiar’s MotorEx is set to rock Melbourne Showgrounds, 30 April to 1 May. With 26 cars to be unveiled, this year’s Inauguration at MotorEx is going to take up an entire hall, with the covers coming off at 11am on the Saturday. There will be some real stunners among them, but the car MotorEx’s Owen Webb is most pumped about is Wayne Price’s HK GTS Monaro. In fact, he reckons it has the best bodywork he’s ever seen on a car – a big call indeed from the veteran show judge. “This Monaro looks like it’s been pressed out of one complete sheet of steel, which is something I’ve never seen before,” says Webby. “The joins are perfect; you can’t see where they…

THIS bright white XE could be a case study in the concept of ‘less is more’. From a distance, you might label it as a fairly standard 80s Falcon whose springs had had an altercation with an angle grinder. But there are so many beautifully executed modifications and details hidden just below the surface that the Summernats judges awarded it 2nd Top Interior and gave it a coveted spot in the Top 20 at ’Nats 34. As it turns out, White XEs are close to owner Nathan Giunco’s heart. “When I was a kid, the family car was a white XE GL,” he reveals. “I used to race go-karts; we would road-trip all over NSW in the XE towing a kart trailer to races and competing as a family.” It…

THERE are a thousand different ways you can build a street machine, and an equal number of ways a build can come about. However, the story behind this muscle-bound Falcon is a little more unusual than most, as Peter Radish from Roppo’s Garage in Shepparton explains. “This build actually started with the engine about 10 years ago,” he says. “Danny Selva of Selva Racing was asked to screw together a Pro Stock-style engine that could run on the street [see sidebar, p.56].” With a capacity of 424ci, the PULP 98-friendly Dart Little M V8 was built with the best of everything and rewarded Danny with 862hp and 634lb-ft on the dyno. However, it was never fitted to a car; instead it sort of ended up as a really impressive display…

WHEN he’s not blotting out the sun with smoke from his screaming blown HQ, two-time Summernats burnout champion Warren Eustace has the enviable role of screwing together Supercars engines. He’s been in the job for 14 years and counting, first under the Holden Racing Team banner and now as part of Walkinshaw Andretti United. WHEN he’s not blotting out the sun with smoke from his screaming blown HQ, two-time Summernats burnout champion Warren Eustace has the enviable role of screwing together Supercars engines. He’s been in the job for 14 years and counting, first under the Holden Racing Team banner and now as part of Walkinshaw Andretti United. So when he set out to create a capable weekender, there was always going to be a primo engine between the rails.…

JASON Pellett has been tinkering with cars since he was 15 years old. This affinity for all things automotive led him to pursue an apprenticeship as a panel beater, fuelling a passion for homebuilt projects that continues to this day. “Back in the day I used to muck around with Commodores,” he says. “I’ve moved on from them, but regardless of the car, I’ve always made sure I did as much work as I could myself – I love the challenge.” While cutting out rust, learning to weld or rewiring an EFI car on your own can be tricky enough, more than a few honest car guys and girls have found the biggest challenge to be finding a partner that understands their passion. This wasn’t the case for Jason though,…

WHILE the GT3 racing class is awesome, it may leave a little to be desired for street machiners like us. After all, current GT3 cars are based on today’s road-going supercars – no old-school metal in sight! But what if the rules were bent to allow GT3 cars to be built on older platforms? This is exactly what Richard Shumack thought while watching the Bathurst 12 Hour race, with GT3 classes occupying a good chunk of the grid. “After watching the Bathurst 12 Hour, I came to the conclusion that Australia needs a homegrown GT car,” he says. “Because the car would have to be completely made from scratch, I thought, why not bring back one of the best-looking Holdens ever made: the HQ Monaro?” I immediately fell in love…

KODY Booms proves that following your passion pays off. The Holden-loving 17-year-old recently buttoned up his 90s-spec HX Tonner, SIC1TON, which in turn landed Kody his dream job as an automotive refinisher. When did you purchase the HX? Back in February 2020 when I had just turned 16 years old. I always wanted a classic Holden but knew my chances were slim, as they cost a fair bit. On the way home from looking at a VS Commodore and realising that it wasn’t for me, I was scrolling Gumtree and saw this One Tonner for a pretty good price. So, I called the guy up and looked at it straight away. The Tonner had potential and it’s what I really wanted. Why a Tonner? I’ve always liked the look of…

BEN Judd’s PRO EH took out the 2018 Street Machine of the Year award thanks to stunning bodywork, a cool cruise-style interior and a stove-hot Holden red six. After racking up plenty of road miles, Ben decided it was time to give the cranky donk a look-over and make some minor changes. “I pulled it out just to give it a refresh and tidy-up, and to change a couple of bits and pieces,” says the Judd’s Speed Shop proprietor. “It got a light hone and some new rings, and I changed to straight-cut gears on the cam instead of the helical gears.” Having previously stomped out 325hp on Brad Tilley’s engine dyno, there wasn’t cause for a radical reinvention of the package, which starts off with an HQ-era red block.…

THE undying demand in the classic car market has brought some incredible pieces out of hiding and put up for sale of late, including two prototype Holdens. The first is a VH SL/E styling prototype (pictured top right) with only two – yes, two! – kilometres on the ticker, which sold at auction for $108,000. The car is said to be the only remaining survivor of three prototype mules, with the other two destroyed by Holden. GM-H donated this last example to a TAFE institute to be used as a teaching aid, before the seller, Barry Fielding, took possession of it when the school closed and kept it hidden away in country Victoria. The rare gem is built on a 1979 VB body, with myriad handmade features that we’d later…

Write to: Your Stuff, Street Machine, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 or email streetmachine@wheelsmedia.com.au. Make sure you include your address (not necessarily for publication). Keep it short and sweet! VALIANT EFFORT JUST wanted to pass on my congratulations to Scotty for his success with his dad’s old Valiant ute at the recent Mopar Nationals. I’ve been following all the Carnage videos, and there couldn’t have been a better conclusion for this part of the show, especially after those unlucky dyno fiascos! I think it also goes to show that the most satisfying cars aren’t always the fastest. And when you dial-in a car properly, like Scotty’s DYO performance at the Mopar Nats, the result is even sweeter. No doubt your dad’s smiling down on you, Scotty, so be proud.…

IF THERE was an award for Son of the Year, surely Steve Santos would be right up there in the running. After all, how many other people out there have built a car as a birthday present for their dad? There’s nothing like a deadline to get you motivated, and Steve’s was just four months away: his dad’s 70th birthday. “I was initially building an EJ wagon for him,” Steve explains, “but once I got into it, I started to like the car myself, and it was becoming too much of an engine combo for him. So I thought, ‘Bugger it, I’m keeping this.’ So, I finished the EJ and literally had four months until his 70th.” The new plan was to find an AP5 Valiant, as Steve’s dad would…

ORIGINALLY launched as a response to Ford’s genre-busting Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro has become one of the most popular American cars to modify thanks to its adaptability to a wide variety of build styles. Whether it’s a pro street toughie, pro touring corner-carver, neat streeter or drag sled – or even a lowrider or 4x4 – someone’s done it to a Camaro. So how do you build a standout ’Maro these days? If you’re Queensland’s Glen Finegan, you do it by accident. His 1150hp, twin-turbo LSX-powered 1969 F-body started off as a Drag Challenge build, before hurtling out of control into a supremely detailed showpiece. “I had the old Penzoil chopped-top ’55 Chevy and was going to put a twin-turbo LS in it, but I realised it was way too…

TAKING on any decent-sized build requires patience and persistence. Phil Bartolo needed a double helping of both in order to get his stunning XP Futura coupe finished. Why? Because he built it twice! Actually, Phil needed patience and persistence just to get the car into his shed in the first place. “As a kid, I always wanted an XP coupe,” he recalls. “I purchased this one in 2006 from the mechanic next door to my panel shop in South Melbourne after years of persuasion. I broke his balls for three years to get it!” When Phil purchased the XP it was in pieces, but along with all those pieces were some choice spare parts. It all sat in the garage for the next few years before he found time to…

WE RECKON it’s beyond cool that Supercars ace Cam Waters is building an XB Falcon hardtop into a proper street machine. And given that his day job is piloting a 600-plus horsepower Ford Mustang for Tickford Racing, you can bet that his after-hours plaything will be something very exciting indeed once it’s finished. The car itself is progressing in earnest at Rides By Kam, but the engine is ready to roll. Pleasingly, the Supercars influence is evident in Cam’s choice of mill – a screaming, naturally aspirated small-block Ford with fuel injection and eight trumpets. In fact, the only thing that kept Cam from using the very engine that powered him to his 2017 Sandown win as the basis of the build was that the block was found to be…

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BLOWN HEMI HOT ROD LUKE CROFT 1934 FORD COUPE “THIS is my latest project, a ’34 Ford three-window coupe that I’m building into a nostalgia 1960s-style gasser. The body is a reproduction C&W Components composite that has been chopped five-and-a-half inches and channelled once inch. The guys at ET Chassis & Race Cars are doing a large amount of the fab work, including building the rear end, the chrome-moly rollcage, pipes and exhaust. Fataz Competition Engines is building the 426 Hemi for me, with all the Keith Black Racing parts supplied by Victor Bray. The block is a 426 alloy Hemi with a Callies crank, Carrillo rods and JE pistons. The heads are Stage V alloy, topped with an 8/71 Littlefield blower. Feeding that is a vintage Hilborn four-port injection…

SEND photos of your car and a few details of what went into the build to Readers’ Rockets, Street Machine, Locked Bag 12, Oakleigh, Vic 3166 or email readerscars@wheelsmedia.com.au. Please note: Send us copies of prints as we are unable to return your photos. GREG DICKINS HR HOLDEN UTE “THIS 1966 HR was my grandfather’s work ute and the car that I learned to drive in. It was sold at a clearance sale, brought back, sold again, then offered back to me, as the owner’s car club would not let him keep the signwriting on it. Once back home, a look-over discovered a patina clean-up was out of the question thanks to subframe and spring hanger rust. A donor HD wagon restored the floor. It had a 173 and 2.5…

OUR overview last month of Scott Sheppard’s early years in the car scene revealed a profound Blue Oval influence. This month that trend continues as we look at Scott’s more recent and current rides – predominately 1970s Fords – all of which have received his personal touch. 01: WE ALL have an auto regret or three, and for Scott this 1973 XA Superbird is high on the list. “Who could have known the prices they would pull today,” he says. “This coupe was factory Yellow Fire with Walnut ‘black-outs’ and a white interior, with a 302 V8 and T-bar automatic. I found it in the Trading Post and paid $1500 for it. I finished off the bodywork and painted it metallic blue, mainly because I had that colour lying around…

ONE car that stuck out like dog’s balls among all the pristinely restored classics at this year’s Picnic at Hanging Rock was Gary Goldsbrough’s Datsun 240Z. It’s a real double-take car, because Gary has grafted LJ Torana rear- and front-end panels onto the classic Japanese body, with a 307ci small-block Chev now under the bonnet. The project only cost him about $5000, made from a very rusty 240Z shell and a lifetime’s collection of Torry parts. We shared Gary’s unique creation on our Facebook page; here’s what you had to say about the car affectionately called The Datana. Matthew Lovell – That actually looks awesome. Jason Andrew – Why, just why? Masey Bluntey – This is absolutely amazing work! A lot of these concepts just don’t work, but this one…

FOR those who participate in them, and even for those who watch, drag-and-drive events are a kind of sickness. In the United States, many members of that community spend the frigid winter months largely in withdrawal, as snow piles around their garages and drag strip Christmas trees are swapped for ones inside their living rooms. This is simply no good. The inaugural Sick Week served as a remedy for their affliction, capitalising on Florida’s warmer winter climate in early February to stage five days of racing and about 1300 kays of street driving through beach communities and ’gator country while most of the nation was busy shovelling driveways. The brainchild of Sick magazine founders Tom Bailey (who has multiple Hot Rod Drag Week wins to his name) and Luke Nieuwhof…

NOW in its 35th year, the Picnic at Hanging Rock show ’n’ shine is one of the biggest of its kind in Victoria. Hosted by the Macedon Ranges & District Car Club under the iconic rock formation, over 1000 cars turned out for this year’s show on 13 February. Event co-ordinator and 15-year club member Alan Martin says the Picnic had humble beginnings in the 80s. “It grew from effectively a boot sale at Hanging Rock,” he says. “And the next year they invited a few other car clubs along, and it just grew from there.” These days, punters come from far and wide to enjoy the varied metal and laidback atmosphere. “We got phone calls from people in Trafalgar in New South Wales,” says Alan, “and we do have…

THE Tuff Mounts Holden Drag Nationals has become one of the staple drag racing events in Australia, with big entrant numbers and bumper crowds descending on Heathcote Park Raceway every year for the Lion-only shindig. For 2022, event organiser Todd Foley took things to a new level by bumping the program from one day to two, with four qualifying rounds on the Saturday and eliminations moved to Sunday. “The event was getting so big for a one-day deal that I decided to move it to two days to help spread it out a bit,” said Todd. “It meant it was a much bigger undertaking for me and my team, but it was well worth it.” A record 180 entrants lined up on the Saturday, duking it out in seven classes…

SCAN any list of the greatest, the most famous, the most influential or the most ground-breaking street machines of all time and it’s a good bet that it will include Rick Dobbertin’s outrageous Pontiac J2000. At the height of pro street’s popularity in the mid-80s, when big-tyred, mountain-motored American muscle cars ruled the universe, it was unthinkable to almost everyone that you could transform a sporty little four-cylinder hatchback like the J2000 into a supreme pro streeter. Clearly, Rick thought otherwise. Magazines of the day described the J2000 as being from another planet. It featured a pneumatically lifted flip-up body and a flip-front, all covered in insane graphics incorporating dozens of colours. Its tube-frame chassis was made from polished 304 stainless steel. The all-alloy 350 Chev up front ran dual…

WHILE most people know Charlie Dixon as an AFL power forward for the Port Adelaide Football Club, in our world he’s known as an avid car nut who’s built some seriously tough machines – including this 750rwhp CV8 Monaro. “I guess my love affair with cars comes from my dad,” says Charlie. “He always had me around cars as I was growing up, so that’s what I waste all my money on now!” Charlie got himself this 2002 Munro around four years ago, and it wasn’t long until he started getting serious about modifying it. “When I got it, all it had was an exhaust system and some big Harrop brakes, and I drove it around for about a month before we started making plans to boost it,” he says.…

LILA Thompson has been an HQ SS tragic for 25 years, ever since she met her hubby Matt and nabbed his HQ SS as her daily. When he sold it a few years later to acquire money for their house deposit, Lila was left with an HQ SS-sized hole in her life. But as you can see, that void has since been well and truly filled! Her daughters grew up hearing of their mother’s fondness for the Queys, and her eldest, 15-year-old Grace (pictured with Lila above, alongside her own bitchin’ LC Torana), has since become a keen revhead in her own right. We chatted with Lila to find out about her green machine and her daughter’s growing Torry madness. Tell us about your HQ SS. My husband sold our…