This Issues Editorial was going to be all about how much the car scene is flourishing, with a bunch of new cars unveiled again at MotorEx and the upcoming Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo completely booked out weeks in advance. But that was until I had to make a call to cancel an ongoing event we had been running each month.
As I write this Editorial, I’m disappointed, angry and fed-up with the actions of so-called Car Enthusiasts who, despite regularly being asked to do the right thing when arriving and departing our Killer Rides Mid-Week Meet-Up at Oporto’s, continue to drive like dickheads, laying rubber down the road at high-speed while making a hell of a noise as their engine bounces off the limiter. With residents living directly across the road from the carpark, this is entirely unacceptable. I have been polite in asking for people to not ruin it for us, yet they still do it. Even at this month’s meet, I pulled two drivers over as they entered the carpark after doing a high-speed drive pass the carpark before coming in, and sternly told them the cops will be watching and not do anything stupid that could not only have their cars confiscated, but could bring the event to an end. And still, both of them left in a flurry of revs and wheel spin. What am I missing here? Do these guys think they are above the law? This then happened quite a few times during the night. Yep, there were some young kids filming their actions too, which I have been told are up on Instagram – but I’m yet to see anything. I sincerely hope those video’s fall onto the laptop of the local constabulary. You guys have no one to blame but yourself…
Held monthly on a Wednesday night, this meet was put together to give car guys and girls something to do during the week – especially local guys who can get out for a couple of hours, talk cars with mates and then go home at a decent hour. But thanks to the actions of those who simply go to these events to cause trouble, I made the decision to cancel any further mid-week meets indefinitely. Hope you clowns are happy! I really feel for the genuine car people who enjoyed catching up each month. Sorry guys, I’m not prepared to have some knucklehead ruin my reputation.
After posting my decision of the Killer Rides social media pages, I have been inundated with similar stories happening all over the country. Seems stupidity knows no boundaries!
THEMSELVES
ENTHUSIASTS REALLY NEED TO HAVE A LONG HARD THINK ABOUT IT!
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After a successful first outing with the first of our printed Best of Killer Rides magazine, we are now waiting for No.2 to arrive - just in time for Killer Rides
Live in August. If you haven’t secured a copy yet, but don’t want to miss out, we will have copies at events everywhere we attend or you can send an email in to secure your copy now! paul@killerrides.com.au
EFTPOS is also available for online or phone orders!
Anyone that has every suffered a breakdown in the middle of the night or a flat tyre in a remote area will tell you how frustrating it can be not being equipped to handle such emergencies. But those down times can be made easier to deal with if you have the Lokithor JA301 Jump Starter in your boot! Lokithor is a 4-in-1 lifesaver featuring a jump starter, air-compressor, power bank and an all-important LED light all rolled into one portable device. Having one of the Lokithor’s in your tool kit will give you confidence knowing that if something does occur, you’ll be well-equipped to deal with it – from a flat tyre to flat battery! And the good news is, these must have devices are now available from R&J Batteries branches Australia wide. For more information on pricing and ordering, go to: www.rjbatt.com.au
There’s no denying the Powercruise “No-Prep” Street Outlaw Series being held on the main straight at Sydney Motorsport Park has become one of the most talked about street car drag racing events in the country, with many of the Pro-Street big hitters coming out to take part. So I’ve decided to run a Street Outlaws Top 20 List each month to show who the big movers and shakers are. Gates open to Spectators and Entrants from 5.30pm with racing set to happen between 6.30pm and 10.30pm. Always check the Powercruise website: Powercruise.com and the official Street Outlaws Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/StreetOutlawsAustralia
01. Jason Mansweto – Ford Capri
02. Tom Kacsof - LC Torana
03. Brian Thomas - Chev Camaro
04. Jon Tsingolis - Ford Capri
05. Pat Defrancesco - Ford Capri
06. John Habib - LH Torana
07. John Saad - Ford Capri
08. Shadi Tobaji - Ford Cortina
09. Chris Sheppard - HJ Holden
10. Joe Messina - HJ Holden Ute
11. Tomi Raikko - LJ Torana
12. Matt Butler - VL Commodore
13. Caleb Thomas - Chev Camaro
14. Dominic Perri - RX Mazda
15. Robert Gullotta - Ford Capri
16. Peter Vozzo - Chev Camaro
17. James Caltabiano - Ford Escort
18. Michael “Gup” Gilbert - HQ Holden
19. Ian O’Sullivan - FG Falcon
20. Marcus Eichhorn - Chev Camaro
The Walkinshaw name is synonymous with high-performance motoring – mostly in the global racing world, but now you can take advantage of their rich racing heritage and expertise, with an engine package built to your expertise inhouse at Walkinshaw Racing Engines. For more information, contact them via engines@walkinshawracing.com.au https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091775381337
Grant & Keith Azzopardi
1948 Anglia Van.
There was an abundance of cool rods and customs to choose from at the Street Rod Nationals at Easter, but in amongst the usual ’28, ’32, ’33 and ’34 Ford coupes stood one very unique vehicle that grabbed my attention. The white, tubbed, Barra-powered ’48 Anglia Van built by father and son duo, Keith and Grant Azzopardi, was finished the week of the Nationals, and Grant’s 18th Birthday. The Anglia did plenty of laps around the Showground, with P-plates attached which turned heads too! The next Show Stand Out award will be given out at the Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo at Rosehill Gardens, May 27/28.
“I’ve been around tough cars all my life and one thing that I have learned is never to compromise on quality. That’s why my Mustang is fitted with Lovells Springs! INSIST on Lovells for your car too!”
Jake Myers - Burnout Champion!
After the limited run of 2022 Yenko Silverado’s sold out quickly, Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE) have returned with a 2023 version that is set to be just as popular, if not more so. SVE uses the Yenko trademark on all of their tuned versions of various GM vehicles including the Camaro, but this time around they are offering two versions of the Silverado – an offroad and a lowered spec truck. Both of which will be available with two engine options – both supercharged V8’s! The lower-spec (if you can call it that!) is a 5.3-litre that makes 700hp, but if you tick the other box, you’ll get a 6.2-litre version producing 800hp! The offroad
Silverado features a 4-inch lift kit, Nitto performance tyres on 20-inch wheels. But if you’re scared of heights, you can jump into the lowered truck with a drop of 2-inches in the front and a massive 5-inches on the rear! Just 100 of each Truck will be produced, split evenly between the 700hp and 800hp variants. US based pricing for the trucks will have Aussie fans in tears and reaching for a tissue, with the 700hp Truck retailing for just $67995 and the 800hp Yenko truck sporting a ticket price of $69.995. You could probably triple that to get one here and convert it. That’s if you’re quick enough to get one before they are all gone…
I’ve prided myself on bringing some if the best, most-interesting cars and bikes to the Illawarra region with Killer Rides Live - and its other branded events held in the Illawarra Hockey Centre since 1994! Over the years, I’ve managed to secure the best show cars, the most powerful drag cars and the wildest custom bikes ever built in Australia! And this year is to be no different. Here’s just a snapshot of cars that are making the trek to the are over the weekend of August 12th and 13th. More information can be found at www.killerrides.com.au
The annual festival of all things GM, kicked off under rainy skies at the Museum of Fire in Penrith, but with the show area filling fast, the grey skies eventually turned blue, bringing with it a flurry of chamois action to get the Chev’s, Pontiac’s, Buick’s and the like gleaming yet again. The event is also open to FX/FJ Holdens as well with a bevy of stock and modified early Holden’s taking part in the event. The early wet weather obvious kept the numbers a bit lower than previous years, but the turn out on display would surely keep any GM fan smiling!
Got something to say? Send it to paul@pscmag.com.au or message us from the Performance Street Car Facebook page.
G’day Paul,
For years now I’ve been keen to travel to the US and taken in some events, check out some car collections, cruise nights and of course, visit some of the more famous car building shops. My question is, do you know of any organised tours that make this all happen for someone who has never been before? I’d like to join in on a small group that ravels together for a few weeks across the US making lots of stops at interesting places. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jamie K – Salisbury, SAHi Paul,
I have been seeing a lot of posts online about the upcoming Hot Rod Power Tour and it makes me sad that your Road Trip didn’t get off the ground. Do you have any plans in place to give it another go? Even if it is a 3-day event? I guess it’s a case of starting small and building it into something special – like the Power Tour. Please reconsider.
Ivan G – Goulburn, NSW
G’day Ivan, Yes, I’ve been seeing those posts too and yes, it’s had me thinking more and more about it, but I can assure you it won’t be in 2023. With the introduction of 8 printed magazines, 9 digital magazines, a monthly cruise night and two indoor shows, it’s going to take time to make it all happen. We’ll see what the future brings. Stay tuned…
Hi Paul, I read with interest, the letter sent to you about these clowns that attend our events, only to carry on like fools in an effort to be noticed. I regularly attend meets in Sydney on Saturday nights and more often than not, it’s a bunch of young guys with phones egging on car owners to smoke the tyres on the way out so they can record it. Don’t these car owners understand that most often, that footage is uploaded to FB and Instagram within the hour? And if you think they cover up the number plates, think again! Guys, don’t do skids when leaving meets! It’s not that hard!
Tony H – Balmain, NSWG’day Tony, It’s like anything, wherever there’s a large group formed, there will no doubt be the dickhead element to spoil the occasion. I’m amazed that they still drive like idiots around car events, knowing full well that the Police are watching.
Hi Paul,
I want to address the letter from Andrew F in the last issue in regards to limiting the magazine content to just Pre ’78, chrome bumper cars. The way I see it, if the car is suited to the style of the magazine, who cares what model it is, what its powered by and whether the bumpers are chrome or plastic? Wake up mate, more and more people are building tough Commodore’s and Falcon’s. Live with it…
Steve H – Dandenong, VICHi Steve,
As I said in response to Andrew’s letter, if its good enough and suits the magazine, then there’s no reason why it won’t get a run in Killer Rides. Chrome bumpers or not…
Hi Jamie,
I know there’s some bike tours and the late Larry O’Toole at Australian Street Rodding magazine had organised Hot Rod based tours in the past, but I’m not aware of anyone doing tours of street machine style events, shop tours, cruise nights and the like. If there’s anyone out there offering this service, get in touch and we’ll help get the word out there!
There’s no denying the Street Outlaws Adelaide group is one massive car club, catering for the toughest street cars South Australia has on offer. And when the club organise a gathering, like they did on March 19th under clear blue skies, the hardcore car scene support them.
This event was a massive street party, taking over Benjamin Street in Newton for a display that can only be described as powerfest like no other held in Adelaide. In fact, it’s the largest event the club has held with more the 280 cars in attendance – showcasing some of the toughest, most powerful street cars in the southern state. More than 500 people wandered through the endless array of cars on display, many of whom were sporting Street Outlaws merchandise!
Apart from the car show, the day featured trade stands, Live music, free food and drinks all adding to the cool atmosphere the club bought to the party!
Apart from the car show, the day featured trade stands, Live music, free food and drinks all adding to the cool atmosphere the club bought to the party! Of course, events like this don’t happen easily, and the club would like to thank the Volunteers and Events subcommittee for all the work they put in leading up to, and during the day and of course to those steering the club in the right direction – Pres James Orlando, VP Anthony Barone and the rest of the Executive committee…
After having his prized ’28 Model stolen from Wintersun, Kev Quigley went looking for a new project to take its place…
Before we get into the Falcon, Kev wants to put it out there again, that if anyone knows anything about the ’28, please make contact. Losing that car still hurts and it would be great to find any new information about it. Now, let’s check out this cool XP! Kev didn’t find this XP in an old country town that time had forgotten where it had been stored in a shed for 50-years and was dragged out covered in dust but otherwise pristine original. Nope. He found this coupe in Brisbane. Sure, it wasn’t pristine, but it
wasn’t a total wreck either. The engine wasn’t running and the body had rust showing in the usual places and most of the trim pieces were missing. After Kev dragged the XP home, plans were being prepared for the coupe’s resurrection. Whilst sitting around watching Bathurst with some mates, they got the engine running before taking bets on how long it would last before it called it a day. With new engine oil inside, the old sixpack was fired into life and took just sixminutes to expire!
With the fun and games now over, Kev got serious about getting the Falcon finished, choosing a shop to handle the body and paint duties. Kev shipped the stripped-down body back into Oxley in Brisbane where a space had been made for the XP to have its body and paint sorted. Unfortunately, this part of the build doesn’t have a happy ending. In 2011, Brisbane experienced the worst flood in the city’s history, and the shop where the XP was sitting, was inundated with flood water, leaving the Falcon sitting beneath 20-metres of water for two whole weeks. The damage done by the water resulted in another full teardown to start again. Making the experience heartbreaking was that the Panel shop had no insurance, leaving Kev out
of pocket a considerate amount. That whole deal set the build back a further 12 months. With another panel beater and painter found, Kev once again got the XP on track. Externally, the body mods have been limited to a custom bonnet that feeds air into the engine bay and widened wheel tubs. Kev sourced new mouldings and badges, returning them to their rightful spot once Brett McHugh had put away his panel shaping tools and laid on a few coats of Audi Bright White. The new paint also covers the engine bay where the firewall has been recessed by 4-inches, the radiator support panel widened for the larger radiator, and the shock towers have been removed for clearance. There has also been a new trans tunnel fabricated and welded into place.
Inside, the interior is not a place to be on a bright sunny day if you’ve forgotten your sunnies and had a big night, the night before! It’s bright! With the factory front split bench and modified rear seat covered in bright orange and white vinyl, similarly designed door trims and dash and an acre of bright orange carpet under foot, you’ll be reaching for those sunnies in no time! Dean McHugh handled the interior restitch, which also includes retractable seat belts, under dash booster and Air-Con, tilt column and modified wiper system. The old analogue dash has been given the flick for a more stylish Dakota Digital set of dials that fit perfectly in the Aussie dash facia. The shifter is a TCI Outlaw unit with sounds coming from the JL Audio sounds that are provided by the Retro Sound head unit.
Inside, the interior is not a place to be on a bright sunny day if you’ve forgotten your sunnies and had a big night, the night before! It’s bright!
But its what’s hidden under that scooped bonnet that sets this XP Coupe aside from many others! It’s not unusual to find a V8 engine nestled between the inner guards of an XP Falcon Coupe –actually, sometimes its expected. Kev though didn’t want to follow everyone else by adding a Windsor small block, bucking that trend in the best way possible – with a big block! And not just any big block, the most desirable big block Ford imaginable, the amazing KAASE Boss-9 based on the legendary 429 Ford. Topped with the very first Inglese 8-stack fuel injection made for the Boss-9, the Ford Motorsport SVO
block is chock full of top-shelf gear including a cam and lifter kit from Comp Cams, Diamond flat top pistons and Scat rods swinging off the Scat crank. A modified 10-litre Moroso sump caps the bottom end and ensures there’s enough of the slippery stuff for the KAASE oil pump to send to all the area’s where it’s needed the most. The heads are aluminium BOSS-9 items that work perfectly with the combo under them. On the dyno in run-in mode, and with a belly full of 98-octane fuel, the injected 520 produced 620hp and 618ft lbs of torque at the flywheel, showing plenty of promise of great, usable power!
But its what’s hidden under that scooped bonnet that sets this XP Coupe aside from many others!
Backing the engine is a GM4L80E TCIspec 6-speed box that uses both the floor shifter and paddle shift. The GM box is mated to the BOSS-9 via a TCI adapter. A custom-built 4-inch tailshaft sends the power back to the McDonald Bros 9-inch diff complete with a Strange diff centre, and 31-spline Moser hycut axles. The diff is located via a four-
bar assembly. Whilst the work was happening on the Falcon’s underside, Kev added adjustable QA’1 coil-overs to each corner along with Teflon bushes, Wilwood discs and calipers, and a Mustang rack and pinion steering assembly. The wheels of choice are polished American Racing measuring 17x6 and 17x10-inches.
It’s taken 5-years and a considerable amount of fifty-dollar bills to get the Falcon finished and on the road, and as you now know, it wasn’t without plenty of drama’s along the way. But now the build is done, Kev and partner Shaz can idle it out of the garage and enjoy all the work that went in to creating one of the coolest XP Coupes in Australia! In fact, Kev had the XP in Sydney at Easter for the Street Rod Nationals, where we finally got to get some pics. Even that was an ordeal with the XP attracting plenty of people whenever it was parked – especially when the bonnet was up and that monster engine was exposed!
There was so much hype surrounding MotorEx in the lead up to the 21st event and with good reason. Not only was there a host of stunning Superstar Finalists coming together for the end of season battle, and of course another batch of killer cars being unveiled for the first time, but for the 21st MotorEx, the organisers have added a “Hall of Fame” where previous MotorEx winners were pulled out of hibernation to come together in a gathering that we will unlikely ever see again. For those that have been in the scene for long before MotorEx appeared on the events calendar, it was a trip back in time showing a wealth of history of top shelf cars and bikes that wowed the crowds from back in the day. And for those that have only recently become involved in the sport,
these cars offered up a view of how it used to be. The Hall of Fame was overflowing with innovation, horsepower and overall coolness with some of the cars not seen for many years. Mick Fabar’s ZERO’D XR Falcon showed why it’s still one of this country’s superior builds, as did Les Lawry’s amazing ’30 Ford Vicky, Peter & Michelle Fitzpatrick’s TRILOGY
FC Holden, Darrell Leemhuis’ Rodeo, Chris Retzos’ SRC-built ’57 Chev coupe, and the slick ’34 Ford coupe owned by Ewan & Linda McDonald from the Deluxe Rod Show, just to name a few. There’s no doubt that these cars are capable of keeping up with the current crop of new builds, and in some cases like Les’ Vicky, have recently proved it by winning Australia’s Most Beautiful Hot Rod and the inaugural Hot Rod & Harley Expo.
21-years after the first MotorEx event took place, it returned with the most impressive line-up of cars in the events history…
...the 600-cube KAASE Boss-powered XY wowed the judges, with those in the know, touting it as the best car ever built in Australia!
The Unveils always bring in the crowds as everyone wants to see the next big wave of high-end show cars to be unleashed onto the scene. After so many had the covers removed at the Summernats just a few months earlier, some were of the opinion that there wouldn’t be many on offer at MotorEx. That wasn’t to be however as 13 new builds were revealed to the waiting crowds early on Saturday morning. All the cars were amazing, but one in particular, was simply exceptional, with history now showing it was so good, it scooped the pool in every category it
was in the running for as well as taking home the Grand Master award. That car was the XY Falcon sedan owned by Dan & Kylie Morton. Many people had seen this car years ago in raw steel, but since then, it’s been under wraps at Pat’s Pro Resto’s where Pat and the team were weaving their magic on the Falcon, refining every inch of the XY, exceeding Dan’s original goals. With slick green paint, and satin gold highlights, the 600-cube KAASE Boss-powered XY wowed the judges, with those in the know, touting it as the best car ever built in Australia!
The guys at Exclusive Customs have been very busy with yet another unveil car, this time something a little different with a XJC Jaguar owned by Hamish Davidson. Powered by a turbo Barra six-pack and covered in a slick coat of custom-take on British Racing gear, the Jag coupe certain had its fair share of admirers! Darren Fosberg has been feverishly working on his regularly cruised ’55 Chev Tudor in an effort to get it to Melbourne. With a reverse red on white paint scheme, and rolling on traditionally cool ET Fueler rear rims and
10-spoke fronts, the 600-plus horsepower, 434-cube small block powered ’55 looked absolutely sensational and will no doubt hit the road again soon! Chris Pearson’s “Q-UP” HQ Ute has jaws dropped when the covers slid off that Ute showing off the smooth body, stunning black paint and blown injected big block hanging through the bonnet. The tubbed body was reworked inhouse at Chris’ shop – Corporate Bodywork, who also handled the paint and the fitment of the VF GTSR HSV dash assembly!
The Unveils always bring in the crowds as everyone wants to see the next big wave of high-end show cars to be unleashed onto the scene.
John Cavasinni’s ’34 Chev Coupe glowed like a beacon thanks to the retina-burning orange paint laid on by Johnny Z’s Hot Rod & Custom Shop. With a blown big block, superb details and big billet wheels, this Chev coupe was nothing short of spectacular. Other cars included in this year’s unveils included Daniel Mussared’s Harrop-blown, Holdenpowered candy blue VK Commodore; Chris
Sorgenoski’s XYGT Falcon resto; Charlie Azzopardi’s tough-street ’56 Chev Belair; Daniel Cassar’s resto SL/R Torana; Paul Agius’ red-on-red ’32 Ford Coupe; Adam Rogash’ twin-turbo 596ci Pro-Street Capri; Glenn Coughlan’s chopped ’34 Chev Tudor, and Nick Hansen’s ’34 Ford Tudor. All absolutely stunning rides that will compete on the show scene for the next 12 months of so…
There was so much hype surrounding MotorEx in the lead up to the 21st event and with good reason.
Add to this the Street Elite Showcase where it was wall to wall quality; the Performance Garage; the Rare Spares Real Street section (hindered this year by the wet weather); Muscle Car Marvel; and some burnout and drifting displays and you have a massive event that is probably unrivalled in Australia. With easy access to the venue via tram, train
or bus, it was no surprise to find out that more than 20,000 people flowed through the show during the two days. There will be plenty of stories told, memories recalled and thoughts given about who won what for months to come after one of the most impressive car shows yet. That begs the question, how will they top this next year?
Having been in the Gallagher family for more than 40-years and providing plenty of memories for all involved, this EH had been sitting untouched for 25 of those years and now it’s been rebuilt as a dedication to wife, and mother Faye, who has sadly passed away…
Holden
Faye was one of those special people who dedicated her life to helping others. A nurse that spent a lot of time working in remote communities, as well as a stint in the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Faye had spent plenty of time in the
EH creating much loved memories with her family, and soon after her passing, Michael and his kids decided to bring back the EH from its resting place and get it back on the street where it once served as a faithful family run around.
Knowing that his years of working tirelessly on cars are probably behind him, Michael sought help from those he knew were heavily involved in the car scene. Living in the Illawarra area, and having guys like Simon Kryger listed in your phone, the EH was always going to be in great hands. Forty years ago, the EH was picked up in Western Sydney as a project car. The body was rusty and every part of the EH had seen better days, but Michael could see past
those issues and with help from some good mates, spent some five years bringing the EH back from the brink of becoming extinct. The EH served the family well once the initial build was done. But life soon got in the way, and the EH just sat in the corner patiently for its time in the sun again. Simon took on the role as project manager, getting the ball rolling in the order that it needed to be done. Let’s face it, he’s been down that road many times before.
The body was always going to consume the most work so to get it right the first time, the rolling shell was shipped off to Dave Cornford at the DRC Group where Dave stripped the body back to bare steel before massaging every panel back into shape in readiness for colour. The standard bodylines have been retained to keep the classic EH looks in place. Once Dave was satisfied the sheet metal was ready for colour, he bought in Rowan McJannett to assist in laying down the new coat of Holden Absolute Red from the PPG range. With the brightwork reattached to the shiny new
skin, the EH was starting to take shape. Wanting the EH to be a nice cruiser, the brake and suspension area’s were reworked, but not to any extremes. The front end sits lower thanks to Pedders shocks and springs, with the original steering rebuilt to work better than new. The front brakes were upgraded to disc for obvious reasons. Down the back, the leaf springs were reset with Pedders shocks added for good measure. All of the bushes have been replaced with Whiteline items. In keeping the oldschool look is a set of 15x7 Torque rims – a perfect choice for this EH.
Just after the photo shoot took place, it was time for Michael and the family to take the EH home where the family’s sole intention is to enjoy the new look EH as often as possible!
Moving into the interior, another local was given the opportunity to apply their handiwork. Jimmy Badger is somewhat of an interior legend in the Illawarra region, having stitched up many standout cars over the decades he has been applying his trade. Again, the theme of reworking what was there has been utilised with the factory seats being recovered in a combination of Cream and Caramel vinyl that also found its door trims, and dash pad with the lighter shade employed for the headlining. Knox supplied the chocolate colour carpet whilst the requirement of seat belts was easily sorted by procuring Copper coloured belts from Muscle and Classic Parts. The original dash facia remains untouched, but it now surrounded in extra dials from the AutoMeter American Muscle Series, that are more up to the job at hand without looking too out of place. Just below the added gauge cluster sits the original radio and heater controls. The sound system is a Blaupunkt head unit and speakers fitted by the DRC Group.
Michael resisted the urge to remove the six and drop in a V8 of some description – and we’ve seen them all from Holden, Lexus, Leyland P76, Chev, LS (of course) and even a 302 Windsor. But for Michael, six cylinders would be enough. Simon came in to the build here and sat down with Sam at Westend Performance to work out a game plan to build a tough six-pack that still offers up reliability on pump fuel. The 202 was stripped down and cleaned up before the block scored a stroker crank, H-beam rods and forged JE pistons wrapped in Total Seal rings. A custom spec cam was added along with a hi-vol oil pump, all capped off with a sump modified by Matt Marsh at Pro Street Industries. The cylinder head is a YellTerra alloy 12-port version fitted with PSI valve springs. Supplying plenty of
Pump 98 fuel is a trio of 45mm Weber carbs. With an increased capacity of 210 cubes, the prepped six turned an impressive 380-horsepower on the Westend Dyno. Not bad, huh? Providing the spark to fire those six pots is an ICE 7-amp ignition system. Sitting behind the engine is a Celica 5-speed fronted with a Western Clutch Service heavy-duty clutch with gear selections made via a Quickshift shifter. Keeping the engine running cool is a radiator built by Rick at South Coast Radiators.Just after the photo shoot took place, it was time for Michael and the family to take the EH home where the family’s sole intention is to enjoy the new look EH as often as possible, creating more family memories for many years to come. All the while, with Faye watching over with a great big smile!
VINCE
CAMERA - 1965 CHEV IMPALA
A written-off XA GT Falcon was relieved of its running gear before it was sent to Muscle Car heaven. Thankfully for Neville Shears, he decided to place the entire running gear on pallets in the shed “just in case” one day they would come in handy…
It’s funny how some cars stick in your mind long after they have been moved on. Sure, the XA was one that Nev won’t forget, especially after it was declared a write off after being side-swiped. These days, you could roll it a dozen times, set fire to it and then submerge it at the local beach for a week, and someone would still resurrect it! But it is what it is, and you can’t change history. Another car Nev was fond off was an XE S Pack Van. Not for any particular reason other than it was a good car that you don’t see much anymore. So, when the time came for Nev to think about a new weekend cruiser, an XE Van was his first choice. But not just any old XE Van. It had to be windowless and have a tailgate rear – a desired option that proved to be almost impossible to find. When Nev eventually did find a Falcon Van with the right panel arrangement, it was an earlier XD model. No big deal really as the later model front is a bolt up operation anyway.
Nev travelled to Melbourne to pick up the new project and even though it had the right doors out back and no windows on the sides, it wasn’t what you’d call in mint condition. Actually, even below average is being generous. Nev reckons it was just terrible. But as we all know all too well, even terrible can be a good starting point, considering how hard these extradie Vans are to find! With the Van back home in Sydney, Nev set about doing the
body and paint himself at home. At some stage, Nev decided to keep the van true to its heritage and leave the XD front in its rightful place. In fact, the only changes made to the body was a small piece of bonnet metal removed for some engine hardware to hang through, a sportier front bar and spoiler, and the addition of the familiar S Pack stripes that now lay over the top of the newly laid down Hyundai Yellow base coat.
With the right tune in place, the 357-cube Clevo makes around 500hp – which is just fine by Nev.
Right from the outset, Nev was always going to use that XA driveline in whatever he purchased and dropping it into the Van seemed like a perfect match! Obviously Nev is a hands-on type of guy, because not only did he sort out the Van’s appearance, he also rebuilt the driveline to make it move so much better than it ever did! With the Clevo stripped down, Nev replaced the internals to not only perform better, but look much more impressive thanks to that impressive induction system. Starting with the original XA GT JG66 block, Nev kept the factory lightened and balanced 4MA crank that swings the matching rods and forged flat top pistons wrapped in Speedpro rings. There’s a Mellings oil pump added to send the slippery stuff around the engine from the custom 7-litre sump with crank scraper. The cam of choice is a hydraulic roller from the Comp Cams range. The heads come from
PavTec in Melbourne and are part of their cnc-ported Competition series and come with proven performance. They feature Isky double valve springs that wrap around stainless valves. Ford Racing valve covers complete the long engine. Other additions include ICE ignition and a pair of four-into-one headers that unwind into a dual three-inch system. Instead of sticking with a single carb for fuel supply, Nev spoke with the team at EFI Melbourne and scored one of their quadWeber intake manifolds that Nev quickly filled with 48mm IDA Weber carbs topped with trick eight-inch carbon-fibre stacks. The cool induction system gives the XD a unique look and is certainly a talking point whether the bonnet is up or down. With the right tune in place, the 357-cube Clevo makes around 500hp – which is just fine by Nev. Backing the GT engine is am FMX auto and 9-inch diff. That’s about as good as it gets in the Ford ranks.
The satin finishes rims look perfect against the yellow paint, offering up that 80’s Pro-Street look!
The Van now sits just right thanks to some suspension work that includes Ultra Low King springs to the rear and matching coils on the front. Gas shocks are located at each corner as are factory disc brakes and calipers that are all hidden by Centerline Autodrag wheels – 15x4.5-inches on the nose and 15x10-inches where it matters. The satin finishes rims look perfect against the yellow paint, offering up that 80’s Pro-Street look!
Inside is like taking a trip back to 1980. The factory striped seats have been retained as has the standard issue dash, steering wheel, console, shifter etc. Even though Nev has been to a few Van events in his XD, this isn’t your typical era-correct show van. The rear area doesn’t have an archway, TV, or minibar but it does have a pair of mini-tubs, carpeted wall and a mattress with a couple of Ford pillows.
It’s taken Nev three-years and around $55,000 to get the XD back to where he is happy with it and to a point where he is happy to be out cruising as much as he can. And if you, like me, was wondering how long he has had those XD-0351 number plates for, you’ll be shocked to know he has only had them a short time. A quick check online to see what was available, resulted in these being attached to the Van. Sometimes, you can just be lucky…
With a record number of entrants, the 2023 Tuff Mounts Holden Nationals showed why this event is a fan favourite amongst Holden owners.
Todd Foley has tapped into two big markets in Australia – Holden and Ford, and has put together separate drag racing events to suit each crowd, with both held at the ever-improving Heathcote Park Raceway. This time around, it was Holden’s turn to tackle the quarter mile at the Tuff Mounts Holden Nationals. The event kicked off on Thursday 20th April with a test and tune, followed on Friday with 225 entrants lining up for a day of hard-fought qualifying. Eliminations
would then be held on Saturday to decide the winners of each of the nine classes on offer. To be part of this event, you either had to have a Holden-bodied car or a GM-power in something else. That’s why there was Barra-powered Commodores and a Mustang in attendance – which had a potent twin-turbo big block Chev providing the power. Some purists believe that it should remain GMpowered Holdens, but Todd makes the rules and he does it his way.
Those classes running the full quarter mile, were run in a dial-in format, while the 1/8-mile brackets ran off a Pro-Tree. All qualifying was done across the fullquarter and with the track prepped to its usual standard, it wasn’t surprising to see many PB’s achieved. It seemed the 7-second zone was the new hangout place, with many drivers breaking into the 7’s. Luke Foley returned to the track with the new twin-turbo LS-powered VH Commodore, rolling through the beams at 7.61 @ 180mph, while the VK Commodore owned by Ricc Pontonio ran a PB of 7.84 @ 175mph. Luke Green was another to run in the 7’s with a 7.95 @ 171mph in his TOPFLO LH Torana after earlier running a 7.99 @ 166mph. And whilst running 7’s is damn impressive, it was Bruno Matijasevic’s HG Holden that stole the show in regards to quick times, dipping into the 6’s not once, but twice
– the best of which resulted in a timeslip reading 6.82 @ 190mph! Yeah, it’s a big tyre car and yes, the blown injected powerplant is in fact a 521-cube TFX Hemi, but having all that gear doesn’t make it easy getting down the track and the fact that Bruno and his team did it twice makes them the fastest and quickest car at this year’s Tuff Mounts Holden Nations.
The event kicked off on Thursday 20th April with a test and tune, followed on Friday with 225 entrants lining up for a day of hardfought qualifying.
The burnouts were big to encourage more grip, the ET’s were quick and the top end speeds were massive, with some cars separated by thousandths of a second.
Pro-Port CNC - Iron Lion
1st - Chris Tatchell - LH Torana
2nd - Paul Clifford - Holden Kingswood
Performance Parts Solutions - Aspirated Assassin
1st - Pat Caruso - Gemini coupe
2nd - Luke Cartledge - LC Torana
Hurricane Automotive Products - Boosted Holden
1st - Matt Murphy - HQ Kingswood
2nd - Jamie Knight - HZ Premier
Vicwide Diesel Repairs – Six Cylinder
1st - Chris Oscurro - VL Commodore
2nd - Jack Kujundzija - VL Commodore
Pro Street Radials - 235/255 Tyre
1st - Kevin Cox - HK Premier wagon
2nd - Jake Crumblin - HZ ute
MPW - 275 GOAT
1st - Mark Drew - LH Torana
2nd - Andrew McQualter - HQ wagon
Race Parts Melbourne - Big Tyre
1st - Steve Athans - Ford Mustang
2nd - Scott Foreman - VB Commodore
Pro Street Trimming - Street Brawler
1st - Jamie Turner - HQ Kingswood
2nd - Jude Drew - VR Commodore
GJ Drivelines - Stick Shift
1st - Nick Nelson - VK Commodore
2nd - Phil Xuerub - VN Commodore
As you’d expect, the eliminations were a battleground with every driver looking to be in the finals. The burnouts were big to encourage more grip, the ET’s were quick and the top end speeds were massive, with some cars separated by thousandths of a second. Throw in the odd red light and break out, and the race to the finals become even more exciting. Naturally, only two drivers could go head-to-head for the final race in each category. And those have been listed in each class. The 2023 Tuff Mounts Holden Nationals was a huge success and soon after the last pass had happened, and the trophy presentation for the racing and show and shine had been completed, talk was already happening about next year’s event. See you there…
Pics - Darren @ Trackside Images
They say all good things take time, and if that’s true, then Arthur Piriu’s Camaro is something very special, taking some 10-years to transform from run-down import to a 700hp Pro-Touring supercar!
When Arthur found the Camaro, it had seen better days. A recent import from the USA, the Camaro had been subjected to some previous work in the US, including some reworked panels covered in a black paint job that was never going to cut it for Arthur. Sure, he had grand plans for the ’67 Chev coupe, but maybe didn’t realise it was going to be a decade before he was going to be one hundred percent satisfied with the way the Camaro drove, handled, looked and above all else, performed! When time allowed, Arthur would tinker with the coupe, running down and ticking off that long list of jobs to do as each one was completed, no doubt dreaming about the day he would turn that key and cruise the black top in his own cool Camaro. But before that could happen, there was plenty of work to be done.
First to go was the black paint that was less than ordinary. So too were the panels that were hidden under it. As we all found in the past, the Camaro’s body was good from far, but far from good, so Arthur set about fixing that problem with all new bolt-on panels added to the ’67-spec shell. Those panels that weren’t replaced, were taken right back to virgin steel and repaired where necessary. With the body at the stage where he was happy, it was time for colour, but this time, Arthur did a complete turnaround and went to the opposite end of the colour chart, opting for PPG’s Calcite White that now covers everything except for the cowl bonnet that is wrapped in carbon fibre, as is the subtle front spoiler.
Inside, the Camaro shares its 1967 heritage with some HSV DNA, taken from a VF GTS Commodore. Whilst the seating is all Chev with the factory Deluxe option getting the nod to be bolted into place, with each seat getting its own Velo six-point harness. The door trims, steering wheel and gauge cluster all have that 1967 style about them, all being renewed in the process. But that’s where the Camaro’s history ends. Arthur went to great lengths to incorporate some late model technology into the 60’s muscle car, and on the interior, that meant
adapting some gear from a HSV VF GTS including the centre dash cluster, MyLink display (complete with Sat Nav), Bluetooth, the Push start button, and electric handbrake. Oh, and let’s not forget the entire Bose sound system from that same GTS. Getting it all to work together was a massive undertaking, but thanks to the talented Nosh, the HSV’s wiring, body control module and all other necessities were adapted and work a treat! There’s more carbon fibre added to the dash and centre console, that latter housing the S1 Sequential shifter.
...and if that wasn’t enough, there’s a big blue bottle of fun added to get the horsepower figure to 720hp at the rear wheels...
The HSV GTS gear didn’t stop there though, with a brand new, 6.2-litre LSA small block bolted into the Camaro’s engine bay. The LS-gurus at Sam’s Performance supplied one of their special blower-spec cams, before the pulleys were upgraded to produce 16psi and if that wasn’t enough, there’s a big blue bottle of fun added to get the horsepower figure to 720hp at the rear wheels on pump 98 fuel. The guys at Unigroup Engineering did the specialised tune. Hooker Blackheart headers complete the engine package and unwind into a three-inch mid-pipe, custom SP Muffler build bi-modal mufflers and eventually 2.5-inch tailpipes. Backing the factory blown engine is a Magnum Tremec 6-speed using a HSV GTS twin-plate clutch and 3.5-inch Ricky’s Tailshaft to get all those ponies back to the custom Tru-Trac 9-inch diff built by Bosnjack Engineering.
THANKS TO: Performance Exhaust Centre where Arthur works and where the majority of the work had been completed. SP Mufflers for the custom, one-off bi-modal mufflers. Nosh for the integration of the HSV GTS electrical components into the old-school surroundings.
Inside, the Camaro shares its 1967 heritage with some HSV DNA, taken from a VF GTS Commodore.
Pro-touring builds all revolve around superior handling, and as a factory muscle car, Camaro’s were expected to handle better than the family cruisers on offer. But Arthur wanted more. To make his Camaro capable of handling like a racecar, he added tubular control arms, Hotchkis springs and Bilstein shocks to the front end, whilst the rear end scored Hotchkis leaf springs, Caltracs and Calvert adjustable shocks. Instantly, the handling improved considerably. Mind you, the sticky 225 and 295 Yokohama Advan A050 rubber mounted to 18x9 and 18x10-inch 3-piece SSR wheels don’t hinder the driving experience either. Of course, with a bunch of horsepower on top, the standard-issue brakes wouldn’t cut it, so they were binned in favour of 355mm and 330mm slotted discs and Brembo 4-spot calipers providing more than enough stopping power.
With the Camaro now at the point where Arthur considers it done, all he needs to do now is drive it and enjoy it – something he plans to do every chance he gets. Asked what he would do differently if he was to start the project again, Arthur simply stated, “do what I have done the first time around!” Enough said…
The Coota400 has been run many times before and each year, the cars get quicker and come from as far afield as Victoria to take part. Kicking off on Thursday and running through to Saturday evening, the event takes over Cootamundra with every possible motel room, cabin and camping space booked out months in advance! A week out from this event, the main topic of discussion wasn’t about who has the most power or who was going to race who, rather the impending bad weather that initially was going to put an end racing sometime
early on Friday and all-day Saturday. There was never any doubt that Thursday was going to be bathed in sunshine, but with just the cruise to Cootamundra and scrutineering scheduled for the day, the fine weather was neither here nor there. People come to this event to race. Adding to the weather woes was the fact that the meeting point, the service station at Pheasants Nest, was a construction zone leaving very little space for the cars to line up and if necessary, unload for the cruise down the Hume.
What a great concept. Get a bunch of tough cars together, meet on the outskirts of Sydney to cruise to the usually quiet country town of Cootamundra and then unleash all that horsepower on the airstrip!
With the possibility of rain and now problems with the meeting point, event organiser, Chris Ioannidis posted to Facebook advising everyone to head to Cootamundra as soon as they could so there would be some grudge racing on offer early for those who wanted to take part. And take part they did. Sure the race to get through scrutineering quickly
to get the cars on track saw some delays with long lines of people trying to get through at the same time, but Chris and his team got the job done as best they could. Before too long, the cars were ushered onto the runway to cut loose. The screaming engines and smoking tyres saw the Coota400 kick off in familiar style, albeit earlier than expected…
With the pit area full of all kinds of cool street cars, the scene was set for a battle on the run way of epic proportions.
Upon arriving at the airport on Friday morning under clear blue skies, those whose glasses are always half empty, were already talking about the rain that was to hit the venue later that day! Yeah, it was due, but how about we concentrate on getting the racing underway instead of what was to come later in the day. By this time, the Melbourne racers, who had been at the Powercruise Street Outlaws racing in Sydney the night before, had arrived in time for racing after driving through the night. How’s that for dedication! With the pit area full of all kinds of cool street cars, the scene was set for a battle on the run way of epic proportions. Apart from a short half hour delay due to a light shower, that racing was on, with drivers giving it all they had to take the win.
There’s been talk of a sequel to the Aussie cult movie, Running on Empty, and at this years Coota 400, the final scenes were being shot on site.
With a huge area to warm up their tyres, well, OK, it more of an opportunity to do a power-skid, the drivers lined up at the starting lights for the heads-up sprint down the run way. With well-known drag racer Troy Papadopoulos controlling the Pro-Tree, he was sending the cars off at a rapid rate until the holding area at the end of the strip was full, and then the congregation of tough street cars did a quick lap back, to allow the cars to keep racing. After everyone had made plenty of laps it was time to run the finals in both Aspirated and Forced Induction.
The screaming engines and smoking tyres saw the Coota400 kick off in familiar style, albeit earlier than expected…
With the top contenders sorted out, they were run down the strip until the final two were found. sure, there was some controversy surrounding these pairings, but isn’t there always? As the storm clouds gathered menacingly in the west, the finals were (eventually) run and won, with the two Trophies being awarded to Michael Mellas in the Aspirated class with his SL/R Torana sedan, and Louie Katsiaras (Turbo XE Falcon) in the Forced Induction class.
For
www.coota400.com.au
Words - Paul Beck
From the land of custom pickups comes this finely crafted 1965 Chev C10 by Creative Rod & Kustom…
There’s a million custom built Pickups on the scene in the US and it takes something very special to be memorable and to win top awards at all the big events. This is one such Pickup. Mark Austin’s time with this Chev started when he purchased it as a rough body and bed that had no floor and sported an average coat of primer. Obviously looking passed the C10’s flaws, Mark dragged his new project home with the intention of building a full-tilt custom ride. Mark spent a few years working on the truck with some tried and tested body mods including a roof chop that saw the drip rails removed, and eventually channelling the body over the reworked chassis with a narrowed rear end. But, as is usually the case, a few
curve balls were thrown towards Mark forcing him to part company with his work in progress. Luckily, a mate decided he’d take on the project and took over ownership. Fast forward a few more years, and the opportunity arose for Mark to purchase the C10 back, looking almost as it did when he bid it farewell. The truck then went to a shop to paint and some finishing details where work stopped after being taken back to its bare bones again. That’s when Mark got serious and shipped the Chevy off to the guys at Creative Rod & Kustom to complete the long-term project. Mark’s plans came to fruition in a flurry of custom work by the Creative team resulting in one of the most impressive Pro-Street Chev pickups.
What you will find is a suitably modified, 572-cube big block making around 850-horsepower singing through those eight-staggered tubes.
Externally, the custom work includes the previously performed 2-inch roof chop with the drip rails removed; suicide doors, flush mount fuel filler, and ‘69 Camaro bumpers.The work didn’t stop there though. The body has been narrowed and channelled and the bonnet has a 1-inch wedge cut from it and welded to the fenders and cowl so that just the centre section opens and is now hinged from the windshield area. The rear of the cab has been squared off to make it look closer to the bed – which itself has had plenty of work done to it and lined in dark coloured wood fitted around the big wheel tubs. The bed also has the exhaust cut-outs added to each side. With the body work done, it was time for colour, and what a colour! Is there a more striking colour than Candy Red?
Inside, it’s a mix of old and new. The ’59 Chev Impala dash (complete with Classic Instruments) dominates the view initially, but soon enough you eye wonders around the restyled cabin that now features new bucket seats and custom centre console that has been stitched up in leather and suede by Bux Interiors. There’s also a Billet Specialties steering wheel on top of the tilt Ididit column, and enough switches to get the job done.
There’s a million custom built Pickups on the scene in the US and it takes something very special to be memorable and to win top awards at all the big events. This is one such Pickup.
It’s obvious the engine sitting in the sheeted engine bay is fuel injected, with those sexy Kinsler stacks hanging far enough through the bonnet to let you know all is not stock below them. What you will find is a suitably modified, 572-cube big block making around 850-horsepower singing through those eight-staggered tubes. The driveline now sits snuggly on the custom back-half tube chassis clip and Art Morrison front clip, that replaces the original, chopped up one that the Truck arrived on at Creative. The wheels of choice are 18x8” and 20x15” billets from Schott Wheels, the rears being wrapped in mega-wide Mickey T’s for that true Pro-Street look!
After a sometime’s frustrating build period of almost two decades, Mark finally got the truck he always wanted. Ever since that first drive (after debuting it at SEMA 2019), Mark has been hooked on his new trick truck. In amongst some street use, there’s been plenty of show outings, where the truck has been judged to be the Best in Category on many occasions. That proves just how good this Chevy C10 really is…
Fast forward a few more years, and the opportunity arose for Mark to purchase the C10 back, looking almost as it did when he bid it farewell.
JUNE
24 DAY OF THE DRAGS
Sydney Dragway
JULY
1 GRUDGE KINGS
Sydney Dragway
www.grudgekings.net
23 NSW ALL FORD DAY
Sydney Dragway
www.allforddaynsw.com
AUGUST
6 MOTOR EXPO SHOALHAVEN
Shoalhaven Turf Club
kidzfixsholahaven.com
12-13 KILLER RIDES LIVE #5
Illawarra Hockey Centre, Unanderra (Wollongong)
www.killerrides.com.au
27 LOWRIDER SUNDAY
Marine Pde, The Entrance www.lowridersunday.com
SEPT
3 RAT DAY
Andy’s Restorations
Kurnell from 6.30am
17 APPIN WHEELS FESTIVAL
Appin Public School
OCT
13-15 22ND EARLY FALCON NATIONALS
Nata Oval, Narooma NSW
15 CAMDEN CAR SHOW
Camden Showgrounds
John Fenato - 0418 238919
OCT
20-22 AUTO RUMBLE MORUYA
Ingenia Holiday Park
Moruya
28 BORDER BATTLE
Kiewa Street Albury
www.borderbattle.com.au
29 JAMBEROO CAR SHOW
Kevin Walsh Oval, Jamberoo
www.facebook.com/JamberooCar/
NOV
17-18 ADELAIDE AUTO EXPO
www.customautoexpo.com.au
25-26 HOT ROD & HARLEY EXPO #2
Illawarra Hockey Centre, Unanderra
www.killerrides.com.au
24-26 SPRINGNATS 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Shepparton Showgrounds
www.autofest.com.au
DEC
3 LYGON STREET BREAKFAST CRUISE AND TOY RUN
Kingpin Kuztums
www.facebook.com/kingpin.kuztums/
30 KILLER RIDES LAST CRUISE OF 2023
This will be an invitation-only cruise to make sure the dickhead element don’t ruin another event. More information will be forwarded to those we know will do the right thing by us and the greater car community!
Please check closer to the day to see if any of the events have been cancelled due to Covid
Australia’s
