KILLER RIDES #60_DEC 2023

INSIDE

PRO-STREET EH VICLA HARLEY BLOWN HEMI ‘32 ‘70 F-TRUCK BUILD AND MORE!

s e d i KILLERR ISSUE #60 - DEC 2023

VIDEO FEATURES

39 CHEV UTE PROCHARGED HARLEY TURBO MALOO

Australia’s Street Car Community!

EFFIN’

HELL!

!

E R O L A G S T EVEN

CHEV K C O L B G I B BLOWN AR E R D E B B U T FLIP FRONT IVEN R D T E E R T S SSUICIDE DOOR

!

E N A S N I ’ N I IT’S TRUCK

30TH SPRINGNATS - LYGON ST XMAS TOY RUN - ADELAIDE AUTO EXPO - VICLA NATIONALS - MULWALA ROD RUN

From the Desk AS 2023 COMES TO AN END, I CAN’T HELP BUT BE IMPRESSED

BY THE YEAR WE LEAVE BEHIND.

The year kicked off for us with a return to the Summernats as an Entrant. I hadn’t been to the Summernats for 5 or 6 years, and since Summernats 12 as an entrant, so returning with a car was something we were looking forward too. After the event, I had mixed emotions of our time there, but I am glad we went back one more time in the Chev regardless. Three weeks later, we were back in Canberra for the annual CRAKK Run and to say we had a great time would be a massive understatement. And the good news is we’ll be back there doing it all again just weeks after you read this…

2023 was definitely a year where we spent lots of time at events just being “one of the guys”. It’s something that Kathy and I haven’t done for a long time, but now we have the opportunity to do so, we try to get to as many events as time and work allows. Naturally, I’ll still have a camera in hand getting coverage for Killer Rides at the same time.

Speaking of the magazine, 2023 has seen some cool cars featured, 99% of which we managed to showcase exclusively – a big achievement for me and it says volumes for the reputation Killer Rides has built up within the modified car scene. So, what does 2024 hold for Killer Rides? Well, you’ve no doubt seen the inclusion of full-size videos in each issue recently.

That wasn’t something that happened by accident. Truth is, I wanted to see what people thought about the video content. And for good reason.

I have had plenty of feedback and 99.9% of people loved hearing the engines, seeing the cars and bikes move and hear what the owners had to say. So, from next Issue (No.61 - Jan 2024), the usual photo shoot features will be replaced with video features, making Killer Rides a truly unique video magazine. Where possible, I’ll also include video from events as well. It’s all about keeping Killer Rides different to what else is available. I hope you’ll check out what No.61 has to offer. Make sure you send me through your thoughts!

Until then, enjoy our last Issue for 2023! Here’s hoping the big man in red shoves plenty of cool parts down your chimney. Merry Xmas everyone! Thanks for you continued support…

See you on the street,

Paul 03

BATTERIES FO R ALL

A PPLI CATI ONS

VISIT R&J BATTERIES FOR YOUR NEXT BATTERY

FIND US AT ONE OF OUR 24 BRANCHES AUSTRALIA-WIDE

// 1300 769 282

// rjbatt.com.au

s e d i KILLERR

Australia’s Street Car Community

Issue No.60 DEC 2023

In This Issue!

10 18 20 26 36 48 60 68 78 80 90 98 100 108 116

KILLER RIDES MAGAZINE Po Box 165 Oak Flats NSW 2529 PUBLISHING EDITOR Paul Beck (0432) 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au WEBSITE www.killerrides.com.au

48 RAMMED PRO-STREET EH

WHATS HAPPENING News, views and things of interest HAVE YOUR SAY Got something to say?

COMING ATTRACTION Next Level F100 pushing the legal limits!

NO TRUCKIN’ ABOUT A blown big block F100 built for the street!

MOTORING MILESTONE Celebrating 30 years of Springnats!

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL A small rust repair sparked a 10-year build.

CRUZIN FOR KIDS Victorian car owners gather for a great cause!

ADELAIDE ROCKS The 2023 Adelaide Auto Expo didn’t disappoint.

VIDEO FEATURE Turbo LSX VR Maloo IDENTITY CRISIS Rob took a great bike and made it amazing!

CANDY-COLOURED DREAM BIKES The Vicla Nationals in Wodonga.

VIDEO FEATURE Procharged Harley Breakout DEUCES WILD Happiness is a blown, injected, Hemi Hot Rod! CRUISIN’ THE LAKE The Lake Mulwala Rod Run keeps growing!

VIDEO FEATURE Twin-turbo ‘39 Chev Ute

108 MULWALA ROD RUN 90

2023 VICLA NATs

60 CRUSING LYGON STREET 68 ADELAIDE AUTO EXPO

118 PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Need a product or service?

78 VIDEO FEATURE TURBO LSX MALOO

80 Street & show vicla harley!

6

26 BLOWN PRO-STREET F-TRUCK 100 HEMI ‘32 COUPE

98

VIDEO FEATURE PROCHARGED HARLEY BREAKOUT

116

VIDEO FEATURE TWIN TURBO 39 CHEV

36 30th SPRINGNATS

7

WHAT’S HAPPENING

KILLER RIDES SUPPORTS RECORD BREAKING I98FM ILLAWARRA CONVOY The Illawarra Convoy is a massive fundraiser that helps families in need in the Illawarra Area. An initiative started by I98FM morning announcer Marty Haynes OAM, the Convoy has grown from a few trucks raising a few thousand dollars through to this years events where the lead truck alone donated $300,001 to lead the Convoy down the Mountain in a parade of hundreds of Trucks and Bikes that winds its way through the Illawarra streets lined with cheering fans all the way to the Shellharbour Airport where they will be the main attraction of the Family Fun Day

10

that included live music from Ricky Lee and Thirsty Merc, a freestyle Moto-X demonstration, kids ride, market stalls and of course the Killer Rides supported “Cars for Convoy” display. It was an amazing day and widely regarded as one of, if not, the most successful Convoy yet! Before the first wheel even turned on Sunday 19th November to kick start the event, the Convoy supporters had already donated $2, 013, 167.22 and after the totals had been counted, the final amount raised as a staggering $2.85 million!

Well done to all involved in making this event as great as it is!

11

WHAT’S HAPPENING

WHO WILL WIN AUSTRALIA’S MOST BEAUTIFUL HOT ROD, CUSTOM AND HARLEY?

After making the decision to move the 2nd Hot Rod & Harley Expo from Nov to Feb 24/25, its been full steam ahead to bring together the best Hot Rods, Customs and Harleys to the Illawarra Hockey Centre in Unanderra in an unmatched display to find the 2024 winners of Australia’s Most Beautiful Hot Rod, Custom and Harley. Of course, there are more custom awards to be handed out at presentation too along with the one-off, Peoples Choice Bar Fridge that will be wrapped in the Show’s logos and signed by all of the entrants, traders and Killer Rides personel to make it a unique award. Show times are 9am-5pm Saturday and 9am-4pm Sunday . More information can be found at www.killerrides.com.au 9

CELEBRATING 30-YEARS IN 2024

2024 is going to be a big year for us at Killer Rides. Not only do we have two big indoor events happening along with the first Cruise without Cars, and of course the big switch to video feature cars in the magazine, but 2024 also marks the 30-year Anniversary of holding motoring events, mostly in the Illawarra. Even though I had been running car shows through the various car clubs I had been involved with for many years, it was the very first Hot Car Titles held inside the Illawarra Hockey Centre in July 1994 that kickstarted my ‘career’ in staging all kinds of car events, including two years of the original Street Machine Nationals at Rosehill Racecourse and Sydney Dragway.

With 30-years done, we’re not slowing up with plenty of plans in place to keep the events coming…

12

Aaron Fitzpatrick - Datsun 1600

stralian Au ’s at be g in th no at th is s ild bu y m all in lls ve Lo e us I The reason s. ar ye 90 for it g in do en be ve ha ey th all r te Af g. rin ee gin made quality and en www.lovellsauto.com.au

WHAT’S HAPPENING KILLER

TRIPLE CROWN OF RODDING

Video

Video by In the Garage Media

BEST OF KILLER RIDES PRINT MAG NOW AVAILABLE

KILLERRides The Best Of

Number one

10 OF THE

T INSANE RIDES!

WILDEST, TOUGHEST, MOS

01_BEST OF

1 KILLER RIDES_1_COVER_EK.indd

5/4/23 5:32 pm

Issue numbers 1 and 2 of the Best of Killer Rides is now in stock and ready to send out via Australia Post, or you can pick up direct from us at any event we attend to promote Killer Rides. No matter where we are, we will have copies with us. To order your copy, simply email me at paul@ killerrides.com.au

IT’S NOT TOO LATE! KILLER RIDES CRUISE WITHOUT CARS!

Have you booked a spot for the first annual Killer Rides Cruise without Cars? If not, best you do so now! These cruises tend to sell out, so to secure your place for the first one, book a room now! Here’s what you need to know; Date: July 4th - 8th, 2024 Cruise: Carnival Splendor out of Sydney Sydney - Tangalooma / Moreton Island - Sydney To book a room, from an Interior room to a Balcony suite, you can contact your own travel agent and use the reference: Z8W1B4. Alternatively, you can use our agent: Le Sharn Bard at Flight Centre Figtree. Call her direct on (02) 42516000 and tell her it’s for the Killer Rides Cruise, and she will make it happen for you. Can’t wait to see you all upon the Carnival Splendor, Thursday July 4th! More information can be found at www.killerrides.com.au

CRUISE without

CARS

Don’t forget to checkout the website!

14

www.killerrides.com.au

15

RISING MOTORSPORTS TO THE RESCUE!

Sometimes you meet the nicest people by accident. When I was in Wodonga doing the shoot on John Roumeliotis’ bad to the bone F-Truck, I found the perfect location west of Wodonga itself. John was driving his Truck to the shoot and thoight he had enough fuel to make the trip there and back. Sadly, that wasn’t the case and about 5 klms shy of the closest servo, the blown big block used up the last few drops. So I headed in to town to buy a Jerry Can, drop 20-litres of Premium fuel into it and get John mobile again. Well, the plastic Jerry Cans were a staggering $55 and then it would be another $50 in fuel. I politely asked if the attendant had one I could borrow for just ten minutes and all I got back was a blank stare! “Don’t worry mate, I have one in the truck you can use!” said the guy waiting to be served. Turns out, Nugget spends his days carting around motorcross bikes for Rising Motorsports and had a container he used for his generator. Problem solved and we thought it appropriate to grab a pic of the two trucks together. Thanks Nugget, you’re a gentleman!

VICTORIAN HOT ROD SHOW TO RETURN IN 2024!

After missing from the Car Show Calendar for way too many years, the Victorian Hot Rod Show is set to make a big comeback over the weekend of August 10th and 11th, 2024. Making a move from the heat of the January long weekend will be a great move, but that move also includes moving away from the iconic Exhibition Building too. Whilst I still consider it the best place in Australia to hold a car show, the new organisers have decided to use the more modern, airconditioned buildings at Melbourne Showgrounds. More information, along with entry forms etc will be available from the website in 2024.

Until then, lets all make a plan to support this great event so it remains on the calender for many years to come. To keep up to date with all the Vic Rod Show happenings, make sure you keep an eye on:

www.VHRA.com.au

16

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE THANKS FOR MAKING 2023 A HUGE YEAR!

BIG THINGS COMING IN 2024!

HOT ROD MAGAZINE NOW QUARTERLY

It seems any prediction of the print media world having a ressurgence has been proven wrong with the globally read, Hot Rod Magazine having its frequency reduced to just four issues per year. Once the most popular automotive magazine in the world, Hot Rod was the magazine that all others were compared to. Whilst it will remain in print, the move to quarterly issues has come with a lot of shocked people in the custom car field in the USA. The powers that be have said that the reduction of issues will allow them to produce a premium quality magazine with more interesting content...

17

HAVE YOUR SAY Got something to say? Send it to paul@killerride.com.au or message us from the Killer Rides Facebook page.

KEEPING REMOTE WORKERS ENTERTAINED

G’day Paul, Living and working in remote area’s of Australia makes it really hard for me to keep up with what’s happening in the car scene.

Sometimes I may move from town to town four or five times each year depending on where my work takes me, and sometimes the closest town can be a couple of hundred klms away. Thankfully, 90% of the time, the work stations have decent internet so I can always log on to Killer Rides to see what I’m missing out on. Thanks for going digital, it keeps me and my co-workers entertained!

Warren H – Central Qld for now!

G’day Warren, That’s the beauty of an online magazine, you can logo on anywhere at anytime! Imagine driving two hundred klms into town to get to a Newsagents and the one issue that have of a certain magazine has been sold?

You’d be pretty annoyed. No such problem with Killer Rides and having all the back issues available to is also a bonus. You’ll be even more impressed from next issue when the features will be Video! Enjoy…

18

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT A WINNER!

G’day Paul, I’m blown away! I’m still amazed at the Range Rover you featured. This is exactly why I read Killer Rides! I still enjoy the usual Torana and XY Falcon features, but you seem to think outside the square more than others and feature the wildest cars around. Please keep the cool stuff coming! Hope to see this one at the next Killer Rides Live.

Bella J – Blacktown, NSW Hi Paul, Issue No.59 was awesome! That blown Range Rover is insane and is way too nice to put on a burnout pad. Hope he does a few shows with it first before blowing the rear tyres off it! And that turbo Harley – wow! What a ride! You put together such a great mag, can’t wait for Issue #60!

Stu D – Ipswich, QLD Hi Paul, Well, you’ve done it again – put out another great issue of Killer Rides! Never in a million years would I expect to see a damn Range Rover featured in Killer Rides, let alone on the cover! But that one certainly deserves its place in the toughest car magazine around. Love it!

TJ – Penrith, NSW

MORE EVENT COVERAGE THE BETTER

Hi Paul, Whilst I love reading the car and bike features, I really enjoy the event features you put in each issue – case in point Issue #59. Getting to see a variety of events from Australia and the USA is so cool – especially so soon after they have happened! Love the mix you put together.

Peter S – Mount Barker, SA

G’day Peter, Thanks to some very valued contributors, I am able to get lots of cool events featured in the magazine. There’s only so many events I can get to myself, so having these people help me out is amazing and more often than not, we get to showcase certain events within a couple of weeks of them happening...

FIRST TIME, LONG TIME...

G’day Paul, Issue 59’s cover car - damn, what a weapon! This is why I read Killer Rides, to see stuff you just don’t see featured elsewhere. Your Dare to Be Different approach is a winner. Please keep them coming!

Tony K – Ballarat, VIC

Hi Paul, Just wanted to drop a line to say how much I enjoyed both printed Best of Killer Rides magazines. Congrats on putting together a great mix of cars. Hope this is a start of KIller Rides returning in print full time!

Tim G - Bathurst, NSW

Hey Guys, As soon as I saw this Range Rover, the DERANGED title came to me – fitting, eh? Like you all, I love seeing stuff that isn’t considered normal. Hence why it found its way onto the cover! And yes, you’ll definitely see this one at Killer Rides Live #6!

Hi Tim, Sorry mate, Killer Rides future will be online as the move to a Video magazine happens next issue.

19

COMING ATTRACTIONS

MISSION POSSIBLE! We love it when people think outside the square with their builds. Robi and the team at Fekete Fabrications are definitely going to extreme’s with this wild ’70 F-Truck!

FULLY FABRICATED CHASSIS /CAGE CHROME-MOLY DIFF FOUR-LINK CUSTOM BRACKETS FULL FLOATER HUBS 40-SPLINE AXLES

In the world of off-road motorsports, a Pre-Runner vehicle is used to test the terrain before the actual event begins to make sure that the course is ready to go. Now these vehicles are usually off-road use only, but Robi and the team at Fekete Fabrications are building this crazy F100 in that style, but to be used on the street. It’s never been done before, but if determination has any part in it, the team will make this unique custom 100% street legal.

We’ll let Robi take the story from here on Project PRERAN!

RECARO SEATS FULL ROLL CAGE CUSTOM DOOR HANDLES MANY CNC BILLET PARTS

ORIGINAL CAB SHELL AND DOORS

MACHINED ONE-OFF WHEELS 39-INCH TYRES SIX-PISTON BRAKES ALL ROUND 20

FEKETE FABRICATIONS - 1970 FORD F100 - PRERUNNER WORDS /PICS - FEKETE FABRICATIONS

COYOTE FORD V8 TREMEC T56 GEARBOS SEQUENTIAL SHIFTER FABRICATED CONTROL ARMS INDEPEDENT FRONT CENTRE MOUNT SUSPENSION 21

“It’s a 1970 Ford F100 that is being built into a street legal Prerunner. We haven’t seen one successfully built to this extreme and be engineered and registered as a street legal vehicle, so this will be an Australian first. Basically, all that’s left of the original F100 is the outer cab shell and doors. It’s running a fully fabricated chassis, incorporating a full tubular roll cage throughout with fabricated long travel suspension. It’s now running an independent front centre mount suspension setup with fabricated lower control arms and inhouse designed and CNC machined billet upper control arms. The rear end features a triangulated four link rear suspension with fabricated heavy duty lower link arms, Fox coilovers, bypass shocks and bumps stops used through out.“

“For the driveline, we’ve added some late-model technology in the form of a mid-mounted, fully internally forged, supercharged, dry dumped Ford Coyote V8, backed by a sequentially shifter T56 magnum manual gearbox. Other modifications include a fully fabricated chromoly diff housing with full floater hubs, 40-spline axles, six-piston brakes all round, a fabricated 400L fuel cell, designed and machined one off wheels, 39” tyres, custom fabricated stainless dual exhaust, with custom designed and CNC machined billet components used throughout the build.

Inside, there’s Recaro seats and custom door handles etc all enclosed in a multi-point roll cage.”

22

23

WHERE CUSTOM IS DRIVEN BY YOU

INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION “As you can imagine, the engineering process is extensive; given the nature of the modifications. Every single custom part we fabricated and design will go through a rigorous testing process, both as individual components and assemblies.

There will be extensive torsion beam testing, with brake and emission testing also being undertaken to conform with VASS engineering requirements. Our plan is to have the Vehicle on displayed at Motorex 2024 in a raw fabricate state prior to all the internal sheetmetal work commencing, allowing us to showcase the

extensive fabrication work done under the covers. We build all kinds of early pickup trucks every day and are always looking to take them to the next level and this is an example of that. Pushing the limits of what can be built in Australia and still comply with registration requirements is what we’re all about, and the challenge makes the result all the more rewarding if accomplished.” You can see more of the work on this F100 and other projects on the go at Fekete Fabrications on both their Instagram and Facebook pages.

Make sure you check them out!

1929-2000 Ford Cars and Pickups 1929-2000 Chevrolet Cars and Pickups Holden LH/LX/UC Torana Holden LC/LJ Torana

CUSTOM CAR BUILDING HOT RODS MUSCLE CARS PICKUP TRUCKS

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING ENGINE BUILDERS SINCE 1978 CHEV - HOLDEN - FORD - MOPAR Specialising in Turn Key Packages

FORD 9” DIFFERENTIAL CONVERSIONS

AUTO TRANSMISSIONS AND CONVERTERS

Superformance.com.au

In business since 1978

Email: info@superformance.com.au

24

07 34887827 539 Redland Bay Road Capalaba, Queensland, 4157 Australia

NO

Words / Pics - Paul Beck

’ N I K C TRU

26

ABOUT!

Being an interstate truckie, John Roumeliotis works hard, but plays even harder. Case in point, his tough as hell F-Truck!

John Roumeliotis 1956 Ford F100 Pickup

27

For a truckie, John’s a pretty quiet sort of guy. Polite, content and very much a family man – not saying that all truckies aren’t like that, John just doesn’t give that first impression. Just sayin… His wild Ford pick up on the other hand is anything but subtle, with its tubbed rear end, slammed stance, blown big block Chev and that “don’t mess with me” attitude! In the world of modified cars, first impressions matter and let me tell you, the F-Truck gets plenty of attention every time John takes it out for a cruise.

28

Yep, filling up that engine bay is a fat block Chev with 396-cubes and a polished 6/71 BDS blower.

29

His wild Ford pick up on the other hand is anything but subtle, with its tubbed rear end, slammed stance, blown big block Chev and that “don’t mess with me” attitude!

John’s work-hours passion may be his B-Double that he drives all over the country, but where he gets home, he is very much a car guy – his home garage playing host to some very cool rides!

Keeping the F100 company behind closed doors is a blown XB Falcon coupe, a slick ’67 Camaro, a rarely seen ’72 Chevelle and XP Coupe in the build and an XD Falcon.

He’s also in the process of finishing off a ’68 Dodge Charger that should be ready in time for the 2024 Chryslers on the Murray! But back to the F100. We’ve seen plenty of modified early F100’s over the years, but none have featured as many body mods as this one. The 3-inch roof chop is obvious, but not so obvious is the flip front that tilts forward to expose that pumped big block Chev! There are

30

no door handles and when the doors open, not only are they suicide style, the majority of the door frame stays attached to the roof. And that’s because, the roof itself is entirely removeable, not that John has taken it off, he prefers the look of the roof where it is. The rear tray has been tubbed and the tailgate opens to the side and has a third brake light slotted in. Covering all of those mods is a slick coat or two of straight black paint. I mean really, what other colour would you paint something as sinister as this? Finishing off the external look are the 17x4.5-inch and 15x16-inch Weld wheels wrapped in suitably sized tyres! The dish on the rear wheels is so big, you need to take a packed lunch if you plan to polish the rims all the way to the centre!

31

It’s hard to miss that BDS scoop and twin carbs hanging through that bonnet.

Knowing just how much room there is under a standard issue F-Trucks bonnet, you know (or hope) there’s something special connected to the carbs and scoop.

Long gone is the factory appointed 272ci Y-block engine, it’s been given the flick to make room for an engine from Ford’s dark side. Yep, filling up that engine bay is a fat block Chev with 396-cubes and a polished 6/71 BDS blower. As the engine was already in place when John became the new owner, he is unsure of what’s inside. What I can tell you that there’s a pair of alloy heads, fabricated headers

32

and a full MSD ignition system. Running on a strict diet of 98-octange fuel, the engine is more street than strip and makes almost 500hp at those sizeable rear tyres. There’s definitely more in it, but John likes the mild tune that allows him to cruise the street no matter how the traffic is! Backing the blown big block is a Turbo 400 auto with a 3000rpm converter and B&M Shifter. From there, the power heads back to a narrowed 9-inch diff that is held in place with a four-link and coil-overs. The front end of the chassis features an independent front end with tube a-arms, airbag suspension and Wilwood disc brakes.

33

That just leaves the interior and true to form, it’s just as modified as every other park of this tough truck! Retrimming a black car in red is nothing new, but it never fails to impress. There’s not much left from the original 1956 built, in fact, maybe just the floor panels! The dash has been reworked and now features a host of AutoMeter dials with the main facia now utilising a digital readout. The tilt billet steering column and wheel connects to a Mustang steering assembly and retains its left side position. The seat itself is a modified XF Falcon bench that has been recovered in red vinyl, along with the door trims and centre console. Craig at CRM Upholstery in Benalla gets the credit for the stitch work that certainly makes a statement against the black paint, some of which was laid on by Kenny.

John is the first to put his hand up to say he didn’t build this way-too-cool Pickup from the start. He saw it advertised for sale and, with an empty spot in the garage after selling a couple of toys, the F100 was the perfect ‘filler’! He did however have the trim done and will continue to do bits and pieces to make it more of his own. All the while though, putting more cruise miles on the massive rear tyres…

34

35

E N O T S E IL M G IN R O T O M

From humble beginnings to one of those ‘must-do’ events, the Springnats has been there, done that and for a few days in November, makes Shepparton the Horsepower capital of country Victoria!

36

CELEBRATING 30-YEARS OF

SPRINGNATS!

30TH SPRINGNATS_SHEPPARTON SHOWGROUNDS_NOV 23-26, 2024 WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – S8TEN PHOTOGRAPHY

Peppermill Before venturing out on his own to small Show and Shine at the nt early on stage his first event, Les Adams was in Shepparton, it was evide to a point a typical car guy. His passion for the that the event was growing needed. scene showed in his custom EH’s, a pink where a much larger venue was wanted at chopped two-door and a peach coloured Les found exactly what he Centre on convertible version that featured heavily the local Driver Education was home at events all over Victoria and beyond. the town’s outskirts. DECA years before If I remember correctly, it was at the to the Springnats for many suitable Wagga Street Machine Nats that Les Les made the move to more grounds in decided to put together his own event digs at Shepparton Show powering and from that point on, the Springnats Shepparton’s CBD. It’s been were born. Whilst the event started as a on ever since!

37

For the 30th anniversary show, Les did things a little different. He opened the event up a night early, targeted at the locals to get an early (and free!) look at what was to come on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday. Whilst Thursday evening was free for locals to bring their ’clean and tidy’ street cars along for a show ‘n’ shine, it would cost spectators just a gold coin to get in for a few hours of pre-Springnats action that also included live music, drifting and burnout demo’s along with food trucks and bar facilities. All the money raised from the night was donated to the Tatura SES. It was a great initiative that gave locals a taste of Springnats before the main show took over the venue.

38

39

Friday is generally spent registering and scruitneering of Entrants and getting the traders setup for the weekend ahead. But come 5pm, the gates to the showgrounds are flung open for spectators to flow into the venue for almost 5 hours for the high-horsepower party that included Heads-Up Go-Whoa, Drifting demos, Grab-A-Flag, and finally the always impressive Burnout Expression Session where some of the burnout

40

scene’s big hitters come out to treat the assembled crowds to a massive smoke show! By the time the event finished at 9.30pm, a thick haze of tyre smoke covered Shepparton and the burnout pad was an inch deep in molten rubber. There were plenty of satisfied patrons leaving the showgrounds on Friday night, all eager to head back to the venue 12 hours later for what is usually the biggest day of Springnats – Saturday.

If I remember correctly, it was at the Wagga Street Machine Nats that Les decided to put together his own event and from that point on, the Springnats were born.

41

There were plenty of satisfied patrons leaving the showgrounds on Friday night, all eager to head back to the venue 12 hours later for what is usually the biggest day of Springnats – Saturday.

Everything is bigger on Springnats Saturday and being the 30th event, there were more entrants than ever in town to take part in the horsepower festival. The Springnats has two show sections – the outside area where the street cars gather on the grassed area beside the driving events arena and an indoor section for those cars just a little fancier. The indoor section always showcases great cars and this year was no exception. Plus, being air-conditioned, it’s a popular place to escape the usual Shepparton November heat! After checking out the show areas and after the Autokana and Grab-A-Flag driving events had run their course, it was time for the official Springnats opening. By this stage, a sizeable crowd had filed into the Showgrounds, hungry to get the horsepower fix. They didn’t have to wait long. As soon as the opening speech was completed, the roar of the engines, the scream of the tyres and the sight of the smoke soon took over.

42

43

During the Springnats ‘DECA’ era, the streets of Shepparton were a hive of activity with all kinds of cool cars cruising the night away. Those days may be over, but that didn’t stop Les from (finally) getting the thumbs up from the Council and Police to close off Fryers Street that runs from the Showground straight down to the Aussie Hotel, home of the Springnats After Party. With the road officially closed, the gates were open for all Springnats entrants to cruise the short distance along the crowdfilled road to put on a show and shine in the streets surrounding the Hotel.

The Police sat idle by, happy to sit and watch the cruise happen, that included many blown, injected, tubbed burnout

cars churning through the methanol needed to get to the Hotel and back to the showground under their own power. It’s always a great sight to see and the fact that Les got approval for this proves his commitment to the Springnats and its entrants. Back in the showground, it was time to sacrifice some tyres in the first group in Round one of the Outlaw Speed Shop Burnout Champs. By 9.30pm, all 5 groups of burnout competitors had flexed their collective muscle, putting on a massive show. If by chance, those that thrive on the smell of burning rubber left wanting more, Sunday was to bring a similar program to the event, with the exception of the Street Cruise.

The Police sat idle by, happy to sit and watch the cruise happen, that included many blown, injected, tubbed burnout cars ...

44

45

Sunday afternoon seemed to come around way too soon, but not before the Springnats had already left their mark on the Shepparton for the 30-year. By all accounts, the 2023 Springnats was a complete success with more cars, more spectators and more of what the Springnats has become well known for – good times with cars! Here’s to the next 30-years!

Everything is bigger on Springnats Saturday and being the 30th event, there were more entrants than ever in town to take part in the horsepower festival.

For a full list of winners, make your way to:

www.autofest.com.au 46

47

IN FOR THE

LONG HAUL

This is a typical street car story. What started out as a small rust repair quickly turned into a major, 10-year pro-street inspired rebuild.

Aaron Lee 1964 EH Holden Ute Words / Pics - Paul Beck

48

49

Having already owned a pair of EH’s (a sedan and a wagon), Aaron Lee certainly has a passion for this model early Holden. Being of the age where he fondly remembers the Pro-Street cars of old, it was the black and blue ANGRY and ANGRY2 pro-street EH’s that lead Aaron to this Ute. Whilst cruising down Heathcote Rd in Sydney’s south west, he spotted the two custom EH’s sitting in a front yard. Knowing the cars, a closer inspection and a chat to the owner revealed this Ute for sale. A lot of the hard work had been done, with the engineered 350 in place, mini-tubs and all the right gear to get it legally on the road. It was a deal that Aaron simply couldn’t pass up. With the deal done and

the Ute now residing at his place, Aaron started noticing small bubbles of rust appearing in the sills, so the first job was to tackle those. Being a Shopfitter by trade, Aaron isn’t afraid to jump in and have a go at most jobs, including rust repairs. To get to the affected area, he had to remove the front guards. Whilst that made the job easier to perform, it also had Aaron thinking that “maybe I should remove the inner guards and bonnet too!” Unknowingly, Aaron just set himself up for a rebuild that was going to last ten long years! With the complete front clip removed, no use stopping there, so before too long, the EH body was set up on a rotisserie and the rest of the driveline was pulled out.

Aaron wanted more power and more cubes, so he called on another good mate, Rowan Williams to pull the old engine done and give it a makeover.

THANKS TO: Rowan Williams (Engine rebuild, brake lines, and fuel cell), Stephen Faux (Wiring) and Brett Watson at East Coast Rods and Restorations (Panel and Paint).

50

51

A lot of the hard work had been done, with the engineered 350 in place, mini-tubs and all the right gear to get it legally on the road.

52

Aaron had just one word that summed up the condition of the EH’s body when he took possession – rough! Not wanting to change the classic looks of the EH too much, mods were limited to flared rear guards, a small bonnet scoop, wheels tubs and a switch to a recessed fuel cell in the load area. Whilst Aaron did much of the work himself including painting the underside, suspension components and engine, he did call on some expert help from good mate Brett Watson who runs East Coast Rods and Restorations in the Wollongong suburb of Unanderra, who sorted out the body and laid on the turquoise top coat. Aaron even fabricated the hardcover to give the Ute a much smoother look opposed to the usual

tonneau cover. Moving into the interior space, there’s many EH elements still kept in the factory’s intended place, mixed with some cool aftermarket gear. The original gauge cluster is in full view behind the Billet Specialties steering wheel and is wedged between the 5-inch AutoMeter tacho and the retro VDO small gauge cluster that has become an EH favourite. A Hurst Quarter Stick is mounted to the tunnel just forward of the Grey vinyl and velour bench seat that Aaron retrimmed himself – including the cool flamed stitchwork. The same pattern appears in the door trims, but this time raised in the material. Another mate, Stephen Faux installed the stereo system and in fact handled all the wiring needed to complete the project.

53

As mentioned, Aaron’s expertise lays in Shop Fitting and Joinery, but he has proven that with some basic knowledge and the desire to “have a go anyway”, you too can complete a full rebuild withou having massive bill at of theany end of it. Of course, it helps a bunch of likeminded mates that are willing to help out and get their hands dirty too and although there will be the inevitable tough Thea centre-piece project to flow into ahaving dual 3-inch exhaust imes things just go howand you expect too,no theissues first time you idle your completed car out the driveway and onto the blacktop for a cruise, you’ll only remember the good times. Aaron is when undeniably thedon’t engine system them that has showing nowalthough intends to enjoy the good times thedoor EH, that willspent nevergases belong to anyone else. He’s actually put instructions in his will to make sure this Pro-Street EH Ute stays well and truly part of th this Ute already had a 350with the to the when ee in family! guess some family are‘350hp much better place,I Aaron wanted moreheirlooms power the at the than tyres’others… small block and more cubes, so he called on fires into life. Backing the engine another good mate, Rowan Williams is a crowd favourite Powerglide to pull the old engine done and front with a 2800rpm converter. give it a makeover. Now sporting a Down the back is a ladder-bar more respectable 383-cubic inches, located, narrowed 9-inch sporting the stout small block is obviously 4.11-gears and Ford drum brakes. topped with an Edelbrock tunnel Aaron rebuilt the Hadfield HR front ram and twin 450cfm Holley carbs. end himself and added HQ discs But its what you can’t see that gives and calipers to ensure stopping this Ute plenty of punch. The ‘010’ was never an issue. Standard issue block now features a stroker steel shocks were bolted into place up crank, Scat I-beam rods, Speed- front, while the rear end got a pair Pro flat top pistons and a cam from of coil-overs. The wheels of choice Comp Cams that gives the engine a are Pro-Street perfect Centerline menacing rumble. The alloy heads Convo-Pro measuring 15x4 upfront come from Trick Flow and have and 15x10 on the reworked rearall the good gear covered up. The end, wrapped in huge 28x15-inch coated‘up and over’headers unwind Mickey Thompson rubber.

54

As mentioned, Aaron’s expertise lays in Shop Fitting and Joinery, but he has proven that with some basic knowledge and the desire to “have a go anyway”, you too can complete a full rebuild without having a massive bill at the end of it. Of course, it helps having a bunch of likeminded mates that are willing to help out and get their hands dirty too and although there will be the inevitable tough times when things just don’t go how you expect them too, the first time you idle your completed car out the driveway and onto the blacktop for a cruise, you’ll only remember the good times. Aaron now intends to enjoy the good times with the EH, that will never belong to anyone else. He’s actually put instructions in his will to make sure this Pro-Street EH Ute stays well and truly part of the Lee family! I guess some family heirlooms are much better than others…

55

PHONE: 02 4285 0300 MVRC LIC: 54814

LEO VANGELOVSKI Stockists Of:

MOB: 0415939307 ABN: 73669 696 204

NOW WITH IN-HOUSE CHASSIS DYNO!

www.blautomotive.com.au

leo@blautomotive.com.au

CRUIZIN FOR THE

KIDS

KINGPIN KUZTUMS LYGON STREET XMAS TOY RUN_DEC 3_MELBOURNE

Words - Paul Beck / Pics -Olskool Photography & Classic Cars

Every December, Rob and the team from Kingpins Kuztums take over Lygon Street and line the streets with cool cars, all gathered to donate toys for kids in need!

To those that made the effort, take a bow, you’ve done yourselves proud!

60

61

Ok, so the weather wasn’t the best it could have been, and that no doubt had an affect on the number of cars that attended this event. In previous years, as far as you could see along both sides of the famous restaurantlined street, there were Hot Rods, Customs and Street Machines taking up parking spots. The same could be said for every available side street, back street and back alley. Although it wasn’t going to set any records for the amount of cars on display, Rob Bellio did say that it was by far the largest donation of goods so far, with an estimated value of around $6000.

To those that made the effort, take a bow, you’ve done yourselves proud!

Having set up a “drop off” station on site, the Salvo’s were treated to a rolling car show...

62

63

The people at the Salvation Army were beside themselves with the amount of goods offered up by the car owners just in time for Christmas. Having set up a “drop off” station on site, the Salvo’s were treated to a rolling car show thanks to the dedicated guys and girls who decided to brave the ordinary weather and put on a show regardless with all kinds of cool rides!

Rob prides himself of having a good relationship with the authorities and when an event like this happens without incident, they will continue to give the group two thumbs-up...

64

65

And it wasn’t just the Salvo’s that benefited from the event either with the local Cafes filled with hungry car guys and girls all needing a hearty breakfast and of course coffee early in the morning. Rob also mentioned that the Victorian Police and Highway Patrol, along with the Melbourne City Council were very impressed with the way the event was handled and the

way everyone conducted themselves.

Rob prides himself of having a good relationship with the authorities and when an event like this happens without incident, they will continue to give the group two thumbs-up for future events. For more information on other Kingpin Kuztums happenings, go to their Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/kingpin.kuztums

The people at the Salvation Army were beside themselves with the amount of goods offered up by the car owners just in time for Christmas.

66

67

ADELAIDE

! s k c Ro

Each year, Geof Tastoosie brings the cream of the crop to the Extreme Auto Expo to spoil the power-hungry people in the southern state. 2023 was no exception!

Under the banner of the Adelaide Auto Expo, this isn’t you’re normal indoor car show. There’s lots of different sections to this event that makes it more of a festival than a car show – and that’s a great thing for the patrons who file through the door. They say variety is the spice of life and Geof always makes sure his event brings plenty of variety.

KR60_ADELAIDE AUOT EXPO_WAYVILLE SHOWGROUNDS_NOV 17/18 2023 WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – JERRY CAN JOE 68

Pic by Craig McKenzie 69

Whilst it’s the indoor section of the show, the Extreme Auto Expo, that draws most people in for a look, there’s also an outdoor show and shine that runs all day Saturday, and when that is over and done with, it’s time for the annual Zippel Cruise to take over the Wayville Showgrounds where hundreds of cool American cars converge on the venue in an impromptu show and shine before departing in a huge cruise around Adelaide and its surrounds. It truly is a sight to be seen! Kicking off Saturday’s proceedings is a popular Cars and Coffee meet that is a precursor to the day ahead.

In a move that set’s this event apart, Geof actually throws the doors open to the event on Friday night after the cars have been setup prior to 5pm. Those that can’t make it to the event on Saturday (there’s no Sunday trading!), the opportunity to attend the event after work on Friday makes great sense. And whilst the main draw card are the show cars inside the Jubilee Pavillion, for Aussie Muscle Car lovers, there’s a big line-up of Falcon’s, Monaro’s Torana’s and the like on display outside too!

70

71

Just fifteen minutes after the doors open, the new unveils were taking place and this year saw a few new stunning rides having the covers removed for the first time including Bob Bull’s ’39 Ford coupe and TJ Eddestone’s candy-coloured ’57 Chev coupe. These new rides were kept in great company with some amazing cars travelling from interstate. Coming all the way from Qld were Mike Davidson with his ’54 Chev Belair which has just had a new billet independent rear end installed with even more underside detailing; Dan Morten, whose FORGED XY Falcon blew everyone away at MotorEx on its debut and Bob Brigg’s – a car show veteran that trailered his ’29 Ford Tudor to Adelaide.

72

73

Craig McKenzie had his incredible HR Ute on show too, giving the South Oz fans a look at its new makeover first hand. Dean Rickard had his Downtown Kustoms built HT Monaro in the mix too. Another Monaro that was a crowd favourite came over from Victoria was Tim Martenstyn blown injected HK Monaro, that looked sinister in its all black theme! The local car scene was very well represented too with Alex Crisa’s VL Commodore, the LC GTR Torana’s of Rob De Sciscio and Phil Rillotta as well as Joe Esposito’s ’68 Camaro mixing it with the ‘outsiders’! To see who won what, jump onto the website at www.adelaideautoexpo.com.au

74

75

Wondering through the indoor section, you’ll also come across the Adelaide Hot Rod Show, the Adelaide Import Salon and for many, the coolest part of the show, the Icon’s of Adelaide display where cars like Garry Mutton’s blown injected HK Holden, Ian Hazel’s timeless HG Premier wagon, Paul Atkin’s HR Holden and Steve Dobson’s ‘Midnight Express’ HT Van were on display for the first time in many years! With a bunch of traders on hand as well, the 2023 Adelaide Auto Expo with all of its combined components was a complete success, treating the people of Adelaide to a show that saw the cream of the crop shine in the southern state. I for one can’t wait to make the trip over in 2025.

76

77

s e d i KILLERR VIDEO FEATURE

RONNIE MIFSUD - TURBO VR MALOO

Words / Pics - Paul Beck

y it t n e d I

After buying a high-profile bike that was constantly referred to as the previous owner’s, Robert Wiedeman (CLOGS to his mates) decided it was time to make it his own…

CRISIS!

Robert Wiedeman 2016 Harley Softail Deluxe

80

81

It’s always the way, whether it’s a car or bike, if it’s been shown, put in a magazine or turns up to lots of events, more often than not, it will always be “that” car or bike. In Clogs case, he purchased this 2016 Softail Deluxe, in 2019 after taking a liking to the colour combo – Ice Pearl and Frosted Teal Pearl. The original owner, Chad had spent three years building up the Vicla and had made a host of modifications making it an easy decision for Clogs to ditch his current project and hand over the necessary cash to make this well-known bike his. In an effort to put his own stamp on the bike, he made a few cosmetic changes, but it wasn’t until he got offered a new fuel tank and front fender at the right price, that his plans accelerated considerably.

Being of Dutch heritage, Robert has earned the nickname CLOGS!

THANKS TO: Tyler and Benny at Tailormade Speed Shop. Kyle Smith at Smith Concepts. Jake at Boss Trim.

Dane at Dago Dane Engraving. Matty at Biggie Scrolls. George at South Coast Customs. The boys from LOWCO SRC for the advice and brotherhood.

Before the Vicla Nationals Clogs was certain this build had reached its peak, but now, he’s not to sure.

82

83

With the Vicla scene growing at a rapid rate, Clogs knew that if he was to make a statement in amongst the sea of colour and chrome that usually overpowers all custom bike events, he needed to get adventurous with the colour combo on his build. Giving the new tank, front fender and Tailormade Speed Shop modified rear fender to Kyle at Smith Concepts, was not done without knowing just how good Kyle is at his craft. You can walk around any Hot Rod and Bike show and see examples of his amazing paintwork everywhere. After considering many different colour options, Clogs finally decided on a mix of pinks and magenta’s and just to have a reference back to the bikes original colour scheme, a Teal pinstripe was thrown into the mix.

84

Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete Kyle paint job if there wasn’t some gold leaf added too! A for that special point of difference, Clogs found an old pair of tank badges that he had the background coloured and the “V” engraved by Matty at Biggie Scrolls to bring yet another custom touch to this bike! The gold accents didn’t end there though. Whilst most Vicla’s in Australia feature custom engraving, Clogs went one step further and sent the dash and custom-made extension panel on top of the tank across the globe to the USA where Dago Dane not only engraved it, he two-toned it with, you guessed it, gold!

And while he was in the mood, he also did the floorboards and the unique HD brake pedal. The word “standout” comes to mind!

85

You can tell by the way those 18-inch and 21-inch, 52-spoke DNA teardrop custom rims tuck inside the candy fenders that this Harley has more than just lowered suspension. Getting the Deluxe way down low is easy with the SAS air bag setup installed at both ends.

And once the air has been dropped from the bags, Clogs keeps his Harley upright and straight thanks to a clever centre stand from Hernandez-Cartel on the Gold Coast, that is operated via the lever beside the oil tank – its chromed of course! Topping the front forks is some of the coolest gear we’ve seen fitted to a Vicla. First up, those oh-so-cool coloured spotlights adorning each side

86

of the stock headlamp. Under that trio of lights is a pair of indicators that use Custom Kraft lenses. Sitting way above all that glorious lighting is a pair of bars not normally seen on Vicla’s – the ultrawide, Chubby Wild One’s beach bars that uses chromed factory switch gears, master cylinder and mirrors. The levers have been engraved by Psyclero Vicla Vida. The Le Pera Bare Bones seat may not be as fancy as the rest of the bike, but it’s still classy and is the work of custom seat maestro Boss Trim. Sitting on the 7-inch stretched rear fender is a Tombstone taillight, billet number plate surround that also incorporates a couple of well-known insignias.

87

The engine is a near stock 103 cubic inch (1690cc) Harley V-Twin that only deviates from the factory plan with an Arlen Ness air-cleaner, Cobra 36” Fishtail exhausts and an extensive use of chrome. You’ll also see chrome pieces on the standard swing arm, fender braces, front protection bars and one of the coolest features on this bike – the pair of Bluetooth speakers giving Clogs some cruising tunes when out on the open road! It comes as no surprise that Clogs candy coloured Vicla has won its fair share of trophies since it was finished, but surprisingly, Clogs prefers to on the road as opposed to on show! Even when travelling to Albury for the recent Vicla Nationals, Clogs joined in with a few others to cruise around the border town before having to worry about preparation for the show. Before the Vicla Nationals, Clogs was certain this build had reached its peak, but now, he’s not to sure.

I for one can’t wait to see what’s in store for this Vicla! If you want to see it up close and personal, make sure you get to the 2nd Hot Rod & Harley Expo in the Illawarra Hockey Centre, Unanderra (Wollongong) Feb 24/25, 2024!

88

Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete Kyle paint job if there wasn’t some gold leaf added too!

89

d e r u o l o C y d Can

AUSSIE VICLA NATIONALS_WODONGA RACECOURSE_DEC 2 WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – DTRAIN PHOTOGRAPHY

DREAM BIKES

Australia’s largest gathering of Vicla style Harley’s turned the Wodonga Racecourse into a haven for custom Harley lovers.

90

91

They came from all over the country to be a part of the single largest gathering of Vicla’s ever assembled in Australia, and whilst the indoor show and shine at Wodonga Racecourse was the main goal for some, for others, hitting the blacktop around the border town taking in the sights was all that mattered – even for those whose bikes are show bikes! It seems riding still takes precedence over showing!

92

93

After a massive growth in popularity over the past couple of years, the search was on for a much larger indoor venue and with Gleeson’s Twin City Harley Davidson onboard as the major sponsor for this years Vicla Nationals, moving to Wodonga Racecourse offered the ideal space to stage the show and shine. Walking into the exhibition area revealed a show and shine that featured wall to wall custom Viclas, all with their own unique custom touches to set them apart. If you are into candy and pearl paint, custom engraving and chrome attached to every possible

part, then this was the show for you!

Spectators were given free access to the show area, with hundreds of two-wheel fans filing through the doors to take in everything the event had on show. At 2.30pm, the awards ceremony happened with the award winners happily taking the trophy and the bragging rights! After the show and shine concluded, some entrants opted to go for a ride until the planned Saturday night display at Junction Square. Kicking off at 7pm, the display once again drew an admiring crowd, bringing an official end to the 2023 Vicla Nationals.

They came from all over the country to be a part of the single largest gathering of Vicla’s ever assembled in Australia...

94

95

Walking into the exhibition area revealed a show and shine that featured wall to wall custom Viclas, all with their own unique custom touches to set them apart.

For those though that still wanted more, there was a cruise organised for the Sunday that departed the BP Servo at Thurgoona where the planned route took in Junction Square and Caffeine and Machines in Rutherglen, for lunch and to check out the Motorcycle Museum. With the 2023 event over, the crew at Aussie Viclas are already planning the 2024 Vicla Nationals and judging by how quickly this scene is growing, the next Nationals will definitely be one worth making to the trip to Wodonga for! More info can be found at www.aussieviclas.com

96

97

s e d i KILLERR VIDEO FEATURE

KANE SWAN - 2016 HARLEY BREAKOUT

DEUCESWild!

WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

Chris Thomas wanted a tough Hot Rod. A full-tilt, one-off, Hemi-powered ’32 Coupe should do just fine, thanks.

Car builds like this don’t happen quickly, easily or without plenty of cash being thrown at them. And Chris was all too aware of what he was facing when taking on the challenge of piecing together a unique ’32 Ford three-window coupe – without doubt, one of the most popular models for Hot Rodders around the world to build. Coming up with something a little different to everyone else wasn’t going to be an easy task, but Chris had a plan, and that included having Shane Rowe and the team at Southern Rod & Custom to look after the build process. Chris explains, “I’ve always wanted a tough Hot Rod, so I got the best in the business to build it!” Shane took the brand spankers Deuce Customs fibreglass body and set about making some subtle changes, giving Chris’ coupe a look all of its own. The body changes include a recessed fuel filler, custom flush-mount door poppers, a hand made roll pan and the rear guards have been shortened and widened. With the body work finished, the prepped body was rolled into the booth where the custom pearl Grey base colour was laid down with the black stripes coming later. The body and paint are as good as you’ll find on any high-end show car and even though it’s a fibreglass car, the panel gaps are spot on.

Chris Thomas 1932 Ford 3-Window Coupe

100

101

The body sits on a custom chassis that has been stretched two-inches and features a Rod Tech independent front suspension set-up with its stainless control arms, Rod Tech coil-over shocks and Flaming River rack and pinion steering assembly all contributing to helping the ’32 steer, stop and ride so much better. Down at the other end, there’s an alloy Currie 9-inch diff located with a four-link set-up and sprung using Rod Tech coil-over shocks. To deal with the huge amount of power from up front, the diff has been fitted with a Detroit Locker centre and Moser 35-spline axles. Hidden inside the custom painted, 17x6 and 17x13 Show Wheels V-Rod rims hides a quartet of Wilwood 4-piston calipers and discs. The rolling Hoosier rubber measures 7.5-inches in the front and a massive 31x16.5-inch filling the big rear guards perfectly.

102

Forget a stereo – there’s not enough space for speakers to drown out the engine noise!

With an open engine compartment, that wild blown injected Hemi is in full view and draws in crowds like a naked super model handing out $100 notes for free! Not only is the Hemi visually stunning, it makes Chris’ coupe so much more desirable, and when that engine fires up and sits there idling, the “want” factor is multiplied ten-fold. Not that you can tell, but that engine is full alloy version sourced from Indy Maxx and sports no less than 572 cubic inches. Externally, the 8/71 Hampton blower and EFI-spec Hilborn ‘Shotgun’ injector hat dominate the view up front.

Under the bolts is an engine chock full of only the best gear money can buy. The alloy Indy Maxx block is home to a tough as nails rotating system comprising of a Callies forged crank, Howards billet steel rods and forged Ross pistons wrapped in Total Seal rings. The wildly-idling roller cam from the Howards catalogue is matched with Crane Pro solid roller lifters.

103

Coming up with something a little different to everyone else wasn’t going to be an easy task, but Chris had a plan...

With an open engine compartment, that wild blown injected Hemi is in full view and draws in crowds like a naked super model handing out $100 notes for free! Not only is the Hemi visually stunning, it makes Chris’ coupe so much more desirable, and when that engine fires up and sits there idling, the “want” factor is multiplied tenfold. Not that you can tell, but that engine is full alloy version sourced from Indy Maxx and sports no less than 572 cubic inches. Externally, the 8/71 Hampton blower and EFI-spec Hilborn ‘Shotgun’ injector hat dominate the view up front. Under the bolts is an engine chock full of only the best gear money can buy. The alloy Indy Maxx block is home to a tough as nails rotating system comprising of a Callies forged crank, Howards billet steel rods and forged Ross pistons wrapped in Total Seal rings.

The wildly-idling roller cam from the Howards catalogue is matched with Crane Pro solid roller lifters. The alloy Indy Legend heads were filled with big stainless valves,

104

Comp Cams springs and Indy pushrods before being bolted onto the finished block. The induction soon joined the party via a Hampton intake. After the MSD ignition fires the beast into life, the gases are shown the door via a pair of fabricated headers that flow into a dual 3-inch system that uses Magnaflow mufflers to tame the noise coming from the opposite end. Yeah, its loud, but would you have it any other way? It’s no surprise to know that the engine produces plenty of power, but Chris is quick to point out that the Hemi has been detuned to make it just a little more user friendly. A Reid-cased Powerglide trans is bolted to the Hemi via a TCI adapter, and thanks to some hard-core internals, handles the horsepower with ease. The box is fronted with a TCE Pro Race 3800rpm converter with gear changes made via a B&M shifter. When you also consider the strength of the rear end, the driveline in this ’32 Ford is just about as tough as they come.

105

The elite-quality build continues on the inside. Opening up either door reveals an interior covered in a shade of leather called Ox-Blood. Set against the body colour, which makes an appearance in the interior as well, the interior is the perfect colour.

The leather was laid down by master craftsman Mick Carter who covered the custom door trims, headlining, RCI race seats and the floor to the highest possible level. With black billet buttons added for contrast, and the armrests and associated

handles coated the same, the interior is a great accompaniment to the body and paint. The Billet Specialities steering wheel tops the billet column, with a gaggle of AutoMeter dials added to the bodycoloured dash. Forget a stereo – there’s not enough space for speakers to drown out the engine noise! The tight-fitting roll-cage was fabricated at Southern Rod & Custom and keeps the ’32 from twisting itself inside out when that Hemi is given some throttle.

THANKS TO: Southern Rod & Custom. Mick Carter.

With an open engine compartment, that wild blown injected Hemi is in full view and draws in crowds like a naked super model handing out $100 notes for free!

106

Chris has invested some ten years of his life into the construction of the ’32 and during that time, he has experienced more than his fair share of hassles. Yes, it’s a long time to take to build a car, but Chris has a firm plan in place of what he wanted and was determined to make it happen.

The build quality is what you’d expect from Shane and his crew and it’s taken plenty of cash to get the car finished – which also contributed to the time frame. Overall, the Coupe has turned out just as he expected and wouldn’t change a thing to how it now appears.

107

! e k a L e h t ’ n i s i u r C

am from the te e th t, h g ri B in n u opular Rod R p ly e g u h ir e th e adjoining g th n ti to t n e v e ir e After vaca th d te d Club reloca o R t e e tr S s rb u b ey started! u S th t a h w e u Northern n ti n o c Mulwala to d n a a g n o w a rr a Y f cities o

108

UB_NOV 10-12, 2023 CL D RO ET RE ST S SUBURB D RUN_NORTHERN ER LAKE MULWALA RO PICS – JON SMOOTH CK BE L U PA – S RD WO

109

I actually attended the Lake Mulwala Rod Run many years ago and was suitably impressed with the way the event was planned out and the surroundings in which it was held. By luck, I managed to get a Motel right above the action in the main street, making it easy to take it all in. Sadly, I haven’t been able to get back there for a while due to work commitments, but thanks to Jon Smoother, I’m able to showcase the show and shine part of the weekend. Thanks mate…

110

111

As a tribute to the team at Australian Street Rodding magazine, this year’s event artwork featured two of the vehicles Larry O’Toole had owned and was well remembered for...

Of course, there’s much more to this event than just the show and shine on the JC Lowe oval. A big part of any Hot Rodding event is cruising on the main street on Saturday night where people are ten deep lining the streets to see, hear and smell the cruising. The main street is absolutely ideal for a night of cruising under lights with the multitude of cafes and restaurants on the street booked out during proceedings. As a backdrop to the cars, the main street also featured live music and a DJ, as well as rock and roll dancing providing an atmosphere that heralded back to the early days of Hot Rodding…

112

113

As a tribute to the team at Australian Street Rodding magazine, this year’s event artwork featured two of the vehicles Larry O’Toole had owned and was well remembered for – a fitting tribute to a man and his magazine that supported events like the Lake Mulwala Rod Run every year.

114

115

s e d i KILLERR VIDEO FEATURE

MALCOLM SMYTH - 39 CHEV UTILITY

PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Advertise your business here from just $70 per month* * Based on 6-month Booking @ 1/8 page size.

BATTERIES FOR ALL APPLICATIONS

All the big brands!

Email: paul@killerrides.com.au for more info.

www.speedpro.com.au

1300 769 282 www.rjbatt.com.au

0411 620918 Australian Made Engine Coolants & Additives

oldskoolrestos@gmail.com

1800 441163

www.liquidintelligence.com.au

ADVERTISE HERE

JUST $70 PER MONTH CONTACT PAUL - 0432 795336

07 3488 7831

www.superformance.com.au

Performance Pulley Systems to suit a wide range of engines

www.wheelswithinwheels.com.au

Phone (02) 42850300

ADVERTISE HERE

JUST $70 PER MONTH CONTACT PAUL - 0432 795336

Unit 2, 25 Badgally Rd, Campbelltown NSW

Ph 02 9820 6800

www.prostreet.com.au

www.lovellsauto.com.au

www.blautomotive.com.au

ADVERTISE HERE

PUBLISHED ONLINE QUARTERLY READ EACH ISSUE FOR FREE! 118

ONTH JUST $70 PER M79 5336 CONTACT PAUL - 0432

119

COMING EVENTS JAN 4-7

SUMMERNATS 36 EPIC Canberra www.summernats.com.au

14

PORT FAIRY ROD RUN Neville - 0432 777858

21

NSW ALL AMERICAN DAY Macarthur Square Shopping Centre Campbelltown

FEB 3-5

COASTER HOT ROD CLUB Coastal Cruise Bill Reid - 0412 851261

9-11 CURRARONG CAMPOUT WEEKEND Shoalhaven Street Rodders John Murray - 0409 121482 11

AUSTRALIAN T-BUCKET NATIONALS Hawkesbury Showground Barney - 0407 419939

11

37th ANNUAL PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK Hanging Rock Reserve

26-28 CRAKK RUN Capital Country Holiday Park, Canberra www.chra.org.au

11

CORVETTES AT THE BAY Wigley Reserve, SA Peter - 0417 857153

26/27TOP FUEL NATIONALS Sydney Dragway

24/25HOT ROD & HARLEY EXPO Illawarra Hockey Centre, Unanderra Killer Rides - Paul 0432 795336

26

KYABRAM FRIDAY CRUISE NIGHT Allan & Bishop Streets Ian 0409 438340

27

HORSEPOWER IN THE HIGH COUNTRY Mansfield Botanic Gardens Cameron 0427 879676

27

RIVERINA CLASSIC & MUSCLE CAR SHOW Tolland Hotel, Wagga Wagga Kim - 02 69226266

FEB 03/04TOOWOOMBA SWAP MEET Toowoomba Showgrounds 04

2-4 120

AUSSIE CLASSIC CAR SHOW Mornington Racecourse 0473 832277 OZ CAR FEST Mansfield VIC www.autofest.com.au

MARCH 10-12 BATHURST AUTOFEST Mt Panorama, Bathurst www.autofest.com.au 15-17 CHRYSLERS ON THE MURRAY Wodonga, VIC www.chryslersonthemurray.com 29-APR 1 NARRANDERA ROD RUN Narrandera, NSW https://www.facebook.com/ groups/191300369572 29-APR 1 CAMARO/FIREBIRD NATS Albury NSW www.cfnats.com.au

Canberra Rod and Kustom Krooze 2024 25, 26, 27, 28 January Capital Country Holiday Park, Sutton, NSW Open to all ASRF Class Vehicles including pre ʻ78 Lots of activities for little kids and big kids Lots of prizes and giveaways!

For more information, go to the Canberra Hot Rod Association Inc Website: www.chra.org.au/CRAKK Enquiries phone Choco on 0412 883 235.

s e d i KILLERR

Australia’s Street Car Community!

s a m t s i r h C y r r e M r a e Y w e N y p & A Hap THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO KILLER RIDES DURING 2023.

Lauren - Xposed Photography - Chad Silvey - Pics by Chaddo John Smoother - Charlie Sant - KNGR Media Ashley - S8TEN Photography - Joe Crispen Jason ‘CHUBBRO’ Lowe - Grant Stephens - Cackling Pipes Greg ‘Beach’ Ball - Daniel Buckenmyer (USA) Blake - Insane Grunt Photography - Luke - Hunter Media Andy Mack - Olskool Photography & Classic Cars - Kevin Quigley Darren - Trackside Images - Corey - Show ‘n’ Go Photography DTrain Photography - Simon - Joydrive Southern Rod & Custom - LSX Media - Bradley Gray (USA)

s t’ a h w e e s u o y ll ti it Wa coming in 2024!

THANKS TO OUR VALUED ADVERTISERS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT KILLER RIDES IN ALL THAT WE DO!

Speed Pro - R&J Batteries Lovells Automotive - Superformance BL Automotive - Wheels within Wheels Liquid Intelligence - South Coast Radiators Prized Peices

THANKS TO THE CAR/BIKE OWNERS WHO ALLOW ME TO FEATURE THEIR RIDES AND ALSO TO EVENT PROMOTERS AND OF COURSE, THOSE OF YOU WHO CLICK ON EACH ISSUE AND CONTINUE TO ENJOY KILLER RIDES! BIG THANKS TO THE KILLER RIDES ‘A-TEAM THAT HELP WITH EACH AND EVERY EVENT! LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY WIFE KATHY AND DAUGHTER MONTANA FOR PUTTING UP WITH THE LONG HOURS I SPEND IN THE OFFICE! MAY THE BIG GUY IN RED BE GOOD TO YOU ALL THIS CHRISTMAS! SEE YOU IN 2024!

s e d i KILLERR

Australia’s Street Car Community!

e v i t a v o n n I Get with your g n i s i t r e v d A

HERE’S WHAT WE OFFER! EXCEPTIONAL RATES! GLOBAL AUDIENCE! ONLINE 24/7!

VIDEO ENHANCED AD’S! ALL AD’S LINKED! NEW PRODUCT PROMOTIONS! For more information on advertising in Killer Rides, please contact;

Check Us Out on our Social Media Pages!

Paul Beck 0432 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au

PUBLISHING EDITOR

Paul Beck paul@killerrides.com.au Phone 0432 795336

MAILING ADDRESS

PO Box 165 Oak Flats NSW 2529

WEBSITE

www.killerrides.com.au

VALUED CONTRIBUTORS

Lauren Jade @ Xposed Photography Chad Silvey @ Pics by Chaddo Jimmy Tee Photography Greg ‘Beach’ Ball Darren - Trackside Images Jason Lowe