KILLER RIDES #2

THE HOME OF AUSTRALIA’S

Toughest STREET CARS ISSUE #2 - JULY 2018

G N I S I A R

L L E H All Aussie

BLOWN / INJECTED

TORANA

BLOWN

ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE!

1100HP HT HOLDEN UTE - TURBO 351 TE CORTINA EFI CHEV-POWERED LX TORANA - SYDNEY HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO - KENDA TIRES 660 RADIAL DRAG MEET AND MUCH MORE!

500CI

Charger

From the Desk STATE VS. STATE - WHO HAS THE BIGGEST TOUGH STREET CAR SCENE? We all like to think we live in the best place possible. Where I live, not far from Wollongong on the NSW South Coast, I think it’s paradise. I’m less than five minutes to the most pristine beaches in the country, yet if I drive five minutes west, I am in glorious country side which could easily be a thousand miles from anywhere. It’s no secret that the greater Wollongong area is home to a huge custom car culture, and it’s not uncommon to see lots of ground-pounding street cars cruising the area on a sunny Sunday…

But the more photo’s I see from other area’s has me wondering just which area can be billed as having the biggest car scene in the country. I can’t help but think that both Melbourne and Adelaide seem to leading in the tough car scene with lots of pics flooding the social media outlets showcasing all makes and models with big engines, big wheels and even bigger attitudes!

That’s not to say that NSW, WA, QLD and TAS are lacking in performance cars, we just don’t see as many splashed across our computer screens.

Is it because Sydney, Perth and Brisbane have first-class drag strips and offer people the opportunity to take their “street cars” to the next level to hit the track hard which may not render them “appropriate” for street use?

With more and more events popping up everywhere like Cars and Coffee, there’s now more reason than ever to go cruising in your tough street car. Usually held on a Sunday morning, these events last just a few hours and can attract upwards of 300-400 cars – sometimes more! They are the ideal outing for families to enjoy with minimal effort or planning.

With the colder weather now upon us, many take this time to do some changes or maintenance on their rides in preparation for the warmer weather to return, so with plenty of people still getting out and about in Winter, you can imagine just how big the car scene will be in Summer! Bring it on I say…

I’ll finish by thanking those of you who took the time out to not only read Issue 1, but also send in words of encouragement and best wishes. It means a lot. Hope you enjoy Issue #2. If not, let me know. If you do, tell everyone else!

®

See you on the Street…

Shop online now @ WWW.SPEEDPRO.COM.AU 11 A I R L I E AV E N U E , D A N D E N O N G V I C 3 17 5

P H O N E 0 3 9 7 9 4 517 7

Paul Beck Publishing Editor

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Contents

ISSUE No.2

‘73 LJ TORANA

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July 2018

1968 DODGE CHARGER

REGULARS 06 WHAT’S HAPPENING News, views and things of interest 08 BLAST FROM THE PAST Take a trip down memory lane

52 THINGS YOU

20 SHOW TIME Events coming up 22 COMING ATTRACTIONS The next generation of tough cars 40 IN THE HOT SEAT Greg “Ziggy” Sadler Pt-1

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‘69 HT HOLDEN UTE

NEED...

BOLT-ON’S TO GO FAST

52 THINGS YOU NEED Bolt-on’s to go fast 80 DARE TO BE DIFFERENT Flames 84 CYBER CRUIZIN’ 2018 Hot Rod Power Tour 88 KILLER PIC Cruising a Top Fuel-powered Mustang

‘76 LX TORANA

92 WINDOW SHOPPING All the latest new products

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95 FACTORY OPTIONS Rare 6-pack Pontiac Firebird

FACTORY OPTIONS

FEATURES

6-PACK FIREBIRD

12 FLAT HEADS AND WHITE WALLS Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo 24 HOME GROWN All-Aussie Pro-Street LJ Torana 32 RADIAL POWER PLAY Rnd 2 - Kenda Tires 660 Radial Drag Meet

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44 SUPER CHARGER Blown 500ci ‘68 Dodge Charger 56 TOUGH ENOUGH Stack Injected Chev-powered LX Torana 64 PURE MASSACRE 1100hp Tyre-killing HT Holden Ute 72 UNDER PRESSURE Street-driven turbo’d 393ci Cortina

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1977 TE CORTINA

FLAMES

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

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What’s Happening?

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

When you see this logo throughout the magazine, make sure you click on it to see a video feature on that car or event.

ROD HADFIELD RELEASES BOOK

ZAPPIA DOWN SCALES!

The first comprehensive biography of Australian Hot Rodding legend Rod Hadfield has been released. Covering his 50+ years of initiating trends, pushing boundaries and causing controversy in the automotive scene in Australia and beyond. "Rocket Rod is truly an icon in the world of Rodding and what he doesn't know of Hot Rods just ain't worth knowing but the truth is he would probably know it anyway," said Shane Jacobson – Actor and selfproclaimed Rev Head.

Appropriately titled, “The Mad Scientist of Australian Hot Rodding: Rod Hadfield” this book was written by Allison Hadfield and will be available through all good book stores and probably some dodgy ones too! For just $39.95 it will be an in-depth look into the life of one of Australia’s most well-known car builders. Grab your copy now… www.rennicks.com.au

Stop panicking people, Team Zappia isn’t selling up and going to race Super Sedan – though that would be interesting, we’re talking about the release of the ZAPS RAT Monaro in diecast form thanks to the people at Biante.

Limited to just 882 pieces, the detail on this latest release is typical Biante and is as good as anything we’ve seen – even down to the raised lettering on the Hoosier tyres! This 1:18 scale model retails for $450 each and is the first ever drag car ever produced by the company. Hopefully its not the last…

BRAVEHEART

This one will have the Holden purists rolling their eyes in disbelief.

When Chris Dicker of Dickers Speed Shop in WA rolled his HX Holden Ute into the WA Hot Rod and Street Machine Spectacular, no one expected to see a six pack under the bonnet – let alone from the dark side!

Chris fitted his Ute with an F6 Turbo 6 and six-speed auto from a Falcon and then colour-coded the lot for a factory-fitted look. Haters will always hate, so why not get everyone talking? Less weight and more power than a common LS-conversion makes this swap a desirable one.

*** STOP PRESS*** At the time of going online, all 882 pieces of the ZAPS RAT Doorslammer have sold!

Whether or not Biante will do a second run remains to be seen.

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MILLION DOLLAR FALCON

It had to happen eventually, a cult Aussie muscle car topped one million dollars! You read that right!

An extremely rare Ford GTHO Phase III that was once owned by former Australian fast bowler Jeff Thomson sold for $1.03 million at a Lloyds Auctions in Kelso – the highest ever for a muscle car in Australia. The million-dollar GTHO Phase III sold for just over $5000 when it burst onto the Australian the market in 1971.

This record-breaking sale follows the sale of an A9X Torana Hatchback with just 14 klms on the speedo for $500,000.

Could Muscle Car Fever be about to hit Australia again?

GRUDGE KINGS $50K SHOOT-OUT

At the time of launching this issue, there’s just one week before Grudge Kings takes over Sydney Dragway where someone will walk away with a huge pay packet for a day’s worth of racing.

There will be a lot of heavy-hitters at the event all vying for the money so you can rest assured the racing will be as hard fought as you’ll ever see. It all happens July 14th, Sydney Dragway. Check out the Grudge Kings Facebook page for all the details…

KILLER RIDES LIVE IS COMING! AUGUST 11th, MOSS VALE SHOWGROUND. MORE INFO AT KILLERRIDES.COM.AU

Alan Hale’s rammed V8 FC Holden was one of the straightest early Holden’s you’ll ever see. Here it lines up on the show and shine at the 1986 Street Machine Nationals in Canberra.

Blast from the Past

STAR CARS They were some of the most high-profile builds of the time which are now legendary. Some are still around – hidden away someplace, whilst sadly, others are no longer with us. Enjoy taking this step back in time to when it was all about attitude! The bigger, the better… *Please forgive the quality of the pics – there was such a time when digital images weren’t available…

MR-GAS was one of the toughest Torana’s on the street back in the day. Once again, the 308 engine features stacked injection amongst the fabricated alloy engine bay. Rob Upton was the builder and was a regular at events in Sydney.

The Anthony Bros' from Cooma had a couple of tough Pro-Street Falcons. This injected XB and also a blown/inj XY sedan in candy red with graphics. Here, George cruises along Northbourne back in the early Summernats around 1996.

Long before he was heading up the Summernats judging team, Rowan Wilson was a prolific car builder, having produced some of the wildest customs in Australia.

He built this Camaro, dubbed Candyman for himself and as you can tell by the rain, this one was a show quality driver – no matter what the weather.

Ivan Hans created one of the toughest LJ Torana on the streets with MR HYDE. From the owner-fabricated rear chassis and tubs to the blown small block with twin Predator carbs and directport nitrous, this Torana was wild…and used on the street! In fact, Ivan had taken it to work on the Steelworks from time to time! The car was sold and sadly stolen, never to be seen again…

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Here’s a rare pic of Gary Myers in the “all-black” Mustang at an early Summernats. Rolling on custom 5-slot wheels, this was before Gary went “balls and all” into the Burnout world and the Mustang was still relatively a street car.

At the height of the Pro-Street scene, Chic Henry took a gamble and managed to bring in from the USA Rick Dobbertin and his amazing J2000 Pontiac – arguably the most outrageous car from America at the time. The turbo, blown and nitrous powered Pontiac featured a tilt front, tilt body and detailing to die for. Seeing this cruise Northbourne is something I will never forget…

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Blast from the Past Continued...

The “Extra Healthy” EH out of Queensland was one of the Pioneers of Elite Show Cars at the time. From the triple carb six-pack to the interior and undercarriage, detail was king in this build. Seems like a lifetime ago.

John Ziegler’s custom HQ Ute was one of the biggest show winners back in the day. Featuring an insane amount of custom work to the body and interior, it was certainly an eye catcher. The Ute has just recently been given a complete make-over and was a hit at MotorEx in Melbourne. Check out the big Mickey Thompson tyres on the front!

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Another car builder that went on to bigger and better things was Owen Webb. Most people know him as the face behind the unveils and judging at both MotorEx and Summernats, but before he wore those hats, he was getting his hands dirty creating show cars of his own. His XY Ute featured immaculate body work and silky black paint and was dubbed the Bruiser.

Bob Roman from Autotek was always pushing the boundaries in the custom car scene with unique builds and this two-door convertible EA Falcon certainly took the scene to another level.

Les Adams is better known now for running the Autofest group of events, but before that he was a regular car guy who created cool cars like this two-door, chop top EH. This car has recently been given an overhaul and is serving as a driver for Les yet again.

Ok, those of you who think that Gup created Powerskids, guess again! That was none other than Victor Bray who smoked the hell out of the (then) burnout pad at Natex back at the ’86 Street Machine Nationals in his blown and injected ’57 Chev. Click the video icon to see the video clip of the first ever Powerskid!

SYDNEY HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO ROSEHILL RACECOURSE - MAY 26th / 27th WORDS / PICS - Paul Beck

FLAT HEADS 12

& WHITE WALLS

The 2018 Sydney Hot Rod and Custom Auto Expo bought together a huge mix of Rod’s, Custom’s, Street Machines and bikes with a few bonuses thrown in for good measure.

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2018 - TOP CAR OF SHOW

Wasyl Rosati - 1950 Mercury

Keep an eye on www.hotrodandcustom.com.au for the release of entry forms for the next event…

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The main people behind the staging of the show – Andy and Donna Minas, have put their heart and sole into reviving the Sydney Hot Rod Show and with a big turn-out in 2018, the future of the event looks secure for many years to come. Make sure you mark down the same weekend in 2019 to be part of the Sydney Hot Rod and Custom Auto Expo. We’ll be there, make sure you will be too.

1/32 Seasands Drive, Redhead NSW 2290 Phone (0413) 203083

For Award-Winning Custom Paint!

Show Time Have your event listed here for free! Email details to paul@killerrides.com.au

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

15 - QLD All Ford Day Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich bobtaylorauto@optusnet.com.au

11 - NSW Killer Rides Live Moss Vale Showgrounds www.killerrides.com.au

07-09 - NSW Kiama Rod Run Darren - 0410 641926

15 - NSW East Hills Charity Car Show Kelso Oval, Panania Glen - 0434 360791

19 - NSW Lions Club of Narellan Car Show Onslow Park, Camden Danny - 0417 676815

20-22 - QLD Ingham Auto Fest www.autofest.com.au

19 - NSW 55th EH Holden Anniversary Show Hubertus Club, Luddenham Sue - 0431 727782

09 - QLD Old School Muscle Car Mania Nerang State High School gcmca@bigpond.com

24-26 - NSW Mountains to the Sea Manning Valley Cruzers Club sharonathans@optusnet.com.au

06 - NSW Appin Wheels Festival Appin Public School Melissa - 0420 662396

25-26 - QLD Jamboree Willowbank Raceway www.willowbank-raceway.com

15-16 - SA Victor Harbour Rock & Roll Festival www.rocknrollfestival.com.au

14 - NSW Grudge Kings Drag Racing Sydney Dragway Grudge Kings Facebook Page

29 - NSW All Ford Day Sydney Dragway www,allforddaynsw.com 29 - QLD Mopar Sunday Willowbank Raceway, Ipswich www.moparsunday.com 29 - NSW Windsor Rod & Custom Car Show Windsor Leagues Club Lep - 0412 826539

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05 - NSW All Holden Day Hawksbury Showground 0414 449275

26 - NSW Lions Motorfest Maitland Showgrounds Geoff - 0434 440814

02 - NSW Outlaw Rod Shop 2nd Annual Fathers Day Picnic Gledswood Homestead Chris - 0414 409333

08-NSW Cars under the Stars Luddenham Showground 5pm-10pm Barney - 0407 419939

23-24 - WA 21st Albany Show ‘n’ Shine Albany Christine - 0477 562572

Coming Attractions Richard Rabay - 1977 LX Torana Hatch

“I love the Pro-Touring look,” Richard explained. “And this Torana is something that will fit that scene perfectly. It will have all the mod cons including air-conditioning, will make lots of power and be ultra-reliable! This is the car I could easily drive to Queensland with the family and not feel like it was hard work!”

Richard has sunk four years of work and lots of money into the Torana so far, but knows the finish line is getting close. We’ll let you know when it’s done with a full feature in Killer Rides.

There’s no denying the LS-engine is the number one go to powerplant when considering re-powering your ride. And why wouldn’t it be? There’s literally thousands of engine and box combinations sitting in wrecking yards around the world; they are so cheap to buy it’s not funny; they can handle power-adders even in standard form and the amount of gear available from the aftermarket is staggering.

Richard Rabay is no stranger to tough cars.

His Pro-Touring XB Falcon Coupe is stunning and regularly gets out and about and still looks as good as the day it was first built. And whilst the XB is a great car, Richard is a car guy and like all of us, having a garage full of toys is something most of us only ever dream of. Not Richard. He works hard and plays even harder. His next weapon is this LSA-powered Torana…

Proving he’s not biased towards any brand, his loyalty seems to be aimed at tough cars in general. A more than desirable car since its inception in 1977 thanks in part to one P. Brock, who not only set the Mountain on fire in his A9X, but lapped all of his competitors in the process, the SS Hatchback is now commanding big money – especially lowkilometre A9X versions.

Bought as a worn-out body shell and a few boxes of parts, this was never going to be a concourse restoration. Richard isn’t too fussed on keeping his Hatch stock and numbers matching, deciding instead to throw in a factory blown LSA engine because of its availability, power and overall good looks in the Torana’s engine bay. Sporting 430kW in factory form, Richard’s version will be making a little more than that after Kon from Wollongong Automotive Services has a play with the package with around 700-plus HP

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expected. Backing the engine is a 6-speed manual gearbox that will feed the horsepower to the TruTrac 9-inch rear end fitted with 3.9-gears and 31-spline billet axles.

The 20x8 and 20x10 Blackhawk wheels are from the American Legend range and will suit the Torana’s profile perfectly. Wilwood brakes are fitted to each corner. The custom front end has received a pair of coil-over shocks and power rack to make the driving experience that much nicer.

Inside it will be a driver’s car. There’s a pair of comfy Recaro seats replacing the factory buckets while the rear will be trimmed to match in the original SS style.

The original Torana dash will be retained but will play host to a set of custom SpeedHut gauges that have been colourcoded to suit the original LX gauge look.

It’s the little things that make a difference and this Torana will be full of “little changes”.

The Torana has some trick bits hidden away from view too like the electric power steering from a Holden Astra that resides in the passenger quarter panel. There’s also an electric airconditioning compressor fitted remotely in the rear.

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HOME n w o r G

BROCK OESER 1973 LJ TORANA

WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK

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Brock Oeser is not one to follow trends.

You won’t find an LS-engine under that blower and hat, rather a 355ci Holden stroker!

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When your Dad drives a blown big-powered and tubbed Chev truck and loves to do burnouts, it’s only a matter of time before you find yourself looking for a suitable project car of your own. Brock Oeser decided early on that he wanted an LJ Torana and the search for a suitable starting point led him all over the country for months and months of disappointments.

He found an abandoned project in Queensland that was about as good as it was ever going to get.

Someone had already started the process of rebuilding the Torana, but had decided it was too much to

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tackle and offered the rolling shell for sale. With minimal rust and damage, Brock knew this was the starting point he needed.

LET THE FUN BEGIN With the Torana now back in Sydney and nestled into the corner of his Dad’s workshop, Brock and his Dad Sean kick-started what would become two-years of afterhours and weekend work on the LJ roller.

Right from the outset, Brock had a firm plan in place. The Torana had to have a V8, it had to be blown and it had to be tough! Tick! Tick!

Tick! One thing that was a certainty was the Torana was never going to be LS-powered. Brock has seen the over-use of LS engines in everything from Mini’s to Mercedes Benz’s and decided that wasn’t for him. It was going to be Holden powered no matter what!

Some still question Brocks decision to go down the 5-litre route with the Torana when an LS-engine offers so much more bang for your buck! But as Brock puts it, “I wanted to prove to everyone that the 308 can perform just as well as the LS-version.

Initially, Brock had 20-inch black Simmons wheels tucked under each guard, but recently ditched those for a set of Weld V-Series wheels measuring 15x3.5” on the pointy end and 15x10” where the power gets unleashed.

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PATRIOT GAMES Staying true to the all-Aussie theme, Brock found a 308 engine just perfect to re-power the Torana with. The first stop for the engine was to see the team at APM in Smeaton Grange. Well-versed in building high-horsepower engines, Aaron, Steve and the team devised a plan that would see the humble 308 punching out more cubes and a bucket load more power than the factory ever intended.

The prepped block was soon sporting a COME Racing stroker crank and Scat H-beam rods that upped the cubic capacity to a more respectable 355-inches. A roller cam and lifter kit from Crane followed as did the forged flat top pistons and moly rings.

COME Racing also supplied the CNC-ported heads that scored larger valves, roller rockers and P&C valve springs. Filling the gap between the heads is a Newby supercharger manifold that proudly holds up the TBS 8/71 Supercharger and carbon-fibre injector hat that has been modified by Joe Schembri at Joe Blow to run electronically. The end result was an impressive 800-plus horsepower on E85 fuel!

Speaking of that injector hat, Brock wanted the look of the Enderle Big and Ugly – but not as big and not as ugly. When he found this carbon fibre version for sale in Melbourne he thought all his Christmas’ had come at once. Seems many people have the same idea as Brock has been asked to sell the hat many, many times.

So whilst Brock and I were chatting after the shoot, we’ve come to realise that this hat could very well have been the one that I had on Project X – the Outlaw Studebaker I was building when I owned Extreme Magazine. I sold it to a guy in Melbourne and when I got it from Racecraft in 2003/04, it was one of the proto-types they were building. Upon closer inspection of pics of the Studebaker I have, I am confident to say this is the same one! That’s down right freaky that more than 10-years later, it ends up on a car I have photographed…

A tough engine needs a tough driveline to back it up, and there’s been no shortcuts taken here. A built-Turbo 400 auto bolts up to the blown engine and features a reverse pattern shift kit, B&M shifter and 4500rpm Dominator converter. Down the back, there’s the obligatory 9-inch diff fitted with 3.25-gears and 31-spline billet axles.

The rest of the underside upgrades include Wilwood 320mm discs and 4-piston calipers to each corner, lowered coils and heavy duty shocks on the nose whilst the rear end got swapped out for a fourlink set-up and coil overs. Initially, Brock had 20-inch black Simmons wheels tucked under each guard, but recently ditched those for a set of Weld V-Series wheels measuring 15x3.5” on the pointy end and 15x10” where the power gets unleashed.

The prepped block was soon sporting a COME Racing stroker crank and Scat H-beam rods that upped the cubic capacity to a more respectable 355-inches.

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THE BODY NOT SO BEAUTIFUL

As mentioned earlier, when Brock got hold of the Torana, it was more like three-quarters of a Torana. The body shell was intact and in average condition for its age, but all the hanging panels were missing. It took some time to find replacements and once he had, Brock handed all of the sheet metal over to Tony Fernandez to bring back to better than new condition before laying on the new custom Gun Metal Spies Hecker paint. The body remains stock with the exception of mini-tubs to fit the 235/60/15 Mickey T’s under the guards.

INSIDE OUT

Like the body, the interior is for the most part, restored back to original. The dash and steering wheel is factoryspec GTR, as are the door trims and rear seat. A pair of Summit Racing front seats and harness belts form part of the internal upgrade as are the AutoMeter gauges and the B&M Shifter. Trick Trimming took care of the interior remake.

All this gear is easily put back to stock should Brock ever feel the need. The stereo is…non-existent. Brock would rather listen to the tunes provided by the black belt up front.

After a comprehensive two-year build, Brock is content to show the Torana some more, cruise it when and where he can and also do some drag racing with it. After that, who knows. He may get bored and act on those dreams of tubbing the rear end, bolting up a blown big block and fitting a full cage – just like his Dad…

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OWNER: Brock Oeser VEHICLE: 1973 LJ Torana ENGINE: 355ci Holden stroker built by APM. COME Racing stroker crank, Scat forged H-beam rods, Wiseco flat top pistons, Crane roller cam and lifters, JE moly rings, Trend pushrods, Mellings hi-vol oil pump, High Energy sump, 3 x Intank Bosch 44 fuel pumps, CNC ported COME Racing heads, P&C valve springs, Newby blower manifold, TBS 8/71 supercharger, Carbon fibre injector hat with 9x2000cc Bosch injectors, MSD ignition, custom 2.25” headers with twin 3-inch exhaust system with Hurricane mufflers.

POWER: 800hp TRANS: Turbo 400, transbrake, reverse pattern shift, Dominator 4500 stall converter, B&M shifter.

DIFF: 9-inch diff, 3,25-gears, billet 31-spline axles, 3-inch tailshaft.

WHEELS: Weld Racing V-Series 15x3.5 & 15X10 SUSPENSION: Front: Lowered coils, heavy duty shocks Rear: Four-link assembly, coil overs.

BRAKES: Wilwood 320mm with 4-piston calipers COLOUR: Spies Hecker Custom Gun Metal Grey BUILD TIME: 2-years so far.

THANKS TO: Tony Fernandez for the countless hours he put into the body and paint work. Jake Graham for his help with the build and getting to shows and the track. My Dad for all his help with the build and also for the use of the workshop. My Mum for cooking dinner for us when we came home late after working on the car. Thanks to anyone else I may have forgotten.

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RADIAL y a l P r Powe

Held on Benaraby Raceway’s eighth-mile track, round two of the Kenda Tires 660 Drag Radial series was a hard-fought battle!

KENDA TIRES 660 RADIAL DRAG SERIES - ROUND 2 WORDS - Paul Beck PICS - www.insanegrunt.com.au

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TOP TEN QUALIFIERS

J. Horan S. O’Carroll B. Armstrong S. Sveiger G. Bedrick R. Bratland R. Ekert J. Seng J. Cowan G. Hunt

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4.771@158.11 5.161@134.43 5.321@138.88 5.405@132.39 5.432@128.68 5.465@125.92 5.682@123.25 5.691@119.92 5.737@109.36 5.794@118.91

Initially kicked off in 2013, the Kenda Tires 660 Drag Radial has been going from strength to strength over the years...

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The three rounds of racing came down to just five cars with a chance to make the final, with the quickest two cars from this round going into the final. James Horan, Leigh Darke, Simon O’Carroll, Brett Armstrong and Jase Cowen all had a shot.

It ended up being James Horan facing off against Leigh Darke with Horan taking the win with a 4.68 @ 166mph pass over a wheel-standing Darke. The balance of the field ran off in the Simon O’Carroll Swimming Pools/All Over Plant Hire 660 Radial Warz Class.

Going into the third round, we had four racers with two round wins being Brett Miller, Graham Mackinnon, Scott Cortina and Matt McCarthy. This had both Scott Cortina and Matt McCarthy take wins and be the two quickest cars from the 3rd round. They moved into the finals with Scott Cortina on 235’s and Matt McCarthy on 275’s, Cortina got the hole shot, but had to pedal the HG as it started to wheel stand while McCarthy drove around him for a 5.09ET Win.

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It ended up being James Horan facing off against Leigh Darke with Horan taking the win with a 4.68 @ 166mph pass over a wheel-standing Darke.

Photo’s Supplied By...

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In the Hot Seat With Greg “Ziggy” Sadler - Owner, Ziggy’s Hot Rods Part 1 - From Humble Beginnings...

As a kid, I grew up on the poor side of town and had the usual part time jobs to try to help out my single parent Mum raise us three boys. I’m the youngest. We didn’t have money to go to car shows so I would ride my bike to any car or van show I could. I saw the evolution of the ‘panel van’ craze grow into the blossoming street machine scene.

I vividly remember riding my bike from home at inner city Belfield to the western suburbs Yennora Woolsheds where the Sydney Hot Rod Show was held at the time.

It was a long way for kid on a tiny bike.

Some off the legends of the time were Pat Fay with his FJ Hearse, Chris Cummings with his HQ Holden panel van Midsummer Dream 11 and Rob Howard ’s Bedford panel van called Dream Warrior. I use to sneak in at set-up time and wander around car

shows as I was a starry-eyed kid.

I annoyed these people and many more with lots of questions. They were fun times!

Eventually, Chris Cummings said to me; ”if you are going to annoy me this much, you may as well learn how to polish”. From that very moment “I was broken”, since all I’ve ever wanted to do was work on custom cars.

I remember in my final school year I scored 100% in my English assignment as I wrote it on the evolution of the Van and Street Machine Era in Australia. I was so hooked on custom cars! Eventually at the end of school, I searched for an apprenticeship and I gained one firstly as a panel beater, which I later transitioned to a spray painter.

I clearly remember the launch of Street Machine Magazine which grew from Van

Wheels magazine with Geoff Paradise at the helm.

Geoff was a shining influence in all things automotive and the Industry owes him so very much. Later Geoff left Street Machine Magazine and launched Performance Street Car Magazine. I proudly attended the launch of this new exciting publication.

A lot of my early friendships were forged in the car park of the Auburn McDonalds, which I’m told was the very first 24-hour Macca’s. We would meet at Granville for our NSW Australian Street Machine Assoc., meetings and then cruise on to Maccas to bench race. More often than not, we would then cruise home via the city in the very early hours in my trusty EH Holden.

The Wilson Brothers, Rowan and Steve originally formed this association, and are both very talented car builders. Being a spray painter by trade I always tried to surrounded myself with the older, more experienced guys to learn from and grow my knowledge. I got the opportunity to start my own car club and through this turn of events I met Graham Stubbs who was the chief judge for the NSWSMA and later Graham asked if I would like to shadow judge at the 1984 Street Machine Nationals in Canberra. It was great opportunity to learn more.

I got to work with Steve Wilson and Rowan Wilson both very talented custom painters from the blue mountains area. As a younger person, I had spent many hours drooling over “Dream Warrior" that was one of the quality builds from Rowan’s shop. I also got to see Ian Hazels wagon for the very first time, which was a Dave Crispon paint job. A beautiful finish with this car, which is still talked about with huge admiration even today.

The National Street Machine Association and also the Australian Street Machine Federation grew, as did a lot of the state associations and the affiliate clubs, and car shows flourished out of the developing custom car scene. Eventually the first Street Machine Nationals was held which added more growth to the industry.

Chic Henry risked a lot to give us what we have today. Originally Chic was heavily involved in the Street Machine Nationals, and later he undertook the massive task to hold the first Summernats as an individual promoter. The rest, as they say, is history! As the Summernats grew, so did the number of memorable builds and car builders. For example, builders such as Wayne Pagel, Robbie Beauchamp, Paul Akins, John Petersen, Danny Flint and many others were amongst the early legends.

At the time, highly re-engineered pro-street style cars similar to the tube-chassis equipped approach of Greg Carlson’s VK Calais and Robbie Beachamp’s VL Calais were becoming the hot ticket! But then along came Ron Barclay with his unique approach to a super detailed mostly stock component, HQ Holden Ute. This build did nothing short of blow the judges away, showing that there is always room for different styles and build approaches. One is not better than the other, they are just different!

I remember the early Summernats riots and the early cool cars. Summernats was on a high and the sport was just getting bigger and bigger. In the day, most of the cars were built by private builders with select craftsman being commissioned to make them special either through a shop or possibly the mates club thing.

I vividly remember riding my bike from home at inner city Belfield to the western suburbs Yennora Woolsheds where the Sydney Hot Rod 41 Show was held at the time. It was a long way for kid on a tiny bike.

In the Hot Seat One of the first quality “pro shops” was Ray Alldricks True Colour Restorations. Later this workshop evolved into TCR Carponents, but Ray and his team were responsible for a lot of the earlier premium builds, and later, Ray was also responsible for Darrell Mc Beth’s Magna show car dubbed “Overkill". Today Ray’s son Steve is continuing on the great work with his own shop “Deluxe Hot Rods”.

Howard Astill was becoming the one to beat with his builds seeing some of the first major sponsorship deals done within the Australian Custom Car scene.

I was in awe of the builds created by ‘Hot Rods by Boyd’ and tried to save to purchase a US bound air ticket, but it was tough ask on my wage. My luck changed when a mate won the major lucky door prize at the Sydney Hot Rod show which was two tickets to the US and a guided tour conducted by Larry O’Toole from Australian Street Rodding magazine. I purchased his other ticket he had won and away we went.

In the late 80’s, Rex Webster began showing his all-conquering Aussie built blue FJ called “Hi-Tech” in the United States. We won all he entered and set the bench

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think I enjoy the friendships way more than the cars. I did stop judging as it was very draining and began to interfere with my employment.

I eventually settled down and pursued my career by working for paint companies. I have worked with Wattyl paints in the Spartan Eurocryl days and followed with Dupont Paints as a tech paint rep and demonstrator and this led to a move to Qld to do field training and also bench testing on the then new technology of Dulux waterbase base coat.

I returned to Newcastle to settle down and try and build myself a fun project of my own.

A long-time friend, Bob Lubjic asked if I could come and set up his new paint shop. Bobs business had grown from a car conversion business to a Porsche specialist, called Exotic Cars. We were doing wide body and slant nose conversions on all types of Porsche’s and other exotics. This was Sydney based so I commuted from Newcastle daily. It was only for a short time and later I was asked to come to Newcastle to work with Rare Spares Newcastle to help develop the business beyond the Chev parts business that was its main core business. This was also the time that I meet a lot of the locals from the car world and clubs.

Building my own project seemed like an impossibility. I lived in inner Sydney were rents were extremely high. I had no garage, no driveway and no floor space to use.

mark high. I was lucky enough to spend time with Rex and his team in the States, both at shows and promotional events.

The FJ was so popular and such a winner stateside, it inspired many to build to a higher level with its build quality. America changed my life, I was hooked on custom cars now I had become obsessed!

Building my own project seemed like an impossibility. I lived in inner Sydney were rents were extremely high. I had no garage, no driveway and no floor space to use. On top of that, I worked a silly workaholics life.

I did work at Berlina Bodyworks specialising in file finishing of prestige Ferrari and concourse level Mercedes Benz.

During my time at Berlina I was approached to move over to McMillian Body Works restoring high-end Rolls Royce’s. This was my introduction to learning the process of cutting and buffing 2 pack paints to elite standard. At this time, I was asked to repaint Graham Stubbs iconic Malibu Magic Chevelle. This was the beginning of my pursuit of perfection in a finishing surface body perfection and trying to learn to perfect the show car finish that was my dream.

I was the national chief steward for the ANSMA at this time and was judging between 2 and 3 shows a month all over the country. I was fortunate to meet many life-long friends over this time. I sometimes

During this period, I undertook the repaint on Norm and Rhonda Longfield's “Xtremeliner”.

This was the first time I attended to the rejuvenation of this project. They had purchased it direct from the States and it was in terrible repair with sink holes, massive cracks and many more issues. Previously, I had painted the Willys coupe while in Sydney with Dupont paints.

At this time, I was also asked to do John Portelli’s orange ’32 Ford Tudor. Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to finish Johns Tudor, as my work commitment with Dupont made the time frame very difficult. I did a lot of the ground work and John got it finished by his cousin who did a lovely job. Later this hot rod was sold to his brother, Tony, and still manages to stay in the top 20 at the Summernats.

I had known Norm and Rhonda for a long-time period prior and it was a honour to get the chance to paint the Willys which is considered by many to be iconic. The Jocko liner that Norm re-birthed as the Xtreme liner was also a treat to be part of. We debut it at Rickshaws Hot Rod Show that year. Norm raced the Xtremeliner and enjoyed it for a good while before sadly crashing it while undertaking a demonstration run, (racing a warplane), at the Cowra airstrip. Norm was not hurt, however the car was severely damaged. I later left Rare Spares and worked for Ron May at Hunter sports cars doing imported Corvettes, AC Cobras and Viper replicas.

COMING NEXT ISSUE: PART #2 - The Begining of Ziggys Hot Rods...

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Super

R E G R CHA age e il m w lo a g in n w The lure of o r o f g n o r t s t s ju s a w Dodge Charger re. o n ig o t s lo u o p o ir Nick V

NICK VIROPOULOS 1968 DODGE CHARGER WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK

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Nick found the factory big block ’68 Dodge advertised for sale in Adelaide, and with 1400-odd kilometres between himself and the bargain of the year, he needed to make the deal happen fast so that a couple of his mates could fly to South Australia and make the long road trip home to Sydney. In no time at all, cash was exchanged for keys and the Charger was on its way to its new home.

Once parked in the family garage, Nick’s original plans of just cruising the Charger soon changed after spending some time behind the wheel. Although the Dodge Charger is a celebrated Muscle Car, its handling and braking capabilities just don’t cut it in 2016. Time for an update…

The factory engine, a 383ci big block, was ripped from its mounts to make way for a 440ci big block that was hauled off to Ned Sassine at Hercules Race Engines where it was stripped down, stroked to 500ci and fitted with a host of top-shelf gear. A single carb never came into the equation however, with Nick opting for some forced induction – yep a 6/71 blower and two big Holley carbs drinking plenty of pump fuel. The engine is good for around 650 horsepower and like all Hercules engines, its ultra-reliable and handles Sydney’s evil traffic with ease.

The rest of the driveline consists of a purpose-built 727 Torqueflyte auto with a bullet-proof 9-inch diff replacing the 8 ¾-inch factory diff. With the “go” side of things sorted, Nick was now turning his attention to the “whoa” to ensure that when needed, the Chargers braking system was up to scratch.

The factory appointed disc and drum set up was soon in the scrap bin and a much more impressive set of discs and Wilwood calipers were bolted into place.

It may be hard to believe, but that paint on the Charger’s circa ’68 sheet metal is some 20-years old. Sure, it may be showing some signs of road use here and there, but considering its age, 46 Nick is happy to leave well enough alone…for now anyway.

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By the way, the Charger isn’t black as it appears, its actually a very dark green...

Suspension-wise, the springs and shocks added at the factory may have been fine for 1968, but all these years later, the technology available in suspension components is far superior so it would be crazy not to take advantage of that. With all new suspension added to the Dodge’s underside, Nick can now rest easy that mechanically, the Charger is as good as it could be…

It may be hard to believe, but that paint on the Charger’s circa ’68 sheet metal is some 20-years old.

Sure, it may be showing some signs of road use here and there, but considering its age, Nick is happy to leave well enough alone…for now anyway. By the way, the Charger isn’t black as it appears, its actually a very dark green, or as the factory calls it, Racing Green. The 20-inch Boyd Coddington billet wheels top off the body colour perfectly.

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Like the body and paint, the interior is as per the sales documents with just a couple of additional gauges and a fire extinguisher the only non-factory fitted items. The trim clearly shows that the 47,000-odd miles on the speedo are the real deal with just small glimpses of wear in the cars 48-year history. And even though the interior looks great in its current form, Nick has plans to modernise it somewhat in the very near future.

For now though, the Charger’s future includes plenty of cruising around Sydney with Nick and his family. The time will come when the big coupe gets torn down for a repaint and retrim, but I reckon that time will come when the blown ’55 Chev sedan or 408ci Torana is finished so Nick still has a toy to enjoy all year round.

If the Dodge is anything to go by, then the other two builds should be nothing short of sensational…

OWNER: Nick Viropoulos VEHICLE: 1968 Dodge Charger ENGINE: Supercharged 500ci big block built by Ned Sassine, 6/71 blower, twin Holley carbs, pump fuel, all the usual good bits inside!

POWER: 650hp TRANS: Purpose built 727-Torqueflyte DIFF: Bullet proof 9-inch diff.

WHEELS: 20-inch Boyd Coddington Billet SUSPENSION: Rebuilt and Updated by Heasman Steering and Suspension.

BRAKES: Front: Disc with Wilwood calipers Rear: Disc with Wilwood calipers.

COLOUR: Original Dodge Racing Green BUILD TIME: Ongoing...

THANKS TO: Ned Sassine, Goran, Heasman Steering and Suspension, my family and other that have had a hand in its construction...

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TURBO

Things You Need

...BOLT-ON’S TO GO FAST Any true car guy wants his car to have more power – or at the very least, appear to have more power! So, here’s a list of gear that you can bolt-on over weekend that’s guaranteed to make your engine more responsive, more powerful and command more attention!

What you need to understand though, is that horsepower is addictive and once you get the taste for it, there’s no turning back! You’ve been warned…

Turbochargers are without doubt, the flavour of the month with custom car builders. They are mostly out of sight (though some drag racers tend to show them off ), perform effortlessly throughout the rev range and offer a driveability unmatched by a conventional supercharger.

Turbochargers, either in a single or twin configuration, act as mufflers and can keep your engine from excessive noise as well – a great thing for street driven cars! Visually, a custom set up can fill any engine bay and look awesome giving the driver the best of both worlds – show and go. Power for money, it’s hard to go passed turbocharging.

BLOWERS

Nothing makes a statement quite like the whine of a supercharger! The more traditional Rootes type blower (the 6/71 style) is what car heads dreams are made of. Even bolted to a stock engine, they can increase the power enormously! The downside to these blowers is the height they add to the engine and in most cases that means limited forward vision from the drivers’ seat – a problem frowned upon by those wielding the defect books. If you’re game enough to take the chance - and plenty do, then you’ll enjoy legendary status on the street…

There are other options including low-profile versions from B&M and Weiand as well as the side mount superchargers such as the ProCharger and Vortech units. The later model crowd don’t miss out either with options from Edelbrock, Magnuson, Harrop, Sprintex and Whipple to name a few. All of these will be under the bonnet and out of the scrutiny of the authorities.

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CARB & MANIFOLD COMBO

Old school engines more often than not will have at least one carb supplying the fuel – whether that’s factory fitted or an aftermarket. By increasing either the size or number of carbs can, if done the right way, increase your power potential. There’s a lot of factors involved to get it right including correct manifold and cam choice etc, but it’s a start…

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Things You Need

continued...

CCAFF A T RR AA V V T AAAI LALEE I L L OOEE A A GGU BB U E E L LE E

NRROOEDDUW UCCTTSS

PP

NITROUS OXIDE

For that instantaneous rush, nothing comes close to that initial rush when the switch is flicked to activate the nitrous on any engine.

Made famous by the Fast and Furious crowd, Nitrous has been around forever and is the preferred method of power increasing by many tough street and strip cars.

Those that have been bolting the bottle into the boot for years swear by it and will never consider a swap for a turbo or supercharger setup. For the average street car owner, a simple Nitrous plate system is the cheapest and easiest way to (temporarily) increase your engines power. Just don’t get caught using it on the street – or even with a bottle connected as the boys in blue take a dim view of the FUEL INJECTION little (mostly) blue bottle.

Available in both Mechanical and Electronic and HEADERS in various configurations, injection isn’t cheap but Letting your engine breathe can make your car more driveable while creating better will ultimately give you much more power. Definitely, the best for the better performance. If you drive street is EFI - just make sure you get someone a common car, chances are knowledgable to tune it and you’ll be worry free. you’ll get a pair of headers from a brand manufacturer straight out of their catalogue. Simple.

But, if you drive something a little different and its fitted with an engine that was never planned to be there, then you’ll need a pair of custom made headers. This swap will be either relatively cheap or extremely expensive depending on which side of the fence you’re standing in.

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HARVEY ATKINS - 1976 LX TORANA Words / Pics - Paul Beck

TOUGH h g u o n E

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Sometimes the best starting point is the same place as where someone else finished.

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Harvey Atkins sold his last Torana in 1997. As he watched it drive away, the thought of one-day jumping into the drives seat of another entered his mind and never left. Fast forward to 2008 and the opportunity to purchase this LX sedan presented itself and its been part of Harvey’s life ever since.

Built initially by Ian Williams, the Torana was without doubt exactly what Harvey had pined for since parting company with his previous ride. The quality presented by Ian was hard to ignore and after seeing just how fastidious Ian was with the build, Harvey couldn’t whip his wallet out quick enough.

In the ten years since that purchase, Harvey has put his own character into the Torana to make it his own. Essentially, the sedan looked fairy similar to how it does today. Visually, Harvey has upgraded the exterior by removing the Cragar wheels and bolting up a new set of 17x8” and 18x9” KWC Billet rollers that fill the guards nicely and give the ’76 model Torana a Pro-Touring feel.

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The typical SL/R 5000 body kit and colour combo remain the same. By the way, those colours are Sting Red and Brilliant Black.

Timeless…

Inside, its more or less how it was when Torana came into Harvey’s possession – though it’s a long way from how the factory had intended it to be. The shapeless Torana bucket seats are long gone – replaced by bodyhugging Recaro items. The rear seats are trimmed to match. The factory fitted dash has also been changed with the fabricated facia holding an array of AutoMeter dials with more mounted under the dash. A MOMO steering wheel tops the unchanged column.

This model Torana originally came equipped with a foot brake instead of a handbrake, but that too has been swapped out for a tunnel mounted hand brake assembly from the later model UC Torana. The centre console too has been removed to allow the fitment of the more stylish and more precise B&M shifter.

Inside, its more or less how it was when Torana came into Harvey’s possession – though it’s a long way from how the factory had intended it to be.

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As cool as the car is visually, it’s the driveline and underpinnings that received the most attention. Popping the bonnet reveals a stout, eight-stack injected small block Chev. The 010 4-bolt block features amongst other things, a stroker rotating system that stretches the cubic capacity to 383-inches. No matter which way you look at it, that’s bucket loads better than any 308!

The hero of this engine however is the EFI Hilborn injection set up that was added to make driveability so much better. Unlike modern EFI systems, the Hilborn injection screams look at me! Making around 500hp at the engine, Harvey has exactly what he wants – power and reliability. The car has run a string of 11-second passes on the quarter with an older combo but has not seen the strip since. Harvey is keen to give it another try and wold think a very low 11-sec pass (if not quicker) would be achievable.

Backing the engine is a modified Turbo 700R4 four-speed auto box that is now much beefier thanks to a TCE 3700rpm lock up converter and internals by Norm at Northmead Autos. As Harvey puts it, “The box is definitely the weak link in the driveline even though it has all the good gear. It’s been rebuilt twice and will be swapped for a Turbo 350 auto in the future.”

Down the back there’s a narrowed nine-inch diff that uses a Jeff Holland heavy-duty housing, Detroit TruTrak centre and 4.3-gears, which are perfect for cruising with the overdrive auto.

Inside those shiny wheels hide big brakes. The fronts consist of 330mm DBA ventilated rotors with curved vanes and alloy hats. Brembo 4-piston calipers provide ample stopping power. The rear discs are 293mm from DBA, again with alloy hats but using WB Statesman calipers to pull up.

Popping the bonnet reveals a stout, eight-stack injected small block Chev. The 010 4-bolt block features amongst other things, a stroker rotating system that stretches the cubic capacity to 383-inches.

The rest of the underside is set up to handle much better than it did in 1976. Each end scored a custom, thick K-Mac adjustable sway bar as well as Koni gas shocks. Lowering each end has happened thanks to Lovells for the front coils and K-Mac for the rears. The rear end also received Competition Warehouse lower control arms and boxed Upper control arms.

You can see why Harvey jumped onto this LX. It’s the complete deal. Its won awards at shows and done some motorsport work, but its on the street that Harvey enjoys the Torana the most. These days its all about cruising to the pub with a bunch of like-minded people, having some lunch and taking the long way home. For Harvey, it simply doesn’t get any better than that…

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OWNER: Harvey Atkins VEHICLE: 1976 LX Torana ENGINE: 383ci Chev built by Autotech Engineering, 010 4-bolt block, Speed-Pro pistons, SealedPower chrome-moly rings, Scat 5.7” rods, Eagle nodular crank, Clevite M55 oil pump, Crow pushrods, Crow timing chain, Crane roller cam and lifters, High energy sump, Trick Flow 23-degree alloy heads, Yella-Terra roller rockers, CNC 1-piece stainless valves, 3/8” ARP rocker studs, dual valve springs, Hilborn 8-stack EFI, Bosch injectors, EMS 8860 engine management, MSD Ignition, Bosch and Carter fuel pumps, custom headers and dual 3-inch exhaust by Racers Choice POWER: Approx. 500hp at the engine.

TRANS: Turbo 700 R4 built by Norm at Northmead Autos, dash mounted torque converter lockup control, reverse pattern shift, TCE 3700rpm stall converter, B&M shifter, extra-large oil cooler, fully manualised.

DIFF: Jeff Holland heavy-duty housing, Detroit TruTrak 9-inch, 4.3-gears, clutchless limited slip centre, Superior 5-stud axles, 3.5-inch tailshaft. WHEELS: 17x8” and 18x9” KWC Forged Alloy SUSPENSION: Front: Lowered coils, heavy duty shocks Rear: Four-link assembly, coil overs.

BRAKES: Front: 330mm two-piece curved vane DBA ventilated disc with alloy hats, Brembo 4-piston calipers. Rear: 293mm two-piece DBA disc with alloy hats, WB Statesman calipers. Commodore master cylinder, 1-inch bore, Centre-mounted UC handbrake assembly.

CHASSIS: Hadfield CRS chassis strengthening kit.

SUSPENSION: Front: CRS WB stub axles, 24mm K-Mac custom adjustable sway bar, Lovells heavy-duty lowered springs, Koni gas shocks.

Rear: 20mm K-Mac custom adjustable sway bar, K-Mac heavy-duty lowered springs, Koni gas shocks, Nolathane bushes, Competition Warehouse lower control arms, boxed upper control arms.

COLOUR: GMH Sting Red with Brilliant Black.

BUILD TIME: 2-years so far.

THANKS TO: First and foremost, the cars original builder, Ian Williams. He did a great job on the car and we’ve remained friends since I bought it in 2008. Jason, Glenn and the boys at Exclusive Customs in Heathcote NSW for the great job on the engine bay and bonnet. Mike Davison at Lovells Springs. Brett at BNZ Automotive and Dyno tuning in Fairy Meadow. Members of theSydney Torana Club.

PUREMassacre

ALEX HIRST - HT HOLDEN UTE Words & Pics - Paul Beck

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Alex Hirst’s obvious hate of tyres lead him to build this 1100hp tyre-destroying HT Holden Ute. The result? Smoke. Lots and lots of smoke...

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It’s a story we are all familiar with. Boy finds well-worn Ute on eBay. Boy buys well-worn Ute from eBay. Boys tells wife of purchase of well-worn Ute from eBay. A money pit is created…

Alex Hirst, initially, didn’t expect to go this far. The purchase of the Ute was made so he could build a tough street car he and his wife Brooke could enjoy on the weekend. It was always going to be blown but the first build relied on a blown and carb-fed small block for power. It ran on E85 and was a fun car.

After attending the Summernats with the Ute, Alex returned to the South Coast of NSW with a head full of ideas that would see the pump-fuel small block replaced by a game-changing methanol version…

YOU’RE NOT KNOWN UNLESS YOU’RE BLOWN!

That phrase is true – especially on the burnout scene where Alex was determined to be a part of with BADHT version 2.0. A quick trip to see Sam Fenech at Westend Performance resulted in an order placed for a methanol chugging small block capable of turning new tyres into molten rubber in no time at all.

Sam started with a proven Dart Little M block as the basis for this killer combo and after jamming the bottom end full of good gear, Sam topped it off with a pair of re-worked alloy AFR heads, a tall TBS blower manifold and a Newbyprepped 6/71 supercharger. For fuel supply, the pair of carbies were ditched in favour of a wild carbon-fibre injector hat that once did service on the infamous GFORCE HG Monaro. On the dyno, the pumped small block made just over 1100hp, on a fairly safe tune.

A tough engine package needs an equally tough driveline otherwise all that power means nothing. Taking the initial hit of the grunt is a TCI Turbo 400 auto fronted by a B&M Holeshot converter with gear selections provided by a B&M shifter. Once the power passes through the trans, it makes its way down to the narrowed 9-inch diff fitted with burnout-friendly 3.00-gears and 31-spline axles. From that point on, it’s all about the smoke!

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For fuel supply, the pair of carbies were ditched in favour of a wild carbon-fibre injector hat that once did service on the infamous HGFORC Monaro.

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ITS NOTHING PERSONAL – ITS ALL BUSINESS.

The interior of the Ute is nothing if not functional. So far…

Currently, the ‘office space’ in Alex’s Ute is sparse but gets the job done. There’s no glitz or glamour but that’s OK, Alex doesn’t need to take a shower, change his clothes and remove his shoes just to do a road test after spending some time doing maintenance.

The leather-bound sports seats replace the bland factory bench seat and provide a backdrop for the MOMO steering wheel, triple column-mounted gauges and pedestal mounted shifter. There are plans in place though to get the Ute’s interior a complete make-over; probably in time for the next Summernats.

BADHT was, for want of a better word, a piece of crap when Alex dragged it home. A lot of effort went into the circa-69 sheet metal to get it presentable enough to carry a shiny coat of colour. Body mods were kept to a bareminimum and include the relocation of the fuel filler the fuel cell mounted in the load area and also the smoothing of the engine bay.

With the body work done, Alex called on Steve Clampton to lay on the solid Orange colour making the Ute an absolute eye-catcher – especially with the all-black engine combo and black 20-inch Simmons wheels.

Alex’s first chance to try out the new engine combo was the recent Brasher Nats at Sydney Dragway. The problem was Alex, Phil and others were still working on the Ute on the day of the event which put the pressure on. They did make it in time for Alex to skid the Ute, which he did with a great first up skid for an appreciative crowd. The bonus was the engine is still together ready to fight another day.

So what does Alex have in store for BADHT? As mentioned previously, there are plans for a new interior and at the same time, Alex would like to tub the rear end of the Ute as well to have a new look at Summernats 32 where he will once again front the crowded grand stands smoking the tyres in the burnout comp.

But before that happens in January 2019, Alex has a list of events to try his hand at including the Burnout Allstars in Queensland, about a week before this issue is available to read. It’s going to be a huge year for Alex and BADHT as they travel to comps all over the country destroying tyres at will…

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Initially, Alex didn’t expect to go this far. The purchase of the Ute was made so he could build a tough street car he and his wife Brooke could enjoy on the weekend.

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138 DUNSTERS LANE, CROOM, NSW 2527 20-minutes South of Wollongong

OWNER: Alex Hirst VEHICLE: 1969 HT Holden Ute ENGINE: 377ci small block Chev, built by Westend Performance, Dart Little M block, TBS Tall blower manifold, alloy AFR heads, Howard solid roller cam, Ultra-Pro lifters, JE blower pistons, gapless rings, Scat crank, Peterson dry-sump system and oil pump, Moroso dry sump, Magna-Fuel 500 Pro fuel pump, custom radiator and twin thermos fans, MSD ignition system, Carbon Fibre mechanical fuel injection, 6/71 Newby blower.

POWER: 1100hp TRANS: TCI Turbo 400, B&M Nitrous Hole shot converter, B&M Pro shifter, built by Steve at Shift Right.

DIFF: 9-inch diff, 3.00-gears, 31-spline axles.

WHEELS: Front: 20x8” Simmons Rear: 20x10” Simmons SUSPENSION: Front: All V8 HT Rear: Leaf springs BRAKES: Front: Girlock Disc Rear: N/A COLOUR: Straight Orange BUILD TIME: 12-months so far…

THANKS TO: Wilson Hirst Building Pty Ltd, Phil Kerjean (Fuel Worx), Sam Fenech (Westend Performance), Greg Burkinshaw (Hyperformance), James (IFFY) Donald #fryemfab, Rick Dressino (South Coast Radiators), Luke Demain (Elite Custom Wiring), Mario (Stitches & Sound), Big Chris and the boys (Bomaderry Tyres), all the boys – Jimbo, Johno, Dean, Kail, Chris, Bear, Spanner, Tim, Greg, Steve, Pete and Kurt and last but by no means least, my wife Brooke.

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Alex’s first chance to try out the new engine combo was the recent Brasher Nats at Sydney Dragway. The problem was Alex, Phil and others were still working on the Ute on the day of the event which put the pressure on.

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UNDER E R U S PRES

Rod Berry was happy to cruise around Western Sydney in his tough, blown ’28 Ford Roadster until the opportunity to purchase a V8 Cortina came along.

CORTINA ROD BERRY - 1977 TE Beck WORDS / PICS - Paul

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Usually, one makes the move from Street Machine to Street Rod, but in this instance, it was the other way around. Rod started in street cars, moved into the world of Hot Rodding and then went back to a street machine with this V8 Cortina.

The previous owner had spent 4-years creating the Cortina filling the engine bay with a tough 351 Cleveland. That on its own is enough to propel the TE-model sedan down the blacktop at a rapid rate, but when you add the hero of the engine build – the big single turbocharger, the power to weight ratio goes through the roof. And that means big smiles on Rods face when he jumps on the loud pedal!

BUILT FORD TOUGH

Details on the inner-workings of the Cortina’s heartbeat are a little

vague as the previous owner didn’t divulge too much information

upon the sale.

What we can tell you is that the cubic capacity has been increased to 393ci thanks to a stroker crank and rod swap and a custom fuel injection system controlled by a Haltech brain supplies ample amounts of E85 for the stretched Clevo to burn.

Without a doubt though the main focus of this engine bay is the single turbo set-up that at just 13-pounds of boost turns the 393-cuber into a tyre frying monster. Five hundred and thirty horsepower tends to do that…

GETTING THE POWER TO THE GROUND

Bolted up to the back of the turbo 393 is a tough C4 box built by Al’s Race Glides. Featuring a full-manual valve body, shift kit and transbrake, the reworked three-speed box handles the horsepower with ease. Gear selections are precise thanks to the B&M shifter.

The power is then sent to the braced nine-inch diff via a 9mm thick wall tailshaft. Makes sure all of the pressurised power gets to the black top is a locker centre and 31spline Mark Williams axles.

STRAIGHT LINE PERFORMANCE

“…when you add the hero of the engine build – the big single turbocharger, the power to weight ratio goes through the roof.”

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Even just a passing glance of the Cortina will tell you that this build was all about bringing the street to Pro-Street!

The big and little wheel combo are dead set giveaways of the cars ambitions.

Keeping with the straight-line theme, the Cortina’s underpinnings are fairly basic with the front end getting a pair of GT-spec coils springs while down at the business end, there’s a four-link set-up locating the rear end and a pair of coil-overs replacing the factory arrangement.

The Weld Racing wheels measure 15x6 on the nose and double that where it matters. Wilwood brakes are added to each corner and do their best to pull up the TE from any speed.

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HORSES FOR COURSES

Make no bones about it, this Cortina is a driver. And while the interior is tidy, its more about functionality over winning a trophy for best interior at a show. The factory seating has been retained albeit recovered in a combination of two-tone cream leather and material. The same colour leather covers the patterned door trims as well.

The original dash facia is all but hidden behind the all-important AutoMeter tacho which sits right behind the MOMO wood steering wheel. The B&M shifter has been incorporated in the centre console and another trio of smaller AutoMeter dials keep Rod informed of the Cortina’s vital statistics.

Even just a passing glance of the Cortina will tell you that this build was all about bringing the Street to Pro-Street!

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COLOUR ME COOL

Ford’s most popular blue ever offered – Blueprint, adorns the essenitally stock body of the Cortina. Apart from the addition of the fibreglass bonnet and cowl scoop, the body work is pure 1977. To achieve a much cleaner look than Ford did all those years ago, the badges and mouldings have all been given the flick.

At the time of doing the shoot, Rod had the Cortina on the market. Yep, it was time to move onto something else. Do you get the feeling Rod gets a little bored with his cars? So, if you can picture yourself behind the wheel of this turbo terror, send me an email with your details and I’ll pass them onto Rod…

OWNER: Rod Berry VEHICLE: 1977 TE Cortina ENGINE: Turbocharged 393ci Cleveland, Haltech fuel injection, Aeroflow fuel pump, custom radiator and intercooler, Spal thermos, custom dual 3-inch exhaust, electronic ignition, E85 fuel.

POWER: 530hp at the tyres!

TRANS: Al’s Race Glides C4, full manual valve body, shift kit, transbrake, 3000rpm converter, B&M shifter.

DIFF: 9-inch diff, Locker centre, 31-spline Mark Williams axles, custom-made 9mm wall tailshaft.

WHEELS: Front: 15x6” Weld Racing Rear: 15x12” Weld Racing SUSPENSION: Front: GT-spec coil springs Rear: Four-link assembly, coil overs.

BRAKES: Front: Wilwood Rear: Wilwood COLOUR: Ford Blueprint BUILD TIME: Bought as is…

THANKS TO: Previous owner for creating a monster and selling it to me…

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Dare to be Different

FLAME

ON

Flames are making a huge comeback, though some will argue they never went away - either way, adding the right set of flames to any style of car will certainly make it stand out. Getting the right style and colour combo can be tricky though...

Sometimes using different shades of the same colour can add to the overall effect of the flame job. Here, a darker shade of silver was added to the light silver base coat for a great look. The same effect could be used for many other colours including red, blue, orange and purple etc!

Thinking outside the box is a sure fire way to get noticed, especially if you’re at a Hot Rod show where there’s sure to be plenty of flamed up cars. You can always do a tribal flame design which puts a sharper edge on the tranditonal flowing flame that we are used to seeing. When done right, like this wagon, the result is nothing short of spectacular.

This owner went waaaay left of centre when adding the flames onto this wild Chevy Van. The mix of traditional flames with fire under those is a head turning move. The fire emerges from a skeleton head on the front fender! Not only do the Its all about the colour choice! This flames go across the ‘40 Ford uses a retina-burning candy bonnet and down the bronze as the foundation for the sides too, they also go tribal flames in a darker candy across the roof. The copper for a stunning effect! Don’t painter really earned his be scared to try something different! money on this job!

Hot Rodder’s kicked off the Flame trend back in the 50’s where it seemed you could only ever lay down the yellow/orange flames over a black base.

It’s a tradition that still looks fantastic today - though as you will see, there’s more colour combinations now than ever before as everyone tries to do a flame job like no other. This ‘32 coupe shows that Hot Rodders got it right way back then!

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If you’re going to make a statement using flames over your paintwork, make sure you do it right! Having the flames cover the bonnet, as well as the scoop and then all the way down the sides can easily set a theme for your car - or truck as is the case here. The candy blue laid over the brilliant silver really make this Chevy pickup stand out!

Proof that only your imagination will limit the style and colour combination of flames you can use on your vehicle. This ‘62 Chev Impala wagon uses its body colour for the first lick of flames before the candy green layer kicks off giving much of the body a huge contrast in colour!

Made famous by Mike Lavelle from Killer Paint, Tru-Fire is the latest break-away from traditonal flame paint work. Using a more intricate technique, the artwork really can look like the car is on fire! Like most flame jobs, the combination of yellow, orange and red over a black base will always be an eye-catching design, but we’ve seen the same deal applied in blues and also in shades of purples. Definitely one option to consider.

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ve ha I at th g in th e on d an e lif y m l al rs ca h “I’ve been around toug Mustang y m hy w ’s at Th . ity al qu on e is om pr m co to r learned is neve o!” to r ca ur yo r fo lls ve Lo on ST SI IN s! ng ri Sp is fitted with Lovells

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Cyber Cruisin’ There is no longer cruise in the world than the Hot Rod Magazine Power Tour! This years event kicked off in Bowling Green, Kentucky and wound its way through some beautiful country side before ending up in Concord, North Carolina many days later.

The sheer volume and variety of cars that take place on the Power Tour is nothing short of amazing and thanks to my good mate Glenn Noonan from Canberra, we are able to show you just a small part of what makes up the World’s Greatest Cruise...

Photo’s Thanks To This Guy

Glenn Noonan!

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The sheer volume and variety of cars that take place on the Power Tour is nothingshort of amazing!

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SPRINGNATS. SHEPPARTON. 2013

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This is why I consider the Springnats as the best event of its type in Australia!

At the 2013 event, promoter Les Adams had been working tirelessly with the local Police and Council to have a cruise from the events base at the Showgrounds down the road to a pub where the cars could be displayed for the locals and then cruise back. The council deemed the road closed which allowed entrants whose cars where un-registerable, to cruise the street.

One of those cars, in fact the very last one to make the trip, was the Top Fuel powered Mustang of Darren Di Filippo. Seeing so much horsepower cruising the street creating so much noise and dumping so much fuel out of the pipes was something I will never forget – nor will the locals who lined the streets for an hour waiting to take it all in.

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HANDY PANBRAKE FOLDER

Window Shopping LOVELLS SUSPENSION

Whether you want to lower your street car or improve the ride on your tow car, Lovells have the suspension upgrade for you.

Lovells have been the leaders in suspension since 1930 with their All Australian made coil and leaf springs.

Lovells Springs are used in many of Australia’s legendary performance cars include Gary & Jake Myers’ Burnout Champion Mustangs and Peter Fitzpatrick’s multiSummernats winning FC Holden.

When you need to upgrade your suspension, there’s only on name you need to remember - Lovells! To find a stockist near you, go to www.lovellsauto.com.au

Metal Man Tools have recently added a super handy sized Panbrake to their range. A solidly built Panbrake folder that will handle 1mm steel up to 600mm wide. This tool will handle most resto jobs and doesn’t take up a lot of room or require a forklift to move it around.

The Panbrake has removable fingers so you can fold box corners as well as blade adjustment for various material thicknesses.This affordable unit would make a great addition to any workshop.

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For further information or a free catalogue contact Metal Man Tools 0447-406980 Email: sales@metalmantools.com.au or visit their website www.metalmantools.com.au

TUFF MOUNTS FROM MUSCLE GARAGE

Made in South Australia from the highest quality steel and Polyurethane bushes, Muscle Garage has the right engine mounts for your combo that not only eliminate the problem of breakages, but also provide the ultimate transfer of your engines power to the chassis.

Tuff Mounts are available for standard applications as well as custom, high-horsepower use.

They are easy to install yourself, or have your mechanic do it for you.

They are a bolt-up fit with no modifications required. When you need new engine mounts, insist on the best - Tuff Mounts. Check out the huge range at www.musclegarage.com.au

ROD HADFIELD RELEASES BOOK

The first comprehensive biography of Australian Hot Rodding legend Rod Hadfield has been released. Covering his 50+ years of initiating trends, pushing boundaries and causing controversy in the automotive scene in Australia and beyond. "Rocket Rod is truly an icon in the world of Rodding and what he doesn't know of Hot Rods just ain't worth knowing but the truth is he would probably know it anyway," Shane Jacobson – Actor and self-proclaimed Rev Head.

Appropriately titled, “The Mad Scientist of Australian Hot Rodding: Rod Hadfield” this book was written by Allison Hadfield and will be available through all good book stores and probably some dodgy ones too!

For just $39.95 it will be an in-depth look into the life of one of Australia’s most wellknown car builders. Grab your copy now…

NEW AEROFLOW CATALOGUE RELEASED

Its official! The latest Aeroflow catalogue is off the press.

This marks the 10th Edition of Aeroflow’ s Catalogue and its grown to over 245 pages full of hoses & tubes, fittings, adapters and billet performance accessories.

Complete with a quick index at the front and also a full parts index to make it so much easier to navigate your way around this huge catalogue. Full colour product images help identify parts at a glance. The range has expanded again and now also includes distributor and ignition accessories as well as starter motors and alternators. Its fast becoming an invaluable tool in the garage and workshop for innovative and cost effective performance parts. For your free copy of the latest Aeroflow catalogue visit www.aeroflowperformance.com

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GrudgeKings

Factory Options

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PACK

o G To

Craig Goodshaw 1968 Pontiac Firebird Sprint Words / Pics - Paul Beck

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Calais V

When asked to name a classic American Muscle Car, most people would think Mustang or Camaro. But there was another player in the mix that produced some very cool cars - Pontiac!

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Often thought of as Chev’s poorer sibling, the Pontiac division of GM stamped their brand into the history books with some iconic cars, including this rare, six-pack ’68 Firebird.

The idea of putting an inline six cylinder engine in to the ’68 Firebird actually started in 1967 with John De Lorean (who was head of Pontiac at the time) thinking that rather than go after the muscle car image of its sister-car, the Chev Camaro, he would opt for a lighter engine that made around the same sort of power. Enter the 4.1-litre 6-pack.

This engine featured a chain driven overhead cam operating 2 valves per cylinder.

In base form with a single barrel carb, the engine produced 175hp. But in Sprint Spec, the engine got 10.5:1 compression, a hotter cam and a big four-barrel carb.

The power increased to 215hp and was praised by motoring journo’s at the time of being “pretty fast” and offering “great handling”. Transmissions were limited to 3-speed manuals using a floor shift or a three-speed auto. Brakes were drum all round. Funnily enough, the 215hp engine option was more expensive than ticking the box for the 350ci V8!

But this was the late 60’s and the muscle car era in American Motoring was at its peak with more cubes and more power the order of the day. Most American buyers thought of six cylinder cars and economy based and not in the performance arena at all. For that reason, the Firebird Sprint only survived one year.

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In base form with a single barrel carb, the engine produced 175hp. But in Sprint Spec, the engine got 10.5:1 compression, a hotter cam and a big fourbarrel carb. The power increased to 215hp and was praised by motoring journo’s at the time of being “pretty fast” Calais V

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PRODUCTION NUMBERS ENGINE TYPE OHC 4.1 6cyl OHC 4.1 6cyl

ENGINE TYPE DISPLACEMENT BORE & STROKE VALVETRAIN COMPRESSION RATIO FUEL SYSTEM HORSEPOWER @RPM TORQUE @ RPM

ENGINE SPECS

OHC inline-6 250.38 ci / 4103cc (4.1-liter) 3.88" X 3.53" / 98.55mm X 89.66mm Single overhead cam, 2 valves-per-cylinder 10.5:1 1X Rochester 4-barrel carb 215 bhp @ 5200 rpm 255 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm

OUTPUT 175hp 215hp

MAN TRANS 7,528 1,216

AUTO TRANS 8,441 1,309

TOTAL 15,969 2,525

This particular Sprint is the 215hp / 3-speed manual version that resides in western Sydney and owned by Craig Goodshaw. Craig bought the Firebird in Australia from a guy who imported it from the original owner in the US, who placed the order with Parmenter Pontiac in Eugene, Oregon. It was quite the step up from the ’61 Volvo he traded in on the coupe.

The Firebird is all original including the Flambeau Burgandy colour, wide white-walls and Ralley 2 wheels, and that’s exactly how Craig intends to keep it.

Check out the original documents that Craig was lucky enough to get when he purchased the car! There’s some interesting facts there! The Sprint Upgrade to the 215hp version costs a whopping $116.16 over the original price tag of $2931.00. Considering the rarity of the Firebird and the relative value in today’s market place, that was $116.16 well spent!

As an active member of the Camaro Firebird Club of Australia, Craig gets to use the six-pack Firebird ocassionally on club runs and different events. If you see a burgundy Firebird at a show with people huddled around the engine bay, chances are its Craig’s six-pack stunner. Make sure you check out possibly the rarest Firebird in Australia!

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