KILLER RIDES #48_July 2022 by killerrides

s e d i R KILLER UPDATES

p i r T d a Ro

Australia’s Street Car Community

ISSUE #48- JUL 2022

INSIDE!

LS-POWERED LJ TORANA 1100HP HK HOLDEN AUSTRALIA’S BEST HOT ROD ELITE STREET MUSTANG TWIN-TURBO MAZDA RX3 SYDNEY HOT ROD SHOW RAT’S, TATT’S AND PINUPS

More than 30-years after debuting his original Daytona, Wally Elder returns with a tougher, more impressive winged wonder!

FIRST LOOK

US STREET MACHINE NATS!

Y R O T S HI

S T A E REP

From the Desk LOOKS LIKE WE’VE HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THE NEW LOOK KILLER RIDES…

From the feedback I received as soon as the Issue 47 (the Killer Rides relaunch issue) went live, everyone seems pretty happy with the decision of bringing back Killer Rides. I have to say, I was expecting some backlash, not just on the branding, but also the new concept in the way I will be presenting the features. Look, I wanted Killer Rides to have a point of difference, and now it certainly has that. There’s a host of new stuff I will be implementing in good time, none of which has been seen before, so hang in there to see Killer Rides evolve. So how do you spend the winter months? Do you pull your car down and do all the maintenance that gets neglected while the cruising whether is at its prime? Or do you choose to keep your ride together and still get out there to the events that are still on? I know the cold weather has an effect on some of the night time events, but realistically, you can grab some warmer clothes and still support those that are putting these events on. I know with our Mid-Week MeetUp’s, the colder weather hasn’t bothered us at all, with the carparks still filling with cars, even though the chill in the air can be a bit frosty at times. It seems to be the same with events all over the country. Whether it’s on day or night, all event promoters are seeing a huge increase in both entrant and crowd numbers. That’s such a good sign for the sport. Let’s hope it keeps heading in that direction! So, if you can, support as many local events as you can. If we don’t, they will disappear forever… As far as events go, I try to get to as many as I can, and in the coming months, I will be attending quite a few of these in the Killer Rides Chev to be more of a part of the scene, instead of just running around with a camera in hand. I’ve even entered the Summernats – something I haven’t done since maybe the 13th or 14th Nats. It will be great to go back to Canberra in the New Year to be able to cruise with everyone and not have to be running around trying to get as many photos as I can. I can’t wait to catch up with those I haven’t seen for quite a while. Bring it on… See you on the Street,

Paul

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s e d i KILLERR

Australia’s Street Car Community

Issue No.48- July 2022

www.killerrides.com.au 10

WHATS HAPPENING News, views and things of interest

LETTERS Got something to say?

COMING ATTRACTIONS Pro-Street Falcon Sprint

‘69 DODGE DAYTONA The Pro-Streeter that broke the Internet

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

38 STARS, STRIPES AND BLOWERS! US Street Machine Nats 48 LJ TORANA 9-sec LS-powered Pro-Street OG 60

‘67 MUSTANG Home-built show-winning Fastback

HARBOUR CITY HOT RODDING Sydney Hot Rod Show

‘35 FORD COUPE 2022’s Australia’s Best Showcar

RAT’S , TATT’S & PINUPS Kingpin Kuztums at Gateway Hotel

102 MAZDA RX3 Twin-turbo Chev-powered Mazda Coupe 112 ‘68 HK HOLDEN 1100hp Burnout Machine 122 WINDOW SHOPPING All the new gear for you! 124 PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Need a product or service? 126 COMING EVENTS What’s on, where!

WORLDS TOUGHEST DAYTONA

STREET ELITE MUSTANG

9-SEC LS-POWERED LJ TORANA

AUSTRALIA’S BEST SHOWCAR

102

TWIN-TURBO CHEV RX3

112

1100HP BURNOUT HK

October 19th - 21st, 2022 REGISTRATION DAY - Wollongong, Tuesday 18th Oct

DAY ONE: DAY TWO: DAY THREE:

WOLLONGONG - GOULBURN - CANBERRA CANBERRA - TEMORA - NARRANDERA NARRANDERA - WAGGA WAGGA - ALBURY

SHOW & SHINE - 5PM-8PM FIRDAY - LOCATION TBA!

Australia’s Only Rolling Car Show! PROUDLY SUPPORTING GOTCHA4LIFE www.gotcha4life.org

www.pscmag.com.au

TRAVEL PERMIT T22/01

WHAT’S HAPPENING

CHRYSLERS 300C COULD BE ALL ELECTRIC BY 2025

If the rumours are true, the next generation 300C Chrysler could be an all electric version sporting not one, but two electric engines offering the option of front wheels drive, rear wheel drive or all wheel drive, with a potential 900hp on tap for 0-100klm times around 2-seconds. Is there a cooler vehicle to get the EV treatment? I doubt it. Time will tell…

KISS FRONTMAN AUCTIONS OFF 1 OF 1 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE

Paul Stanley is best known for leading the world-famous band KISS, but he also is an avid car collector and at the recent Barratt-Jackson Auction held in Las Vegas, he auctioned off his rare, factory customised C8 Corvette convertible with less than 800 miles showing on the speedo. By the way, this one has the VIN number 001! Yep, the very first one! Not only was the Vette going under the hammer with no reserve, it also came with an autographed Paul Stanley Ibanez guitar. “The guitar is another part of my life, another aspect of who I am,” added Paul. “So I thought that whoever acquired the car should have another piece of who I am.” For the record, the Vette sold for USD$198,000

GRUDGE KINGS HEADS SOUTH

Like many promoters around the country, Po Tung and his team at Grudge Kings are taking the highly successful event in Sydney and backing it up with a Victorian version to be held at the new and improved Heathcote Park Raceway. Racing is set to happen on Saturday 19th November, with a test and tune scheduled for the Friday. With entries filling fast, better get yours in now before it’s too late. More info can be found on their Facebook page.

LEETON MOTORSPORTS CLUB HOST BURNOUT MAYHEM #2

Come February 11th 2023, there’s going to be plenty of smoke in the air around the greater Leeton area when a bunch of burnout competitors make their way to compete for cash and prizes at the 2nd Burnout Mayhem. Held at Brobenah Raceway, the event will also feature a show and shine to compliment the on track smoke-fest! For more info, keep an eye on the offical page by clicking the logo above! 10

UPDATE SHORTER CRUISE TO HAPPEN FOR 2022

Just when you think everything is finally getting back to normal, the world has once again been thrown into turnoil with the war in Russia afftecting the worlds fuel prices - or so we are led to believe. With fuel now priced at over $2.00 per litre, and with interest prices on the rise as well, I really do believe that expecting people to tackle a six-day cruise is asking for a little too much. So, to make sure the first PSC Road Trip still happens this year, I’ve designed a smaller, more economical threeday cruise to kick off proceedings and of course, to still raise money for Gotcha4life. Check out the details elsewhere in this issue!

WHO IS CRUISING WHAT?

Graeme Thomas - 1932 Ford Tudor

CONDITIONAL REGO PERMIT NUMBER

www.pscmag.com.au 12

Thanks to the guys and girls at the Australian Street Rod Federation, members of the Association can now take part in the Road Trip on their Conditional Rego, without having to use up any of their 60days. The ASRF Travel Permit number is T22-01 and features on the event flyer.

KEEP UP TO DATE AT THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE - CLICK THE LOGO!

Jake Myers - Burnout Champion!

ve ha I at th g in th e on d an e lif y m l al rs ca “I’ve been around tough tang us M y m hy w ’s at Th . ity al qu on e is om pr m co learned is never to ” o! to r ca ur yo r fo lls ve Lo on ST SI IN s! ng ri is fitted with Lovells Sp

www.lovellsauto.com.au

WHAT’S HAPPENING KILLER

Video

JEFF JONES INCREDIBLE PRO-MOD SAVE! VIDEO BY NHRA

www.killerrides.com.au CAR SHOWS - CRUISE EVENTS - DIGITAL MEDIA - AND MUCH MORE!

WHAT’S HAPPENING

FREE MAGAZINE OFFER

IMPORTANT INFORMATION – REVISED 2022 ROAD TRIP

Some things you just can’t plan for… No one saw the fuel prices going to crazy levels, nor did we expect the interest rates increase as well. And whilst we will just have to live to learn with them, it will affect the things that are considered ‘non-essential’, including car events. I have had people contact me recently about whether the Road Trip will be happening next year, because the way things are at the moment, money restraints due to those factors, will not allow them to take part this year. So let’s be realistic. I want everyone to have the opportunity to be a part of the Road Trip and I still want this to happen to do our best for GOTCHA4LIFE – our charity partner. Here’s what I’ve come up with – a smaller, 3-day cruise that will still start in Wollongong, but will now end in Albury/Wodonga, instead of Ballarat. The original cruise route will now be put on ice for 2023. Day 1 – Wed 19th Oct – Wollongong to Goulburn to Canberra – 251klms Day 2 – Thurs 20th Oct – Canberra to Yass to Harden to Temora to Narrandera – 329klms Day 3 – Fri 21st Oct – Narrandera to Wagga Wagga to Culcairn to Albury/Wodonga – 233klms Show and Shine – Friday evening. 5pm-8pm at a venue to be announced soon!

This revised route will not only save money on accommodation and fuel but it will still allow us to continue with the event. So with that information now public knowledge, how about securing your spot for the first ever Road Trip!

TAKE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF TECHNICAL PERFECTION

TO GET YOUR FREE COPY

CLICK HERE

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INCLUDES CASE STUDIES & ARTICLES OF ONE OF A KIND PRODUCTS

Go to www.performancestreetcar.com.au/road-trip for all the infomation you need!

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HAVE YOUR SAY Got something to say? Send it to paul@pscmag.com.au or message us from the Performance Street Car Facebook page.

NOT A FALCON FAN

Hi Paul, Well done on bringing back Killer Rides, I look forward to seeing more than just pro-street cars with beadlock wheels. Anyway, as much as I like something different, I have to say I am not a fan of the Viper powered Falcon you had on the latest cover. Yes, I know there’s been a ton of work done and as a dare to be different build, it’s definitely on point, but for me, a classic Falcon needs to have a nice Windsor for power. Maybe it’s just me, but to me, it just doesn’t look right and having two turbo’s half hanging through the bonnet seems a bit silly. There’s no doubt it’s a quality car, just not for me. George P – Geelong, VIC

Hi Paul, Great to see Killer Rides make a return. Don’t get me wrong, I love tough street cars, but I also enjoy seeing everything else that makes up the entire modified car scene. I’m a car guy so I love to read about show cars that push design limits, burnout cars that withstand so much punishment, Hot Rods that are just damn cool and everything in between. So personally, I applaud you for going back to what you originally started. The new concept is awesome too! Don’t know why it hasn’t been done before! Can’t wait for each new issue to appear! Keep them coming! Josh A – Beenleigh, QLD On KILLER RidesShow Words / Pics - Paul Beck

RAY ELIA

VN GRPA COMMODORE TRIBUTE

Fabrications. Chubby’sGarage. Darren at Advanced Custom Trim.

Pics - Jimmy T Photography Words - Paul Beck

Inside, the Commodore never looked so damn good! There are acres of red Nappa leather and suede spread across the four Devonish seats, door trims, headlining, customs centre console and dash. Gone are the factory gauges, with a much more stylish Dakota Digital display added to the facia in a billet surround to compliment the billet steering wheel and surrounds for the speakers in the door trims. The custom trim also extends into the boot area, encompassing the fuel cell. After a long build, Ray unveiled the tough VN, dubbed KING GROUP A to an appreciative crowd at the recent Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo at Rosehill Racecourse. There are more show appearances planned, including Killer Rides Live before Ray hits the blacktop – after all, that was its intended use right from the outset!

STREET

ADRIAN ROMANDINI 700HP, 528CI HEMI-POWERED 1968 DODGE CHARGER

The late 60’s spawned some damn impressive muscle cars, and one such car, the 1969 Dodge Charger certainly stands out amongst the crowd of high-powered coupes available from all of the manufacturers at the time. Obviously, this model made an impression on Adrian Romandini and the search began for a suitable project. Purchased locally in Melbourne from Just Mustangs, this Charger started its life as a 383-powered car in Turquoise with a black vinyl roof. The build on this Charger took a long period of time, but like anything, achieving the highest quality possible takes time, especially when you’re running a busy business and raising a young family. With no deadline to work towards, Adrian spent all the time he needed to reach his end goal.

The original Dodge B5 Bright Blue has been laid down over flawless panels and with the all new chrome in place, the Charger’s body is better than ever...

HSV certainly got the job done with their Group A Version, widely regarded as the toughest of all Group A Commodores. Then Ray Elia come along and took it way past anything HSV could ever imagine.

LOVE THE NEW CONCEPT!

On KILLER Rides THE

THANKS TO: 2SUS Custom Resprays. Lowes

Hi George, That’s the good thing about our scene – everyone has different tastes, and when you embark on a wild build like Paul’s Falcon, you’re never going to please everyone. For me, I like to see people going to extreme’s when building their cars. Impact is everything and to standout in the crowd these days, sometimes you need to go as far left of centre as you possibly car. Personally, I love the design, concept and the total package of the Falcon – that’s why it graced the cover. But that’s just me – I also have a fascination with Bullet-Nose Studebakers…lol. Many years ago, I coined the phrase “Appreciating Cars, Not Badges!” and for me, that still rings true today. I’m a car guy that is just into all things cool!

INITIATOR NOT IMITATOR!

WELCOME BACK KILLER RIDES

G’day Paul, The re-emergence of Killer Rides is why I am a supporter of what you do. You always seem to be the one that tries new things, such as the concept you now use in Killer Rides. It just makes sense. I’m so surprised that no one has come up with this idea previously! I’ve sent my order in for a Killer Rides T-Shirt and will be wearing it with pride. Thanks for everything you do in our scene. Tony H – Sutherland, NSW

Hi Paul, Congrats on bringing back Killer Rides. It was my favourite read and I have to say I was more than a little disappointed when I read it was being put on the shelf. But like all things cool, it’s made a return and what a return! I reckon the new look and the whole concept makes Killer Rides a stand-alone magazine. Showcasing the cars in the arena that they were meant to be used in, well, that’s just genius! I hate seeing drag cars and burnout cars parked on a deserted road with the sun setting and a dozen flashes providing the light. No thanks. Give me smoke, wheelsstands and hard launches any day! Congrats on setting the standard yet again. Brett B – Dandenong, VIC G’day Brett, Thanks for your kind words. I wouldn’t say I am a genius - you can, by all means, but it was something that I had been thinking about for some time. I too get bored from seeing predicatable photo shoots and shoots that show a location that just doesn’t suit the car at all. Being a one-man operation here, I don’t have to run any idea’s passed anyone else though I did consult with Kathy for a while over the new concept and the more we spoke about it, the more we knew it was time for everything to happen - and hence, the new Killer Rides was unleashed! Hope you continue to enjoy it!

COMING ATTRACTIONS

FALCON

CHRIS LOUMANIS 1964 FORD FALCON COUPE WORDS - PAUL BECK PICS - CHRIS LOUMANIS

TUFF!

SHEET METAL BOOT AREA ALLOY FUEL CELL

STRANGE 9-INCH FULL FLOATERS FOUR-LINK

When you find a desirable, rust-free US-spec ’64 Falcon Coupe, do you restore it back to original? Or do what Chris Loumanis has, and Pro-Street the hell out of it? OK, so I reckon I already know the answer to that question, due to the fact that you’re reading Killer Rides and not resto-monthly! Chris is into cool cars, and more so, cool cars that have been given the Pro-Street treatment. There’s no denying that early Falcon coupes, whether Australian or American, are sought after, so when Chris found this ’64 Coupe sitting in a car yard in Portland, Oregan, he quickly made it his. This was in 2009 on a car-buying trip in the USA. Chris’ original intent was to get the car back to Australia and sell it, which he did in 2010. But not long after, regret set in and Chris purchased the car back, kick starting what was to be a long build period.

FLAT FLOOR - FULL CAGE HOLLEY DIGITAL DASH

FULL CHASSIS FLAT FLOOR WHEEL TUBS

369ci WINDSOR ALLOY HEADS FABRICATED EFI INTAKE TWIN GTX3582R TURBOS TURBO 400 AUTO

LS E E H W S IE T L IA C E P S T E BILL G IN R E E T S N IO IN P D N A K RAC D N E T N O R F R E V O IL O C 21

Although the Falcon has that obvious Pro-Street look, the Falcon will predominantly be used for cruising. That’s not to say it won’t be packing some power. Chris built the engine himself, with a World Products 8.2 block forming the basis for the twin-turbo powerhouse, using a pair of alloy heads and a trick fabricated EFI intake as the major bolt-ons. With the cubic capacity now sitting at 369-cubes, and a pair of GTX3582R turbos mounted under the car just forward of the diff and out of sight, there’s no doubt this small block will be capable of producing the goods. The trick engine will be surrounded by a fabricated engine bay with smooth inner guards and firewall. On the dyno, and in aspirated form, the engine has so far prodcued 565hp and 466ft/lbs. Those numbers will climb greatly when the two turbo’s come in to play!

Chris is determined to make this a genuine street driven, pro-street styled car by getting the engineer involved in every aspect of the build to make sure that when that time comes, the Falcon will be fully certified...

In a move that would sicken Ford purists, Chris mounted a Turbo 400 to the back of the tough Windsor. The third member of the driveline trio is of course, a 9-inch, but not just any old 9-inch, a full-floater Strange 9-inch located via a parallel fourlink with Afco coil-overs, adding a Watt’s linkage in the process. Leigh Walker at Pro-Street Development has handled the underside upgrades including the full chassis, tubs, flat floor, rack and pinion steering, coil-over front end, six-point cage and the right-hand drive conversion. Completing the underside so far are 15x10 and 17x4.5-inch Billet Specialties rims.

Open either door and you’ll see there’s been plenty of work done to the Falcon’s interior space. There’s a new trans tunnel to house the much larger Chev box, and you can see the bracing added for the new chassis which will form a flat floor when completed. The factory styled, though now right-hand side, dash will feature a Holley 12.3-inch dash that gets fed from the Holley ECU. There’s the aforementioned roll cage and a pair of bucket seats added. Most of the reshaped boot area has been taken up with the wheel tubs and huge alloy fuel-cell. At this point, the Falcon is going to Full Flight Engineering to create the headers and exhaust system and finish off some other jobs including the fuel cell and radiator.

Although the Falcon has that obvious Pro-Street look, the Falcon will predominantly be used for cruising. Chris is determined to make this a genuine street driven, pro-street styled car by getting the engineer involved in every aspect of the build to make sure that when that time comes, the Falcon will be fully certified and all the right boxes will be ticked to get those all-important number plates attached! Bring it on… 24

On KILLER Rides THE TRACK Words - Paul Beck Pics - Revvin’ Rides Imaging Race Pic - Matt Arnold

WALLY ELDER

World’s Wildest Pro-Street Dodge Daytona

Whilst Wally enjoyed everything that blown 392 Hemipowered Daytona offered, he sold it off a few years later and subsequently, lost track of it. Having always regretted parting ways with it, Wally put the word out that he was looking for the Daytona, and around a year after a bunch of ad’s were placed on Craigslist in the area it had been sold in to, a phone call alerted him to the owner, who, after a long conversation with Wally, wanted to keep the keys to himself. That meeting was the catalyst for this new car. Wally added, “I decided to build a new car similar to it and make it better than the first one! And here we are…”

“I started with a nice clean roof and windshield pillars. Everything else is brand new AMD sheet metal, Glasstek fibreglass and Janak Reproduction parts all draped over a fully-fabricated, custom double-rail 4130 chrome-moly chassis,” he explained. Wally handled the bodywork himself, getting the exterior panels straightened and prepped for its colour. It should come as no surprise to see that Wally laid on the PPG GM Bright Red with white accents over that massive wing and quarter panels. He then added factory original headlights, taillights and front windscreen. All other glass has been replaced with lightweight Lexan. As it still has that factory look to it, Wally pie-cut the front fenders to get that impressive nose closer to the blacktop. They say red cars are fast and if that’s true, this red car looks like it’s doing warp speed just sitting there. How’s that for impact? 26

In the early 90’s Wally Elder unleashed the world’s wildest Pro-Streeter at the Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin – a brutal 1969 Dodge Daytona. In 2021, he re-enacted the feat with a bigger, better, badder version and in the process, broke the internet! 27

Part of that impact obviously comes down to that big black 14/71 Littlefield blower and JBR Funnycar carbon-fibre injector hat that connects to the 526cube IndyMaxx aluminium Hemi that makes around 2500hp. Built by Bullet Racing Engines, the block plays host to a Top Fuel-spec Bryant crank swinging Brooks rods and JE pistons, while a special Comp Cams camshaft gives the Hemi a menacing, ‘don’t mess with me’ idle. The cylinder heads are Stage V Engineering items fitted with T&D rockers and a mix of Manley / Victory valves the size of small pizza’s! A single MSD MAG44 provides enough spark to fire that monster Hemi into life, sending those gases out into the open via a pair of custom headers that unwind into custom Spintech mufflers and tailpipes that exit through the quarter panels.

A three-speed Lenco backs the engine, with Wally making gear changes through custom Air Pistol grips. Getting the power to the pavement is the sole duty of the DANA60 rearend that features a full complement of Strange Engineering gear including the full spool, and 40-spline axles. A four-link locates the narrowed rear end, capped with Strange Engineering coil-overs and Wilwood brakes that live deep inside the 15x14 double-beadlock Race Star Pro wheels. Up front and in true Pro-Street style, the wheels measure just 15x4-inches that are mounted to the chassis via Strange struts, coil-overs and Wilwood brakes. The steering comprises of a Tim McAmis column and Larry Jeffers wheel. It’s all business under that insane body, and just as Wally desired, it’s a massive step up from the original Daytona. 28

Of course, being a US-spec Pro-Street car, there’s always going to be a little cruising on the street as well.

Race Pic - Matt Arnold 30

Looking passed the window net, you’ll find a race-car interior surrounded by a mass of chrome-moly tube. From the drivers Racetech seat (with Simpson 5-point harness), Wally has a clear view of the factory style dash that is now filled with AutoMeter gauges. In a nod to the Dodge’s heritage, the alloy/carbon fibre door panels have been made to replicate the original ’70 Charger layout. As you’d expect, there’s no sound system, though Wally did list the 526ci Hemi as the head unit, with the sound provided by the QTP electric exhaust cut outs for open headers, making enough noise to drown out a Metallica concert!

I guess we have to thank the owner of Wally’s original Daytona for saying no to Wally’s plea to sell it.

THANKS TO: A special thank you to my wife Mary, for her support and understanding during the build. My friends Brian Raymond (for helping with the chassis); Tony Flores (for some machine work) and Bill Richie for lending a hand anytime I needed it. 32

This time around, Wally spent a good six-years constructing version 2.0. It wasn’t all fun and games however, as Wally juggled family life and other responsibilities to get the job done, trying not to lose interest in the process. Thankfully, he hung in there and when pics first started to appear online, the Pro-Street community around the world went into meltdown. For Wally though, presenting the Daytona for the first time amongst the Pro-Street brotherhood at the 2021 Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin was the most memorable experience so far. And whilst most people have only seen Wally idling around motorsport venues, he has finally hit the track for some fun! Check out the burnout pic! Of course, being a US-spec Pro-Street car, there’s always going to be a little cruising on the street as well. I guess we have to thank the owner of Wally’s original Daytona for saying no to Wally’s plea to sell it. Imagine though, having those two cars together on Pro-Street Alley in DuQuoin, 2023! We can dream, right?

They say red cars are fast and if that’s true, this red car looks like it’s doing warp speed just sitting there! 34

STARS, STRIPES

2022 STREET MACHINE NATIONALS - DU QUOIN STATE FAIRGROUNDS WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – GREG ‘BEACH’ BALL & BONNIER EVENTS

! s r e w o l And B Whilst Australia may lay claim to having the biggest street machine events in the world, there’s no denying the original Street Machine Nationals held each year in Du Quoin boasts the wildest street cars…

Pro-Street still rules supreme at the annual Street Machine Nationals. So much so, that the diehard Pro-Street guys travel from across the US early to meet up for the Pre-Nats Party – a get together where big engines, big rear tyres and big attitude street cars are considered the norm. Held on the Thursday before the Nats gets started, it’s here that you get a taste of what’s to come during the next few days.

2022 saw the return of the ever-popular Pro-Streeters, who get to line up in their own specific area – Pro-Street Alley. 38

Staged by Bonnier Events, the Street Machine Nationals is one of two Nationals held each year – one in St Paul and this one, held in DuQuoin, the spiritual home of the Street Machine Nationals. With plenty of space on offer, the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds is the perfect venue to hold this type of event. With its grassed area’s providing the ideal area to kick back and watch the cars idle around the expansive cruise road, a popular past time at the Street Machine Nationals.

2022 saw the return of the ever-popular Pro-Streeters, who get to line up in their own specific area – Pro-Street Alley. This is where you’ll find the biggest engines, the widest rear tyres and the cars with the largest attitudes. Bradley Gray made a huge impact with his Blown Mafia truck and line up of cars – all of which had the most elaborate engine combinations you’ve ever seen – with blowers combining with turbo’s, nitrous and more blowers just for good measure. Just as in your face was Wally Elder’s mind-blowing Daytona, arguably the most insane ProStreet car on the planet. Check out the feature in this Issue! Add to this the ohso-cool candy Cuda owned by Wendy Beard, a couple of wild ’59 Caddy’s and Jamie Pipher’s blown BOSS-powered ’70 Torino (to name but a few) and you have enough horsepower to rotate the earth just a little quicker! Paul Gragg scored the Grand Champion Pro-Street award for his ’64 Corvette.

Hell, this is America, so you can always expect the unexpected – just like the chopped up VW Beetle that is now powered by a twin-turbo small block Chev.

It’s not just those over-powered ground pounders that get to cruise around the fairgrounds. There’s an abundance of cool rides that make up the majority of the entrant list including Lowriders, slammed trucks, cool classics, hot rods, muscle cars and everything in between. Hell, this is America, so you can always expect the unexpected – just like the chopped up VW Beetle that is now powered by a twin-turbo small block Chev. Sure, it may not have been everyone’s favourite car, but you have to give it the thumbs up for creativity!

Just as in your face was Wally Elder’s mind-blowing Daytona, arguably the most insane Pro-Street car on the planet.

Whilst the Street Machine Nationals is primarily a car show with the emphasis placed of showing and cruising, but there’s so much more to take in at this event. There’s a swap meet, dyno challenge, sound-off and somewhat of a burnout challenge – more of a static smoke show. Unfortunately, after a heatwave ravaged the venue for the first couple of days, the dreaded wet weather rolled in over Saturday night, bringing the event to an early close on Sunday. By all accounts though, the 2022 Street Machine Nationals in DuQuoin were a successful one. The team at Bonnier Events now have their focus set on the next Street Machine Nationals to be held in St. Paul over the weekend of July 15-17.

AT KILLER Rides THE STRIP Words / Pics - - Paul Beck Race Pics - Grant Stephens

JOSH PAGE

9-SEC, 600HP, 366CI LS-POWERED LJ TORANA

25-years after making its debut on the race track, Matt Marsh’s PIG-350 LJ Torana has returned with a new driver, new driveline and a new group of followers. It’s funny how things go full circle. Matt built his LJ way back in the day and campaigned it for some 15-years with various engine combinations – the most memorable being the injected small block that provided enough punch to get the Torana’s front wheels way up high when the green bulb flashed. But with that engine package sold, and Matt spending more time building up his Pro-Street Industries business, the Torana has been sitting collecting dust. That was until Josh Page came along.

Josh has another LJTorana that Matt is preparing for better things, and it will be powered by a LS Chev combo that Josh has had Matt screw together. Whilst the Torana will primarily be a street car, there’s a very good chance it will see some quarter mile action when finished. So, to get some seat time to learn the ropes and give the freshly built LS some laps, Matt offered up his original LJ as a test mule. Externally, it’s still very much an LJ Torana with a cowl bonnet and straight Orange tinter covering the sheet metal that was in very poor condition before the body work was completed and the paint laid on by cousin Ron. 48

As much as Matt detests the LS style of engine going anywhere near his engine bay, you have to admit, it does look right at home. Sporting 366-cubes, the aspirated LS makes almost 600hp with the single 850 Holley carb pushing E85 fuel through the Victor Junior intake. The basic long engine is mild compared to some, with the changes limited to modified L98 heads, a Comp Cam, Mellings oil pump, Moroso sump, MSD ignition and a pair of PSI-fabricated headers. Those 600-odd ponies get sent through the Torana with a trans-braked Turbo 400 with a 5300rpm SDE converter and B&M Pro-stick shifter sending the power to the Mark Williamsequipped 9-inch rear end featuring 40-spline gun-drilled axles and a 4.7-geared Ultra-case centre. Suspension wise, the LJ is straight line biased with Strange shocks and Pedders springs fitted to each corner – as are Wilwood disc brakes clamped by Strange calipers. All of this gear is partially hidden from view by the 15x3.5-inch and 15x12-inch Weld Alumastars.

So, to get some seat time to learn the ropes and give the freshly built LS some laps, Matt offered up his original LJ as a test mule. 50

As much as Matt detests the LS style of engine going anywhere near his engine bay, you have to admit, it does look right at home. 52

Inside, it’s all business. Matt applied his handiwork transforming the one-time street car into a purpose-built race car. With the factory trim removed, Matt added a mass of roll cage, with the area usually reserved for rear seat passengers, now sheeted in polished alloy. Speaking of seating, there’s room only for two now, with a pair of lightweight Jaz seats bolted into place and equipped with RCI belts, flanked either side by even more tubing across the door openings. The fabricated dash is void of everything that is no longer needed, with just two small AutoMeter gauges employed – one for water temp, the other for oil pressure. Hanging off the pillar sits an AutoMeter tacho and shift light. Josh keeps the Torana straight using a SAAS steering wheel. The bar work and polished tin continues into the boot area.

With the fabrication work completed on Josh’s street car, it’s almost ready to be shipped off for paint. And we all know that the body and paint process is very time consuming and even when the Torana returns, there’s a million little things that need doing. When the time is right, the LS and trans will be removed from PIG-350 and slotted into its new “forever home.” Until then, Josh, Matt and the team will be at the track putting more runs on one of the OG Pro-Street cars…

On s e d i KILLER R Show Words - Paul Beck Pics - Paul Beck, Chad Silvey, Angie Kruger

ANGIE KRUGER

Show Standout 1967 Mustang Fastback

Angie Kruger had always wanted a 1967 Mustang Fastback, and found the perfect project sitting in a Sydney panel shop.

This Mustang originally spent time at Ziggy’s Design Driven where it was subjected to some custom fabrication. Sometime later, it ended up at Andy’s Restorations in Sydney – and this is where Angie found the shell for sale. With the deal done, Angie had her dream car shipped to Queensland for a makeover in the home garage. Purchased as a 10-year Wedding Anniversary, Angie knew this build was going to take a considerable amount of time and money to complete, but what price do you put on a dream?

Right from the outset there were absolutely zero thoughts of restoring the car back to a concourse original car. Angie wanted her Mustang to have more style, and more performance than ole Henry could ever have imagined. The body mods are many, some are noticeable, some not so much – but all designed to make the Mustang that much smoother all round. Check out the flush mounted fuel cap, the tucked and rolled guards, the one-piece, flush mounted windscreen and side glass, deleted windscreen cowl, tucked bumper bars, and deleted brake vents. Add to this the extended lower door sills, custom rear brake light panel, custom rear quarter plexi glass and stretched front end including the bonnet, and you have a reworked body that still partly retains the Mustang heritage whilst taking it to the next level. With the body work completed and the panels now prepped for colour, the shell was given to David Elliot from Blacklist Refinish Studio to lay down a few silkysmooth coats of Glasurit Lexus Black with 10% Lexus Silver added for the stripes. The end result is nothing short of amazing, bringing with it a massive smile from Angie, knowing full well that her dream car was finally coming together. 60

Inside, there’s not a whole lot that still resembles 1967. The basic shape of the dash is similar, but that has been recovered in black Italian leather with the dash facia finished off in an Alligator skin leather for a brilliant contrast. The factory gauges have been replaced with Dakota Digital versions that sit behind the Billet Specialties steering wheel that tops the billet column. The seating is now divided into four individual buckets, all of which have been recovered in that beautiful Italian leather and Alligator inserts by Annvid Auto Upholsterers. Each seat has been separated by the custom centre console that runs from

the dash to the parcel shelf and uses that cool Alligator material inside the silver aluminium edging. The console house the Lokar shifter and also offers Angie a couple of drink holders when out cruising. In a break from tradition, there’s no carpet in the Mustang, instead, the same leather and Alligator skin has been used exclusively under foot, which also flows into the boot area, where the air-conditioning is mounted, using custom vent tubes to distribute the cold air to where its need the most. Autobarn in Capalaba installed the Pioneer stereo to keep the cruisin’ vibes coming.

Right from the outset there were absolutely zero thoughts of restoring the car back to a concourse original car.

The end result is nothing short of amazing, bringing with it a massive smile from Angie, knowing full well that her dream car was finally coming together.

They say ‘there’s no substitute for cubic inches’ and in a tough muscle car, that’s true! Whilst the engine package may appear to be a regular small block when you lift that bonnet, there’s no less than 460-cubes jammed in between those modified strut towers from the stretched Windsor, filling the smoothed off engine bay to perfection. Built by Justin Simpson at Horsepower Solutions, the engine features FAST fuel injection mounted to a Super Victor intake that gets signal from a Haltec 2500 Elite ECU, with everything hidden under the cool custom air-cleaner. The Boss 9.5-deck block has a stroker Scat crank and rod combo with forged Mahle pistons completing the

rotating system and the sole reason why there’s so many cubes. The roller cam gives the Mustang an undeniable ‘tough-street’ idle. The aluminium ‘Z’ heads have been reworked and fitted with bigger vales wrapped in HP Crane springs before being capped off with custom rocker covers. The front of the engine is highlighted with a polished alloy, ribbed belt pulley system that also incorporates the air-con compressor and alternator. The big cube Ford sits inside a highly detailed engine bay that features custom sheet-metal that not only features the body colour, but also replicates the stripes as well. It’s the little details like this that make a huge difference.

THANKS TO: Adam Kruger for making my dream car come to fruition. Also a big thanks to Adam Kruger and David

Elliot for hours (and hours and hours) of blood, sweat and tears that went into finalising the pristine bodywork and paint. Andy from Fireball for the fabrication on the tubs, floor and diff. Tony Carter from Geartorque for the gearbox. Ash Mason for the electrical, accessories and wiring. 66

On 98-octane pump fuel, the small block made 370hp at the sizeable treads and enough torque to tear down a block of flats. That grunt is fed through a stage 2, C4 auto fronted by a street-friendly 2800rpm converter. From there, it goes to the 31-spline 9-inch diff via the custom 3.5-inch tailshaft. The Mustang obviously sits low over those 20x7 and 22x10 Billet Specialties wheels, and that’s due to the lowered King Springs and QA adjustable shocks added to each corner. The underside also scored a complete set of Urethane bushes, a triangulated four-link, custom Rod Shop steering and J Disc BHSS 360mm disc rotors with 6spot rear and 10-spot front TBS calipers, that are controlled by a remote electric master cylinder. The improvement in the handling and stopping is massive and well worth the cost of this top end gear.

The Mustang has consumed around 5-years and a huge amount of the folding stuff during its construction. Angie had always wanted to debut the car with all the fanfare that is common practice for cars of this calibre, but when Covid hit, it took away that dream. Angie was determined though to have the Mustang attack the show scene for just twelve months before retiring it to be her Sunday driver, which was what it was initially built for. There’s been plenty of show success so far, with wins at Summernats 34 and the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo, where we awarded Angie the Killer Rides Show Standout award! We’ll let Angie have the last word, “She was built as a street car so I could enjoy her and not just stare at her!” Enough said… 68

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y t i C r u o b r a H

HOT RODDING

A massive 2022 event proves that the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo is not only here to stay, its expanding year on year!

SYDNEY HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO ROSEHILL RACECOURSE – MAY 28/29 WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

Rosehill Racecourse is, in my opinion, the best venue in Sydney to host this kind of event. With many buildings on offer, free parking at the door and an abundance of outdoor area’s that can be used for display purposes, it really doesn’t come any better than this. And whilst it may have taken a few years to make its mark on the Sydney scene, there’s no denying the “Hot Rod Show” as its affectionately known, has planted its feet firmly at Rosehill Racecourse.

You always know just how well an event held at this venue is going when you pull into the carpark. And when we pulled into the almost full parking area each day not long after the show had opened to the public, we knew the show was well populated with spectators by the sheer amount of cars filling every available spot. I reckon if we’d arrived half an hour later, we’d be in for a sizable walk. Walking into the venue on Saturday morning proved that those parking close by, were there for the show. There were lots of people wondering each hall taking in everything on offer this year.

Like many indoor events, there were plenty of new cars uncovered for the first time and damn there was some crackers.

With MotorEx happening in Melbourne just weeks before, and many new cars being unveiled for the first time, it come as no surprise to see some many high-end cars making the trip to Sydney. In amongst the NSW-based cars, were some incredible machinery from Victoria, Queensland and even South Australia – the latter being the amazing candy-gold ’35 Ford Coupe owned by Brenton Dalwood that scooped the pool at both the Extreme Auto Expo in Adelaide as well as MotorEx. History now shows, he recreated that feat in Sydney winning everything he possibly could, including Top Vehicle of Show.

And whilst it may have taken a few years to make its mark on the Sydney scene, there’s no denying the “Hot Rod Show” as its affectionately known, has planted its feet firmly at Rosehill Racecourse.

Like many indoor events, there were plenty of new cars uncovered for the first time and damn there was some crackers. Ray Elia’s take on the VN Group A Commodore stunned the crowds when the covers came off, showing a familiar HSV-style but with a trick interior, blown injected LS and tubs. Rod Hadfield made the trip up the Hume with his new ride too, a blown Hemi-powered ’32 Ford coupe looking amazing in Orange. Stuart Brancourt made a huge impact with his custom coupe dubbed Champagne Lady. Basically a blend between a 41

Willys and a Lincoln Zephyr, the coupe was revealed to lots of oohs and aahs! Torana fans were amazed when the covers were removed from Adrian Hayes’ slick Hatchback. With a detailed LS3 surrounded by silky smooth Exclusive Customs panel and paint and sporting a custom retrim, this Hatch was a definite show highlight. But by far, the most talked about car was Peter Ludy Strojen’s crazy ’60 Caddy. The black and white custom coupe had been subjected to plenty of modifications making sure that everyone that stopped to check it out, were there for a while!

As has become the norm in recent years, the Nostalgia Lane section has grown each year, bringing with it a batch of new cars and bikes from all over Australia – many of which decided to make a road trip out of it, regardless of the weather conditions. It’s all part of what this section is all about. There were plenty of highlights, but for most, seeing both of the late Mario Colalillo’s Cadillac’s side by side for the first and last time, was well worth the price of admission alone. With WILDCAD now on track to be auctioned, its anyone’s guess how much it will go for and where it will end up. Mario’s son Andy, the main organiser of this section, had his new custom Lincoln at the show alongside of some of the coolest rides ever gathered together. And to make it that much better, one of America’s finest custom builders, John D’Agostino was at the show, spending plenty of time in this area chatting to anyone and everyone! There was plenty of bikes on show here too – an area that will be expanding next year for sure. I can’t wait to see what goes on display in Nostalgia Lane next year!

There were plenty of highlights, but for most, seeing both of the late Mario Colalillo’s Cadillac’s side by side for the first and last time, was well worth the price of admission alone.

Leaving the indoor sections, you couldn’t help but get lost in everything that was gathered in the betting ring area. Lots of cars, lots of traders and as you’d expect, lots of people. It really did add to the overall atmosphere. When we returned on the Sunday, it was more of the same with huge crowds converging on the venue for the second day. Everyone I spoke to thought the same thing, the 2022 Sydney Hot Rod and Custom Auto Expo was nothing short of amazing. The variety of vehicles of display was mind blowing and ensured that everyone that visited will be coming back again and again. Well done to Andy, Donna and the entire organising team. www.hotrodandcustom.com.au

Stuart Brancourt made a huge impact with his custom coupe dubbed Champagne Lady. Basically a blend between a 41 Willys and a Lincoln Zephyr, the coupe was revealed to lots of oohs and aahs!

On s e d i KILLER R Show Pics - Chad Silvey & Paul Beck

We all know, or eventually learn, that the word ‘quick’ should never be used when doing any type of work on a custom car build – including what was intended to be ‘just’ a repaint. Somewhere after deciding to strip the ’35 down, Brenton decided that he wanted to go a little further than just the paint. And is usually the case, a little, turned into a lot – quite a lot! In fact, the 5-window coupe wouldn’t be complete again for some 14-years! During that time, whether it was intended or not, Brenton, with help from his son Brad, was creating what was going to be not just one of the best Hot Rods, but one of the best cars built in Australia – as proven by its Grand Master win at the recent MotorEx. To get there though, Brenton and his entourage had their work cut out for them creating the ultimate custom car…

The chopped, 5-window body has had countless hours spent on it, changing, chopping and smoothing out everything in preparation for colour. The 3-inch roof chop is obvious, but did you notice that the guards, running boards and inner guards are now one-piece with all fasteners hidden from sight? On top of that, there’s flushmounted front glass, custom LED ’37 Ford tailights, a remotely operated custom fuel filler cap, electrically operated bootlid, custom bonnet sides, recessed rear number plate and an Alumicraft grille insert inside the one-off grille shell. With Colin Grimmond and Steve Papageorgiou at Marz and Carz having sorted the body out, Steve was then able to lay on the PPG Vibrance colour – a combination of custom mixed Amber Illusion for the body and driveline, with the underside coloured in Fusion. Stunning doesn’t even come close to describing the final outcome… 84

BRENTON & ANNETTE DALWOOD MotorEx 2022 Grand Master - 1935 Ford Coupe

Originally built in just four-months for their son’s Primary School graduation, this ’35 Ford Coupe was then driven for two-years before being stripped down for a “quick repaint!” Yep, heard that one before…

Builds like this don’t happen by mistake. Every part has been well thought out... 85

With the exterior looking so damn good, the interior had to make the same grade, and thanks to Adrian Morgan at Kool Trim, that wasn’t going to be an issue. The front and rear seats are custom made and engineered with integral lap sash seat belts, and form the basis for the fullcustom trim and have been covered in mid beige leather and vinyl with a painted, full metal backing. The headlining was formed in fibreglass before being trimmed in Mid Beige Wool. The floor panels are also fibreglass and covered in German Square weave carpet and are removable. The

original style dash (now smoothed and trimmed in leather) has been enhanced with a Dakota Digital gauge cluster inside a custom-made surround. Directly under the custom dash set-up sits a Bluetooth stereo system using an iPad that is mounted on a remotely operated gear drive under the dash. The iPad sends the tunes through an Alpine amp and Polk speakers that were installed by Brenton’s son Brad. The amazing interior also features a centre console with a muchmodified B&M shifter and a billet tilt steering column and wheel.

We all know, or eventually learn, that the word ‘quick’ should never be used when doing any type of work on a custom car build – including what was intended to be ‘just’ a repaint. 86

So, is it just a show car? Well it is fully engineered and is currently has full South Australian registration.

Brenton knew that he was never going to need an engine package that made north of 1000hp, so instead, he opted for a dual fourbarrel, 350-cube small block built by Eugene “Worm” Basile. With reliability in mind, the engine internals are fairly basic with the four-bolt block housing a steel crank, SRP flat-top pistons, Scat H-beam rods and a hydraulic Comp Cam roller cam and lifter kit. Up top, the Edelbrock alloy heads have Manley valves and springs which are covered by some custom billet rocker covers. The Edelbrock intake play host to a pair of detailed Weber 500cfm carbs, partially hidden by the custom oval air cleaner. Backing the engine is a Turbo 400 auto fronted with a 3000rpm converter

that sends the power to a Currie 9-inch diff with 3.89-centre and RodTech floaters. The diff is located by a four-link with custom machined stainless bars and Panhard rod. Coilovers handle the ride in the rear end. Up front the modified chassis uses a full stainless independent front suspension, again with coil-overs to handle the ride. The braking system comprises of 14-inch Wilwood discs with custom machined concave rotor hats, with VE Commodore calipers providing the clamping power. As you’d expect, everything on the underside of the ’35 has been detailed to the highest level whether it’s chromed, polished or painted. The wheels of choice are 18x7 and 20x10 Billet Specialties Stileltto’s.

With the exterior looking so damn good, the interior had to make the same grade, and thanks to Adrian Morgan at Kool Trim, that wasn’t going to be an issue.

Builds like this don’t happen by mistake. Every part has been well thought out and those custom one-off parts have been made possible by CNC machining and also 3D printing – and that’s what it takes to make a great car, sensational. Whilst the ’35 is currently enjoying scooping just about every award possible since its debut at the Extreme Auto Expo in Brenton’s home town of Adelaide. It was evident at its debut then, that this is a very special car winning first place in every category. That was backed up with another impressive haul at MotorEx and again at the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo. So, is it just a show car? Well it is fully engineered and is currently has full South Australian registration. Does that mean that after its show days are done, Brenton and Annette will hit the road and cruise the ’35? Damn, we hope so…

THANKS TO:

Co-builder and my son Brad, Annette Dalwood, Brooke Dalwood, Poppa, Mario Romeo, Steve Papageorgiou, Colin Grimmond, Adrian Morgan, Sebastian and Wolf Carius at Sigma Tools, A Class Metal Finishers, Joe Esposito, Joe Muscat, Mark ‘Hendo’ Henderson, Daniel Whatling, Steve Simmons, Andrew Gratton, Nathan Roberts, the boys from Sensortemp. 93

RATS, TATTS

KINGPIN KUZTUMS_RATS, TATTS AND PINUPS GATEWAY HOTEL_CORIO WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – CHAD SILVEY

s ’ p U n i P

Situated on the Princess Highway at Corio, on the outskirts of Geelong, the Gateway Hotel opened up its doors for the Rats, Tatts and Pinups event in June.

Rob and his team have been staging events for what seems like an eternity and have built up a huge reputation amongst the Hot Rod, Custom, Muscle Car and Bike scene... 94

I’ve always said that the Victorian car scene is one of the best in the country, and this event proves that fact. Even though the Gateway Hotel is around an hour south of Melbourne, the venue was still overflowing with all kinds of Pre ’78 cars and bikes on display. Kingpin Kuztums head-honcho, Rob Belio told us that during the day, more than 800 cars had made their way to the Hotel’s expansive carparking area putting on quite the show for the massive crowd that ensued.

Kingpin Kuztums head-honcho, Rob Belio told us that during the day, more than 800 cars had made their way to the Hotel’s expansive carparking area putting on quite the show for the massive crowd that ensued.

Rob and his team have been staging events for what seems like an eternity and have built up a huge reputation amongst the Hot Rod, Custom, Muscle Car and Bike scene, so it comes as no surprise to see so many cars and bikes on display. Along with the entered vehicles, the event also attracted live music from Itchy Fingers along with Jess and the Mighty Kings; no less than 9 Food trucks on site (with the Hotel also offering an all you can eat buffet), and a variety of retro market stalls and man cave traders offering all kinds of goodies!

Along with the entered vehicles, the event also attracted live music from Itchy Fingers along with Jess and the Mighty Kings...

Check out the cool photos by Chad Silvey and you’ll see why the Rat, Tatts and Pinups event are so popular. The variety of cars is second to none and when you combine that with the carnival like atmosphere, you can soon understand why car and bike owners attend their events in droves. There’s no time to rest though for the Kingpin Kuztums team, with plans already in place to stage lots more cool events in the very near future. To find out more about Kingpin Kuztums events, click on their cool logo!

Check out the cool photos by Chad Silvey and you’ll see why the Rat, Tatts and Pinups event are so popular.

https://www.facebook.com/kingpin.kuztums

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at KILLER Rides the strip Words / Pics - - Paul Beck Race Pics - Grant Stephens

LEBA BOUNASSIF

TWIN-TURBO 383CI CHEV POWERED MAZDA RX3

After building a full-tilt show car, Leba Bounassif decided it was time to try his hand at drag racing…

Anyone that has been around car shows for quite a few years will remember Leba’s Gemini. It was bright yellow, detailed to the max and sported 4SHOW numberplates. It earned its creator quite a number of trophies and was how I first met Leba and his mates who all lived the modified car lifestyle. That was quite a few years ago, long before family and business became his main focus. After starting a family and launching a mechanical workshop, it was time for Leba to get back into the car scene in something special, and that’s when this RX3 presented itself. It had previously been raced with a twin-turbo V8 combo, but had seen better days. When Leba took on the project, the car had been neglected and was in desperate need of a makeover. Seeing the potential, Leba knew he was up to the task. With the RX3 stripped down to a bare shell, plenty of hours were spent on the body to get it ready for a coat or two of colour, with another shade of bright red expertly added by Charlie Aflak after he finished up on the body work. The colour extends from the body, the removeable one-piece nose, dash and roll cage. The body has been fitted with the adjustable alloy rear wing, tubs and scoops in the front end to shove cold air straight into each turbocharger.

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As you’d expect in a purpose-built quarter-mile racer, the interior is full of everything you need to get the job done as quickly and as safely as possible. It’s all about weight saving, so it makes no sense to have things here that serve no purpose at all. In amongst the mass of roll cage you’ll find just the driver’s seat, lots of polished alloy tinwork, an onboard firesystem and enough gauges to keep you informed of what’s happening for that short amount of time that matters. With very little room in the engine compartment, the entire ignition system and Haltech ECU has been mounted just inside the passenger footwell.

Thanks to: A Special thank you to my wife Janet and our beautiful

kids Angelina, Jayden and Mary-Jo. Joe from Hi Comp Performance Engines and his staff. Steve from SS Auto Electrics. Charlie Aflak for the body and paint. My crew at the track – George Bounassif, Charlie Bounassif, Steve Camileri, Steve Stefano and Chris Dinos. My extend family, friends and anyone else that has helped with the build.

After starting a family and launching a mechanical workshop, it was time for Leba to get back into the car scene in something special... 104

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Remember when I said Leba cut his teeth in the Show Car scene? Well he has applied that thinking to this engine too – it looks as good as it performs. 106

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Built by Hi Comp Performance Engines, the Mazda obviously isn’t powered by a Rotary. In a move that is likely to upset the Mazda purists, the engine of choice is a 383-cube, old-school iron block Chev making around 800rwhp – with a lot more in it still to come. The dominating feature of this engine combo is of course the top end that features two GT 35/40 Garrett turbo chargers, a custom fabricated intake manifold with twin throttle bodies and no less than 16 staged injectors all getting the nod from

the Haltech 2500 Elite ECU. Reaching the long engine, you’ll find a pair of alloy AFR 220 heads that have been CNCported and fitted with Comp Cam roller rockers and AFR rocker guides, before being attached to the built bottom end. Speaking of which, the iron block has been filled with Top Shelf gear including a Scat stroker crank, H-Beam rods and forged SRP pistons. The cam is a solid roller and is perfect for this engine combination. The heavily modified sump completes the engine package.

In a move that is likely to upset the Mazda purists, the engine of choice is a 383-cube, old-school iron block Chev making around 800rwhp... Remember when I said Leba cut his teeth in the Show Car scene? Well he has applied that thinking to this engine too – it looks as good as it performs. Backing the engine is a Powerglide auto built by Pro-Trans, fronted with a Dominator converter with a 4000rpm stall speed. Gear selections are made via an air-shifted Pro-Stick. Down the back under those big tubs sits a fabricated 9-inch diff with a full-spool 4.5-geared centre, Mark Williams axles and Strange Engineering rear brakes inside those fat Weld Wheels and Hoosier slicks. The diff is located via a four-link setup in the rear clip. Up front, it’s all custom fabricated with coil over shocks, custom disc brakes and 15x3.5-inch Weld Wheels. 108

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As you’d expect in a purpose-built quarter-mile racer, the interior is full of everything you need to get the job done as quickly and as safely as possible.

Since the Mazda has been completed, Leba and his team have been testing the car, making sure things are doing what they should before they turn the wick up a notch or two. Interestingly, Leba has yet to sit in the driver’s seat for a pass at noise. He wants to make sure the setup is right before jumping behind the wheel to make a pass. For now, the driving duties have been left up to Joe at Hi-Comp Performance. That’s not to say Leba isn’t jumping out of his boots to get amongst it, he just knows these things take time. You get a feeling too, that time isn’t too far off!

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on KILLER Rides the pad Words / Pics - - Paul Beck

Back before it was a common practice to fabricated a purpose-built burnout car, most of the competitors lining up to put on a massive smoke show, would take their street car, throw on some standard issue rear wheels and drop in a 500hp engine that would more often than not, serve as a regular driver once the smoke had cleared and the spectators had gone home. That was a long time ago. The burnout scene has progressed in leaps and bounds, with many stand-alone burnout events offering huge prize money to those who can not only cover the venue in smoke, but can do it in style. And by style, I mean driving on the ragged edge, the tach sitting well into the red zone and the 1000plus hp blown engine screaming for mercy! That’s what brings the crowds to their feet and that’s what gets the adrenaline going for guys like our man Joel.

JOEL SYKES

1100HP, BLOWN INJECTED 408CI HK HOLDEN

In the world of burnouts, they say “if you’re not blown, you’re not known!” Joel Sykes and his wild HK Holden are gaining quite the reputation!

His humble HK Holden sedan may look a little plain in its factory white paint compared to some, but that’s OK with Joel, it’s not a car show for him, it’s about creating a smoke show and when you do, occasionally things go just a little too far and there might be a tap on the wall here and some melted paint across the back from a spectacular methanol fire. Being white, means touch-ups are easy. Especially when the ’68 model Holden still retains all of the factory-spec metal, with the exception of a chopped-up bonnet for the blower and hat and the extended panels around the rear wheel arches to combat rubber and flames. 112

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When it came time for a new driveline, Joel looked around at many options, but after hearing great things about Pro-Flo Performance, he decided to get Paul to piece together one tough small block that was capable of not just destroying the rear tyres at will, but to do it consistently without the need for pulling it down after each meet. Paul ticked all the boxes with this 408-cube small block that, internally, has the right gear to handle any punishment Joel can throw at it. And let me tell you, that’s plenty. Thanks to the big blower and injector hat connected to the stout small block, there’s 1100-plus horsepower being sent through the one-time stock HK. The engine sits on top of a RodTech front end that has Astra electric power steering fitted, making moving around the pad more effortless.

Taking the grunt from the engine is a tough Turbo 400 that sends the power rearward through a chromemoly tailshaft to a narrowed 9-inch diff that’s more than capable to getting the at hand done with ease. The rest of the HK’s underside is pretty much as you’d expect for a burnout car. Big diametre Intro Vista wheel fill the front wheel arch with the Wilwood slotted and drilled discs and calipers in full view. More often than not, there’s a pair of stock wheels with new tyres just waiting to be blown to pieces in front of an appreciative crowd.

And by style, I mean driving on the ragged edge, the tach sitting well into the red zone and the 1000-plus hp blown engine screaming for mercy! 114

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Thanks to the big blower and injector hat connected to the stout small block, there’s 1100-plus horsepower being sent through the one-time stock HK. 116

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Against the plain white paint, the all red interior is partially representing the HK’s heritage, mixing it with the necessary upgrades and safety features to allow Joel to compete without too much fuss. Whilst the door trims, rear seat, much of the dash and of course the period-perfect venetian blind hark back to 1968 when this HK was delivered new, the same can’t be said for the full roll cage, MOMO steering wheel, a host of AutoMeter gauges, a B&M Pro-Stick shifter and those cool, “covered to match”, alloy Kirkey race seats with harness seat belts.

And, with prices for these cars on the up and up, some would say that turning a nice HK into a burnout machine is pure sacrilege. 118

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The HK has been through a lot since Joel picked it up in Queensland and there’s no signs of things slowing down just yet. At the time we did the article, the HK was being prepped for some skids at the Gazzanats in Darwin, backing that up with more at the Red Centre Nats. And, with prices for these cars on the up and up, some would say that turning a nice, HK into a burnout machine is pure sacrilege. Joel’s too busy having a good time to weigh into that argument. All he is hearing is that blown Chevy bouncing off the limiter!

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WINDOW SHOPPING OFFICIAL HOLDEN WINNERS SERIES FRAMED PRINTS NOW AT PRIZED PIECES! Published by Impact Posters, these framed prints are a must have for any Holden motorsport fan. There are 12 prints in total, featuring Holdens from Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland’s HK Monaro through to the Mark Skaife/Tony Longhurst VX Commodore and of course lots of Peter Brock prints, these are available in two sizes - 550mmx660mm for $150 framed and 650mmx850mm for $200 framed. These would look great hanging on the wall in your garage or mancave. You can pickup from the shop or Matt can organise post Australia wide. Get yours now! For more information, contact Matthew Sharman at Prized Pieces on M: 0413 112 682 Come visit our shop at Warehouse 70/6 Bellambi Lane, Bellambi NSW 2518 http://prizedpieces.com.au

FULLRIVER HC65 BATTERY

The Fullriver HC65 High Cycle Battery features advanced AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology to provide more useable power for your classic of performance car. The Fullriver HC65 offers more power than traditional deep cycling batteries while offering high cycle, high cranking and high-performance capabilities. This complete spill-proof AGM battery is capable of providing even more cranking power than conventional starting batteries (up to 2250 crank amps for 5 seconds @ 25 deg.C) combined with true deep-cycling capabilities. The Fullriver HC Range is built tough to handle anything life throws at it. For more information, visit www.rjbatt.com.au

KILLER RIDES T-SHIRTS

Be one of the coolest kids on your street in the new Killer Rides T-shirt. Featuring our oh-so-cool ’62 Chev Coupe, these high-quality t-shirts are available in sizes from Small to 11XL! Prices start at $35 each plus $5 postage. For available sizes, prices and an ordering form, go to www.killerrides.com.au

As a bonus, every shirt order comes with a Killer Rides sticker to throw on your car and show your support! 122

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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

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! 124

ONTH JUST $70 PER M79 5336 CONTACT PAUL - 0432

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COMING EVENTS JULY 16 CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park 16

POWERCRUISE STREET OUTLAWS Sydney Motorsport Park

WAGGA SWAP MEET Wagga Wagga Showgrounds

CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park www.carsunderthestars.com

BRISBANE JAMBOREE Willowbank Raceway www.jamboree.com.au

POWERCRUISE STREET OUTLAWS Sydney Motorsport Park www.powercruise.com

HARRYS LIVERPOOL END OF MONTH SHOW AND SHINE Liverpool

CHRYSLER WAKE RUN Canton Beach Holiday Park www.hvcc.org.au

KILLER RIDES MID-WEEK MEET Oporto, Albion Park Rail 6.30pm

HARRYS END OF MONTH SHOW Harry’s Cafe D’Wheels Liverpool

NSW ALL FORD DAY Sydney Dragway

RATS, TATTS & PINUPS SANDOWN HOTEL https://www.facebook.com/kingpin. kuztums 31

SEPT 4 FATHERS DAY SHOW & SHINE St Kilda CBD www.showcarsmelbourne.com.au

AUGUST 7 NSW ALL HOLDEN DAY 9-11 ROMANS HOT ROD CLUB Clarendon Showgrounds, Richmond KIama Rod Run / Show n Shine www.allholdenday.com.au 0410 641926 S22/14 7

2022 Kidzfix Motor Expo Archer Raceway, Nowra Gordon Thomas - 0417 213634

SUNDOWN CAR FEST Penrith Homemaker Centre www.carsunderthestars.com

13/14KILLER RIDES LIVE #4 10 CARS ON THE GREEN Illawarra Hockey Centre, Unanderra Boorowa NSW www.killerrides.com.au 02 63853224 Paul Beck - 0432 795336 16 CARS UNDER THE STARS 13 SUNDOWN CAR FEST Wetherill Park 0 T22/46 Penrith Homemaker Centre www.carsunderthestars.com Please check closer to the day to see if any of the events have been cancelled due to Covid. 126

Magazine

4 # E V I L

www.pscmag.com.au

TRAVEL PERMIT T22/02

STREET MACHINES HOT RODS DRAG CARS CUSTOM BIKES TRADE STANDS & MORE!

AUGUST 13-14, 2022

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: CAR & BIKE ENTRY TRADE STANDS & SPONSORSHIP Please contact Paul Beck (0432) 795336 paul@pscmag.com.au or Via Facebook

ILLAWARRA HOCKEY CENTRE, UNANDERRA www.pscmag.com.au

HOT ROD & HARLEY NOVEMBER 12/13, 2022 Expo TRAVEL PERMIT T22/03

ILLAWARRA INDOOR HOCKEY CENTRE WAPLES RD, UNANDERRA ( Wollongong )

N I W L L I W O H W eautiful

B t s o M s ’ ia l a tr s u A ? r a C m o t s u C y le r ot Rod - Ha H

TWO DAYS ONLY! Sat 9am - 5pm & Sun 9am - 4pm For all Entry, Trader and Sponsor info, call Paul - 0432 795336 - www.pscmag.com.au

www.carsunderthestars.com

Grand

Christmas

Street Parade Saturday 4 December Starts at 3pm.

From Berry Showground, up Albany St, then along Queen St. Hot Rods and Vintage cars are requested to be assembled at the Showground by around 2.30pm. PLEASE DECORATE YOUR VEHICLE IN A CHRISTMAS THEME. At the end of the Parade, reserved parking is available for vehicle display in the lower end of Prince Alfred St. NOTE: There will be no entry into Prince Alfred St from Queen St - It will be closed. Vehicles will be directed down past the Bowling Club to turn left into Albert St and then can enter Prince Alfred St with angle parking.

CELEBRATION FESTIVITIES IN APEX PARK FOLLOWING THE PARADE * Santa Photos (gold coin donation) * Sausage sizzle, fairy floss, coffee, drinks * Jumping castle and entertainment * Hot Rods & Vintage cars on display ‘COVID PROTOCOLS CURRENT AT THE TIME APPLY’

ROTARY CLUB OF BERRY

HERE’S WHAT WE OFFER!

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

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 Leisa Bonnici @ Fordgal Images Jimmy Tee Photography Greg ‘Beach’ Ball Joe Crispin Jason Lowe Luke Hunter @ Hunter Media Charlie Sant @ Pro Flo Performance

KILLER RIDES #48_July 2022

Articles inside

STARS, STRIPES AND BLOWERS! US Street Machine Nats

COMING ATTRACTIONS Pro-Street Falcon Sprint

LJ TORANA 9-sec LS-powered Pro-Street OG

LETTERS Got something to say?