After attending Chic’s funeral just after Easter, and speaking with many friends that day, Kathy and I decided that now we have the Chev to cruise in, maybe, just maybe we should go back to the Summernats one more time as an Entrant. It sounded like a good idea at the time…
As the event drew closer and word came that car entries had sold out, with 2700 cars to be attending EPIC for those four days in January, I knew it was going to be congested as I’d seen firsthand how the venue handled 2000 cars in the past. And it wasn’t good. As expected, the were long waits to get into the venue, and once inside, trying to do a lap of EPIC was a struggle too. We just played it safe and disappointingly parked on the grass oval for much of the weekend. I wanted to cruise, but the sheer number of cars and people made that difficult at best. Check out the ‘Snap Shot’ of Summernats 35 in this issue. It certainly was a Summernats to remember. The Top 60 and new car unveils were great and Braddon was amazing, but for me, that’s where the good times ended. The crowds were just out of control and hellbent on destroying this once iconic event. Hopefully, the team can resurrect its once proud heritage and bring back the true Summernats…
It’s going to be a big year by the looks of it.
There’s more events coming up than ever before, which means more cool cars for us to feature.
Moving forward, there’s a heap of great events coming up including the CRAKK Run (Canberra Rod & Kustom Krooze), Bathurst Autofest, Chryslers on the Murray and the Australian Street Rod Nationals to be held in Richmond, NSW at Easter – all of which we will be at so you will see the action in an upcoming issue. Then there’s the COOTA400 and any number of Saturday night meets all over the country! Planning is also underway for Killer Rides Live #5 for August 12th and 13th with many of the Top 20 cars already locked in!
It’s going to be a big year by the looks of it. There’s more events coming up than ever before, which means more cool cars for us to feature. Don’t forget to support your local event whenever you can, but play it cool. No one wants to be the one responsible for having an event shut down and cancelled.
See you on the Street…
The world lost one of Drag Racing’s gentleman, Sam Fenech on Sat Jan 7th at Willowbank Raceway during a Top Doorslammer race. Sam was wellknown for his racing, whether it was in his Pro-Street LJ Torana (ORSM) or his drive in Maurice and Mary Fabietti’s new Camaro Slammer. He was equally as well-known and highly respected for building many high-horsepower engines through his Westend Performance business. Sam was truly a shining light in the modified car and drag racing scenes, with not a bad word to say about anyone, and always up for a chat with a smile on his face. We send our heartfelt condolences to Sam’s family, workmates, crew and legions of people who were lucky enough to call him a mate. RIP Sam. Taken well before his time at just 55 years old…
Sick of seeing the same injector hats over and over again? Paul at Pro Flo Performance has designed and manufactured his own style that not only look the part, but perform as well. Available in mechanical and EFI configurations, you can easily remove the bolt in block offs to change drive ability and help with tuning. The EFI version has it all built into the bottom of the hat so no extra plate is required to keep the height down and keep the mechanical look. Completely designed and made in Australia from billet, everything fits together with an o ring system, with a range of finishes available including polished, raw billet machined or in any colour anodising you choose. For more information, contact Pro Flo Performance on 0415 305983 or jump onto www.profloperformance.com.au
There’s no denying the Powercruise “No-Prep” Street Outlaw Series being held on the main straight at Sydney Motorsport Park has become one of the most talked about street car drag racing events in the country, with many of the Pro-Street big hitters coming out to take part. So I’ve decided to run a Street Outlaws Top 20 List each month to show who the big movers and shakers are. Gates open to Spectators and Entrants from 5.30pm with racing set to happen between 6.30pm and 10.30pm. Always check the Powercruise website: Powercruise.com and the official Street Outlaws Facebook pagehttps://www.facebook.com/StreetOutlawsAustralia
1. Jason Mansweto – Ford Capri
2. Alon Vella – Ford Capri
3. Gup – HQ Wagon
4. Danny Mobrea – LJ Torana
5. Tom Kassaf – LC Torana
6. Damian Baker – XD Falcon
7. Nathan Ghosn – Ford Capri
8. Shadi Tobaji – Ford Cortina
9. John Habib – LH Torana
10. Brian Thomas – Chev Camaro
11. Andrew Natoli – VK Commodore
12. Sam Lentini – XD Falcon
13. Joe Messina – HJ Ute
14. Pat Defrancesco - Capri
15. Marcus Eichorn – 68 Camaro
16. Caleb Thomas – HJ Holden
17. Jamie Farmer – Ford Mustang
18. John Saad – Ford Capri
19. Ian O’Sullivan – Ford F6X
20. Dave Chapple – LC Torana
The announcement of a Porsche 911 winning Grand Champion at Summernats 35 has ignited a heated discussion on social media, with many people arguing that the car in question should never have been allowed to enter, let alone take home the prestigious Chic Henry Sword. There’s no denying the car has been rebuilt to the highest standard by the team at Real Steel, having taken off many awards at last years MotorEx. And with the judges scoring the Porsche so highly again, it was always going to come down to the owners driving ability. History now shows that he can drive the car well enough to edge out the competition. The way I see it, who cares what engine it has or what badge is wears, if its good enough to win, then so be it! Congrats
Mr Livi Krevatin on taking home the top award! Pic by Chad Silvey.
After the success of last year’s event, Killer Rides #5 is on and work is already underway to bring you one of the best shows yet. We’ve already secured a number of the Summernats Top 20 /Unveiled cars and will the mix we’re getting together, this is one event you won’t want to miss. It all happens inside the Illawarra Hockey Centre, August 12th and 13th. More info can be found at www.killerrides.com.au
Gary Myers - Burnout Legend!
“I only use the best parts in my cars, that’s why I use Lovells Springs!
Lovells are the ONLY choice for Team Myers! Make them your choice too!”
A Tribute to Ken Block Video put together by WhitefilecStyle
We’ve been contacted a lot about having Killer Rides as a printed mag since we first kicked off, and whilst I was adamant that the mag will always remain online, there’s been a part of me that wanted to have that hard copy available. Well, its about to happen in a roundabout sort of way. The regular Killer Rides is staying online and free, but we are going to do a limited edition run of “The Best of Killer Rides” which will be available as a printed magazine showcasing feature cars only. The completely redesigned magazine will only be available from us direct via mail order or at the many shows we will be attending as a trader. At this stage, I will commit to doing four issues over the next 12 months and if they go well, then anything is possible, including the regular Killer Rides being available as a hard copy as well. Keep an eye on the next issue for more updates and hopefully a release date! If you’d like to secure a copy, email me at paul@killerrides.com.au to have a copy put aside for you as they will sell out! THE
www.killerrides.com.au
There’s no denying that in the Pro-Street ranks, Simon Kryger is one of the most well-known racers in this country! He has emassed a huge following from his exploits in various Nitrous-equipped Torana’s over the years, never one to back away from a call-out against the turbo and blower guys. Well now you can show your support of the Innocnt Motorsports Racing team by purchasing one (or five!) of their cool t-shirts that are on sale now. https://www.facebook.com/
InnocentMotorsports
The new Sportsman Class will feature a Pro-Tree, Heads-Up racing with a 6.95-sec 1/4 mile index and is open to Sedan’s, Coupe’s, and Utes using factory or aftermarket bodies along with IHRA compliant roll-cage, and any engine configuration. Anything goes! Bring It!
Ok, that’s a big call this far out from the event, but prior to Christmas, there was in excess of 450 registered entries and that number was quickly headed north! The annual Chryslers on the Murray event will once again take over the border towns of Albury and Wodonga with an unrivalled showcase of Mopar muscle. It all happens March 17th-19th. For more information on this Pentastar Powerfest, log onto www.chryslersonthemurray.com
It’s a global phenomenom that showcases ‘Street Racing’ to the world via Discovery Channels. And like all reality TV, there’s only a small portion of it that is real, it does make for some cool viewing. So after the usual 405 crew have taken on the best the US has to offer, whats next? Easy, take on the Australians! By the time you read this, the cars would have landed in Aussie soil being prepped for the first battles inthe No Prep series of races to be held at Perth Motorplex, Willowbank Raceway, Sydney Dragway and finishing up at Calder Park. As you can expect, the big guns in our sport are already starting with the smack talk, calling out anyone and everyone and tempting them with cash offers. If you haven’t had the chance, grab a ticket and buckle up for some of the best Pro-Street No Prep Racing you’re every likely to see. Please note, the prices for tickets are in US Dollars so make sure you factor that in when placing your order.
Got something to say? Send it to paul@pscmag.com.au or message us from the Performance Street Car Facebook page.
G’day Paul, I’m on the look out for a basic, rolling HQ Holden to start my very first project with. I’ve been saving for quite a while and have almost $5000 in the bank, and Mum and Dad are willing to chip in a little too. The problem is that even the roughest, rust bucket with no driveline and no interior are completely out of my reach. My Dad was telling me it wasn’t that long ago that you’d get a nice driver for around $5k, but that price seems to be more like $20-$25k now. How is anyone on apprentice wages ever going to be able to afford to buy a decent car to start with?
Colin - Beenleigh, QLDWhat the hell is going on with the Summernats? It’s great that they can boast about having the largest number of entries, and the biggest crowd in Summernats history, but at what expense? The amount of cars I saw cruising that were well below the quality of what should be allowed to enter, was just ridiculous. If the Organisers think people want to come and see stock VN Commodores with standard wheels on the back and remnents of past burnouts (probably on the street) still splattered across the rear guardfs, then they are living in another world! The Summernats was once about checking out the best cars in the country. Sadly, its now all about burnouts and music. And that’s attracting the dickheads that think its OK to stop cars on the cruise road to do burnouts, right in front of the security I might add! They can promote the Summernats as being a family event all they want, but I will never take my family back there until drastic changes are made, and I reckon that has to start with the removal of alcohol and the sort of cars you can see any Saturday night in McDonalds carpark. It’s just become a joke.
Tyronne - Nowra, NSW
Well that was a different Summernats. I’ve been out of the scene for what seems like an eternity and thought I’d treat the family to a week in Canberra and to check out the Summernats. I reckon its probably been a dozen years since I set foot in EPIC, and I have to say, it was like stepping into another realm. The last time I walked around the venue, I could so freely without being shuffled in any direction or without having to battle through crowds lining the cruise road. Nor did I have to hear so much abuse being directed at drivers who refused to do a burnout. And don’t get me started on the cars! Is there no minimum standard anymore. I’m glad I went back to the Summernats this year, but I’m unsure if I’ll be heading there again anytime soon. It’s certainly not the event I remember it to be. Maybe is just me? But maybe there’s some issues that need to be attended to, and quickly!
Steven - Geelong, VIC
Hi Paul,
I’ve read some pretty ordinary feedback about the Summernats through Social Media, but I have to say, for me, it was the best Summernats yet. No, I didn’t have a car entered and yes, I do love burnouts, so this was the ultimate weekend for me and the boys. Lots of noise from big engines, lots of tyre smoke and lots of cruising. I’m not really into the Top 60 show car stuff, so I didn’t bother going into the building. I personally can’t see what everyone is crying about!
Patrick - Wodonga, VICWell there you have it, some very opossing views on Summernats 35. I’ve shared my thoughts on the event from my perspective in the feature (read it from page 34!) and that’s the last I’ll be saying on the event. There’s lots of video footage online showing all kinds of good and bad parts of the event, so you can all make your own mind up.
G’day Colin, unfortunately, you’ve chosen one of the more sought after cars as your first project. Its a simple case of supply and demand. If someone wants one bad enough, they will pay the higher price. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but there’s no such thing as a bargain anymore. If you do find something that’s too good to be true, it usually is. Good luck with the search, hope you find something in your price range...
In 2006, Nic decided to do some father/son bonding and thought building a project car would be the ideal way to spend time together with his son Terrence, whilst teaching him the fine art of car customising. Nic chose the HR Holden as it was the last model that Holden offered without the option of a coupe. The challenge to create his own custom HR Coupe was just too much to ignore. So, after tracking a suitable candidate car in Morwell, he sourced a second donor from Leopold Geelong. Apart from the obvious twodoor conversion, Nic has decided to widen the HR’s body by some 8inches, mainly to allow the fitment of the planned V8 engine package and extractors upfront with a little more room to move in the engine bay. Before
any cuts were made to the main car, Nic and Terrence drew the lines out on the donor car and cut those to make sure they were going to be right from the outset. Measure twice, cut once, right? Other body mods include the lengthening of the front doors, which meant the quarter panels had to be extended to suit too. Initially, the HR was cut in half through the trans tunnel before going across the backseat support to the wheel arches, where around 4-inches were added to their width also. The same amount of width was added to the C pillars making the factory rear screen look like a smaller custom glass. Eight inches was added to the centre of the boot lid to keep proportions right. Width was also added to the firewall and dash.
To get the look of the car right Nic moved the B pillar back 245mm before cutting the height down to match the door frames giving the HR a pillarless coupe appearance. Removing the entire B pillar affects the rigidity of the body so Nic and Terrence have added extra bracing, crossmembers and supports to many areas of the HR to not only keep it safe, but to also please the engineer. You’ll also notice the custom back seat brace which was designed in house and welded into place with the help of John’s Hot Rod and Customs (Berwick Victoria). The floor area above the rear end was scalloped to allow the tramp rods to move up and down easily as well as creating space for the mufflers to tuck up high and out of the way. There’s also a fabricated gearbox crossmember that incorporates a tailshaft loop. This acts as a cross brace. The reworked tunnel now features a VY shifter mount welded into place. The rear roll pan has been modified for dual 3-inch exhaust outlets.
The all new custom glass will be electronically operated using standard, off the shelf window regulators. For added safety the HR’s doors and back seat panel have had intrusion bars added. All door skins are one piece and custom made by Craig Vayne Sheetmetal (Queensland) . Custom made side windows seal channels have been added and rolled to follow the top of the car where the windows will meet. Opening the widened bootlid exposes a custom-made full tank which is notched into the boot space for more capacity and to ensure the car can sit nice and low. The driveline trio will be fronted by an LS3 fitted with side-draught weber carbs that will be mounted to the engine via a custom intake manifold. Backing the engine will be a Commodore-spec 6-speed box with the power being sent rearwards to a custombuilt 9-inch diff with full-floaters, 31-spline axles and a 3.1 geared, tru-track centre. Brakes are Wilwood discs all round on custom alloy mounts, partially hidden by the 15x10 inch and 15x8 inch American Racing rims.
Kuza Kustoms was born out of friends and word of mouth customers needing things done right. While the business name is new, Nic has been using his craft during his spare time to assist others with their projects along the way. Now the business is continuing with Terrence moving into the future, with a 3D printing space creating new parts which are hard to come by. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for future updates on the HR Coupe and 3D printed parts www.facebook.com/Kuzaskustoms
The diff is custom built 9” with full-floating 31 spine axles and a 3:1 ratio with True Track locker. Wilwood calipers are mounted custom alloy mounts. Rear tyres are 26x12.5x15 inch on 15”x10 rims. Fronts are 26x10x15inch on 8x15 inch rims by American Racing. There will be a considerate ride height drop over the factory settings with lowered springs and upgrade shocks being slotted into each corner. VE Commodore power steering rack and pinion will be added . Once the bodywork is completed, and the custom
fibreglass flip front added (from Graham Cowley Melbourne), the HR is likely to be coated in a smooth coat of 977 Mercedes Silver – always a classy colour! Since the work on the HR started some eight long years have passed but, in that time Nic has sold one house, built another with a bigger shed. This put the build on hold for quite a while. With both Nic and Terrence going hard at it now, it hopefully won’t be too long before this HR Coupe is out doing the laps of the local car scene…
Nic Kuzakov began building cars in his car port at age 15 in Dandenong South. This came about with Nic’s desire to have his first car drivable by the time he was 18. He brought a Morris 1100S for $50 and began working on it. As Nic grew up, he attended Doveton Tech school where he honed some skills in the fitting and turning and woodworking. Money being tight and parts being expensive Nic found jobs that directly provided parts or material necessary to complete his projects. An example of this was working in a textile factory to get Velour to line his HX roof lining. Nic’s entrepreneurial and outgoing nature made this an easy task by door knocking at local businesses to gain work and experience in the areas he wanted to learn or needed to learn. “He just has hands of gold, anything he touches just seems to work. I swear his brain never stops thinking designs and creations, we will discuss something at night the next morning he has a solution and already half way through doing it before I’ve had my morning coffee,” explained Terrence. Some of the cars he has owned and modified include - Morris 1100s, Torana Lj , Ford XD 351, body bought direct from Ford new, Holden HX & HZ Premier wagon, XY Ute GTHO super roo Clone, WB Ute 1 tonner and one style side, Ford F100 1956 460 big block/C6/9 inch, Ford Bronco – highly modified show winner – Nic owned Altera 4x4 in Dandenong.
Words / Pics - Paul Beck
Chassis Pics - Charlie Sant / KNGR Media
Summernats 35 featured no less than 24 new car unveils and one of those was Brett Hewerdine’s stunning 1949 Ford Coupe. Affectionately known as a ‘single spinner’, the ’49 is a popular choice amongst Ford faithful, but none however have been just as wild as Brett’s. I’ve been fortunate enough to have seen this car on many different occasions and at one stage, there was an injected Hemi taking up most of the space in the engine bay. Brett however is a blower guy and with Pro Flo Performance handling the build, there was never any chance that the 600-cube big block Chev was ever going to be fed by just one carby! In fact, forget about a regular street blower too, this big cube Chev has been topped with one of Littlefield’s big dawgs, a 14/71 supercharger and polished injector hat. In an era where black seems to the flavour of the month(s) for newly built engines, it’s refreshing to see Brett’s pumped 600-cuber with a highly polished top end! Internally, Paul has used only the best components available, which will not only produce lots of horsepower (around 1300 conservatively), but also test out the might of the TH400 box that backs the engine.
When your previous ride broke the Internet upon its release, how do you back up that sort of notoriety? Simple, build an even tougher ride! Could Brett even top his black, blown and tubbed ‘1FATHT’ HT GTS Monaro? Oh, yeah…
Brett had been to the shop and fired up the blown Chevy for the first time and couldn’t get the smile off his face.
The underside of the ’49 has seen more work than most of Hollywood’s A-listers, showcasing the fabrication skills that Pro Flo Performance have become well-known for. Ditching any signs of the late 40’s technology, the chassis now features a fabricated independent front end with tube a-arms, Mittler Bros hydrashocks and rack and pinion steering. The ride height is adjustable and normally, you’d use airbags to get your ride this low and then back up again for regular driving. But Brett was a little wary of the airbags capabilities when dealing with the blown Chev’s power, so he located a quartet of Mittler Bros Hydrashock’s that are lifted and dropped hydraulically and actually ride on a coil-spring. Very clever! Down the back, the narrowed rails have a four-link to located the sheet-metal diff housing. There’s also a set of wheel tubs to house the 22x12-inch Schott Billet wheels (with 20x6-inch on the nose) that do their best to hide the Wilwood discs on each corner.
Whilst the body appears to be restored, there’s lots of little tricks added to make you wonder why it looks like it does. From the engine bay to the bonnet latch panel and onto the floor, it’s all about being smooth. And after the body shaping had been completed, the new colour was added, aptly called Hellbent Red. It comes as no surprise to learn that father and son duo, Andrew and Marty Ash at AA Panelcraft handled the body and paint duties. Their work is flawless.
The underside of the ’49 has seen more work than most of Hollywood’s A-listers...
Moving inside, it too has had a complete makeover thanks to the team at Stitched Up Custom Trim. The interior is a lifetime away from what the Ford engineers had dreamed up all those years ago. Gone are the lifeless bench seats, boring door trims and a dash that offered only the basic information. The low back buckets and reshaped rear bench have been covered in a stylish mix of Bentley Tan leather with metallic Charcoal inserts whilst the multi-layered door trims continue the theme. A custom centre console has been added to house
the shifter and window switches etc. From the driver’s position, Brett has complete view of the reworked dash (fabbed in house at Pro-Flo) that now has all the info he needs in the one cluster. Sitting below the billet tilt steering column are the foot-operated handbrake, and the drag racing inspired ‘go’ pedal! The interior is all class, complimented by the brown/tan combination German squareweave carpet underfoot. Interestingly, the ’49 has had some technology added to the trim, with a few 3D printed items making their way into the build.
Brett however, is a blower guy and with Pro Flo Performance handling the build, there was never any chance that the 600-cube big block Chev was ever going to be fed by just one carby!
Brett told me that he has been made a pretty good offer on the car and may well part ways with it, but when I arrived at Pro Flo to get some extra pics, the boys told me that Brett had been to the shop and fired up the blown Chevy for the first time and couldn’t get the smile off his face. Does this mean it will be in the Hewerdine garage for a little longer? I hope so…
And after the body shaping had been completed, the new colour was added, aptly called Hellbent Red.
For four days at the beginning of Jan, EPIC in Canberra transforms into a place where rear tyres and sometimes engines are taken and sacrificed to the horsepower Gods. Summernats 35 was to be no different.
Summernats 35 will go down in history as the biggest event ever, but not always for the right reasons. There were lots of highlights about this year’s Summernats, but unfortunately those created some lows as well. And that is a shame for those legitimate street machiners that enter this event to have a good time. It was the first time we had been an entrant since number 12, and the first time I had been back at all since number 29. I have to say, it’s a very different event to what I remember. Now with the Chev in the garage, it was time to make a return to Canberra to do some cruising with a couple of thousand like-minded car guys and girls. From Summernats 13-29, I spent those four days with two cameras slung over my shoulder taking pics for features in various magazines including my own mag, Extreme. It was at Chic’s funeral that Kathy and I decided that we should return to the ‘Nats as an Entrant after catching up with many people we only really get to see in Canberra. Missing those interactions, I sent our entry in, looking forward to cruising around the venue and being regular entrants again.
The coverage across these pages isn’t an in depth look at every part of what makes up the Summernats, rather the view of the event that I took in. I wasn’t there to work, first and foremost it was a time for me to relax with family and friends and grab a pic or two of things that grabbed my attention.
I’ve always enjoyed seeing what new cars are released onto the scene, and this year, that happened on Thursday night, with no less than 24 new rides unveiled to the cheers of those surrounding each car. I have to say, there was some pretty spectacular cars have the covers ripped off them – and with some luck, you’ll be seeing a bunch of them at Killer Rides Live #5 in August! More on that soon.
There were lots of highlights about this year’s Summernats, but unfortunately those created some lows as well.
the cool street cars that occupied space on the dusty oval, with those in the know, realising just how special the car is! For us though, it was about cruising and having a great time. And this is where things took a turn for the worse. With 2700 registered entries, the cruise route inside EPIC was crowded, as you’d expect, making cruising slow, hot and difficult. We did just two laps all weekend, and constantly had people abuse me for not doing a skid! Adding to the insult was the quality of cars that wore entrant stickers. The event is promoted as being the best car event in Australia, yet some of the cars cruising should have been in the carpark. I understand how much it costs to put an event of this size
to take part is destroying what the event was set out to be. You wouldn’t believe how many times I heard people refer to the event as the Commodore Nats! For what my opinion is worth, I would rather see the promoters limit cars to 1200-1500 and have the minimum standard, as set out in the entry information, strictly adhered to. I don’t want to see 1000 late model cars with stock tyres on the back, doing burnouts all around the cruise route, whilst the cool cars sit idle. The Summernats has such a strong history of being the number one modified car event in Australia, that it would be a shame to continue to water down that reputation by filling the venue with ‘every day’ cars. Again, just my two-cents worth.
One part of the Summernats that I was lucky to be a part of was the Fringe Festival in Bradden, where a select group of cars were allowed into the sectioned off street to park up and create a show and shine amongst the many food outlets etc that was open to the general public for free. The atmosphere was amazing and the organisers should be applauded for adding this to the Summernats program! By far, this was my favourite part of the weekend. But, whilst we were enjoying the Braddon experience, things were getting way out of control inside EPIC. I’ve seen videos of car owners (usually in substandard cars) blowing
off a set of tyres just millimetres from crowds that had jumped the baracades and proceeded to surround cars. I’ve had conversations with people who had cars damaged by these clowns and who said they will never go back. And that’s a shame. But reality is, the biggest crowd ever were overriding the rules put in place and the cruise road became another burnout pad. You either comply or face the consequences. I’m not writing this to stir up problems, its fact and the number of video’s doing the rounds on social media back up what I am saying. Changes need to be made, but that’s up to the organisers…
I’ve always enjoyed seeing what new cars are released onto the scene, and this year, that happened on Thursday night, with no less than 24 new rides unveiled...
Our return to the Summernats was always going to be just for the one year. To be frank, it wasn’t an enjoyable experience. Trying to get into the venue was a massive pain, with entrants and spectators having to go in the same direction, and once inside, the cruise road was almost at a standstill, you got pelted with stones and rubber from the near stock car in front of you doing static burnouts every ten metres and you had abuse hurled at you when you refused requests to do a burnout. Unless things change, my time at the Summernats has sadly come to an end.
THUMBS DOWN!
Quality of Entered Cars. Too many cars on cruise route. Long queues to get into the venue. Ridiculously priced Food/Drink. Dickheads on the cruise route.
BraddonFringeFestival
Chic’sCatchingUpwithMatesAshesaddedtoFireworks
On Track Pic - S8TEN Photography
Whilst the Monaro still retains its showcar appeal, Ken has made sure that when the urge arises, the Monaro is capable of handling anything Ken can throw at it. And trust me, he gives the HT plenty, especially at events like the Autofest series, where Ken and the Monaro have taken home Grand Champion and Go to Whoa Champion at their Mt Gambier, Bathurst and Shepparton Springnats, which is where I caught up with Ken inside the Showcar pavilion. The smooth factory style body, with reverse-cowl bonnet looks stunning in its Sebring Orange paint that not only looks like it’s been poured from a can, but extends into the engine bay and underside. Before the colour was added, there were some subtle mods made including the fitting of a flush mount fuel filler, mini-tubs, and pumped rear guards. The Alfa Fibreglass bonnet is secured to the body via a pair of stylish billet hinges. Complimenting the body colour is a quartet of Weld Pro-Star’s measuring 15x6 up front and 15x10 on the rear.
1969 HT GTS MONARO
When Ken Logue added this HT GTS Monaro to his fleet of cool rides, it was a full-tilt showcar. That didn’t really suit Ken so he made the transformation to show and go!
Originally, the HK left the factory covered in Silver Mink with red trim – one of the most desirable colour combinations for this model. The first thing Pete did was to remove the panels (including the complete front end) and then sandblast the underside to clean it up and make sure there wasn’t any nasty surprises waiting for him. When the dust had settled, the bare floor proved to be in great shape and it was at this stage that Pete added a 3.55-geared Detroit Locker diff as well as HQ drum brakes and all new lines and bushes. And with a big horsepower engine upgrade planned, Pete dropped the HK off to Brett at Wicked Industries to add some chassis connectors and minitubs – just the thing to through those 15x8-inch Auto Drag Centerlines under complete with the 28x10.5inch Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros. Completing the underside makeover are HQ disc brakes, 90/10 shocks and lowered Lovells springs on the front end with 15x5.5-inch rims and 640-15 Excelsior tyres. The rear end now sits lower too, thanks to reset leaf springs and Koni adjustable shocks.
Lifting that Alfa Fibreglass bonnet reveals a small block Chev sporting no less that 434-cubic inches. Making around 720hp, the engine looks every part as good as it performs. Starting life as a Little M Dart block, the build soon added an Eagle 4-inch crank and 6-inch rods, JE high-comp pistons with Perfect Circle rings and a Howards roller camshaft that lets the world know there’s no stock small block under the bonnet. A pair of alloy Brodix heads were bolted into place, but not before being fitted with Ferrera severe duty valves and Manley Nextek springs, all topped off with more suitable roller rockers. The intake is also from Brodix and is matched to the heads for maximum performance. Feeding ample amounts of E85 fuel into the engine is a Quick Fuel 950cfm carby. After the complete MSD ignition system fires the big cube small block into life, the burnt gases are shown
the door via a pair of custom headers that flow into dual 3-inch exhausts.
Backing the engine is a Reid-cased Powerglide with Sonnax straight cut gears, manual valve body, transbrake and an 8-inch Dominator converter with a stall speed of 5800rpm. Gear changes are made with a B&M shifter.
As you’d expect, there’s a nine-inch diff (a Strange one at that!) sitting under the Monaro’s rear end, with 4.3-gears in the Tru-Trac centre. But it’s not just the driveline that’s been upgraded in this Monaro. The front end has been swapped out for a Rodtech independent version that is equipped with coil-over shocks, HQ discs with VS Commodore calipers and rack and opinion steering. Down the back, the brakes are Wilwood and there’s a pair of Koni adjustable shocks working in with the lowered leaf springs – yes, you read that right, the Monaro still uses its leaf springs!
Complimenting the body colour is a quartet of Weld
Pro-Star’s measuring 15x6 up front and 15x10 on the rear.
Inside, the Monaro has a balance of old and new. The seating has been upgraded to CV8 Monaro front and rear with a custom-made parcel shelf, door trims and centre console all finding their way into the HT after being trimmed in buckskin leather with body coloured stripes by Blackmans. The factory dash facia now holds AutoMeter Pro-Comp gauges, with extras added to the centre console to keep Ken informed of what’s happening with all the Monaro’s vitals. The billet tilt column is topped with a billet steering wheel, matching the winder handles on the door trims. The theme is carried through to the boot area where Ken had Daniel Broadbent install part of the Pioneer/Audison sound system and TV.
Since being completed to Ken’s liking, the Monaro has not only scooped the pool at Autofest events, with wins at the Monaro Nationals and State Titles in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2022. It’s a trend that will continue for Ken, who will keep giving his elite Monaro a hard time in as many driving competitions as he can, while he can…
Looking out of my window at 6.30am and seeing pouring rain, I thought there was no way many people would be attending the 2023 NSW All American Day. How wrong I was…
I’m an hour south of Macarthur Square Shopping Centre in Campbelltown where the annual All American Day is now held, and from what I was seeing out the window and on the radar, it was going to be a wet day. The beauty of holding the event at a major shopping centre is the ability to move the show arena into the undercover car parking area as a wet weather day condition. Whilst I didn’t take the Chev this time (its complicated), I always intended on being at the show to grab pics for a feature in Killer Rides.
I endured heavy rain from my place until about ten kilometres from the show, where it miraculously stopped raining. That meant that the show was to be held outside in the usual two-level car park at the rear of the centre. For me, that meant not having to deal with the dark undercover area for pics, so I was very happy. As I walked around snapping away and chatting to a few mates, they all told me there had been a couple of down pours during the morning, but nothing that really deterred a lot of people. In fact, one of the organisers told me they had around 500 cars entered into the event. In those weather conditions, that a phenomenal success!
The event always attracts an eclectic mix of cars (and people) and this year was no different. Being staged by the Mustang Club, you’d expect to find plenty of those, and it’s the same with GM’s more familiar brands – Chev, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Cadillac etc. They were all well represented. Mopar fans weren’t missing out either, and in fact, my car of the show was a faithfully restored ’68 Dodge Road Runner complete with 426 Hemi! It was stunning and worth way more than I could ever afford. The event brings together a good mix of traders too, who were kept busy all day pedalling their various wares. I was disappointed that I didn’t make it this year with the Chev, but if all the stars align, we’ll do our best to make the grade next year. I’ve already put the order in for sunny weather!
In fact, one of the organisers told me they had around 500 cars entered into the event. In those weather conditions, that a phenomenal success!
Words / Pics - Paul Beck
When your garage houses three tough Torana’s, one of them has to be a genuine street car, right?
Those with a good memory will know of Dave Andrews. His latest acquisition, the COME Racing Torana graced the cover of Performance Street Car in April 2022, before we made the switch back to Killer Rides. But it’s not the only Torana with a history he has stashed away. He also holds the keys to the green, tubbed, smallblock powered HB Torana that was a regular runner at Calder Park back in the day, and more recently with Dave behind the wheel unleashing the nitrous small block on the track. But before these two occupied spots in the Andrews garage, there was this tough street LH sedan that Dave cruised in. Dave purchased
the tidy Torana some 15-years ago and in that time, it was cruised, raced and generally given a hard time by Dave every spare moment he had. Eventually though, Dave decided it was time to give the LH a makeover and give it his own personal touch. The body was already in good shape, having been subjected to a paint job some four years before Dave took possession. You wouldn’t know it, but that means the Spies Hecker Sting Red paint has been on the Torana’s sheet metal for almost 20-years! With no need to spend time and money on the Torana’s exterior, Dave stripped out the driveline and the interior to get the makeover started.
Originally, the HK left the factory covered in Silver Mink with red trim – one of the most desirable colour combinations for this model. The first thing Pete did was to remove the panels (including the complete front end) and then sandblast the underside to clean it up and make sure there wasn’t any nasty surprises waiting for him. When the dust had settled, the bare floor proved to be great shape and it was at this stage that Pete added a 3.55-geared Detroit Locker diff as well as HQ drum brakes and all new lines and bushes. And with a big horsepower engine upgrade planned, Pete dropped the HK off to Brett at Wicked Industries to add some chassis connectors and minitubs – just the thing to through those 15x8-inch Auto Drag Centerlines under complete with the 28x10.5-inch Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros. Completing the underside makeover are HQ disc brakes, 90/10 shocks and lowered Lovells springs on the front end with 15x5.5-inch rims and 64015 Excelsior tyres. The rear end now sits lower too, thanks to reset leaf springs and Koni adjustable shocks.
Knowing the future of the Torana included plenty of street use, Dave opted for a simple but functional grey and red interior combination that flows from the low-back seats to the door trims where the speaker enclosures are colour coded. The factory fitted centre console is now just a memory, with a B&M Pro-Stick shifter replacing the original gear selector. A MOMO steering wheel sits forward of the factory dash and gauges. The interior really is a case of less is more!
Lifting the scoopless bonnet reveals a smooth engine bay that houses the highly detailed 355-cube Holden stroker V8. Showing his patriotic side, Dave decided to keep the all-Aussie powerplant in place, instead of going with a more fancied old-school Chev or LS-based engine. The one-time five-litre features a stroker crank and rod combo to up the capacity, with a host of quality performance goodies inside to keep Dave happy when he feels the need to get that tacho needle moving in the right direction. Whilst the internal specs are important, Dave made sure that when people got to see what’s under the bonnet, they would be pleasantly surprised. The COME Racing intake manifold is not a common item but any stretch and when bolted up to the VN heads, helps the 355 produce more than 330-horsepower. Giving the engine power is a Haltech ECU. It certainly has that show car look too! Dave’s pretty fussy with his cars, and you can tell that by how he presents the engine and its surrounds.
With the two other Torana’s in the stable more about all-out horsepower, Dave wants to keep the LH more street based than anything else.
Backing the injected engine is a Turbo 700 auto that has been fronted with a Dominator converter with a 2500rpm stall. The power then gets sent rearwards to the 3.9-geared 9-inch diff. Other underside upgrades include a braking system that uses P76 discs with HZ calipers up front, with Commodore discs and calipers on the rear. The brakes live inside ‘still cool’ Weld Alumastar rims measuring 15x4 and 15x8-inches.
With the two other Torana’s in the stable more based around all-out horsepower, Dave wants to keep the LH more street based than anything else. It doesn’t sit too low, there’s nothing hanging through the bonnet and the wheel/tyre combo is sensible. On top of that, it drinks pump fuel and doesn’t get hot, not matter how much traffic there is! It’s all about practicality over adrenalin-rushing performance. And of course, the LH is something the whole family can enjoy. And for someone like Dave who is very family orientated, it doesn’t get any better…
Lifting the scoopless bonnet reveals a smooth engine bay that houses the highly detailed 355-cube Holden stroker V8.
When Rob Bellio tells you he is holding the very last car show of 2022, he’s not mucking around!
The crew at Kingpin Kuztums are probably the most active car group in Victoria, with a host of different events being staged at various venues across Melbourne and outer suburbs. These include car shows, drive-in nights, the always popular Lygon Street Breakfast meets and more. Each event is focussed on the entrant, so its no wonder each and every event they hold is a huge success, attracting hundreds of street machines, hot rods, customs and bikes.
2022 had been another successful year for the group, headed up by Rob Bellio and to see the year out, the team got together with Somerville Hotel to hold one final event for the year.
2022 had been another successful year for the group, headed up by Rob Bellio and to see the year out, the team got together with Somerville Hotel to hold one final event for the year. And they couldn’t have left it any later than December 31st! Whilst many ‘regular’ people were busy planning their own party to celebrate the end of the year, those car guys and girls that love nothing more than cruising their cars, were busy cleaning their rides to end the year in a mass of colour, chrome and horsepower!
If you get the chance, take in one of their cool events. I guarantee you, it won’t be the last…
Of course, the ‘Pre ’78’ car show is only part of what the group had planned for the last day of 2022. With an expansive area on offer, an array of traders were also on hand to jam in one last day of trading and were kept busy with the thousands of people who converged on the Hotel to take in the festivities. Those that ventured indoors were treated to live Rockabilly music as well! The event kicked off at 10am, and with a closing time of 4pm, it still left enough time to get those rides back home and ticked away to get on with celebrating the end of 2022 in traditional style. Kingpin Kuztums have already starting planning their schedule for 2023 and you’ll find them listing in our event section in each issue. If you get the chance, take in one of their cool events. I guarantee you, it won’t be the last…
The crew at Kingpin Kuztums are probably the most active car group in Victoria, with a host of different events being staged at various venues across Melbourne and outer suburbs.
ANTHONY & VINCE CIPRI - DODGE DART
Words - Paul Beck
Built by The Custom Shop
Dubbed, CaSSaNova, this 1967 Chev Nova was built to take part in the SEMA Battle of the Builds back in 2020 until Covid cancelled the event, the car still managed to stun all with a big showing in the revised 360 Online Battle…
John Wargo of The Custom Shop in Illinois, wanted to really showcase what they, as a team, are capable of building for a customer, and there’s no denying that this team have really hit it out of the park with this ’67 Nova build. To really make a statement against his highlytalented opposition, John knew his creation had to ooze style, incorporate many unique and bespoke touches and above all else, have as much impact as a Tyson right hook! Tick, tick, tick. This is one very special Nova.
The first thing that grabs your attention is definitely the multi-hued paint work. No less than 14 colours were used in creating the one-off, eye-catching paint job. But before any of that could be added, the Nova was going to be treated to many subtle and not so subtle changes to the body. Tucking the bumpers is the first on the list of things to do for 99% of car crafters, but John and his team went much further adding custom lighting to the front and rear, along with a chin spoiler, fender vents, shaved cowl and drip rails as well as oh-so-cool Tesla door handles! The bonnet now flips forward, the bootlid has an integrated lip and the Pro-Touring style ground effects kit is fabricated in carbon fibre! The colour coded wheels are from Billet Specialties.
Moving inside, there’s not much of the original Nova-spec gear left in place. With the entire interior gutted, the boys fabbed up a new dash and filled it with Dakota digital gauges. The infotainment system has been incorporated into the dash extension that flows into the centre console where it divides the comfy low back bucket seats. Providing the cruising tunes is a fairly substantial Sony sound system. The theme continues into the boot area as well. CaSSaNova gets plenty of power from the Procharged LS2 engine that now features Holley EFI that gives that old school fuel injection look whilst retaining supreme driveability. The detailed engine sits inside a fabricated engine bay and looks every bit as good as it performs. Backing the engine is a T56 manual gearbox that sends the new-found power to a Moser 12-bolt rear.
Nolessthan14colourswereusedincreating theone-off,eye-catchingpaintjob.
As is tradition for a SEMA build, this custom Chevy Nova is dripping with unique touches and bespoke features. Let’s start under the hood, where the Nova now runs a Procharged LS2 V8 engine, which was fitted with Holley EFI, Hedman headers, and Quick Time Performance mufflers. The ‘eight connects to the rear wheels by way of a T56 manual transmission, feeding a Moser 12-bolt rear end. It’s a shame that Covid put an end to SEMA that year and the Battle of the Builders was forced online. Sure, CaSSaNova still impressed in the pics, but I reckon with some many features incorporated into the build, it’s the type of car that you really need to see in person.
John Wargo of The Custom Shop in Illinois, wanted to really showcase what they, as a team, are capable of building for a customer...
It’s been a long time between drinks for the West Oz car fraternity to have their own indoor show, but in 2022, the WA Hot Rod Show made a welcomed return.
It was 2019 when the hardcore car guys and girls last flocked to the Claremont Showgrounds to take in some of the best cars and bikes currently on the WA car scene. Then Covid turned the world upside down, putting an end to any event where crowds would be gathering, and sadly, that put an end to WA’s premier custom car and bike show. What the downtime did do however, is force people back into their garages and workshops to do the changes, modifications and upgrades that were always on the cards, but weren’t put into place simply because it would take away from time behind the wheel. Covid fixed that and with no events to go to, a big bunch of new and refurbished cars were destined to hit the streets and of course, the show circuit.
The 2022 WA Hot Rod Show attracted a fine mix of street machines, hot rods, customs, competition cars and of course plenty of cool bikes both locally and from interstate. Top Hot Rod went to an interstate traveller, Brian Imlach’s amazing ’34 Ford Sedan built by the team at Deluxe Hot Rods in Victoria. The Chev has been wowing the judges everywhere it appears and for the WA leg of his show tour, the awards kept coming. The Top Street Machine went to WA local Stewart Parris for his stunning ’55 Chev Belair Coupe powered by an injected 348 big block. The blue and white sports coupe was a popular winner amongst the local crowd! Top Bike went to a custom Harley Sportster owned by Chris Hamilton whilst the coveted Peoples Choice went to Lloyd Hamilton’s rendition of the HT GTS Monaro!
Apart from the indoor show, the event also boasts an d outdoor show and shine area so people who bring their cool rides to the show for a look had somewhere safe and secure to park, offering up a show within a show at the same time! There was also a Club Corral, Higher Performance Pavilion (for those mechanical monsters) and an area called Kickstart for the custom and vintage bike displays. All in all, the 2022 WA Hot Rod & Street Machine Spectacular was a complete success and one that the organising committee hope to run off the back of to bring an even bigger and better event in 2023. To keep up to date with the event happenings, log onto www.wahotrodshow.com.au
Words - Paul Beck
Studebakers. You either love them or hate them. There’s simply no middle ground.
Across the pond in New Zealand, as soon as you mention Studebaker to anyone in the know, they’ll tell you all about a guy who is known as Mr Studebaker – Trev Halstead. Trev’s had, and still has, lots of cool custom Studes over the years and this full-tilt custom coupe is the very latest in a long line up of cars he has built. By luck, our man Chad Silvey was in New Zealand for the annual Beach Hop, and came across Trev and his just finished 51 Bullet nose Starlight Coupe. Being the courteous sort of guy he is, he was happy to help Chad with his request for a few pics of the Stude – knowing full well how much of a fan of the marque I also am.
Originally, the HK left the factory covered in Silver Mink with red trim – one of the most desirable colour combinations for this model. The first thing Pete did was to remove the panels (including the complete front end) and then sandblast the underside to clean it up and make sure there wasn’t any nasty surprises waiting for him. When the dust had settled, the bare floor proved to be in great shape and it was at this stage that Pete added a 3.55-geared Detroit Locker diff as well as HQ drum brakes and all new lines and bushes. And with a big horsepower engine upgrade planned, Pete dropped the HK off to Brett at Wicked Industries to add some chassis connectors and minitubs – just the thing to through those 15x8-inch Auto Drag Centerlines under complete with the 28x10.5inch Mickey Thompson Sportsman Pros. Completing the underside makeover are HQ disc brakes, 90/10 shocks and lowered Lovells springs on the front end with 15x5.5-inch rims and 640-15 Excelsior tyres. The rear end now sits lower too, thanks to reset leaf springs and Koni adjustable shocks.
Trev set out to build a custom coupe using as much Studebaker in the build as possible. Starting with a desirable ’51 Starlight coupe body with that wild wraparound rear window, Trev worked out a game plan to make the stylish body even wilder. The biggest body mod is the roof chop, with 4.5-inches taken out of the front and 3.5-inches at the back. The roof gutters are now just a distant memory, offering a much smoother look. The floor was removed, channelled 3-inches and welded back into place, at which time the sill panels were boxed for added strength. Normally, the rear fenders are removable, but not anymore. They are now as one with the body with the fuel filler relocated
to the inside of the modified bootlid. The nose panel has been replaced with a ’50 model clip, but still incorporating a ’51 model bullet. Anyone who has seen a stock ‘50/’51 Stude front end will tell you the front bumper has to go, just as Trev has here. Yep, I did the same with both of mine and they look so much better. The front guards have been given the same treatment as the rears and are now part of the body shell. The door handles have been shaved and the doors corners radiused. There’re so many more subtle mods done to the body, that listing them all will take more space than we have! The colour covering all of that custom work is a custom mix the guys have dubbed Starlight Teal.
Opening either door reveals a full custom retrim that features a ’47 Champion dash that flows into a one-off centre console that is full of extra gauges and one of the most unique shifters I have seen – bent to resemble the Studebaker’s familiar ‘S’ branding. There’s lots of handmade stainless stuff added to the remake of the interior including dash trim, mouldings, speaker mesh and surrounds and any number of buttons. The front seats started life in a vintage Honda, but look so much cooler in this Stude! The rear bench is the factory unit that has been split in two to accommodate the centre console. Greg Mather at Midnight Upholstery got the nod to do a number on the Stude’s insides and didn’t disappoint.
Upon its debut at the Beach Hop event, the Stude was an instant hit and lit up the hot rod and custom social media pages around the globe.
The engine is a Studebaker small block that started with just 259-cubes, but now, thanks to a 289-cube stroker crank and rods, now has a capacity of almost 300ci. The block also houses an R1 grind cam, alloy timing gear and solid lifters. The heads received stainless valves and heavy-duty springs, with the gap between the heads filled with an Edmunds 2x2 custom intake manifold supporting dual Stromberg WW carbs. The engine sports the same Starlight Teal with accessories HPC coated for a great contrast. A Borg Warner T86 3-speed manual still backs the engine and sends the power back to a narrowed, Stude-spec Dana 44 rear end. The driveline sits in the original chassis that has been completely redone and strengthened. There’s a full airbag suspension set-up and Toyota Yaris electric steering adapted to the ’65 Stude steering box. The braking system consists of HQ calipers on Falcon disc on the front with drum brakes handling the rear. The wheels are 15x6 Hawk with custom hubcaps loosely based in Moon discs.
Upon its debut at the Beach Hop event, the Stude was an instant hit and lit up the hot rod and custom social media pages around the globe. Trev plans of getting plenty of use out of his latest build, including getting to as many runs and shows as he can. Cruising in a low slung, custom Bullet Nose Studebaker. Does it get any better? New Zealand’s Mr Studebaker doesn’t think so…
25 CUMNOCK MUSCLE CAR & BIKE SHOW
Cumnock Showground & Pavillion Baden - 0466 156151
25 MOPAR NATIONALS
Heathcote Park Raceway https://HPR.FAMILY
25 TONGALA’S BEERSHEBA ROD
CUSTOM CLASSIC AND BIKE SHOW
Mangan Street, Tongala, VIC Mick - 0407 350956
26 CANBERRA MUSTANG SHOW
Viking Park, Erindale ACT Andrew - 0475 976600
MARCH
4 MOTORFEST 2023
Lardner Park, Lardner, VIC info@motorfest.com.au
4 MONARO’S ON THE MURRAY
Norevil Park, South Albury
10-12 BATHURST AUTOFEST
Mt Panorama, Bathurst www.autofest.com.au
17-19 30th CHRYSLERS ON THE MURRAY
Albury / Wodonga
www.chryslersonthemurray.com
26 HOLY TRINITY CAR SHOW
3 Strangeways St, Curtin ACT 10am-3pm
Please check closer to the day to see if any of the events have been cancelled due to Covid.
