MY FAVOURITE PHOTO One fat, slammed Willys

Not many people can say they kept their very first car, let alone attest to creating a mechanical monster with it. It was 1985 when a young Theo handed over $250 for the AP5 that was part of a deceased estate in Melbourne. Whilst it was treated as every day transport for a while, Theo longed for the day when his Valiant could sit amongst other tough cars in the Melbourne car scene. Fast forward a bunch of years and the once-stock sedan had seen various levels of modification. Theo now has the Valiant at a stage where he is almost at the point of considering it finished. The desire to transform the Valiant from family cruiser to hardcore Pro-Streeter saw Theo prefer to spend his hardearned dollars on the mechanicals rather than modifying the body. The factory sheet metal was in relatively good condition when the transfer of ownership took place, so very little work was needed to get it back to a stage where it was ready for a new coat of Dulux Jet Black that was laid on by Andrew Giahtsidis at ESP. Theo kept the stock look with the only change made being a piece of bonnet steel removed for the induction to poke through.

Theo’s intentions for the Val were obviously straight-line speed,so it comes as no surprise to see some basic steering, suspension and braking upgrades.

The interior was starting to show its age, so Theo had Terry’s Motor Trimming recover the VF Valiant bucket seats, factory rear bench in black cloth whilst the door trims remain untouched. The AP5 dash facia now holds an array of AutoMeter gauges that sit just behind the original steering wheel. A Pioneer sound system was added to the dash and the factory shifter has made way for a more practical TCI Outlaw shifter that has been adapted to the centre console. The boot area now holds the fuel cell, pump and battery. Sure, the mini-tubs filled with 15x10 Aluma Stars and matching 17x4.5inch front runners give the Valiant a tough look, but looks alone will only get you so far. For Theo, a tough driveline was always on the cards. Theo consulted with Con Sagiaris at Pro Race Engines about piecing together a big horsepower Mopar small block that matches the tough stance the Valiant has taken on.

On the dyno, the engine produced an impressive703hp!