Performance Street Car #45_Mar 2022 by killerrides

ISSUE #45- MAR 2022

Road Trip

UPDATES SMOKIN’ BLOWN XW!

GIRL

WOLLONGONG TO BALLARAT OCTOBER 17-22, 2022

POWER!

KRYGER FAMILY RACING UNLEASH COURTNEYS NITROUS BIG-BLOCK TORANA

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

9.3-SEC RX7 STREET CAR

PRO-STREET HK MONARO - BLOWN V6 FORD PICKUP - XP FALCON COUPE BUILD NSW ALL AMERICAN DAY - SHEPPARTON SPRINGNATS - BARGO PUB RUN

From the Desk THEY SAY DRIVING THEM IS HALF THE FUN OF OWNING THEM. I HAVE TO DISAGREE! If you’re going to spend every spare dollar on a custom car over an extended period of time, why would you not want to drive it every chance you got? To me, driving them is so much more than just half the fun. Nothing beats turning that key and hearing that engine fire into life before idling out of the garage and on to the open road – especially if there’s a group of you with the same intentions. With the Covid restrictions being lifted, there’s more and more events happening around the country and most of these involve cruising with like-minded people – whether its to a venue to hang out with your mates, or from a meeting spot to another spot; hitting the road is what we all love to do. I’ve banged on before about our sport being ego-driven, and to get validation from “Joe Average” driving beside you whilst the family give you the thumbs up, really does make your day! Case in point are the Killer Rides Mid-Week Meet-Up’s. With nothing better to do on a Wednesday night, I thought it would be cool to get a group of mates together for a catch up at the local Oporto for a feed and a chat. These have quickly become a big deal in the Illawarra area attracting plenty of cars each month. More recently, Tristan Ockers teamed up with George Diab to stage what some are calling the Bargo Nats. The idea was simple. Meet in Thirlmere and then cruise to Bargo Pub. As expected, word got around and all manner of tough cars were heading to Thirlmere, despite the wet weather. There were blown cars, tubbed cars and even TO’s MINCER Capri cruising in the rain – despite being pulled over by the Highway Patrol! See the full feature in this issue! So, if your car is finished, why not pick any number of events happening near you and support them. Better still, grab a few mates and make a cruise of your own! It goes without saying, I’ll see you on the street…

Paul 03

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Issue No.45 March 2022

CONTENTS REGULARS

EDITORIAL From the Desk

WHAT’S HAPPENING News, views and things of interest.

HAVE YOUR SAY Tell us what you think.

COMING ATTRACTION Big block, Pro-Street XP Coupe .

38 40

MY FAVOURITE PHOTO Wayne Price’s oh-so-cool Doorslammer CALIFORNIA DREAMING The NSW All American Day

SHEPPARTON SMOKE SHOW The Springnats in January? Hell yeah!

104 ON ANY SUNDAY Bargo Pub Run

Another Kryger hits the Quarter!

40 NSW All American Day

72 Springnats returns in Style!

50 850rwhp GT-inspired Burnout blaster!

84 Tough Street 9-sec RX7

60 420-cube Tough-Street HK Monaro

110 KILLER PIC Pro-Street Legend - Tony Carter 112 PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Quick Find Ad’s. 132 WINDOW SHOPPING What’s New. 134 PARTING SHOT Gettin’ the Bug

FEATURES 26

DOUBLE ACT Courtney Kryger gets her own big-block Torana!

GAME ON From barn find to burnout blaster! This XW has seen it all.

JUST PLAIN TOUGH 420-cubes. 850hp. 9-sec quarters! Say no more!

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME 9-sec tubbed, street & strip RX7.

COMMERCIAL APPEAL Not all blown Hot Rod’s have 8 cylinders!

Don’t forget to Subscribe at www.pscmag.com.au

Blown V6-powered ‘26 Ford Pickup

October 17th - 22nd, 2022 REGISTRATION DAY - Wollongong, Sunday 16th Oct

DAY ONE: DAY TWO: DAY THREE: DAY FOUR: DAY FIVE: DAY SIX:

WOLLONGONG - GOULBURN - CANBERRA CANBERRA - GUNDAGAI - WAGGA WAGGA WAGGA WAGGA - ALBURY / WODONGA WODONGA - SHEPPARTON - BENDIGO BENDIGO - DAYLESFORD - BALLARAT PRESENTATION / SHOW N SHINE BALLARAT

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

TRAVEL PERMIT T22/01

www.pscmag.com.au

WHAT’S HAPPENING

TUFF DAY OUT RESCHEDULED TO OCT 2ND

It promises to be the toughest car show of the year, if the dreaded Covidvarieties stop getting in the way. Promoter, Brad Gordon has had to overcome some restrictions placed upon crowds and venues recently, but is hopeful that by the time Oct rolls around, the restrictions will be minimal or maybe lifted all together so EPIC in Canberra can showcase some of the wildest cars in Australia indoors and in the two buildings forecourts.

NEW NHRA VIDEO GAME COMING IN 2022

Anyone who has an older PS2 will be familiar with the NHRA game that was available in the early 2000’s. I was importing them and selling them through Extreme…The Shop and couldn’t keep up supply to those wanting to have the game. News has just come through that finally, there’s a new game coming later this year from GameMill Entertainment and will be available for PS4 and PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The game is set to allow single or multiplayers to compete on NHRA tracks in five classes including Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro-Stock, Pro-Mod and Super Street with gameplay for simulated realworld depth and speed. Current NHRA drivers and dozens of sponsors will also be included into the mix. Keep an eye on the website www.nhra.com for further news as it comes to hand.

NEW KILLER RIDES T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE TO ORDER NOW!

How good do these look? Thanks to the talented design team at Activated Industries, we now have this Killer Rides T’s available to order. Priced at just

There are some big hitters coming to the event to help raise funds for Beyond Blue. To check out the list, head to the official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Tuff-Day-Out-112814864537486/ 10

COOMA GETS ITS OWN MOTOR MUSEUM

For car guys, Cooma is best known for the Flynn’s awesome wrecking yard that housed all kinds of weird, wacky and rare rides. Well now, thanks to the Cooma Car Club, there’s now another reason to visit the area! The Club recently flung the doors open to their very own Motoring Museum. Housing some 40 cars and a bunch of memorabilia along with a fully-functioning 50’s style diner, the Museum is sure to attract plenty of interest from car enthusiasts both near and far. To find out more or to book an appointment to see it in person, contact the Cooma Visitor Centre on 1800 636525.

$35 plus $5 postage, this high-quality t-shirts are available in all sizes from 2XS TO 3XL in Men’s, Ladies and Kid’s sizes. Larger sizes available upon request with prices to be advised. To order your shirt, head to www.killerrides.com.au and click on the link. 11

UPDATE SNAP AND WIN!

There are plans to have a few photographers help out to gather images to produce a special Road Trip issue soon after the event and as an entrant, we’re inviting you to grab some happy snaps along the way and submit them for use in that Issue. These can be taken with a camera or phone – either is good. But don’t think we don’t appreciate the efforts. We will be looking for that one pic that shows what the Road Trip is all about. And the person that takes that one shot, will win…wait for it…a brand-new Canon SL/R camera kit! So enter now and get ready to snap away! 9

WHO IS CRUISING WHAT? ENTRANT 049 Brad Leuschner - 1949 ford

CONDITIONAL REGO PERMIT NUMBER

To see all of the entrants taking part in the Road Trip as they come on board, check out the website: www.pscmag.com.au/road-trip

www.pscmag.com.au

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!

Gary Myers - Burnout Legend!

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WHAT’S HAPPENING KILLER

Video

The rarest of all 1962 Chev Bubbletop Coupes – the 409/409/4-speed Z11 Lightweight!

WHAT’S HAPPENING

KILLER RIDES MID-WEEK MEET-UP FEBRUARY 16th 2022

If you live near the Illawarra region and have nothing better to do on a Wednesday night, you should dust off your car, and head on down to Oporto’s in Albion Park Rail for the monthly Killer Rides Mid-Week Meet-up’s that kick off at 6.30pm. February’s meet attracted plenty of cool rides. Hope to see you at one in the future. All the upcoming dates can be found at www.killerrides.com.au

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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.

MID-WEEK MEETS A WINNER

Hi Paul, I just got home from your February Mid-Week Meet-Up at Oporto’s and was amazed by the huge turn out of cool cars that filled the car park and surrounding area’s. We decided to bring our stock VE Commodore for a drive from Sydney, but will be back for the March event in our tuff XW Falcon. Great work for putting the event on for us all to enjoy. See you in March. Angelo P Via Email

YOU TUBE WANKERS

Hi Paul, I’m stunned that modified car owners are still stupid enough to do burnouts on public streets and then post it all over You Tube for the world to see. Are you seriously that stupid. It makes me laugh when they put “filmed in Mexico”, like that makes a difference. Are they forgetting that the buildings in the background are sign-written with business names and some times addresses. Well done dickheads! You are making everyone in a modified car a rolling target, whether we are doing the wrong thing or not. Want to be a burnout hero? There’s plenty of competitions to win out there! Stan F via Messenger Hi Stan, Yep, it makes me laugh too. I’m sure these are the same guys who claim the Police are picking on them for no reason and jump up and down when their car gets confiscated. There’s been plenty of warnings, so if you’re going to play the game, be prepared for the consequences! And yes, there’s plenty of places available to do that legally and safely...

ROTOR REVELATIONS

G’day Paul, Whilst I do love my V8’s, it’s so cool that you’re including some tough old school rotary-powered cars. The HACKSAW Mazda wagon has been a favourite of mine for sometime and I was so happy to finally see it featured. Well done. Hope to see more four’s and rotors featured in PSC in coming Issues. Neil W via Messenger. G’day Neil, I’m one of those car guys that appreciate any car, regardless of what’s powering it. If it suits the style of the magazine and the quality is there, it deserves a place in Performance Street Car. And yes, there’s more to come...

HIGH FUEL PRICES A WORRY

G’day Paul, If it’s not Covid killing off motoring events for a couple of years, we now have to put up with ridiculously high fuel prices. Never could I have imagined that it would cost me $150 to fill my daily driver and considerably more to go for a cruise in my big-block Camaro! Where is the ACCC? Aren’t they supposed to be monitoring fuel gouging? This is getting completely out of control and I can see high-powered (and thirsty) performance street cars locked away indefinitely while the fuel companies post record profits! It’s a complete joke! Travis C Via Email G’day Travis, I feel your pain mate. The dual-four 409 in the PSC Chev is heavy on fuel too and with a weekend away in Narrandera coming up at Easter, we are abxiously watching the price of 98 fuel. At the moment, its going to be a $600-plus trip. If it gets higher than that, It will be parked and we’ll take the daily instead. Like you, I wonder how the ACCC is letting this happen? If they are going to blame the war between Russia ands Ukraine, you know they are full of crap. With just 7% of oil coming from that region, there’s no way it has impacted fuel prices in Australia that much. $2.20 for E10? Someone must have a bloody good excuse to get that passed through the system...

Hi Angelo, Thanks for coming for a cruise to check out the meet. The word is starting to get around and for the three events held so far, not only have the number of cars grown, but the variety has increased too! It seems my concept has been well received. I look forward to seeing your Falcon in March. 18

COMING ATTRACTIONS GREG ‘BEACH’ BALL - PRO-STREET RESTORATIONS WORDS – PAUL BECK

PRO-STREET ! r e s i u r C K C O L B IG B D R O F H C 514 CUBIC IN SHEET-METAL INTAKE T A H R O T C E J IN E L R E D N CUSTOM EFI E TURBO 400 AUTO CUSTOM ENGINE BAY

FULL CUSTOM CHASSIS INDEPENDANT FRONT END

Greg ‘Beach’ Ball plans to build his Pro-Street XP coupe as wild as he can, and then ship it to the USA where it will be street registered and used every time he heads to Stateside – including for the Hot Rod Power Tour! Beach scored this XP from his Dad back in 1981, after his Dad bought the Falcon after initially being offered just the 289ci engine. The previous owner had started a mild custom build which included HQ door handles, twin jag fuel caps, radiused rear guards and a custom dash. After three years in his possession, the XP emerged with a fresh coat of black paint, with a blown 289, Doug Nash 5-speed, 9-inch driveline combo. After spending too much time and money chroming everything underneath the Falcon, the Falcon was parked and wouldn’t be seen again for the next 20-years, even though it

was to score three new paint jobs in red, blue and white. Beach had new quarter panels fabricated to fit onto the car, but had to stretch them 100mm front and back to fit the impressive 15x15-inch Convo-Pro’s and 31-inch tall Hoosier Pro-Street tyres! He then bought an XE Falcon he had built for a customer that had been left to rust away after the owner passed away. Realising it was too far gone to resurrect, Beach had a lightbulb moment and did some measurements on the tubbed chassis, finding it was the same measurements as the XP coupe he had packed away.

NEW OLD STOCK QUARTERS FITTED

D N E R A E R D E B B U T L FUL F IF D H C IN 9 D E W O R NAR LS E E H W O R P O V N O C H C IN 15X15ES R Y T R IE S O O H L L A T H C 31-IN 21

Before too long, the XP shell was whipped out of storage and had the entire floor cut out of it to accept the tubbed chassis. Instantly, Beach found the chassis wasn’t square, meaning he had to redesign all of the rear section and lower it by some 11-inches to get it to sit right. Obviously the wheel track is a lot narrower in the XP, so 40mm had to come front each side including the diff and front arms. A move to a new area saw the XP sit collecting dust until 2018 when Beach decided it was

time to get serious. And by serious, he meant jamming a 514-cube Ford big block backed with a turbo 400 into the Falcon’s relatively small engine bay and trans tunnel. Apart from the massive heads, Shaun’s Custom Alloy sheet metal intake and JoeBlo equipped EFI Enderle hat, the engine is a basic big block, for now. Beach’s good mate and someone who he considers the best metal polisher in the world, Tony Clough, got the nod to shine up the injector hat and intake manifold.

The old bench seats have been given the flick, with the driver and front passenger being treated to Mercedes convertible buckets complete with onboard seatbelts...

Knowing that this car would never see legit rego in Australia and would be resigned to events such as the Summernats etc, Beach decided to fabricate a set of zoomie headers that exit through custom openings in the sills/front guards. It was at this time that the idea of taking the Falcon to the US came about. Over in the Land of the Free, Beach could not only get registration and insurance, but could cruise the XP anywhere at any time. And seeing that he spends so much time in the US, having the XP there waiting for him was a great reason to head across more often – as if he needed one anyway. And then Covid hit, and we know how much that mucked up everyone’s plans… 23

But with things slowly coming back to somewhere near normal, Beach is keen to drag the XP back into the workshop to get stuck into it. The plan is to finish the body work off before adding a new coat of black paint along with a stock style interior in White with the underside nicely detailed. Ideally, Beach would love for the XP to make a debut at the Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin, before doing a few more selected events over there before driving the massive and tiny Convo-Pro wheels off it during the US Summer period. In fact, he already has some number plates already sorted for when it arrives.

And seeing that he spends so much time in the US, having the XP there waiting for him was a great reason to head across more often – as if he needed one anyway.

Although the Falcon may never see a show here in Australia, you can rest assured that as soon as the Falcon is complete, you see a full feature here first. Long live Pro-Street! 24

e l b u o D ACT!

Having grown up around tough street and strip cars all her life, the time has come for 18-year old Courtney Kryger to follow in her Dad’s big black tyre tracks!

Courtney Kryger 1977 LX TORANA Words / Pics - Paul Beck

Anyone that has even a passing interest in tough street cars will know the name Simon Kryger. He has done and won just about everything there is to do in the Pro-Street ranks, and usually behind the wheel of a bigblock, nitrous-sniffin’ Torana! His on-track exploits are legendary and other racers will tell you he’s the first one to offer help and advice when needed. And whilst Simon is preparing

his mega-cube, three-quarter chassis race car for battle, he has also been piecing together this tough street car for his youngest daughter Courtney. After buying the Torana from a mate around 8-years ago, the Father and Daughter duo set about building the car up to combine both streetability and the ability to run some low ET’s when the time is right for all that power to be pushed through the Torana’s driveline. There’s no denying that a flat black car is a tough car, and really, this Torana needed to be flat black. Dave Cornford at DRC Group handled the body work, getting the wellworn Torana into a much better shape for Raff to lay on the new, non-shiny colour. Panel by panel, Dave expertly massaged out any imperfections, adding a reverse cowl bonnet in the process. With the panel tools back on the shelf, the Torana was given to family friend Raff to squirt on the flat black, giving the Torana a nasty, menacing new demeanour. The bumpers, door handles, door frames and wheels all got painted in a gloss black and if you stand in the right light, the ‘ghosted’ G-Pack striping and decal come into view. In race mode, there’s an adjustable fabricated wing and parachute hanging off the bootlid, but when the time calls for street duties, they are replaced with a basic Torana bootlid.

It wouldn’t be a Kryger Torana if there wasn’t a big block in place, and what a big block this one has! 28

Open up any door and you’ll be greeted by an interior that is more strip than street. Obviously, you were going to find a multi-point roll cage (fabricated by Matt at Pro-Street Industries), and the heavy Torana seats were never going to make a reappearance, with a pair of alloy Kirkey race seats (with Simpson harness belts) now sitting in the same space. Like the seats, the centre console has been added to the ‘never to be refitted’ pile of parts to make space for the air-shifted Hurst shifter. Looking passed the Strange steering wheel – with the cheeky “F*CK GUP NITROUS” button, you find the Racepac digital dash that supplies all of the information Simon and Courtney could ever need. Paul at Aqua Auto Skinz is responsible for the trim work including the carpet, headlining and door trims – giving the Torana some originality to an otherwise race-spec interior space. Oh, and just because he could, Simon added a black venetian blind!

There’s no denying that a flat black car is a tough car, and really, this Torana needed to be flat black.

THANKS TO: Kon at Wollongong Automotive Services. Norm at Victory

Performance. Matt at Pro Street Industries. Michael at ICE Ignition. Dave at DRC Panel & Paint. Paul at Aqua’s Auto Skinz. SCF Industries. Mark at Rocket. Phil at Fuelworx. SCF Race Cars. Sam at Westend Performance. SDE Converters. Enemies Racing Australia. Precision Suspension & Automotive. Alamo Powder Coating. Game On Motorsport. Comp Coating. Billet Buttons. Muffler Towing. Online Motorsports. My wife Angela and daughters Courtney and Caitlin. 30

It wouldn’t be a Kryger Torana if there wasn’t a big block in place, and what a big block this one has! Sporting no less than 598 cubic inches, the bigcube fat block was built by Kon at Wollongong Automotive Services, starting with a Dart lowdeck block, then adding a Bryant crank, Oliver rods with custom JE pistons and a Comp Cam that provides an angry idle to match the Torana’s looks. A pair of Brodix SR20 alloy heads were next on the parts list, and were fitted with PSI springs before being bolted into place. An Edelbrock intake soon filled the gap between the heads, topped with a 1250cfm Dominator carb. Being a nitrous guru, Simon fabricated his own plate system that is barely visible under that big carb. After the ICE ignition system puts the fire into the big blocks belly, the custom PSI-fabricated headers and exhaust easily gets rid of the gases. On a strict diet of QM25 VP Racing fuel, the big block produced 950hp at the hubs in aspirated form, and when that bottle is bought into the mix, the number jumps to 1270hp! That’s going to be quite the handful!

Anyone that has even a passing interest in tough street cars will know the name Simon Kryger. He has done and won just about everything there is to do in the Pro-Street ranks...

All that power gets pushed through a 2-speed Powerglide built by long time Kryger supporter Norm at Kenthurst Service Centre. Inside the Reid bellhousing sits an SDE nitrous converter with a stall speed of 5000. As with all boxes Norm has supplied Kryger Family Racing over the years, this one is as bullet-proof as they get. The rear-end was built by Pro Street Industries with 40-spline floating axles, and a full-spool added to endure the punishment coming its way. The diff is located with a PSI arms and Menscer shocks with Race Products disc’s and Strange calipers hiding inside the 15x11-inch Enemies Racing double beadlock rims. At the other end, there’s a custom PSI-spec steering assembly with Strange discs and calipers visible through the 15x4.5-inch Billet Specialties rims. Gazzard Bros shocks combine with standard springs to help keep the front-end level. 32

On a strict diet of QM25 VP Racing fuel, the big block produced 950hp at the hubs in aspirated form, and when that bottle is bought into the mix, the number jumps to 1270hp! That’s going to be quite the handful! A few days after the shoot took place, Simon took the Torana to Gunnedah to do some testing for the upcoming No Prep series run by Powercruise. There’s lots of footage online showing the Torana smoking the tyres on the airstrip, but I’m sure Simon got a good handle on how to get the Torana down the strip. Now, you’d think that Courtney will ease herself into the Torana’s (and her own) abilities over the quarter mile by getting familiar with how the car reacts at the hit of the throttle, at the 60ft point and across the finish line. Now normally, that would be the case, but she does have that last name and if her Dad is anything to go by, Courtney will be taking it to the boys sooner than expected. Much sooner…

CALIFORNIA

g n i m a e r D

39th ANNUAL NSW ALL AMERICAN DAY MACARTHUR SQUARE SHOPPING CENTRE, CAMPBELLTOWN WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

After a few date changes, the Mustang Owners Club finally had their day in the sun – and what a day it was! For lovers of American cars in NSW, there is no bigger day that the All American Day car show. First held by Mike & Marlene O’Sullivan at St Ives Showground, the All American Day quickly gained a huge reputation amongst those driving Detroit steel. The event soon came under the guidance of the Mustang Owners Club of NSW and its leader, David Livian. A new venue was chosen for the second event, which saw hundreds of US cars converge on Castle Towers Shopping Centre in Castle Hill – a trend that would continue for 35-years. When plans were in place to develop the carpark, venue number three was sought. Thanks to MOCA NSW Member Bruce Sinclair, a property manager for JB HIFI who deals with shopping centres on a regular basis, a deal was eventually struck to hold the event at the Macarthur Square Shopping Centre in Campbelltown.

This was to be the first outing for our Chev and also the furthest I had driven it, so to say I was nervous would be an understatement. 40

JASON BEHRINGER - 1971 HEMI CUDA CONVERTIBLE For me, Jason’s rare Cuda was the absolute standout car of the 2022 All American Day. It’s rare to find a ‘71 Cuda anyway, but a Hemi-powered convertible is like finding that pot of gold!

The easy access and with shade for some entrants on offer, the south west Sydney venue was ideal. If the weather isn’t ideal on the day, the event can easily move undercover, with ample area available. On top of that, all amenities are directly off the show arena, a bonus for those bringing along their family.

I’d been waiting for this event ever since my Chev arrived on my door step. But each time we were set to go, the event was postponed. That was until January 19th when it was all systems go! This was to be the first outing for our Chev and also the furthest I had driven it, so to say I was nervous would be an understatement. When I arrived at the venue, there was already a mass of cars set up in their respective groups. By far, the largest group consisted of Mustangs, which makes sense being the host club. But that’s not to say the Chev’s, Pontiac’s, Mopar’s, Caddie’s, Hot Rods and everything in between, were any less spectacular!

CADILLAC KINGS CAR CLUB The Cadillac Kings Car Club were out in force again this year with a number of cool, slammed Caddies on display in a mass of colour and chrome. Always attracting a crowd, the line up of custom Caddies stopped people in their tracks...

First held by Mike & Marlene O’Sullivan at St Ives Showground, the All American Day quickly gained a huge reputation amongst those driving Detroit steel.

In amongst the 400 or so entrants were certainly some stand out cars. Taking out Top Car of the Day, Laurie Grima’s superbly restored ’57 Chev sedan deserved a second (and third) look as did Jason Behringer’s rare-as Hemi-powered 1971 Cuda Convertible. Both cars have been restored to original and both are at the high end of builds. So too was Danny Ellis’ wild C10 Chev pickup with its smooth paint, detailed 383-cube small block and 24x15-inch billet wheels tucked under massive tubs.

Danny’s other ride, a big-cube small block powered ’62 Impala coupe also gleamed under the clear blue skies. Likewise, Norm McCormack’s slick ’67 Mustang fastback looked fat dropped over big billet wheels and powered by a blown Windsor and speaking of blowers, Frank Talese’s blown injected ’68 Mustang had jaws dropping with its ‘don’t mess with me’ attitude! Glenn Smith had possibly the lowest ride on the day (and there were plenty) with his blown late model Ford-powered ’79 F100!

...all of the money raised on the day being donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation...

LAURIE GRIMA - 1957 CHEV SEDAN

Laurie left his multiple show-winning pro-street 55/56 Chev at home this year and rocked up in his recently restored ‘57 Chev sedan. Meticulously detailed and built to his usual standard, it was easy to see why Laurie took home the Car of the Show award.

With all of the money raised on the day being donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, not only was the 2022 All American Day a huge success by the sheer volume of cool cars on display, but it also proved financially successful too with a generous amount being given to a great cause. For me, it was great just to get the Chev to an event, but to also have the car awarded First Place in Factory Muscle Car is just amazing. I can’t wait to do it all again in 2023 with some changes made to the engine bay. To see who won what, go to the host club website - www.nsw.mustang.org.au

GAME ON!

Sean Walsh 1970 XW Falcon

Words / Pics - Paul Beck Burnout Pics - Flaming Rim Photography 50

Found in a Cooma barn some 12-years ago, Sean Walsh spent the next ten or so years working towards the ultimate end game – building a blown GT-inspired Falcon built to destroy tyres at will! 51

Sean lives in a relatively small country town not far from the Nation’s capital, and like all rural areas, your pastimes either include betting on horses, getting on first name basis with the local Publican or playing with cars. For Sean and his son’s Brad and Corey, it’s definitely the later that soaks up their non-working hours. It helps too, that their circle of friends are all horsepower junkies and love to spend time tinkering in their own garages, as well as others – including Sean’s. When the shed doors were opened all those years ago in Cooma, what they revealed was a tired XW Falcon that was, as Sean put

it, “better than some!” That’s not to say the boys didn’t have their work cut out for them, but it did present reasonably well. The closer he looked, the wider the grin on Sean’s face appeared. With the Falcon loaded up for the trip home, the Father and Sons team talked up a game plan to create a tough as nails XW Falcon. The boys all spend their days adding roofing to all kinds of buildings, but after seeing the job they did on the body and paint, they could easily moonlight as panel beaters and painters – all three of them taking to the sheet-metal and paint duties like seasoned professionals.

THANKS TO: A Very Special Thanks

to Clyntin Perry @ ONGROG ENGINES for all his time and knowledge in building an ONGROG tough engine, plus all of the custom-made billet brackets. Thanks to the crew at ONGROG Engines – Ashley and Tyson, for always lending a hand and Kelly for putting up with us lol. Adam at ACM Engines & Tuning for all his hard work tuning the car. Brett at High Def Detailing always making the car shine. Ben for the custom sump & vacuum tanks at BS Engineering. Joe & Nat for the sign writing and logos from Designs by Joe. And a special thanks to my sons Brad & Corey for all their hard work, & especially (the Boss) my wife Maria for being supportive & putting up with the late nights, cars and more cars lol.

Sean and his boys have spent ten-years, on and off, building the XW from the barn find it started off as, to the blown, GT-spec tough car it now is. 52

The GT-theme continues into the interior with the seats, door trims and majority of the dash retaining the look that saw the GT lead the sales race back in the golden years of motoring. Ok, enough on that trip down nostalgia lane, we’re a hardcore performance magazine after all. Looking past the factory steering wheel, the GT gauges are blocked by the most important gauge – the 5-inch AutoMeter tacho! Three more smaller AutoMeter dials have been added just left of the tach and ahead of the Hurst shifter that has been adapted to the factory centre console. Speaking of which, Sean didn’t want to clog the classic look of the dash, with all of the necessary switches, so he modified the internals of the console to house them all. There’s no extravagant sound system fitted (just the factory XW GT radio and speakers), with Sean preferring to listen to that tune coming from under (through?) the bonnet.

It helps too, that their circle of friends are all horsepower junkies and love to spend time tinkering in their own garages, as well as others – including Sean’s.

OK, so it’s more than obvious, the Falcon’s engine is topped with a Jeff Ramseyprepped 6/71 blower and two AFP 950cfm Methanol carbs, but its what’s situated below the bonnet line that makes all the difference when Sean jumps on the go pedal. It just so happens that Clyntin Perry at ONGROG Engines is a mate of Sean’s and is also a diehard Ford fanatic, so it makes complete sense that Sean left the engine build to Clyntin. Starting with a Dart Cleveland block, it was soon overflowing with performance gear including an Eagle 4340 crank swinging matching Eagle rods and SRP forged pistons. A custom solid roller cam was ground up by Sure Cam and works in with the Crower Enduramax lifters to provide an aggressive idle. A TOCA fabricated aluminium sump (modified by BS Engineering) completes the bottom end. 55

The good gear keeps coming with the Chi 4V alloy heads invited to the party. But before they could be bolted into place, they were given a thorough porting job and fitted with bigger valves wrapped in Manley Nextek springs. A Newby blower intake fills the gap between the reworked heads and holds up that impressive, all-black blower setup. With the Magnafuel Prostar 500 fuel pump pushing gallons of methanol through the engine, the exhaust needed to be up to the task of getting rid of all that spent gas. A pair of Pacemaker headers are more than capable of the job at hand, sending the

bad stuff out via a dual 3.5-inch exhaust system. It doesn’t sound half bad either! A reverse-pattern, full-manual C4 auto backs the pumped Clevo, with a 4000rpm converter added to get the power cracking through the back tyres quickly. A 3-inch tailshaft sends the 850rwhp to the blacktop via a 3.5-geared, full-spooled 9-inch with 31-spline axles. Suspended on King leaf springs and featuring Gazzard Bros Cal-tracs, the diff has managed to deal with the power being forced through it with ease. The front end has been given an upgrade using Pedders springs, uprated shocks and Wilwood discs with 6-spot calipers.

At the first stab of the throttle, that blown Cleveland turned the rear tyres to smoke, and continued to do so all weekend, putting on quite the show...

Sean and his boys have spent ten-years, on and off, building the XW from the barn find it started off as, to the blown, GT-spec tough car it now is. Like any major build, there’s been plenty of fun times, and more times they would rather forget – and forget they did when they arrived at the recent Bathurst Autofest, the first time out for the Falcon. I can imagine the nerves Sean must have felt as he sat there idling at the entrance to the big burnout pad for the first time. Not that you’d know it. At the first stab of the throttle, that blown Cleveland turned the rear tyres to smoke and continued to do so all weekend, putting on quite the show for the massive crowd watching over the burnout pad. With no sign of slowing up, I would definitely say its ONGAME!!

N I A L P T S U J

TOUGH!

Most people ease into a tough street car, starting with something stock and then progressing through a few mild cars before building a high-horsepower street. Not Justin Murphy. He went full tilt, first time out…

Justin Murphy 1968 HK Monaro

Words - Paul Beck 60

Pics - Insane Grunt Photography 61

These days, it’s rare for someone to say “I bought a HK Monaro as my first car!”But that’s exactly what Justin did. Back then, more than 20-years ago, these Holden coupes were still fairly affordable, unlike today where you’d need a second and possibly third mortgage to put your name on the rego papers. For Justin though, this HK was far from pristine, in fact, he described it as being ‘a bit of a pig!’ Five years ago, Justin

was forced into a complete makeover, with this look being the end result. With the big horsepower engine in place, (more on that later), and after running a 9.43-second ET at Willowbank Raceway, the bonnet flew open after crossing the finish line, putting Justin and the HK into a 360-degree spin and eventually into the concrete wall. Although the Monaro was a mess, it was salvageable. Let the fun begin…

Right from the outset, Justin wanted this HK to be a tough street car capable to running sub 10’s on the quarter and still retain its ability to go for a cruise with some mates.

The plan was to restore the body back to original – really, why would you want to mess around with such a cool body style anyway. Justin sent the somewhat twisted and broken HK body to Barry Riley who spent plenty of time in his back yard shed, messaging panel by panel into better than new condition. With the sheet-metal sorted, Justin decided to add a reverse cowl bonnet to give the HK a more aggressive stance. With the primer rubbed down, it was time for colour. With no intention whatsoever to repaint it the same Champagne colour it wore prior to the accident, Justin opted for Ermine White – a great choice I’m sure you’ll agree… 62

In stark contrast to the body colour, the interior looks sensational in bright Goya Red, original styled vinyl covering the factory seats, door trims and headlining – all expertly retrimmed by Winners Upholstery. Even the carpet is bright red – no use doing things by halves! Justin kept the larger factory GTS steering wheel in place, as well as the dash, though it’s been blocked from view by the digital MOTEC dash that feeds Justin all the info he’ll ever need, and then some. Apart from the dash upgrade, there’s a full chrome-moly cage with removeable side-intrusion and “taxi” bars) fabricated and installed by HBR Race Car Fabrications, a B&M shifter – colour-coded no less and the full MSD ignition system. There’s no radio, but there’s no need for one either!

THANKS TO: Aaron Tremayne for the killer engine package. Bob Grant Automatics for the tough Powerglide. Barry Riley for the body and paint that still looks stunning today! 12 Volt Performance for the complete rewire. Gazzard Bros for all of their suspension gear. HBR Race Car Fabrications for the roll cage. Winners Upholstery. 64

Right from the outset, Justin wanted this HK to be a tough street car capable to running sub 10’s on the quarter and still retain its ability to go for a cruise with some mates. He got just what he wanted from Aaron Tremayne, who pieced together a wild but streetable aspirated package. Starting with a Dart Little M block, Aaron added a Cola 4340 crank swinging Lunati rods and custom pistons. The cam of choice is a secret grind, but gives the small block an idle that lets the world know there’s no stock 307 under that cowled bonnet. Aaron then got to work on the 13-degree Racer Pro alloy heads, fitting Ferrea valves, stronger springs, and T&D shaft mount rockers before bolting them down to the prepped bottom end, promptly followed by the 2-piece Edelbrock intake and BLP 1050cfm Dominator carb.

When the MSD gear kicks the 420-cube small block into life, burning away the VP Race Fuel, the gases are shown the door via a pair of custom headers that unwind into a twin 3.5-inch system with Flowmaster mufflers and 4-inch tips. I’m sure you’re all wondering just how much that tough small block makes, right? How’s 850hp grab you? Yeah, thought so…Backing the engine is a Bob Grant Automatics built Powerglide that uses on the best internals and is fronted by a 5500rpm converter. That tough as nails box easily transfers the power through to the sheet-metal rear end that houses a strong 9-inch centre and 31-spline axles to get the power to the ground. So far, so good!

Stylish Weld Racing wheels sit under each guard – single bead-lock 15x10-inch on the rear, and 17x4.5-inches on the pointy end. There’s been plenty of work happening between each wheel too, with the front end now sporting rack and pinion steering, AFCO double adjustable coil overs and Wilwood discs. There’s a host of Gazzard Bros gear added to the already modified rear end. There’s split mono-leaf springs and sliders, an antiroll bar and a pair of AFCO double adjustable coil-overs.

Everything works a treat when out cruising the streets, and even better when Justin is in race mode! After four years of work, more than just a few large bundles of money and plenty of laughs, the HK has turned out just how Justin wanted it too. There’s simply nothing he would change if he ever had to go through the process again. So now, the time has come for him to jump behind the wheel and enjoy everything an 800plus horsepower, 9-second street car has to offer. And let me tell you, that’s plenty…

I’m sure you’re all wondering just how much that tough small block makes, right? How’s 850hp grab you? Yeah, thought so…

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SHEPPARTON

SHOWDOWN

AUTOFEST SPRINGNATS - JANUARY 21-23, 2022 - SHEPPARTON Words - Paul Beck Pics - Chad Silvey

Whilst the date may have changed, the hard-fought action remained the same. The Springnats made a welcomed return to Shepparton in tyre-smoking style! 72

Like many events over the last couple of years, the annual Springnats had to postpone the event with restrictions hindering the way the event was to run. As part of the Autofest series, Promoter Les Adams has fine-tuned his events to run a certain way, and when the powers that be tell you that it can’t happen, you need to make certain amendments to keep the power-hungry fans happy. Whilst many events were simply cancelled, Les was adamant the Springnats was going to happen, even if it meant moving it away from its usual late November date. And that’s exactly what he did!

The move to the Showgrounds in the middle of town took the event to the next level, offering a better range of facilities including an indoor area for show cars to set up in.

Anyone that has been to the Springnats will tell you just how hot it is. Summer in Shepparton always brings heat – sometimes too much, but that’s never stopped thousands of people from heading to the country Victorian city to take part in what I consider to be one of the best events I have been to. The move to the Showgrounds in the middle of town took the event to the next level, offering a better range of facilities including an indoor area for show cars to set up in. It’s also offered the chance for people to unveil new cars, and in 2022, there were two killer rides seen for the first time. A slick, twin-turbo V8 EH sedan and a wild Suzuki Carry Van.

Whilst many events were simply cancelled, Les was adamant the Springnats was going to happen, even if it meant moving it away from its usual late November date.

The Suzuki, dubbed Vandalised, was built entirely at home by the owner Reg Phillips. Without doubt, this was the talking point of the Springnats, and for good reason. Not only was the Suzuki sporting a mid-mounted small block Chev engine with zoomie headers and wheel tubs, it also had a “funny-car” style body that lifts electrically to allow Reg access to the driver’s seat. You can imagine the looks he got cruising the showground with the body raised! Other show and shine highlights included the recently refurbished GGHOST Nissan now owned by Kristie McKenzie, George Prothero’s Southern Rod & Custom built, candy ’57 Chev Coupe, the stunning VENOM ’33 Ford Coupe owned by Matt Olver, Dean Rickard’s multi-award winning HT Monaro, and Geoff Seiter’s slick XY Falcon to name but a few.

The Springnats has always been well known for the driving events on offer and this year wasn’t any different. Most of the action took part on the massive driving arena set up within the showground. As soon as the event officially kicked off on Friday night, the rubber started to build up on the expansive pad as a huge contingent of drivers put their cars (and their skills) to the test. By Sunday evening, after hundreds of tyres had been offered up to the smoking gods, the pad was covered in rubber. The burnouts have always been a massive drawcard at Autofest events and the Springnats bought together some of the best drivers in the scene. To see who won what, check out the website at www.autofest.com.au

As soon as the event officially kicked off on Friday night, the rubber started to build up on the expansive pad as a huge contingent of drivers put their cars (and their skills) to the test.

2022 is going to be a unique year for the Autofest series, and in particular, the Springnats event, with a second event being booked in for the original Springnats weekend of November 25th-27th. Two Springnats in one year? That has to be a great thing. Mark it down in your calendars now! Entry forms will be available from July 1st. 82

www.autofest.com.au

RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME

When you spend your time modifying all kinds of Rotary Mazda’s, you tend to have a few that you’d like to keep. And if you’re lucky like Steven Abreu, you may find one of those cars in your garage…

Steve Abreu 1982 Mazda RX7

Words / Pics - Paul Beck 84

Being a fabricator and mechanic, who specialises in tough rotaries, Steve has had a hand in plenty of wild street and strip Mazda’s over the years, including this RX7. “I built the car for the original owner, Tony, who eventually put the car up for sale. A mate of mine purchased it, which meant I still had a hand in the construction when needed. When my mate decided to part ways with it, I just had to have it!” Steve explains. Over the following two years, Steve reworked the rear-end, updated the cage and played with the driveline in the search for more power and ultimately, lower ET’s.

Having spent plenty of time working at South Coast Rotary Performance, Steve used all the tricks he had learned over the years in his own engine build... As tough as this RX7 is, Steve was adamant that this Mazda had to spend a big chunk of its life on the street, so he spent plenty of time planning to make the coupe as street-friendly as possible, without losing that tough street appeal. When you first spot the Mazda, it’s the Pro-Street styled wheel and tyre combo that grabs your attention, quickly followed by the Tiger Mica Gold paint colour. Steve loves the old school wheel deal where it’s all about the width, not the height, with the 15x10-ish double-beadlock Billet Specialties wheels have 275/60 Radials stretched across them, filling the modified wheel tubs perfectly. Upfront, there’s minimal rubber 86

on the road with matching 15x4-inch Billet Specialties rollers. The black and polished wheels look awesome against the glow of the Tiger Mica. The paint has been laid over a body that has had minimal modifications. Non-Mazda improvements include the stretching of the rear wheel arches and the removal of the fuel filler. The paint and body duties were handled quite a while ago, and during that time, the RX7 has seen lots of street use and made plenty of passes down the quarter mile, so don’t expect any “Top Body and Paint” awards to be won anytime soon. And that’s fine by Steve, he just wants to cruise and race the Mazda. 87

Inside, it’s all business. If it didn’t serve a purpose, it was given the flick. Simple. The factory seats have been replaced by a pair of fixed back Cobra seats with Simpson harnesses that are surrounded by a multi-point chrome-moly cage with removable door intrusion bars fabbed by Matt Marsh at ProStreet Industries. All of the original Mazda gauges are now history too. Steve now relies on quite a few AutoMeter dials to get more reliable information. The centre console now houses a B&M Shifter and switches to operate all of the necessary components to get the turbo rotor power plant fired up. There’s also the lever for the parachute for when Steve breaks the beams after a stinking 9-sec pass.

THANKS TO: My wife Lucia and daughter Savannah for all of their

support and help over the years. My Mum. Kevin Webb at South Coast Rotary for his constant help. Jarrod at Park Engineering. Kon at Wollongong Automotive Services. Tony at TTS Automotive. Matt and Josh at Pro-Street Industries. Sash and Sam at S&S Transmissions. Charles at Billet Boss. Shane at Precision Suspension and Automotive. My brother Michael and Sister Sarah. And mates Brett, David Santos, Dave Prior, Jacob, Steve Hogg, Chris, Nick Parrey, Dario, Nick, and anyone else who help out over the years.

Getting that 9-sec pass is the sole responsibility of the tough turbo 13B rotor jammed into the RX7’s engine bay. Steve built the 13B himself using a JC Cosmo block. Having spent plenty of time working at South Coast Rotary Performance, Steve used all the tricks he had learned over the years in his own engine build to not only ensure better performance, but also to make sure it was reliable for regular street use. The basis for the semi peripheral-ported engine has been dowelled, and features clearanced rotors, a balanced rotating system, oil and bearing mods, 2mm power seal and a full complete O-ring kit for superior sealing of all areas. A factory spec Cosmo inlet manifold has been added along with a GTX42R turbo-charger, and a Turbosmart Power

Gate 50. An M&W ignition system fires the 13B into life and allows the four, Bosch Indy Blue 1650cc injectors to pump plenty of high-octane fuel from the tank via two 023 Bosch pumps through the engine. The gases are shown the door via a four-inch turbo back exhaust system that flows through an AES muffler combo. The engine package is controlled by a Microtech LT12-S ECU with adequate cooling supplied by a custom 4-inch bar and plate intercooler (with Process West core) and a PWR radiator. Initially, the engine produced 560hp which propelled the RX7 down the quarter in 9.3-sec @ 144mph. After some further mods, the engine now makes 750hp at the wheels, so when Steve finds the time to go racing again, you can expect to see those numbers fall.

As tough as this RX7 is, Steve was adamant that this Mazda had to spend a big chunk of its life on the street, so he spent plenty of time planning to make the coupe as street-friendly as possible.

The manual gearbox was swapped out a while back, with a modified Ford C4 being mated to the 13B via a modified RX7 S5 auto bellhousing. The 3-speed box is fronted with a Dominello converter, designed to bring the boost on quickly. A chrome-moly Strange tailshaft send the power through to the narrowed 9-inch diff that houses 4.56-gears and an aluminium carrier. Whilst the new driveline was being installed, the Mazda scored XYZ coil-overs, and Wilwood disc brakes on the front, whilst the rear end had Strange double-adjustable coil-over shocks fitted, with Wilwood discs and handbrake handling the stopping power – all controlled by a Nissan Patrol. A trac-locator and anti-roll bar were also added to help get the RX7 down the strip safely.

Being a fabricator and mechanic, who specialises in tough rotaries, Steve has had a hand in plenty of wild street and strip Mazda’s over the years, including this RX7.

Since Steve has occupied the driver’s seat, the RX7 has not only made an impact on the street and strip, but also managed to bring home some trophies from the Rotary Revival event including Off Street Blown Racing winner three times and runner-up three times. Looking forward, Steve has plans to add a billet 13B engine, with the ultimate goal being to up the ante considerably to a billet 20B turbo set-up! Then watch those numbers fall… 92

COMMERCIAL

Appeal

Josephine Grima fell in love with this ’26 Ford Roadster Pickup the moment she laid eyes on it. After a brief negotiation took place, the hot rod hauler was on its way to its new home. Josephine hasn’t stopped smiling since!

Josephine Grima 1926 Ford Roadster Pickup Words / Pics - Paul Beck

It’s easy to see why Josephine found the ’26 so appealing. First up, there’s not that many of this model around, let along hot rodded! And let’s face it, having something unique is what it’s all about in the modified car scene. But it’s not just the model that makes this pick up a one-off. The true-fire artwork certainly grabs plenty of attention as does the blower mounted to a V6 Chev powerplant, and when you combine all of those elements, it was a must-have deal for Jo.

The interior of the Pick-up isn’t what you’d consider to be large by any stretch, so let’s just call it comfy.

Josephine is the first to admit that she usually isn’t too fussed on flames added to any colour paint, but there’s something about the slick True Fire flames licking their way from the curvy front fenders and grille shell across the cowl, doors and running boards that look just look right. As Josephine bought the Pick-up ready to go, the exact details on the body and paint are unknown, but we can tell you that the body and base colour were done and dusted some 20-years ago with the flaming artwork added later. Those with a keen eye will also notice the period perfect pinstriping added to the tray area. The removable hardtop and tray cover are made in the same black material. 96

The base colour was added to the chassis as well, keeping the colour flowing from top to bottom, front to back. Before any colour was added, the chassis rails were fitted up with an I-beam front suspension set up incorporating heavyduty springs and shocks, Commodore disc brakes and a steering box from a HX Holden. At the opposite end, the drum brake 9-inch diff is located with a four-link set-up using the same springs and shocks as the front end to provide a stable ride. Nolathane bushes have been used exclusively replacing the older rubber items. The wheels of choice are stylish 15-inch Ultra billets.

The interior of the Pick-up isn’t what you’d consider to be large by any stretch, so let’s just call it comfy. Josephine sits on a custom front bench seat that has been covered in grey vinyl, the tiny door trims copping the same treatment with red inserts added to match the seat belts, painted dash and carpet. A wood-rimmed steering wheel tops the painted column with a row of VDO gauges fitted into the dash right behind it – in easy view from the driver’s position. The shifter is a HK Holden item housed in a custom-made alloy base. 98

Also in full view from the driver’s seat is the scoop that tops the supercharged 4.3-litre V6 Chev engine. Again, in a break from tradition, the previous builder of the ’26 decided that there was no need for a V8, opting instead to go with the smaller engine instead creating a huge talking point in the process. Again, not a lot is known about the engines internals other than it has forged pistons and a blower spec cam with hydraulic lifters. The 4/71 blower is obviously the hero of the engine build and relies on a single 650cfm Holley carb to feed the 98-octane fuel through the engine. Custom headers ditch the spent gases through a stainless-steel dual system. Although the exact power output is unknown, for Josephine, that’s not an issue. She is more than happy with how the engine performs. A 2-speed Powerglide auto sends the power to the limited slip equipped nine-inch diff.

Although the exact power output is unknown, for Josephine, that’s not an issue. She is more than happy with how the engine performs.

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Although Josephine has only had the Pick-up for a short period of time, she has managed to get it out and about often, with hubby Laurie riding shotgun. When the world gets back to normal and we are allowed to enjoy our cars more and the events start happening again, the little flamed Pick-up will be polished up and out on the road every chance Josephine gets…

THANKS TO: My husband Laurie Grima for finding the Pick-up in the first place and for bringing it home for me. Since its been home, Laurie continues to maintain it and keep it detailed, ready to go cruising at any time!

Again, in a break from tradition, the previous builder of the ’26 decided that there was no need for a V8, opting instead to go with the smaller engine instead creating a huge talking point in the process. 102

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ON ANY SUNDAY

Saturday!

BARGO PUB When Tristan Ockers and George Diab get thirsty, they invite a few hundred of their mates for a cruise to the local…

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WORDS /- PAUL BECK PICS - JET SIX IMAGES

Run

There’s no denying that the Thirlmere Fryers are well known for having some of the toughest cars on the planet. And not one of them are scared to cruise the street, even if their suitability to be on the road is say, questionable. So when the OG Fryers founder Tristan “TO” Ockers decided a cruise was in order, he made a call to mate George Diab – himself emerged in a sea of mates with tough cars, to combine their contacts to shake the earth with a bevy of hard-hitting street cars.

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TO has always declared his 6-sec, 200-mph, 2500hp ProStreet Capri was a street car and he proved that driving the bright green Capri from Thirlmere to Bargo in the rain. Not one to shy away from attention, TO didn’t try to hide the fact that this car is more strip than street, cruising with the boys with the twin-chutes in place under the rear wing, fullycaged interior and of course that blown injected engine offering the ultimate street car view from the driver’s

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seat. There’s a great pic of TO being pulled over by the HWP in their SRT Chrysler, and I reckon everyone that drove passed would have thought that TO and the Capri would turn up to the Pub on a tilt tray. Whatever he managed to say to convince the officers to let him go, obviously worked, as TO and his girl Katie cruised the Capri up the road and into the Pub carpark to the cheers and fist-pumping of those already lining the street! I guess sometimes you can just get lucky!

Plans are already in place to make this a regular happening and if the first one, doused in wet weather, was anything to go by, imagine just how big the cruise will be under sunny skies!

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MINCER wasn’t the only tough car at the event. Craige Lewis cruised his twin-turbo, 7-second Cortina up from the Illawarra, as did Dave Cornford and Rob Belsito in their showwinning LJ Torana’s, Matt Marsh in his 700hp big block Camaro, and Zoran Zafkulovski in his big cube rammed and tubbed XE Falcon, to name just a few. Naturally, there were plenty of killer local cars there too including Daniel Wood’s blown injected Fairlane, Glen Abela’s oh-so-tough tubbed Tonner, Pete Robbin’s BADREP blown HG and Tim Colefax’s blown LS-powered HQ Monaro. Add to this

Dom Luci’s blown ’57 Chev Coupe, and Nick Grgich’s 632-cube Torana and you have enough horsepower on hand to rotate the earth just a little quicker! Plans are already in place to make this a regular happening and if the first one, doused in wet weather, was anything to go by, imagine just how big the cruise will be under sunny skies! People are already dubbing this the “Bargo Nats” and with the amount of colour, chrome and horsepower on show, I reckon they’re not far off the mark! Special thanks to JET SIX Images for supplying the awesome pics!

T.O. SAYSbe! r of police

Although there was a num eir presence keeping an eye on things, th a calm, fun was welcomed, and it kept will be asked feeling to the cruise. They I’m sure they to join us again next year, as by the smiles enjoyed it as well, judging titudes they and happy, easy going at fully we can had towards everyone. Hope they can lead come to an agreement and the cruise next year.

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COMING EVENTS MARCH 19 NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park 6pm-10pm www.carsunderthestars.com

MAY 13/15NSW - LATE GREAT CHEV CONVENTION Shellharbour & Surrounds 1958-1964 Chev’s Only

NSW - APPIN WHEELS FESTIVAL Appin Public School

NSW - SUNDOWN CAR FEST Penrith Homemakers

NSW - SYDNEY JAMBOREE Sydney Dragway www.jamboree.com.au

NSW - MSCE STREET TOUGH PERF. Sneaky Burger Cruise Night 7pm-9pm

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

NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park 6pm-10pm

APRIL 9 NSW - SUNDOWN CAR FESTIVAL Penrith Homemaker Centre 6.30pm 15-17 NSW - CAMARO/FIREBIRD NATS Albury - www.cfnats.com.au 15-17 NSW - NARRANDERA ROD RUN Narranderra 16

NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park 6pm-10pm

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

NSW - WAGGA BURNOUT PARTY Yarragundry Speedway

NSW - ANZAC DAY SHOW ‘N’ SHINE Colonial Hotel, Victoria St, Werrington Early Ford Street Rod Club

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VIC - MEGUIARS MOTOREX Melbourne Showgrounds www.motorex.com.au

26/28NSW - COOTA 400 Cootamundra Airstrip www.coota400.com.au 28

NSW - HARRY’S END OF MONTH SHOW Harry’s Cafe De Wheels Liverpool.

28/29NSW - HOT ROD-CUSTOM AUTO EXPO Rosehill Racecourse www.hotrodandcustom.com.au JUNE 11 NSW - SUNDOWN CAR FESTIVAL Penrith Homemakers 12

NSW - BRASHER NATS Sydney Dragway

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

NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS NSW - HARRY’S END OF MONTH SHOW Wetherill Park 6pm-10pm Harry’s Cafe De Wheels Liverpool. Please check closer to the day to see if any of the events have been cancelled due to Covid. 18

COOTAMUNDRA AIRPORT 26-28 MAY 2022

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The Fullriver HC Series battery range features advanced AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology offering a total no-compromise, dual-purpose battery. A complete spill-proof AGM battery 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.

MAD MAX MOVIE CARS NOW AT PRIZED PIECES

Now in stock at the new Prized Pieces showroom, are these cool, limited edition, hand-crafted scale resin model cars from ACE Models featuring all your favourite cars from the Mad Max movies. Prices vary, but these are must-haves for all Mad Max fans. For pricing and to order your set, contact Matt at Prized Pieces. www.prizedpieces.com.au 0413 112682 Why not visit their fully stocked new showroom at 70/6 Bellambi Lane, Bellambi NSW 2518.

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 High-purity lead AGM construction accepts rapid re-charging, providing even more usable power than traditional deepcycle batteries offering high cycle, high cranking and highperformance capabilities. The Fullriver HC Range is built tough to handle anything life throws at it. For more information, visit www.rjbatt.com.au

As a bonus, every shirt order comes with a Killer Rides sticker to throw on your car and show your support! 132

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