p i r T d Roa
TE ES & CRUISE ROU
DAT
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Inside
NUTZHK Holden Blown ‘23 Ford T-Bucket 920rwhp Blown VL Calais Blown Big-Block Road Runner COOTA400 - Sydney Hot Rod Show All Commodore Day and much more...
ISSUE #37 - JUN 2021
HORSEPOWER IS ADDICTIVE!
O T Y D A E R
E L B M RU
ady e r r a c w o h s g n a t s u 427-cube M ! r e g n a in p o t k c la b to hit the
From the Desk THINGS ARE SLOWLY GETTING BACK TO NORMAL...
How good is it to have a choice of shows to go to on a sunny Sunday? Twelve months ago, it was all doom and gloom, with the world declaring that we could possibly be in a lockdown for years. Nothing like putting fear into people’s already stressful lives. But as we approach the winter months, it appears that more and more events are being added to the car show calendar including my own events Killer Rides Live #4 (August 21/22) and a new one to happen this year, the Hot Rod and Harley Expo, also to be held in the Illawarra Indoor Hockey Centre over the weekend of November 13/14. Check out the ad’s in this issue for more details. One event that has sent my email into meltdown after the announcement is the Performance Street Car Road Trip, that will be THE event for 2022! I am amazed by the number of people from all over the country that want October 17th - 22nd, 2022 to take on this six-day custom car cruise. I’ve had numerous messages from people in Queensland, Victoria, South Oz and believe it or not, WA – all willing to make the long journey to Wollongong to cruise to Ballarat. Of course, there’s a huge contingent of NSW drivers keen to hit the road too. This will be a week to remember without a doubt. There’s more info in this issue including the dates and www.pscmag.com.au basic cruise route. 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
So with the weather nice and the events starting to happen again, make sure you get your car out for a cruise this weekend and support those who take the time to stage these events. Without those people, we’d have nothing to cruise to. It would be like being back in lock down again, and no one wants to be in that position... So what sort of event do you like going to? Cars and Coffee’s are popular and are popping up all over the country. What about indoor shows? Car Club Sunday show and shines? A cruise night? Me? I like any and all events. I’m a car guy and I can’t wait to be back out there amongst it all again each and every weekend. Bring on the good times! See you on the Street,
Paul 03
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ISSUE NO.37 June 2021
CONTENTS REGULARS
03 EDITORIAL From the Desk 10 WHAT’S HAPPENING News, views and things of interest.
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It may have showcar looks, but this Mustang was built to drive...hard!
18 HAVE YOUR SAY Tell us what you think. 20
COMING ATTRACTION Next Level Eleanor Mustang..
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ROCK ‘N’ RODDIN’ The Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo.
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MY FAVOURITE PHOTO High Impact ‘33 Speedster
60 STREET AND STRIP COOTA400 goes off! 92 ON ANY SUNDAY The first All Commodore Day. 98
38 Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo
72 If you’ve got it, flaunt it!
50 Going NUTZ on a HK Holden
82 920rwhp blown LS-powered VL Calais.
60 COOTA400
104 Blown Big Block ‘23 T-Bucket
FULL PIT ACCESS Motorsport News.
114 KILLER PIC Pro-Street Legend: Tristan Ockers - MINCER Capri 116 PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Quick Find Ad’s. 130 PARTING SHOT Gassed to Go.
FEATURES 26
SHOW PONY This Mustang may be show quality, but damn its tough!
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HOME BREWED Father and son trick out a cool custom HK sedan.
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HEAVY METAL Oh-so-tough blown big block Plymouth Road Runner
82 YOUNG GUN This is what happens when your Dad is a car guy! 104 BUCKET LOAD OF FUN Blown big block lightweight Hot Rod 6
Don’t forget to Subscribe at www.pscmag.com.au
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Magazine
www.pscmag.com.au
4 # E V I L
AUGUST 21-22, 2021
ILLAWARRA HOCKEY CENTRE, UNANDERRA
www.pscmag.com.au
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: CAR & BIKE ENTRY TRADE STANDS & SPONSORSHIP Please contact Paul Beck (0432) 795336 paul@pscmag.com.au or Via Facebook
STREET MACHINES HOT RODS DRAG CARS CUSTOM BIKES TRADE STANDS & MORE!
WHAT’S HAPPENING
PSC PARTNERS WITH GOTCHA4LIFE FOR ROAD TRIP 2022
I am pleased to announce that I have partnered with GOTCHA4LIFE for the Performance Street Car Road Trip. Gotcha4Life is Australia’s mental fitness charity, working to end suicide by delivering programs that create meaningful mateship, build emotional muscle and strengthen social connection in local communities. Our vision is zero suicides, simple as that. We focus on prevention through connection because we are all stronger together. We team with expert partners to deliver presentations, workshops and sustainable training programs to engage, educate and empower schools, sport clubs, workplaces and community groups. We want everyone to have a Gotcha4Life Mate – a go-to person you can rely on and talk to about anything when times are tough, so no one has to worry alone. Gotcha4Life was established as a notfor-profit foundation by media personality Gus Worland in 2017. To find out more about this fantastic organisation, and the incredible work they do, click the logo to be taken to their website – www.gotcha4life.org
Finalist No.5 - May 2021
HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED YET? GO TO www.pscmag.com.au
Congratulations to Anthony Terkalas for taking the top spot in the voting last Issue for a spot in the 2021 PSC Car of the Year! Who will you pick from this issue? All will be revealed in Issue #38. Send your vote to paul@pscmag.com.au
DO IT NOW! IT’S FREE!
2021 TUFF DAY OUT KEEPS GETTING BIGGER AND TOUGHER
Promising to be one of the largest gatherings of high-powered street and strip cars ever seen, the Tuff Day Out is set to happen at Exhibition Park in Canberra on Saturday, October 30th. With the display to be both indoors and outside, the Tuff Day Out will feature street machines, hot rods, drag cars, tough street cars, boats and more – all with the common theme of high horsepower! The event is raising awareness and funds for Beyond Blue. For more info, click on the logo! 10
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UPDATE
PSC ROAD TRIP CRUISE ROUTE RELEASED
With so much interest in the Road Trip from all parts of the country, I am happy to announce the official dates and basic cruise route for the inaugural Performance Street Car Road Trip. Officially, the dates are October 17th-22nd, 2022. So here’s how it is planned. DAY 1 – MON OCT 17 Wollongong – Goulburn – Canberra DAY 2 – TUES OCT 18 Canberra – Gundagai – Wagga Wagga DAY 3 – WED OCT 19 Wagga Wagga – Ettamogah – Albury/Wodonga DAY 4 – THUR OCT 20 Wodonga – Shepparton – Bendigo DAY 5 – FRI OCT 21 Bendigo – Daylesford - Ballarat DAY 6 – SAT OCT 22 Show & Shine at Ballarat Showgrounds
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Of course, there’s numerous regional towns that we will be passing through along the way, but this gives you an idea of our start point, lunchtime stop and overnight stay for each day. So now it’s up to you to book accommodation for each overnight stay. Book early to avoid disappointment. Don’t forget to check out the website for more information including the Registration Day which will be in Wollongong, Sun Oct. 16th.
Gary Myers - Burnout Legend!
KEEP UP TO DATE AT THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE - CLICK THE LOGO! 12
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www.lovellsauto.com.au
WHAT’S HAPPENING KILLER
Video
BLOWERS. FAT TYRES. CRUISING A collection of Pro-Streeters on Parade!
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Video by Jim Anderson
WANT TO OWN A PIECE OF TUFF CAR HISTORY?
Gary Myer’s has decided to part ways with his ‘05 GT Mustang dubbed “2INSANE”. Packing 1000hp from the small block Windsor. From the candy paint to the custom wheels, this Mustang has it all! If you’re serious about owning one of Australia’s toughest Fords, call 0428 692033!
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WHAT’S HAPPENING ENTHUSIAST INSURANCE – SUNDAY DRIVER EPISODE 3
The third episode of Enthusiast Insurance’s Sunday Driver is now complete and ready to watch. This episode features Nick Caminiti’s amazing 1967 Chevy P10 Van that has been extensively modified with an LS2 / 6-speed auto driveline, full airbag suspension, amazing interior treatment and the most intense vinyl wrap treatment I have ever seen. This episode is well worth the look. Click on the image to watch this latest movie in the Sunday Driver
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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.
ROAD TRIPPIN’
G’day Paul, We wish to register Our interest in the above event. We are the proud owners of a 70 Chevelle, which we have owned for approx. 9 years as the only registered owners in Australia. Looking forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards, Neville and Jacqui Long Via Email Hi Paul, I am interested in details of the Road Trip. Having been on 4 Hot Rod Power Tours 2012/13/14/15 (Long Haulers) I am keen to do this trip. Our current cars are 28 Model A Ford Tudor Chopped Hot Rod & Shelby Cobra replica currently being freshened up. Kindest regards Keith Bennett Via Email Hey Paul, My partner and l are keen for a road trip, what a Killa idea to do this in Aus! Would love to be kept in the loop, we are based in Melbourne. Look forward to hearing from you. Cheers Michelle Hufer Via Email G’day Paul I would like to register my interest in the Sept 22 Performance Street Car Road Trip from Wollongong to Geelong. Thanks for organising & keen to hear updates as they come out. Best regards, Brad Coulter – XB Coupe – Adelaide Via Email
TORANASOURUS!
Hi Paul, Now that’s what I like to see gracing the cover of a magazine! Big cubes, big tyres and high horsepower! May’s cover was one of the best yet and that Torana is a masterpiece. Can’t wait to see it on the track next time I am in Sydney for a meet. Simon J Via Messenger. G’day Simon, There’s no denying that Anthony’s PROWOG Torana is a special kind of build and it was a no brainer to have it on the cover of Performance Street Car. It seems we aren’t the only ones that like it too, it romped in with the votes to secure May’s finalist spot for the Car of the Year too.
NO MORE PLASTIC BUMPERS
G’day Paul, I really enjoy reading Performance Street Car each month, but I have to say, I am a little over seeing plastic bumper cars featured in magazines and at shows. OK, so the VL makes 1400hp and has Weld wheels, but it’s still a VL. How about you use those pages to feature another tuff old school car? Just my 2 cents worth… Gary K Via Messenger Hi Gary, Thanks for clicking on the mag each month. In regards to feature cars, I’m happy to run anything and everything as long as it fits the PSC criteria. Ben’s VL ticks all the boxes with power, performance, style and attitude! What’s not to like? At the end of the day, it makes insane power from just six cylinders, will easily run in the 7’s and see’s regular street use. To me, this is a great example of a Performance Street Car…
Thanks guys for you’re interest. These were just a few of the hundreds of emails and messages I received about the Road Trip. You’ll see that the date and basic cruise route has been announced. If you’d like to register your intention to be part of this six-day cruise, email me at paul@pscmag. com.au or check out the regular updates on the website at pscmag.com.au 18
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COMING ATTRACTIONS PRO STREET RESTORATIONS - 1967 ELEANOR MUSTANG WORDS - PAUL BECK PICS - GREG ‘BEACH’ BALL
Next Level
ELEANOR
Greg “Beach” Ball only knows one way to build a high-end build – and that’s to strip the car back to its bare skeleton and then make sure that every part of the body is better than new before adding colour to each re-assembled part. It’s just how he does things – going over and beyond what they customer expects. As you can see from these early pics, the ’67 Fastback body had been relieved of all of its prior paint before Beach went around smoothing off any area’s on the body’s
exterior and underside in preparation for the colour to be added. With the familiar Eleanor-styled body kit prepared and the body straighter than a high-court Judge, Beach laid down the colours specifically formulated for the iconic Mustang. The colour was not only laid down over the body, but also the smoothed out engine bay and reworked floor pan. With all of the panels and body kit components refitted to the body, the sinister look of the Eleanor was complete.
There’s plenty of genuine and not-so-real Eleanor Mustang’s roaming the streets of Australia, and this one coming from the Pro-Street Restorations workshop will be up there with the best.
FUEL INJECTED QUAD CAM 4.6-LITRE ENGINE 5-SPEED TREMEC
ELEANOR BODY KIT Y A B E IN G N E D E H T O O M S AND UNDERSIDE 20
14-INCH WILWOOD DISC BRAKES 6-SPOT & 4-SPOT CALIPERS ELEANOR-SPEC WHEELS 21
The driveline was originally a nitrous-equipped small block Windsor, but compared to what’s on the market these days, the option to add some late model technology was too good for the owner of this Mustang to ignore. He opted for a quadcam, fuel-injected 4.6-litre modular Cobra engine backed with a Tremec 5-speed that sends to power through to a sheet-metal 9-inch diff sporting 3.5-gears and 35-spline axles to ensure there’s no embarrassing moments if the owner decides the time is right for some spirited driving.
With the familiar Eleanor-styled body kit prepared and the body straighter than a high-court Judge, Beach laid down the colours specifically formulated for the iconic Mustang.
The rear end also features a Pro-Street designed and fabricated four-link set-up, whilst the front end has been swapped out for a Mustangs to Fear, right hand drive front suspension setup complete with rack and pinion steering. Inside the Eleanor-correct wheels hides 14-inch Wilwood discs with 6-spot calipers on the front and 4-spot clamping the rear discs. 22
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At the time of going live with this Issue, Beach was laying down the sound-proofing on the inside in readiness for the interior to be put into its final resting place. Once that is complete, the Pro-Street Resto Eleanor will be detailed top to bottom and delivered to its lucky owner. Check out the other projects Beach has on the go at Pro-Street Restorations by clicking on the logo…
Whilst he is a painter by trade, he is also handy on the panel shaping tools...
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SHOW PONY
Anthony John had always wanted an Eleanor-styled Mustang. Thanks to the crew at Old Skool Resto’s, he now owns one of the toughest! 26
ANTHONY JOHN - 1966 MUSTANG WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK BUILD PICS - OLD SKOOL RESTOS 27
Sure, the Old Skool Resto guys have delivered a show-quality Mustang, but this won’t be one of those trailer cars that only ever see’s the light of day when loaded up to go to a show. Anthony was clear in his instructions. He wanted a worldclass build that wouldn’t look out of place at any car show, but it had to retain its driveability – after all, this custom ’66 Stang was always going to see plenty of street use. When he found the Mustang in Melbourne, it was like any other early Mustang that had longed for someone to pay it some attention. Anthony said it was average for its age, but looking passed its obvious faults, he could see its true potential. With the deal sealed, the Mustang was on its way to Sydney where Michael Karam and his highly skilled team at Old Skool Resto’s were to spend the next four years turning the old girl into Eleanor’s much nastier sibling.
With 4-years worth of work poured into his jaw-dropping coupe, Anthony couldn’t have asked for more. The Mustang was stripped to its bare bones, leaving a body shell that was destined for plenty of changes. Whilst the original Eleanor Mustang was a 1967 GT500 Fastback, the boys had their work cut out for them transforming the earlier model into the look Anthony desired. The front bumper certainly looks the part, completing the reworked front end that also incorporates a custom steel bonnet and streamlined grille. Just rear of the bonnet, the cowl panel has been filled to eliminate the unsightly vents, with the front and rear glass being flush mounted for a much smoother look. The side on view is dominated by the vents and scoops added to the body along with the shaved door handles, flared guards and side skirts all adding to its appeal. The custom rear bar compliments the GT500 Shelby LED taillights and reshaped bootlid that now features a subtle spoiler. After the body was prepped for paint, a few coats of Glasurit Custom Gold was laid onto the body, the smoothed-out engine bay and detailed underside. 28
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Whilst the boys were attending to the body and paint, Anthony had John Agazzi look after the engine build. Not willing to settle for something “normal”, Anthony’s small block Windsor now has big block proportions with no less than 427-cubes. Starting life as a Roush 427R crate engine, John made sure this tough small block was going to provide enough ponies to keep Anthony smiling. Whilst the internals are still as per the Roush spec sheets, it’s the induction system that really sets this tough small block apart. The unique 8-throttle body injection is the first set-up that Shaun’s Custom Alloy has made for the Ford engine. And doesn’t it look awesome! The engine build also features a Billet Specialties front drive, an external oil pump, MSD coil packs with matching leads, and a custom exhaust system. Controlled by a Fueltech FT550 management system, and
guzzling plenty of Premium fuel, the 427 produces around 620-horsepower! John from J Performance built up the tough C4 auto box, fitting a shift kit, manual valve body and 3000rpm converter in the process. Gear selections are made via a B&M Bandit shifter. Down the back, and taking all the abuse from that engine combo, is a narrowed 9-inch diff with 3.9-gears from Smithfield Diff and Gear, located by a four-link set-up with Strange coil overs and fitted with Brembo discs and calipers inside the 20x10.5-inch BC Forged wheels. Up front, the factory front end has been given the flick in favour of a Heidts Mustang 2 independent item incorporating the same shocks and brakes as the opposite end. The front wheels measure 18x8.5-inches. As you’d expect from a build of this quality, the entire underside is detailed front to back.
The unique 8-throttle body injection is the first set-up that Shaun’s Custom Alloy has made for the Ford engine.
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The interior doesn’t let the rest of the build down either. Opening either door reveals an interior space that keeps the classic Mustang feel, but with a modern twist. Masterfully stitched-up by AAA Auto and Marine Trimming, Anthony can still carry three passengers in comfort with reshaped Mustang seats covered in a combination of black Nappa leather and Alcantara Suede – the door trims and custom centre console keep the same theme. Speaking of the console, it houses the window switches, aforementioned shifter, stereo
head unit and handbrake. The custom dash facia is now filled with AutoMeter Phantom gauges to keep Anthony ably informed with what’s happening in and around the ’66. There’s also the dials for the Vintage Air air-conditioning. In true Eleanor fashion, there’s a wood-rimmed steering wheel fitted to the power steering column. There’s even more Nappa leather underfoot and when Anthony grows tired of hearing that 427-cuber scream, he can listen to some cruising tunes through the impressive Kenwood / Focal sound system.
Anthony said it was average for its age, but looking passed its obvious faults, he could see its true potential.
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With 4-years worth of work poured into his jaw-dropping coupe, Anthony couldn’t have asked for more. “There’s nothing I would change! I am so happy with what I have got out of this build,” Anthony told us. So whilst the future for the Mustang does include some more show appearances after its debut at the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Expo, including Killer Rides Live #4, the ultimate plan for Anthony and his high-powered Mustang is to hit the blacktop as much as he can. Driving them is enjoying them after all…
Opening either door reveals an interior space that keeps the classic Mustang feel, but with a modern twist.
THANKS TO: Michael and the team at Old School Resto’s for the great build and fabrication work. Rolling Stock for the wheels and tyres. DC Electric Co. for the wiring. AAA Auto & Marine Trimming for the interior retrim. John Agazzi for the engine package. The boys at Smithfield Diff and Gear for the 9-inch diff. John at J Performance for the gearbox. All Wired Up Installations for the stereo install. Paul & Joe from Metal Fab for the help with the machine work. 34
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HOT ROD & CUSTOM AUTO EXPO_ROSEHILL RACECOURSE WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK
Rock ‘n’ Roddin’
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After a forced break, the Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo returned to Rosehill Racecourse with a packed house of Rod’s, Custom’s, Street Machine’s, Racecar’s and more…
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I knew we were in for a big show when we rounded the corner to enter the huge Rosehill Racecourse public carpark, and it was almost full. That alone proves that people have been missing going to car shows. Being the only indoor car show in Sydney, the Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo was sorely missed when it was forced from the calendar in 2020. In the lead up to that show, the momentum was building into what was going to be one hell of an event. Then that bastard Covid put an end to it. Like many, I was so disappointed, not because the show wasn’t going to happen, but because I know how much work Andy and Donna Minas had put in during the months leading up to the point where they were told it simply wasn’t going to happen.
After that announcement, and with the mainstream media telling the world we could be in those conditions for years, the future of the event was uncertain. But, because we suffered through some pretty tough times, we managed to get on top of the pandemic to the point where the was once again, light at the end of the tunnel. With the news getting better daily and restrictions being lifted just as often, it become apparent that the show would make a return in 2021. You could almost hear the collective sigh of relieve coming from the custom car world as the new dates for the show were announced. 40
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Leaving the carpark to walk into the prestigious Rosehill Racecourse facility, you could feel the energy coming from those at the front gate dealing with the large crowd that were lined up to check out the show. Once inside, there was no way you were going to be disappointed. In each building, on each level, the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo delivered a level of quality and a variety of cars, bikes and boats like never seen before. No matter where you turned, there was a display that deserved a second look.
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The Nostalgia Lane section – a show within the show, never disappoints with another hand-picked line up of cool hot rods and slick customs. Walking through this hall was like taking a step back in time. Under the guidance of Andy Colalillo, Nostalgia Lane featured his late Dad’s ’39 Plymouth Coupe (this first time out in many years) as one of the biggest talking points of the show. Mario built this car many years ago and was really meant for quarter-mile work. After his passing, Andy decided to put it back as a street car, and has done an amazing job. I’m sure this won’t be the last time we see the coupe out and about.
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Once again, the Lowrider crowd were out in force, putting on an impressive display of their highly detailed rides showing their cars in various poses to entertain the crowd. Those that thrive on high-horsepower we also treated to the menthanol-burning tunes coming from the AC Delco Top Doorslammer team who fired up their supercharged Monaro’s periodically throughout the show. Each time the power was flowing from those zoomie headers, the crowds went running to check it out up close and personal.
There was so much to take in this year, that it was well worth the wait. From the abundance of traders, to the Pinstriping demonstrations, car park show and shine, Pin-up Pagent and trade demo’s, the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo had it all. If you missed it this year, you missed a cracker. I bet you won’t suffer the same fate in 2022… For a full list of trophy winners, check out the official website - www.hotrodandcustom.com.au 46
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MY FAVOURITE PHOTO
Paul Beck
I love shooting Hot Rods - always have, always will! John Thompson’s wild blown big block ‘33 Speedster is one of my all time favourites. The colour. The stance. The attitude. It all add’s up to a great subject to point a cmaera at. Finding this old train yard with the run down carriages proved to be the perfect backdrop!
CAMERA SET UP: CANON EOS 1D MK111 - 28-70 2.8 Lens. 1/25 sec F11. ISO100 48
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HOME BREWED
When your Dad holds the keys to a blown V8 HR Holden, and is a gun spray painter, chances are you’ll be cruising in something just a little special too…
MARK BARTYN - 1968 HK HOLDEN WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK 50
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Externally, the body was relieved of almost all of the badges and mouldings, with just the Holden badges retained on the bootlid.
Mark Bartyn had been looking for a project car for some time. Something that he could spend quality time in the shed with his Dad, creating a cool cruiser to hit the streets in. After looking for a month, but what would have seemed an eternity, the father and son combo found a well-worn HK Kingswood in Melbourne that fitted the bill perfectly. It was rusty, both with both Bartyn boys seeing the potential, they were never going to head home empty handed. As you can see, there’s been plenty of effort put into the HK’s body since it landed in the home garage. Day after day, night after night, Mark and his Dad spent just about every available
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hour removing rust, smoothing out years of abuse and generally getting all of the factory sheet metal better than it ever was. Being a custom car built though, there was always going to be some changes made to what the Holden engineers had prescribed. The engine bay has been smoothed out and the firewall is now void of anything that take away from that clean look. The boot floor was badly affected too, so it was chopped out and replaced with a flat sheet, and while the attention was on the rear of the car, the wheel tubs were opened up and taken to the chassis rail to fit the planned increase in wheel width.
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Externally, the body was relieved of almost all of the badges and mouldings, with just the Holden badges retained on the bootlid. The front guards are now desirable GTS items. The reverse cowl bonnet is all steel – yep, even the scoop itself! With the boys satisfied the body couldn’t get any better, dear old Dad loaded up his spray gun and laid down a couple of silky coats of Firenze Red – a pearl mix usually found on a Range Rover. Instead of complimenting the colour with chrome accents, Mark decided his HK would look tougher with all the chrome work painted black, including the bumpers, door handles, grille and light surrounds on both ends. The black Street Pro wheels finish off the exterior make over perfectly. Inside, the customising keeps going. Dominated by the WRX seats, the interior has been expertly restitched in a chocolate brown leather by Steve at All Trim, that also covers the rear bench seat, original-styled door trims and dash pad. Just rear of the MOMO steering wheel sits a bunch of AutoMeter gauges laid into the custom dash facia along with a couple of important switches. While all of that gear is in full sight, what you can’t see is the brake booster and master cylinder mounted under the dash (remember the smoothed out engine bay?) along with remote cylinder reservoirs mounted inside the reworked glove box for easy maintenance. A TCI shifter sits between the comfy seats.
THANKS TO: Cain from Xtreme Fabworx. Steve from All Trim. All the people who conributed to the build in some way. The biggest thanks goes to my Dad. Without him, this car wouldn’t be where it is today! Thanks to Mum too, for all the times she stepped in and stopped Dad and I from killing each other when we had different idea’s of how things should be done.
This 350 is only in place to get the HK moving again, while he works on a more powerful, bigger cube small block destined for the HK. 54
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Externally, the body was relieved of almost all of the badges and mouldings, with just the Holden badges retained on the bootlid. Sitting inside that highly detailed engine bay is a 350-cube small block that Mark pieced together himself after the previous engine, a wilder 383-inch version, proved to be more hassles than what it was worth. The constant problems was enough for Mark to rip it out and start again, kicking the new engine off with a standard issue block, before filling it with a factory crank swinging standard rods with SpeedPro pistons and the same brand rings. A milder cam was inserted as were Clevite bearings. A modified HQ sump completes the rebuilt bottom end. Up top sits a pair of cast Dart heads that were saved from the previous engine, as was the Victor Junior intake and single Holley carb that gets fed plenty
of 98-octane fuel via the Magna pump. A pair of pacemaker headers unwind into a dual 3-inch exhaust that ends at the diff, providing an easy escape route for the gases after the MSD ignition does its thing. Mark isn’t too concerned with the horsepower from this engine. This 350 is only in place to get the HK moving again, while he works on a more powerful, bigger cube small block destined for the HK. Backing the current engine is a Powerglide built by Al’s Race Glides that features a transbrake and TCE converter with a 3500rpm stall speed. From there, the power goes through a 3.5-inch seemless tailshaft from Ricky’s Tailshafts to the sheet metal 9-inch diff with 35-spline axles and 3.89-geared TruTrak centre.
Great steering isn’t what you’d usually associate with the HK Holden and when the cost to rebuild the original front end is around 75% of what a new, independent version would cost, the decision to add a RodTech version in under the HK’s front was an easy one. Now, the HK runs coil-over shocks, VR Commodore discs and calipers and stainless control arms. The steering is more precise with the power rack set-up that is controlled by a remotely mounted (in the boot) Astra electric pump – a conversion that is not only gaining popularity, but is also a cost effective way to add power steering to an older car. Down the back, the triangular four-link locates the diff, with Strange coil-overs providing a nicer ride. Again, VR Commodore discs and calipers live inside the 15x8.5inch Street Pro rear wheels. 56
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Like any build of this magnitude, it hasn’t been without its fair share of drama’s. But after spending the best part of six years constructing NUTZHK, all of those problems were quickly forgotten when Mark got to fire the HK into life and hit the blacktop for the first time. Sure, there’s been a few teething problems to work through, but that’s just the game we play. Now, the vacant spot in the garage is to be taken up for the HR which is now about to get a complete makeover. Hope Mark and his Dad have no plans for the next few years…
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COOTA400_COOTAMUNDRA AIRPORT, NSW WORDS - PAUL BECK PICS - SHUTTERFIX PHOTOGRAPHY
& t e e Str
Strip
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What a great way to end a week – cruising from the NSW Highlands to Cootamundra with a bunch of tough cars before unleashing the horsepower on the airstrip! Welcome to the Coota400!
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You know you’re in for a great time when you arrive at the designated meeting point on a brisk Thursday morning to be greeted by a carpark full of tough street cars all ready to hit the highway enroute to Cootamundra for two days of headsup racing on the local airstrip. The COOTA400 event is a Pre’90 cruise/ drag event, attracting plenty of classic muscle cars all ready to race. Out on the highway, those going about their day were treated to seeing some of the coolest muscle cars cruising together down the Hume, creating quite the spectacle in the process. In amongst the GT Falcons, Torana’s, Capri’s and early
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Commodores were some cool rides including plenty of US muscle, rotaries, some race-car inspired rides and even an early Toyota Corona with a tough turbo six-pack on board. Once in Cootamundra on Thursday, the guys booked into their motels and started prepping their cars in readiness for the racing ahead. It’s fair to say Cootamundra rumbled to the feel and sound of thousands of horsepower as the entrants made their way through town, announcing to everyone that the COOTA400 was about to happen. As the cars arrived in town, blue skies greeted the drivers, a trend that continued over the next couple of days for racing.
For the first time, five Victorian drivers took part in the racing with a small, but powerful contingency making their way from down south...
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Friday is set aside for those drivers who were keen enough to drive their cars from the Pheasants Nest Service Station on the Hume Highway just outside the NSW Southern Highlands to Cootamundra a journey that would take in around 250klms. Friday morning saw the cars lined up at the Airport, all eager to take advantage of the cool air temperature and get down the strip as quick as possible. Friday’s shoot out was all about the street driven cars, where two groups were to go into battle – Naturally Aspirated and Forced Induction. The winners from both groups then line up against each other to get the Overall King of the Street. As the pairings dwindled down, only two winners could take home the gold.
You know you’re in for a great time when you arrive at the designated meeting point on a brisk Thursday morning to be greeted by a carpark full of tough street cars all ready to hit the highway...
The King of the Street in the Forced Induction class was Louie Katsiaras in his XE Falcon, whilst Jason McGrath drove the wheels off his stunning LC Torana to be the outright champion in the aspirated class. For the first time, five Victorian drivers took part in the racing with a small, but powerful contingency making their way from down south including Robert Adamo in his MRCUBE Bronco, Kon Tsiokos with his slick Nova and Rohan Gordon in his Torana, just to name a few. Having these guys take place this year and putting on such a great showing, should bring more cars from down south and opens the door for a State of Origin Battle too… 64
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Want to see more pics, click on the logo and see more of the amazing photography from the guys at ShutterFX Photography. For the next COOTA400 event, make sure you click on the logo and head to the website.
Come Saturday, it was time for the Overall Toughest Car Shoot-Out where those who trailered their cars to the event go the opportunity to cut loose on the airstrip. They may have been a little too wild to make the drive to Cootamundra, but these big bangers were always going to bring the horsepower. After the grudge racing kicked off Saturday’s proceedings, it was time for the Shoot-Out where every one of the 104 entered cars can partake in. Once again, they are split into the same two groups (Aspirated and Forced Induction) and after the finalists were decided, they got to race for the overall Champion Trophy. After the racing finished, the top spot in the Forced Induction class was Kon in 66NOVA, who not only headed that group, but also ran the quickest time of the day with a 9.6-second pass. But, with his gearbox hurt, Kon was unable to make the final pass against Aspirated Class winner Peter Tsekenis to determine the overall Champion, effectively handing the title over to Peter and his tough Falcon.
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I doubt that the Cootamundra airstrip had seen as much horsepower as it had during these couple of days.
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It’s fair to say Cootamundra rumbled to the feel and sound of thousands of horsepower as the entrants made their way through town!
I doubt that the Cootamundra airstrip had seen as much horsepower as it had during these couple of days. From the reviews I saw online, everyone who took part in the event claimed it to be a complete success. The main man behind the COOTA400, Chris Ioannidis is justifiably proud of what he has created and couldn’t heap enough praise on those drivers who made the event the success that it was. Chris had a dream to run a safe, legal muscle car battle away from the dangers of the street and the airstrip in Cootamundra proved to be the perfect spot. In a roundabout sort of way, its half way between Sydney and Melbourne and for that reason, the State of Origin Shoot-Out could very well be a possibility in the future. Imagine the rivalry. Two classes of 50 cars from each state going head to head. I can’t wait for that one… 68
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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
www.pscmag.com.au
HEAVY
METAL
CON PERDIKOORIS - 1969 PLYMOUTH ROAD RUNNER WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK 72
Con Perdikooris’ 1969 Road Runner is certainly no lightweight, but with a blown big-block up front, that’s no longer a concern! 73
Anything American with two-doors from the late 60’s and early 70’s have huge panels that have to be straighter than a high-court judge to get covered in black. But when done right, the result is nothing less than sensational. Just ask Con Perdikooris. His blown 1968 Plymouth Road Runner is nothing short of sinister. Whilst the 68/69 Dodge Charger seem to be the first choice for those looking for some Mopar muscle, Plymouth’s Road Runner offers up an option that we don’t see many of. Con has been building his pride and joy for around 20-years so far, starting with a stockspec coupe and transforming it into a bad to the bone, street stomper. Tackling the biggest task first, Con got stuck into stripping the body of all its accessories so that good mate man Rodney Zimmerman could add the minitubs before Scoot Hooley was bought in to massage the massive panels into a state where the two-pack Jet Black would do his handy work justice.
After many man hours were spent on each panel getting them better than the factory every could, it was time for colour. The results? Take a long hard look at the photo’s and make your own mind up. Obviously there’s no bonnet, but Con has a brand new item at home ready to go that he just couldn’t bring himself to cut up for the blower and carbs to hang out of. The lack of badges and mouldings only make the huge panels look even better. Especially offset against the 8-inch and 10-inch Cragar rims. Mini-tubbing was needed to fit the rear wheel and tyre combo under. A big job, but so worth it at the end of the day. Front on, the coupe has an aggressive stance, giving the Road Runner a shoot first and ask questions later type of attitude! From the rear, if you squint in the right way, it looks similar to one of our very own Valiants. Either way, it’s simply tough! 74
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They say ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it‘ and that couldn’t be any more right when you have a supercharged engine up front. The inside of the big coupe is sparse - but that’s just how they did things back in the day. If it wasn’t ticked on the original order sheet, it simply didn’t appear on the car. No ifs, no buts. Realistically, you really only needed two bucket seats and a big bench for the family to congregate on and a dash that had enough gauges to show you the vital signs. Con had found some high back front seats for the Road Runner and had Dave King at King Trims cover them along with the rear bench in a combination of black and grey velour. The Road Runner stitching that has been added to the top of each seat lets everyone know exactly what sort of car this is. The interior also boasts a Hurst shifter, period perfect wood-rimmed steering wheel and a switch panel that controls the pumps, ignition etc.
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They say ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it‘ and that couldn’t be any more right when you have a supercharged engine up front. Nothing says performance more than a 6/71 blower on top of a big cube V8 engine. Thankfully, this Road Runner was a big block car with a 383ci en-gine the factory’s preferred power plant. Con decided he was going to handle the engine build himself and promptly went for more cubes. 400 cubic inches is now the bench mark for the basis of this blown beast. After the 2-bolt block was bored, honed, decked, blueprinted and balanced it was time to fill the bottom end with some high performance goodies. The parts list included a stud girdle, Miloden flex plate, factory forged steel crank, Eagle H-beam rods, 8.75:1 JE forged blower pistons and sealed power rings and a mains stud kit. The cam is a custom solid blower grind from Crow that works well with the Manley lifters. The Max Wedge brand features on the pushrods, rockers and blower intake. A Miloden gear-drive helps to create that classic blower sound. The cast iron heads have been ported, polished and flowed to around 650hp. One piece stainless valves are now installed as are copper inserts, Isky springs and Manley retainers. Fabricated alloy rocker covers cover all the good gear. Hang-ing off the outer edge of the heads are ‘fabricated by Rod’ headers that unwind to flow through Hooker mufflers (two per side) and twin threeinch exhaust. ICE supplied the en-tire ignition system including the electronic distributor, coil, spark amplifier and leads. The dual 750cfm AFB Carter carbs get fuel from the boot mounted fuel cell via a Magnafuel pump and regulator through half-inch braided lines. Con isn’t too sure of the engines power output but is quietly confident of getting 600 horses out of the combo.
Anything American with two-doors from the late 60’s and early 70’s have huge panels that have to be straighter than a high-court judge to get covered in black. The 727 auto trans that is backed onto the engine isn’t your garden variety trans. Con just happens to have a good mate, Nick Tziavaras who specialises in tough gearboxes. You don’t pass up that opportunity so Nick added a Dominator 2200rpm converter, Transgo valve body and shift kit for added strength. A Hurst shifter offers sharp precise shifts every time. At the moment, the rear end is all stock complete with a 2.94-geared limited slip cen-tre. This will soon be swapped for a 4.11 centre. It’s the same with the big coupes under-pinnings. The suspension remains as per factory specs with the exception of Koni shocks on the rear.
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After many years on the go, Con is at the point where he can jump into the drivers seat and go for a cruise and enjoy everything a blown Mopar coupe offers. Over that time you’d expect a few regrets but Con reckons he has loved every minute of the build. Especially the one where he could finally sit back and admire the finished product. I’m with you there Con!
CAN YOU AFFORD TO LET YOUR
S R O T I T E P M O C
ADVERTISE HERE? Con isn’t too sure of the engines power output but is quietly confident of getting 600 horses out of the combo.
THANKS TO: Rodney Zimmerman - just because he is a magician with a welder; Scott Hooley for the panel and paint work; Brett Mooring for towing the trailer every time the car had to be taken to an event; Nick Tziavaras for building a killer tranny; Brandon Luke for coming to the rescue with some hard to find parts; Jamie Graham for traveling all the way from Victoria just to rewire the car! 80
CONTACT PAUL BECK FOR ALL YOUR ADVERTISING NEEDS! (0432) 795336 paul@pscmag.com.au www.pscmag.com.au
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YOUNG
When your Dad has a history of high-performance street cars, it’s only natural that the desire for high-horsepower would be passed down the line from father to son…
GUN
MARCUS NIKOLIC - 1987 VL CALAIS WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK 82
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At just 17-years of age, Marcus Nikolic wasn’t encouraged to “play it safe” and jump behind the wheel of a stock, six-pack first car. With his Dad’s inspiration, persuasion and hands-on approach, Marcus now cruises the streets in a show-quality, 900plus horsepower blown LS-powered VL Calais. Sourced locally in the Illawarra area, the Calais had already been repainted in the classy silver that still adorns the VL’s panels, but apart from that, it was very much in need of some high-performance modifications. And over the coming year and a half, that’s exactly what it got… Marcus has always loved the style of the VL Calais, and prior
to this one, he had they keys to a 355-cube version and another powered by a turbo RB30. Both of those were the lead up builds to this current Calais, which has been taken to the next level. The body essentially stayed just how the Holden engineers had specified. There’s no outrageous body kit, nor is there any wild colour schemes. What there is though is a set of mini-tubs that’s enabled Marcus to fit those massive 22x12inch Simmons wrapped in 315/25 rubber under the rear end. The PHATTT rego plates explain the look perfectly! In stark contrast, the fronts measure 22x8-inches – both ends filling the guards nicely.
After using a Holden V8 and a turbo six-pack, it was time to jump on the LS bandwagon. At the moment, the bonnet has had some metal sliced out of it to deal with the clearance issue associated with the forced induction topping the engine. Marcus will soon be updating the bonnet with a custom version to cover the engine hardware. At the time of the shoot, the new, reshaped bonnet was being prepped and painted by the team at YES Smash Repairs – the same crew that handled the paint and panel work needed from the mini-tubs install and the chopped-up bonnet. They also laid on a silky-smooth coat of colour over the smoothed-out engine whilst the engine package was coming together. 84
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Speaking of the engine, after using a Holden V8 and a turbo six-pack, it was time to jump on the LS bandwagon. Marcus looked no further than Russo Performance, a company well-versed in procuring plenty of horsepower from the humble LS engine. Right from the outset, Marcus was looking for a supercharged package to repower the Calais. Starting with an LS2, six-litre block, the boys at Russo added a stroker rotating system comprising a Manley crank, Callies Compstar rods, CP bullet pistons and a RP custom camshaft completes the basis for this high-powered LS that now sports a capacity of 403 cubic inches. A pair of Higgins heads were next on the list, and after they were fitted with bigger valves and Manley double springs, they joined the stout bottom end. Filling the space between the heads is a Harrop TVS2650 supercharger with a 110mm throttle body. No less than three Bosch 040 fuel pumps push ample amounts of E85 fuel through the big injectors into the engine for the standard coil packs (mounted high above the rocker covers) to create the big bang. A pair of custom headers help send the gases out through the dual 3.5-inch system that uses Aeroflow cats and Magna Flow mufflers to keep the noise to an acceptable level. On the dyno, the pumped 403ci LS produced a staggering 920-horsepower at the big tyres!
At just 17-years of age, Marcus wasn’t encouraged to “play it safe” and jump behind the wheel of a stock, six-pack first car. Backing the engine is a built Turbo 400 auto box that is fitted with all the right gear, including a transbrake, to handle all of the new-found power. A two-piece tailshaft, with a modified centre bearing, sends the power to the four-linked custom nine-inch diff that utilises 35-spline axles and Strange centre to cope with the work load. Having all that power means nothing in a street car if you can’t pull it up. That’s no issue here, though with huge 405mm rotors and 8-piston calipers added to the front end, while 380mm rotors and 4-piston calipers provide the stopping power on the rear. The complete braking system is from K-sport and looks as impressive as it works. The K-sport brand also features on the front coil-overs, while the rears on the four-link are from Viking. 86
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With just the interior needed to complete the rebuild, Marcus had a clear idea of what he wanted. Like the VL’s external look, the interior space had to be classy and user-friendly, but with the necessary gear included to suit the build style. This included removing the factory dash facia and filling the space with the right gauges to keep tab on what’s happening in and around that blown LS. The blue lit digital AutoMeter dials look awesome against the light grey leather that adorns the Scheel front seats, reshaped rear bench, and door trims. The custom centre console houses the window switches, cup holders and the B&M shifter that has been recessed for a more refined look. Other notable upgrades include the MOMO steering wheel, the relocation of the handbrake from the centre console to a foot release under the dash, and the Kenwood/Alpine/Focal sound system. Opening up the bootlid reveals a surgically clean load area where the mini-tubs are more evident, as are the big fuel cell, battery and nitrous bottle – all coated in black to offset the stunning silver…
On the dyno, the pumped 403ci LS produced a staggering 920-horsepower at the big tyres!
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Now that the VL is finished, Marcus has wasted no time in putting plenty of kilometres on the speedo, cruising with his mates as much as he can. The Calais has also made its show debut at the recent Sydney Jamboree where Marcus won a Judges Choice award. If you want to get up close and personal with this stunning VL, make sure you get to Killer Rides Live #4 where it will make an appearance. Funnily enough, Marcus’ Dad Goran, was an entrant at the very first show held in the same venue way back in 1994! Talk about following in his Dad’s footsteps…
Opening up the bootlid reveals a surgically clean load area where the mini-tubs are more evident, as are the big fuel cell, battery and nitrous bottle...
THANKS TO: My Dad Goran for helping control the build process. Anthony Vella for all the custom bits and putting the car together. Matt and Yugi at YES Smash Repairs for the tubs and paintwork. Matt from JNT Performance for all the aluminium work. Justin and Chris from Russo Performance for the engine and tune. Peter from Pit Stop Resto’s for the diff. Joe from J Performance for the transmission build. Adam from Hammertime Auto Electrics for all the wiring. 90
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ON ANY SUNDAY
2021 ALL COMMODORE DAY - DANDENONG SHOWGROUNDS WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – LAUREN @ XPOSED PHOTOGRAPHY DRONE PHOTO - JEREMIE LISON
Making Their
e u q r a M
Even the threat of rain wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of those entrants that were part of the first All Commodore Day.
I’m really surprised that this type of event hadn’t been held before. Mind you, event promoter Michael Stephens had tried a couple of times before, but the Covid issues raised their heads forcing him to abort the event, until Sunday, May 16th where the first All Commodore Day was held at Dandenong Showgrounds.
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ON ANY SUNDAY
There’s no denying that the Commodore brand has been a firm favourite amongst Australian motorists from the very first VB right through to the series 2 VF. When the rebadged ZF Commodore was released onto the marketplace, Holden fans were in an uproar and instantly dismissed this model as being worthy of holding the Commodore name plate. Needless to say, entries closed off at the VF…
With plenty of highly modified Commodores on display, those with a thirst for horsepower were well catered for...
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ON ANY SUNDAY
Proving that the Commodore’s popularity is still at peak levels, 403 versions of Holden’s family Sedan, Wagon, Ute and Van made their way into the venue to put on a display well worth waiting for. And, as entry was free for spectators to take in the Day, there was a healthy crowd surrounding the cars all day. It certainly created a spectacle. With plenty of highly modified Commodores on display, those with a thirst for horsepower were well catered for, as were those who prefer original-spec HDT/HSV vehicles too. By all accounts, the first All Commodore Day was a huge success. Bring on 2022 when the Melbourne event returns, but there’s alsop the possibilty of the All Commodore Day expanding into other states too. Stay tuned.
Needless to say, entries closed off at the VF…
WHO WON WHAT?
RARE SPARES REAL RESTORATION Dave Hammond – VK SS RARE SPARES REAL STREET Daniel Kirby – VK HDT Calais BEST VB-VL Matt Smoores – VK Sedan BEST VN-VS Todd Bazely – VN SS BEST VT-VZ Ash Brown – VY Sedan BEST VE-VF Diane Hilton – VF HSV
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FULL PIT ACCESS OOPS, MY BAD…
In the Racers Profile last issue, a simple click of the mouse resulted in the wrong picture being used for Ali Sead. This is actually Ali! Last issue’s pic was a crew member. My apologies for the muck up…
SIX-PACK TO GO!
The recent Jamboree held in Sydney produced some amazing ET’s over the weekend, with many people running their person best times. One Torana though surprised many, with a turbo six under the bonnet stopping the timers at 7.37-secs at 195mph! Ryan Holz’s LC is not only quick thanks to its high-horsepower 2JZ engine swap, but it also features detailing like a seasoned show car. The tubbed Torana blistered down the Sydney quarter mile on Saturday night to record is best time ever after Ryan and his crew were working through some issues that had hampered their runs up until that point.
VIDEO OF THE MONTH
Oklahoma Pro-Street Racing - Urban Hillbilly Video’s.
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OUTLAW DRAG RADIAL TOP TEN LIST 1/8 MILE - OUTLAW 1. Wade Wagstaff 2. Kyle Hopf/Terry Seng 3. Steve Ham 4. Joe Gauci 5. Perry Bullivant 6. Craig Burns 7. Daniel Szabolics 8. Harley Hamilton 9. Ben Bray 10. John Ricca
3.790 @ 200.26mph 3.831 @ 204.94mph 3.837 @ 205.63mph 3.850 @ 201.00mph 3.860 @ 202.61mph 3.890 @ 192.92mph 3.890 @ 190.00mph 3.940 @ 197.00mph 3.959 @ 201.76mph 3.964 @ 199.49mph
1/8 MILE – 275 TYRE 1. Farrugia/Androutsos 2. Stu Henry 3. Tim Cross 4. Tony Webb 5. Michael Kalaitzakis 6. Sam Metro/Maatouk 7. Steve Bezzina 8. Sean Muscat 9. Matt McCarthy 10. Varun Sharman
4.155 @ 186.12mph 4.196 @ 176.80mph 4.290 @ 178.95mph 4.347 @ 177.42mph 4.363 @ 186.02mph 4.422 @ 175.25mph 4.436 @ 171.71mph 4.437 @ 168.22mph 4.450 @ 168.75 mph 4.470 @ 16.736 mph
¼ MILE - OUTLAW 1. Joe Gauci 2. Sam Metro/Maatouk 3. Farrugia/Androutsos 4. Daniel Nunziante 5. Dom Luppino 6. Profab/Forster 7. Perry Bullivant 8. Mark Leake 9. Steve Bezzina 10. Harley Hamilton
6.052 @ 241.50mph (315) 6.472 @ 219.94mph (275) 6.557 @ 215.93mph (275) 6.580 @ 228mph 6.600 @ 230mph (315) 6.620 @ 192mph (315) 6.670 @ 217mph (315) 6.700 @ 220mph (315) 6.723 @ 208.88mph (275) 6.782 @ 168mph (315)
¼ MILE – 275 TYRE 1. Sam Metro/Maatouk 2. Farrugia/Androutsos 3. Steve Bezzina 4. Varun Sharma 5. Tim Cross 6. Nader/Maatouk 7. Joe Gauci 8. Robert Marjan 9. Frank Tarabay 10. Danny Busbridge
6.472 @ 219.94mph 6.557 @ 215.93mph 6.723 @ 208.88mph 6.790 @ 212.16mph 6.800 @ 214.00mph 6.840 @ 209.00mph 6.850 @ 215.00mph 6.868 @ 204.20mph 6.940 @ 204.00mph 6.940 @ 199.64mph
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FULL PIT ACCESS
RACER PROFILE
WHAT’S ON WHERE?
SYDNEY DRAGWAY www.sydneydragway.com Jul 3 Grudge Kings
Every Wednesday Night - Aeroflow Race 4 Real HIDDEN VALLEY DRAG STRIP www.hiddenvalleydrags.com July 16/17 Top End Nationals STEEL CITY DRAG CLUB www.steelcitydrags.com SUNSET STRIP MILDURA www.sunsetstrip.org.au Aug 21-22 Nostalgia Drags Sept 18-19 Summit Racing Sportsman Sept 24-26 Sunset Strip Junior Nationals BENARABY DRAGWAY www.benarabydragway.com June 26 Rnd 4 CQDRA Champs July 24 Rnd 5 CQDRA Champs
CALLING ALL TOUGH STREET CAR OWNERS
If you have a tough street car that is“legal”to cruise on the street, would you take it on an extended cruise? How far? How’s 1200klms over six-days sound? OK, so now I have your interest, why not think about joining the first Performance Street Car Road Trip that’s happening from 17th-22nd October 2022. Kicking off in Wollongong, the cruise will make its way through many regional towns before ending in Ballarat with a massive show and shine. We’ll be raising money and awareness for Men’s Mental Health issues through the good folks at GOTCHA4LIFE. And don’t worry if you’re worried about keeping fuel up to your ride, there’s plenty of fuel stops along the way, and we’ll only be doing a couple of hundred kilometres a day. Get more info at www.pscmag. com.au or jump onto the official Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pscroadtrip
SOUTH COAST RACEWAY www.southcoastraceway.com.au No Events Listed. PERTH MOTORPLEX www.motorplex.com.au Every Wednesday – Whoop Ass Wednesday
October 17th - 22nd, 2022
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OCCUPATION: Company Director VEHICLE: Ford Mustang ProMod DRIVELINE: Twin-turbo Proline 481X BEST ET & MPH: 1/4 mile - 5.50@274 - the fastest and quickest door car in the country! MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT IN RACING: Winning Grudge Kings 2019 racing against the baddest Doorslammers in the country. FIERCEST COMPETITOR: Everyone who lines up beside me.
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
SPRINGMOUNT RACEWAY www.springmountraceway.com June 19 – Track Championship Round 2 + Test & Tune WILLOWBANK RACEWAY www.willowbankraceway.com.au Jun 10-13 Gulf Western Oils Winternationals Aug 28 2021 Qld Drag Racing Championships
NAME: Greg Tsakiridis
FAVOURITE PLACE TO RACE: Sydney Dragway. FAVOURITE CLASS TO WATCH: ProMod CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Owning and driving a badd-ass ProMod!
www.pscmag.com.au
HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED YET? GO TO www.pscmag.com.au DO IT NOW! IT’S FREE!
FUTURE PLANS: Being one of the guys behind the ProMod class to make it the number one class in the country! WORDS TO LIVE BY: Never give up! There is no such thing as “I can’t!” 101
FULL PIT ACCESS
5-SECOND CLUB EXPANDS AT A RAPID RATE
There’s been a spate of drivers breaking into the 5-second club lately, as more and more people debut slicker cars, get on top of their tunes and do the right chassis tweeks to agree with the new surface laid at Sydney Dragway. Check out the list of the newest members of the exclusive 5-second Club! CRAIG BURNS - MUSTANG 5.97@234 JOE GAUCI - MUSTANG 5.85@252 JOE MURINO - CORVETTE 5.92@234 JEREMY CALLAGHAN - CAMARO 5.78@258 SZABOLICS / MARCHESE - FIREBIRD 5.98@210 CARL COX - MUSTANG 5.92@246 FRANK TARABAY - TOYOTA SCION 5.94@241 GERRY SARAFOGLOU - MUSTANG 5.95@252 Congrats to all who have stepped up and run PB’s to get into the 5-second zone. So who is going to be next? With so many drivers running very low 6’s now, its really only a matter of time before this club welcomes a bunch of new members...
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Bucket Load Of Paul Tabone started building this wild T-Bucket when he was just 15-years old. 31-years later, he still gets a buzz from driving it!
FUN
PAUL TABONE - 1923 T-BUCKET WORDS / PICS - PAUL BECK 104
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Whilst most 15-year olds are trying to keep their hormones in check and spending most weekends at (supervised) parties, Paul was in the shed toiling away on his very first car – this ’23 Ford T-Bucket, knowing that when it was done, he would be cruising the street in style. It may have taken some seven years of work to finish initially, but when it did emerge from the home garage, Paul’s T-Bucket was one of the toughest around. With a firm plan in place of how he wanted the ’23 to look like when finished, the impressionable young Paul got stuck into the basic T-Bucket frame. Paul fitted the pointy end with a chromed drop axle that utilises a inverted leaf spring, EH Holden steering assembly and HQ disc brakes with
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calipers sourced from the same donor car. At the opposing end, Paul opted to go with a Jag rear-end – a popular choice, even today. As the T-Bucket sports a very short rear-end, the diff assembly is fully exposed, and you know what they say, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!” With that in mind, the crusty old Jag diff was stripped down, fully detailed and put back together. With inboard disc’s and coil-over shocks, the Jag rear screams “look at me!” Mind you, the wheelie-bars don’t hurt the visuals either! Keeping the chassis rolling are 15x6 and 15x10 Cragar Draglite wheels wrapped in cross-ply tyres up front and big Mickey Thompson’s on the rear, giving the Bucket that undeniable ProStreet look.
You can imagine just how that would feel when all of those ponies were unleashed through a very light hot rod. I reckon it would be bordering on scary.
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With the frame sorted, it was time to partially cover it with the body. Starting with a Gel Coat body and pickup section, Paul trial mounted both sections up to the chassis to make sure everything fit just how it should, before he even went anywhere near the spray gun. Happy with the fitment, Paul prepped the fibreglass panels in readiness for colour. The great thing about building a T-Bucket is that there’s not much to paint. Not wanting to follow any trends, Paul stayed away from black and red, deciding upon Aqua Marine – a colour (and paint job) that still adorns the Bucket today and still looks the goods. Unlike the paint, the original upholstery has been replaced. Trimmed in tan leather with cool snake skin accents and alloy strips, Paul gave trimmer Darren a free reign on the redesign of the T’s interior space. No doubt, Darren took this to be as creative as he wanted to be, covering the custom seat, side panels and pickup top in a custom pattern before adding a custom centre console with cup holders and an alloy dash facia filled with AutoMeter gauges to keep well informed from the driver’s seat. Darren also added a snake skin cover to the base of that tiny, deep dish steering wheel to extend the theme to the column. There’s also a Kenwood sound system in it, so Paul can share his cruising tunes with everyone within ear shot – if they can hear it over the engine and open pipes that is!
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As the T-Bucket sports a very short rear-end, the diff assembly is fully exposed, and you know what they say, “If you’ve got it, flaunt it!”
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Speaking of the engine, Paul has always had big block’s powering the lightweight ’23, with various different combo’s being bolted up to the chassis over the many years he has been cruising the T. When it first appeared under its own power, the Bucket sported a stroked 454 cube Chev. After he grew tired of the aspirated horsepower, Paul installed another 454, but this time it
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was topped with a 6/71 blower making around 700hp. Whilst that combo provided plenty of smiles, Paul was far from done. The next engine was built by Sam Fenech at Westend Performance and was, yes another 454! The blower size was increased to an 8/71 and the big block Chev was kitted out with much better internals. On Sam’s dyno, that engine pumped out 870hp!
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You can imagine just how that would feel when all of those ponies were unleashed through a very light hot rod. I reckon it would be bordering on scary. Those big old Mickey’s would never stand a chance. Knowing that he’d surpassed the T-Bucket’s limits with that engine, Paul pulled it from its mounts and dropped it into the Pro-Street ’34 Coupe he is currently building. Soon taking its place was a single carb big block. Whilst not as wild as its predecessor, the 4-bolt big block was far from stock and performed well, but Paul just couldn’t get over the fact that there was no longer a big polished blower topping the fat block Chev, so he made the call, adding an 6/71 Weiand supercharger and dual 600 Holley carbs to the aspirated engine. The increase in power was amazing, and the looks, well they speak for themselves. Backing the blown big block is a built Turbo 400 auto with tougher internals and a 4500rpm Dominator converter. Gear selections are made via a B&M shifter.
After 30-years of slipping in behind the wheel, Paul is pretty content with how the Bucket now looks and performs...
After 30-years of slipping in behind the wheel, Paul is pretty content with how the Bucket now looks and performs, and is now getting stuck into the new pro-street Coupe project. No, he won’t be parting with the Bucket but if this is anything to go by, the Coupe is going to be pretty special. Keep an eye for updates soon…
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KILLER PIC
Pro-Street Legend Tristan Ockers - Pro-Street Capri
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PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Advertise your business here from just $55 per month* * Based on 6-month Booking @ 1/8 page size.
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WINDOW SHOPPING SOUTH COAST RADIATORS T-SHIRTS
These limited edition, new design T-shirts are now available from Rick and the team at South Coast Radiators. Prized at $35 including shipping within Australia, these shirts come in both black and white with sizes ranging from medium to 4XL. To order yours, contact the guys at 02 4283 1547 or at www.southcoastraditors.com
INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION FROM SUPERFORMANCE
Built in house at their massive facility, Superformance fabricates these front ends to suit LH-LX-UC Torana’s,48-52 Ford Pickups, 53-56 and 73-79 F100’s, 63-72 Chev C10, 73-87 Chev’s with many more to come. If you have a particular vehicle you’d like to upgrade the front suspension on, give the guys at Superformance a call on (07) 3488 7831 to see if they can fabricate one to suit your application. Then jump onto their informative website to see what else they have on offer! www.superformance.com.au
NITROUS OUTLET RECHARGEABLE BATTERY MOUNT
NEW REDMAX RANGE FROM R&J BATTERIES
R&J Batteries are introducing a new range of accessories – REDMAX. Available from all R&J Batteries branches the product range currently includes Battery Terminal Brushes, Digital Multimeters and a Solar Power Bank. Custom sourced from around the world these products have been selected to meet the needs of the Australian market and provide the best support to your battery or application. The REDMAX Solar Power Bank is the latest addition to the range, combining a portable battery pack, wireless phone charger and solar panel. With 3 charging ports and the ability to recharge using the inbuilt solar cell, it makes a handy companion for any adventure. For more information head to www.rjbatt.com.au/ redmax or contact your closest R&J Batteries branch on 1300 769 282
New from Nitrous Outlet comes this battery mount that allows you to connect your bottle heater and keep it off the vehicle battery. CNC Machined in billet aluminium and anodised black, the mount features a terminal block made from PA12 Nylon, ensuring its fully insulated from the billet base. The terminal features 12-inch long wiring pigtails. This unit accepts the readily available Milwaukee M18 battery pack. This unit can also be mounted to the roll cage using a billet roll bar mount, sold separately. SKU: 00-67000-MI To order your mount, or to get some further information, contact Marcus and the team at SpeedPro on 03 97945177 or go online at www.speedpro.com.au
CERAMIC COFFEE MUGS FROM PRIZED PIECES
If you’re looking for a gift that’s both cool and practical, Prized Pieces has just the ticket. These automotive themed ceramic Coffee mugs display your favourite brand on both sides, with the insides featuring a complimenting colour. Dishwasher friendly to 50-degrees celcius, these 375ml mugs are the perfect gift priced at just $12-each plus delivery is required. EFTPOS is available. Check out the full range at www.prizedpieces. com.au and order yours before they are all gone.
COMING EVENTS 2021
JUNE 9-13 QLD - COOLY ROCKS ON JULY Coolangatta, QLD 10 NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS www.coolyrockson.com Wetherill Park 12 NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS 24 NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park Sydney Motorsport Park 13 NSW - BRASHER NATS 25 NSW - SUBLIME CARS Sydney Dragway Sublime Point, Bulli Tops 11am - 2pm 13 NT - CRUISE FOR A CAUSE - DARWIN www.cruiseforthe cause.com.au 25 NSW - ALL FORD DAY Sydney Dragway 20 NSW - GM DAY www.allforddaynsw.com Museum of Fire, Penrith 31 NSW - ALL HOLDEN DAY SWAP 27 NSW - SUBLIME CARS Hawksbury Showground Sublime Point, Bulli Tops www.nswallholdenday.com.au 11am-2pm AUGUST 30 NSW - BEAT THE BLUE 1 NSW - ALL HOLDEN DAY Sydney Motrsport Park Hawksbury Showground 6pm - 10pm www.nswallholdenday.com.au JULY 1 NSW - SUNDAZE CRUISE NIGHT 3 NSW - GRUDGE KINGS Guzman V Gomez - Penrith Sydney Dragway www.grudgekings.net 14 NSW - CARS UNDER THE STARS Wetherill Park 4 NSW - ALL AMERICAN DAY Macarthur Square Shopping Centre 14/15 NSW - T-BUCKET NATIONALS Campbelltown Hawksbury Showgrounds www.nsw.mustang.org.au 21/22 NSW - KILLER RIDES LIVE #4 4 NSW - SUNDAZE CRUISE NIGHT Illawarra Indoor Hockey Centre Guzman v Gomez - Penrith Waples Rd, Unanderra 5pm - 9pm www.pscmag.com.au 120
35th NSW All Holden Day Sunday August 1st, 2021
www.nswallholdenday.com.au
PARTING SHOT See you next Issue!
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VALUED CONTRIBUTORS
Lauren Jade @ Xposed Photography Tim McCormack @ Sweet Aussie Rides Chad Silvey @ Pics by Chaddo Leisa Bonnici @ Fordgal Images Blake Williamson @ Insane Grunt Photography John Antoniw @ 9000rpm Photography Jimmy Tee Photography Greg ‘Beach’ Ball - Joe Crispin - Jason Lowe Luke Hunter @ Hunter Media Charlie Sant @ Pro Flo Performance Gary Rosier - www.carsplaneslandscapes.com
