11 minute read
WHAT’S HAPPENING News, views and things of interest
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 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
PRO STREET RESTORATIONS - 1967 ELEANOR MUSTANG
WORDS - PAUL BECK PICS - GREG ‘BEACH’ BALL
Next Level
ELEANOR
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 SMOOTHED ENGINE BAY AND UNDERSIDE
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.
14-INCH WILWOOD DISC BRAKES 6-SPOT & 4-SPOT CALIPERS
ELEANOR-SPEC WHEELS
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.
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.
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...
SHOWPONY
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!
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.
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.
With 4-years worth of work poured into his jaw-dropping coupe, Anthony couldn’t have asked for more.
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 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.
