RIGHT: The 289 has been rebuilt and treated to a bunch of new goodies, including alloy heads, a single fourbarrel and billet rocker covers replacing the Morosos The Muzzy as it appeared in SM, June 1986 (with Rob Beauchamp’s Torana on the cover!), fresh from winning Top Coupe at the 7th Street Machine Nationals. No doubt the car is better to drive wihtout the tunnel ram, but man, did it look tough! STREET MACHINE 101
friends of Carol and David Ryan of Rare Spares and met at David’s 30th. VR: After we started going out, I built an XT Fairmont for Jan, which was sold off to build the Mustang. Ever thought of selling the Mustang? JH: Never! When we moved house, it had no carpets. Victor’s mum kept saying, “Sell the car, buy some carpet.” But no, we lived with bare concrete floors for years rather than sell it. We’re going to hand it down to Raewyn, even though BMWs are more her thing. However, her husband Dion is very happy to take it, along with all of our other cars – he loves them! VR: You never sell them. Once you’ve built a nice car and sell it, you’ll never replace it – you’ll never have another one again. What’s been the reaction to the car over the years? JH: I’ve had old boyfriends come looking for me at shows to say hi after recognising the car. Also, for years I’d be out picking up parts for the shop, and I’d see a big poster of the Mustang in reception – it was kinda weird. VR: We’ve met so many really nice people through the car world. People like Dave Ryan and Alan Hale, plus many other lifelong friends. It’s a real ice-breaker; people will come up to talk to you about your car. It’s still in fantastic condition! JH: We gave it a mini-rebuild about 10 years ago. Victor made it more driver friendly; he nanna-fied it for me. I am, after all, 72 now! VR: Yeah, after years and years in storage, all the chrome had corroded and the paint and lost its pop. Steven from Bucket Panels repainted it [in XD/XE Blaze Yellow], and I got my good friend David Young at Huntingdale Electroplating to redo all the chrome. The engine was rebuilt with alloy heads, new cam and the original tunnel ram swapped for a single four, without any loss of power. The trans was also rebuilt, the diff got a new ratio and we added power rack-and-pinion steering and air conditioning. There’s also billet rocker covers, billet bonnet hinges and an alloy radiator to stop it from getting hot. Inside, there’s km/h Dakota gauges and a powerful Pioneer sound system, while a Mustang console and T-bar shifter replace the old B&M. The carpets have been replaced, but it’s still the same trim. JH: It wasn’t an easy car to drive, but now it drives beautifully – 20-25 miles to the gallon, cruising with air con on, the stereo blasting, one hand on the steering wheel. It’s really lovely. Who drives it more these days? JH: I still love driving it. However, Victor looks after it and drives it more often than I do. I understand ‘JANS66’ is the only Ford in garage? JH: Yep. VR: I had a really nice FC Holden back in the day, and I just seem to build Chevs – probably built 50 cars over the years. I’m still building cars; always got four or five on the go at any one time. We’ve got a ’64 Impala hardtop that we use for weddings and formals, and I’m nearly finished a ’64 Corvette Stingray. It’s going to be very nice; it’s got an 800hp supercharged LS in it. Ever thought about taking the Mustang back to Canberra for Summernats? JH: Canberra in January is hard for us, as that time of year is all about family. These days, we prefer driving it to showing it. WE GAVE IT A MINI-REBUILD ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO. VICTOR NANNA-FIED IT FOR ME. I AM, AFTER ALL, 72 NOW! 102 STREET MACHINE
INSIDE: The trim job by the Authentic Leather Company 40-odd years ago has held up beautifully! A set of Dakota Digital gauges monitor the vitals, while the old B&M shifter was replaced by an easy-to-use T-bar ABOVE: Victor’s fuel-injected, 350-Chev powered, Candy Apple Red FC Holden was one of the toughest cars of the early days of street machining and appeared in the very first mag to wear the SM name – Van Wheels & Street Machine, Aug-Sep 1981 STREET MACHINE 103
HE Honda K24 is the new hot ticket to major horsepower and reliability on the cheap, as you can pluck ’em straight from grandpa’s junker, throw some basic forged goodies in and boost them to the moon to enter the four-digit power club. That explains why Queenslander Brendon De Ruyter has slung one into his 1983 Toyota Celica to make a killer small-tyre drag-and-drive weapon. Brendon was less interested in the Celica itself than in its potential as a base for what he wanted to build. “They’d have to be one of the ugliest cars out there, but the wheelbase was right for what I wanted, and the engine bay had enough room for the K24 and turbo gear,” he says. “So, I got it from my mate and turned it into what it is now.” As the owner of the Auto Perfection workshop on the Gold Coast, Brendon had all the tools and know-how to get the entire driveline swap done. It wasn’t a simple job by any means, with the Sillycar copping a rear-end conversion to a nine-inch, as well as a whole new raised floor to accommodate both the diff and Powerglide transmission. The front of the car was also renovated to accept the north-south-converted K24 Honda mill, which involved changing the original front panels for ones pinched from an AE82 Corolla. “The Celica one had all the garbage for the flip-up headlights there, and I wanted the room for more important things,” Brendon explains. We’d argue that it makes the front far more presentable, too. Brendon also built the K24, and at Drag > BRENDON DE RUYTER COMBINED A HONDA K24 FOUR-POT AND AN UGLY 80S CELICA TO MAKE A 1200RWHP, SEVEN-SECOND DRAG-AND-DRIVE WEAPON DRAG CHALLENGE S T O R Y K I A N H E A G N E Y P H O T O S C H R I S T H O R O G O O D , S H A U N T A N N E R , N O A H T H O R L E Y & G R A N T S T E P H E N S 104 STREET MACHINE
The Celica team at DC 2022-’23 (L-R): Mark Terepai, Brendon, Cameron Humphrey and driver Dan Smith THE CELICA RAN SUCCESSFULLY ALL WEEK AT DRAG CHALLENGE TO FINISH SECOND IN CLASS AND WITH A BEST OF 8.38@164MPH STREET MACHINE 105
The G42 turbo dwarfs the Honda K24 four-pot, feeding it up to 47psi in full kill mode to crank out just over 1200rwhp LEFT: As part of the Toyota’s weight-shedding program post-DC, Brendon fitted some Billet Specialties Comp 7 wheels, as shown in this pic from Sydney Jamboree in May. The chrome units it was wearing at DC 2022- ’23 were American Racing AR172s 106 STREET MACHINE
Challenge 2022-’23 earlier this year, it was running a standard block and crank, steel BoostLine rods and Wiseco pistons. The standard head was CNC ported and runs a pair of Drag Cartel sticks, and hanging off the side of it is a G42 turbo. Using a Haltech Nexus R5 and sucking E85, the combo made a best of 1012rwhp in that form at a whopping 40psi. Testing before Drag Challenge yielded a best of 8.39@162mph, with Brendon’s good friend Dan Smith from Fab Lab behind the wheel, andBrendon then had the car shipped down to Victoria for our five-day torture test. He had to ditch his preferred 26x8.5 Mickey Thompson ET Radial Pros for 235-stamped versions (which use a different compound) to meet the rules of the Tuff Mounts 235 Blown class. Brendon once again had Dan do the driving at Drag Challenge, and the car ran successfully all week both on road and track to finish second in class and with a best of 8.38@164mph. The boys arguably would’ve topped the class had they not been forced to hand in an 11-second slip on Day One due to startline dramas, but second spot and a healthy car at the end of a torturous week was still a result most would sell their mother for. OncethecarwasbackupnorthinBrendon’s workshop, he and Dan began changing up the Celica in the quest for sevens. First, he turned his attention to weight. “People look at it and think it’s a light car, but it really isn’t,” he says. “Even after we got it 200lb lighter, it still weighs 1250kg with Dan in it.” The boys’ weight-shedding strategies included removing sound deadening, adding new Billet Specialities wheels, and the option of running the composite bonnet and bootlid panels that Brendon commissioned from Kapelke Kitcars. THEY’D HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE UGLIEST CARS OUT THERE, BUT THE WHEELBASE WAS RIGHT AND THE ENGINE BAY HAD ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE K24 AND TURBO GEAR STREET MACHINE 107
The other ingredient in the go-faster recipe was more power, obviously. While the engine had been a solid unit, Brendon threw in some new BME aluminium rods to replace the old steel ones to help futureproof the K24. The G42 turbo and everything else was still good to rock, so the boys turned the thing up to 1130rwhp and then headed to Sydney Jamboree in May. The hard work paid off, as the Celica ran a comfy trio of 7.8s during testing with Dan driving, the best being a 7.83@178mph on the softer ET Radial Pros. The boys were gunning to run7.8s during racing laterthatweekend, but their campaign was cut short when the head gasket blew out. “We just found the limits of E85,” Brendon says. “With that much boost, I was worried it was going to happen, and it did.” Replacing the head gasket was easy enough, but to prevent it from happening again, the Celica now runs methanol in full race trim. “We’re using FuelTech 520lb meth injectors and an Elixir electric pump for the methanol, and with the Nexus we can switch over to normal pump unleaded with the flick of a button without turning the car off,” says Brendon. “It’s like the good old days of switching between gas and petrol dual fuel, and Haltech reckons we’re the first to do it,” he says. Drinking the good stuff, the K24 got turned up to a whopping 47psi on the dyno at 101 Motorsport, resulting in a peak of 1210rwhp, spinning to 9500rpm.“We’ve gained 300hp in the mid-range, which’ll make a big difference on the track,” says Brendon. As for the Celica making a return to Drag Challenge, Brendon’s all for it. “We’ll bring it back,” he declares. “Dan will be driving again, and we’ll try and get that seven on those 235s.” Healsohintedthattheremightbeanevenspicier engine in the works – watch this space! BRENDON DE RUYTER 1983 TOYOTA CELICA Class: Tuff Mounts 235 Blown ENGINE Brand: Honda K24 Induction: KPower Industries ECU: Haltech Nexus R5 Turbo: G42 Head: Standard, CNC-ported Camshafts: Drag Cartel 003.2 Conrods: BME aluminium Pistons: Wiseco Crank: Standard Oil pump: Standard Fuel system: Elixir 1380 pump, FuelTech injectors Cooling: PWR radiator Exhaust: 4in dump Ignition: Haltech IGN-1A TRANSMISSION Gearbox: Powerglide Converter: SDE Diff: 9in, 31-spline axles, 3.9:1 gears WHEELS & TYRES Rims: Billet Specialties Comp 7; 15x3.5 (f), 15x10 (r) Rubber: Nankang 165/80R15 (f), Mickey Thompson 26x8.50R15(r) THANKS Fab Lab; 101 Motorsport; Soteria Industries; Top Level Projects; Wheel Nation; Burson Auto Parts; Auto Parts Supply; Kapelke Kitcars; Australian Rod & Custom Components PEOPLE THINK IT’S A LIGHT CAR, BUT IT REALLY ISN’T. EVEN AFTER WE GOT IT 200LB LIGHTER, IT STILL WEIGHS 1250KG WITH DAN IN IT 108 STREET MACHINE
Tuff Mounts 2-4 Denis St, St Marys South Australia 08 8374 0011 www.tuffmounts.com.au TUFF MOUNTS SUPPORT YOU & THE AUSSIE CAR SCENE Support Local and Support those that Support You!
IN THE BUILD RICHARD BRADFORD LJ TORANA “HERE is my current little project, a 1972 Holden LJ Torana I’ve dubbed PRHBTD. It started life as a standard SL sedan when I got it back in 2017, and has undergone some major surgery since then. In the rear, I had the factory fuel tank removed and added a new boot floor, mini-tubs and a custom-made drop tank. Brakes have been upgraded and converted to VT 330mm discs up front, and a Hopper Stoppers custom nine-inch discbrake conversion in the rear. It runs an LS1 and four-speed auto from a 2004 Monaro, which is a pretty basic set-up for now, but I have individual throttlebodies, a camshaft and a stall converter all ready to go in. The interior includes new Auto Meter gauges in an XU-1 dash cluster. I’m going through the stages to get the car road-legal here in New Zealand, and am busting at the seams to get behind the wheel and hit some roads.” KIWI FRUIT 110 STREET MACHINE
LUKE GERDES HT HOLDEN WAGON “I’M 15 years old, and this is my 1970 Holden HT Kingswood wagon that I’ve built with my dad. We bought it as a rolling shell back in 2016 and have only just finished it after a six-year build. She’s running a standard 173 Holden six backed by a Trimatic. It’s still stock, so I can drive it on my P-plates without being hassled. Don’t be fooled, though; that doesn’t mean it’s all standard! It has been mini-tubbed to fit a 26x12.00R15 rear tyre on the Billet Specialties wheels, and runs a nine-inch diff. This has been a full nut-andbolt resto, and there have been many hours spent out in the shed after work and school to get this car to where it is today. I couldn’t be happier with how it has come out. I’d like to thank my family and all the people who have helped along the way. Only a couple more months until I’ll be able to drive her out on the street, and I can’t wait!” LUKE-ING GOOD! DANIELLE WOOD “ 1 T 9 HI 6 S i 3 s my F 1 O 96 R 3 D THUNDERBIRD Ford Thunderbird project. I’m currently an auto electrical apprentice, and I originally purchased the ’Bird to practise my trade on. So far I have a new interior for it in the original pink, which I bought from SMS Auto Fabrics in the States. The original 390ci FE big-block V8 has had a quick freshen-up and been painted in metallic gold, and I have engineering approval for the airbags to get her to sit nice and low. The plan is to build it into a 60s-style mild custom in the original factory shade of pink, with some flake and candy patterns on the roof to set it off nicely.” ’BIRD IS THE WORD GOT a sweet ride that’s currently in the build? Send photos of it along with some details to: In The Build, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170, or email [email protected]. Please note: Send us copies of your prints as we are unable to return photos. STREET MACHINE 111
IN THE BUILD MATTHEW KNOWLES WH HOLDEN STATESMAN “HERE’S my 2002 WH Statesman, a car I bought from the Wagga Wagga Shire Council as a full grandpa-spec machine. It’s currently undergoing some big changes, with a full build on the LS1 with ITBs, a Paul Rogers transmission behind it and 3.7:1 gears in the rear end. Everything inside and out, including the paint and panel, has been replaced or restored; we’re going balls deep with this one!” STATESMAN-LIKE BEHAVIOUR ENRICO BIANCHINI VB COMMODORE b “I e A ca M m 1 e 6 in ye te a r r e s s o te ld d and in my first year of my panel-beating apprenticeship. I in cars from a very young age, as my whole family are car m fa o n n a t t h ic s s , . I I p g u o r t c m ha y s f e ir d st m jo y b fi at 14 and saved up my money, and in just under 12 and needed a lot of work d r o s n t car, this 1979 VB Commodore. The car didn’t start e to it, so I started saving hard, and each fortnight t I h w e o n u p ld ai p d u t t o s h o a m v e e t i h t i s n a g n t d o - w bl a a r s ds the car. So far I have stripped it on my own, and the process of tubbing it m ted and undercoated/primed. I am currently in get unveiled at Summernat yself. My goal is to have a Top 60 elite car that can and newly acquired skills, s. I believe that with my hard work, determination I can achieve this goal some day.” SEE YOU AT SUMMERNATS 112 STREET MACHINE
LEIGH WALKER ULTIMA GTR “THIS is my 2000 Ultima GTR supercar that I’m currently building into a mid-engined machine with a good old Aussie Ford Barra engine! This is (I believe) the first of its kind. It was originally built by Dick Johnson Racing as a track car, and I purchased it with damage. I fixed it, drove it around for a bit and then decided to pull it down and turn it into the monster it is now. The Barra engine will have an 88/88 turbo, with goals of around 1500hp. The engine is placed in the car backwards, with a 10-degree angle to help centre the weight distribution. It has a custom CNC-machined billet 6061 transfer case with four straight-cut gears to allow a two-speed Reid-cased Powerglide, mounted alongside the engine facing back to the fabricated live-axle sheet-metal diff with a four-link and billet Watt’s linkage. It runs AP Racing brakes all ’round under 15x15 wheels, and has a new chrome-moly rear chassis section. I’m currently taking new moulds to produce the body in carbon to make it even lighter. I hope to get it in the Top 10 at Summernats and also win some MotorEx engineering awards.” BARRA SUPERCAR JAYDEN DEIGHTON WB HOLDEN UTE “JUST before COVID kicked off, I bought this 1984 WB ute for cheap. It was originally going to be put away, but once I got it home, I was inspired. I did a quick rebuild so I could use it, with the goal of rebuilding it to a better standard later on. In late 2022, I started the proper rebuild, and I had always wanted a blue 202 with a built red head and triple carbs. With that in mind, I salvaged a 10-bolt Salisbury diff from my dad’s WB Tonner after it was written-off in an accident. I rebuilt the diff and also tracked down an M22 gearbox. Then I started on the body, learning how to weld on my first big build; it was definitely daunting, but it had to be done. I’m looking forward to painting it; the colour will be Flamenco Red, which is its original shade.” FIRST TIMER STREET MACHINE 113
IRON MAIDEN S T O R Y C A R L Y D A L E P H O T O S T R O Y B A R K E R ZSA ZSA BIACSI > BAROSSA VALLEY, SOUTH AUSTRALIA ZSA Zsa Biacsi has been a keen revhead since she was a young lass, and is a willing wrench-turner on her stable of rides. There’s too many of them to feature here, so we focused on the hot rod she can be found piloting most weekends at car events across SA – her chopped and channelled ’26 Model T coupe dubbed FIDDY. How’d you get into hot rods? Growing up, my brother and I were always going to the drags and Rowley Park Speedway. Then I built a 302ci Clevelandpowered ’29 Dodge roadster when I was in my 20s. That took me about two years to build, with help from my brother. That was in the early 80s, and I sold the Dodge a few years later. I still see it around to this day, but the new owner won’t sell it back, as he reckons it’s the best hot rod he’s ever had! And you’ve had a few other cars since? After going to the drags and seeing Mustangs out there, I fell in love with them. I’ve now owned three Mustangs and still own the ’67 coupe I bought 27 years ago. I’ve also had a few hot rods and currently own a fully fendered ’32 Ford three-window coupe, and my ’26 Model T coupe, which I bought around 2019. How’d you come across your T? I’m always looking at cars for sale, and this came up in WA, so a mate and I flew over for a look. There were a couple of things that 114 STREET MACHINE
Girls — wanna be famous? Send pics, car details and contact details to: Iron Maiden, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170. Or email: streetmachine@ wheelsmedia.com.au. THE FINNED CORVETTE ROCKER COVERS, EDDIE MEYER FUEL BLOCK AND RAMS-HORN HEADERS GIVE IT A TRADITIONAL HOT ROD LOOK STREET MACHINE 115
needed doing, but overall I liked the T, so I bought it and had it shipped back to Adelaide. Have you done much to it? A few things for registration purposes, and the engine had a knock, so I had Joe Schirripa rebuild the 283ci Chevy. It’s now stroked to 316ci, and runs Speed Pro pistons and a Crane H288 cam, with twin Edelbrock four-barrel carbs on top. The finned Corvette rocker covers, along with the Eddie Meyer fuel block, rams-horn headers and old-school-looking PowerGEN alternator, give it a traditional hot rod look. Sounds like it’s got some poke! Yeah, I don’t have anything that’s stock! I think it’s from always going to the drags; I need to have a bit of grunt. My ’32 five-window coupe has a 600hp 383ci – that’s a toughie. I know how to drive it without getting in trouble, but I’m keen on making it handle even better. How did your FIDDY Model T get its name? That’s from the previous owner, Dave Wright, who owns the Fiddy Customs workshop in WA. I like the name and the car’s heritage, so I kept it. What’s next? I’m still looking at cars! I’m keen on a highboy hot rod, and I recently looked at a couple for sale. I might even sell my Mustang to buy one. But I’m not interested in selling either of my hot rods. And as for FIDDY, I’ll leave that one as is – it’s a bit iconic. 116 STREET MACHINE
I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING THAT’S STOCK! I THINK IT’S FROM ALWAYS GOING TO THE DRAGS; I NEED TO HAVE A BIT OF GRUNT STREET MACHINE 117
SLEEPERS S T O R Y K I A N H E A G N E Y P H O T O S S T E V E K E L L Y T HE BARRA versus LS rivalry has been a mainstay of Australia’s modified car scene for close to two decades, but in the Japanese tuner scene, a much longerbattle hasbeen raging,withNissan’sRB and the Toyota JZ vying for force-fed straightsix supremacy. Chris Ethell’s VL Commodore kicks that rivalry up a notch, taking one of the most revered RB-powered cars of all time and slapping 1000rwhp worth of 2JZ under the bonnet. “I’d say most people aren’t that angry about it, but I have had some purists get upset at me,” Chris says. “I will admit it was on the cards to upset people with the JZ.” If it’s any consolation to the RB faithful, Chris did initially have intentions of putting a hot RB25 turbo and manual into the VL. “I was going to replicate another VL I previously had with an RB20 that was also very unassuming, but after I bought this new VL, I decided I’d rather have the car remain an auto,” he says. “So, the RB stuff went into an S14, and then Scott Hoffman talked me into a JZ for the VL.” A basic, non-turbo 2JZ-GE engine was duly sourced and turned into a 920rwhp weapon on the cheap, thanks to head studs, GTE head gasket and oil pump, HKS 280 cams, a Link ECU and the same GTX42 turbo it has now. “We knew it was a stock-bottom-end combo that’d work, but then we got a bad batch of fuel at Powercruise and ended up bending a rod after I ignored the ECU safety cuts,” Chris laughs. Replacing the bent rod called for a set of Spool I-beams, along with some CP pistons to match. The crank is still standard, and the GE head and HKS sticks were carried over. The hot side uses a 6boost manifold and the > CHRIS ETHELL’S VL COMMODORE MAKES 1000RWHP WITH A JAPANESE INLINE SIX, BUT THERE’S NO RB TO BE SEEN CROSS POLLINATION 118 STREET MACHINE
Got a car that looks mild, but goes wild? Send pics, car details and contact details to: Sleepers, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170. Or email: streetmachine@ wheelsmedia.com.au. ENGINE BAY: Chris kept any Toyota markings off the JZ to keep people who are none the wiser guessing, but the turbo on the opposite side is a dead giveaway to any RB or VL diehard BELOW: Chris’s mate Jake had a bunch of very loosely translated warning labels printed up, and Chris felt it was an appropriately tongue-in-cheek OEM-esque sticker for the top of the JZ STREET MACHINE 119
GTX42 turbo, with the boost crammed through a Plazmaman intake and throttlebody. With E85 and singing to around 8000rpm, the 2J made a best of 1025rwhp at 36psi. “That’s the turbo maxxed out, but I don’t think the minister of affairs will approve the bill for another one,” laughs Chris. The rest of the driveline comprises a transbraked Powerglide ’box and (believe it or not) the original Borgy rear end. “It has billet axles and all that, but I’m still too scared to use the transbrake,” Chris says. The car has run abestof9.5@145mph,making 750rwhp on a low boost setting of 23psi, which is about all the 235s will take. “This car was a nice original example when I got it, so I don’t want to cut it up to put tubs and a fancy rear end in it,” says Chris. Same goes for a rollcage, so Chris is pretty limited with how quick he can go at the strip, but he’s okay with that. After all, Chris built the VL more as a tough streeter than a drag machine, and if you’re local to the Bundaberg region of Queensland, odds are you’ve seen it prowling the streets. “I take it out at least once a weekend,” Chris says. “It’s a great cruiser that even my wife can drive, which is more what I built it for. It’s also fully engineered for every mod it has, so it’s a perfect streeter.” As for future plans for the VL, Chris just wants to enjoy it as-is. “It was never meant to go this far, so I won’t be spending more money on it,” he says. He did reveal that the the VR Commodore currently sitting in his paddock is slowly winning him over for a cheeky LS1 turbo combo, so the VL may not be the last sleeper we see Chris roll out of his stable! TOP TRIO THIS VL is Chris’s third car to appear in our Sleepers section, the first being his 9sec 1UZ-swapped KE20 Corolla (December 2015), and the other his properly cool 1JZ-swapped Mitsubishi L300 tradie van (September 2018). He admits he’s a real sucker for sleepers, so it’s no surprise the VL has been built in the same vein. I’D SAY MOST PEOPLE AREN’T THAT ANGRY ABOUT IT, BUT I HAVE HAD SOME PURISTS GET UPSET AT ME PAINT: A quick blowover of the VL’s original colours turned into a mini-resto, with Chris’s mates Jake Beazley and Todd Wilson tearing the whole car apart and turning it around for a full respray in just two weeks 120 STREET MACHINE
INTERIOR: The VL still retains all the original interior in primo nick. The only real giveaway to the major grunt up front is the B&M shifter hidden within the factory centre console, which also has a transbrake button for company CHRIS ETHELL 1986 HOLDEN COMMODORE VL EXECUTIVE Paint: White Gold ENGINE Brand: Toyota 2JZ-GE Induction: Plazmaman ECU: Link G4 Turbo: Garrett GTX42/94 Head: Standard GE Camshafts: HKS 280 Conrods: Spool I-beam Pistons: CP forged Crank: Standard Oil pump: GTE Fuel system: Surge tank, 2200cc injectors Cooling: Copper radiator, SPAL fan Exhaust: 6boost manifold, 3.5in system Ignition: R35 coil packs TRANSMISSION Gearbox: Kiprios Performance Powerglide Converter: TCE 5000rpm Diff: BorgWarner, 31-spline axles, Harrop Truetrac, 3.45:1 gears SUSPENSION & BRAKES Front: King Springs FE2 springs, Koni adjustable shocks Rear: King Springs FE2 springs, Koni adjustable shocks Brakes: VT discs (f), VL Turbo discs (r) Master cylinder: VT booster, AU Falcon reservoir WHEELS & TYRES Rims: Steel interceptor; 15x6 (f), 15x7 (r) Rubber: Nankang 205/65R15 (f), Mickey Thompson 235/60R15 (r) THANKS Scott Hoffman at Cleveland Dyno/Nugget Garage; Peter Kiprios at Kiprios Performance; Kristian Goleby at Goleby’s Parts; Jake Beazley and Todd Wilson for the paint and bodywork; Dave Spann at 180 Fab; my fantastic wife Tarsha STREET MACHINE 121
DIRTY STUFF W I L L I A M P O R K E R OF ALL the different makes and models of carburettors I have worked on – from the really crude all-brass veteran car stuff, through SUs and Rochesters, to Zeniths and Holleys – my-all time favourites would have to be the Italian Webers. Not that they are made there anymore, for I hear that they are manufactured in Spain these days. Weber made downdraught and sidedraught carbs, specialising in stuff for fast road cars and exotic racing stuff like Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Maseratis, ranging from single throats to duals and even triples for the special V12 engines. They came in really small duals for the sports version of the Fiat 500, as well as the huge, double-throat 58 DCO sidedraughts that were found mainly on F1 cars, although one model of Corvette featured four of these on a special aluminium cross-over manifold, which sure was impressive to look at! A fair few years ago, I was involved in reviving a 1955 Formula One Ferrari owned by the Gilltrap Auto Museum on the Gold Coast. It had been bought when nobody wanted old race cars and had sat on display without being started for 14 years. I approached George Gilltrap to ask if we could fire up the old car to run demo laps at an Australian Grand Prix meeting at the Surfers Paradise International circuit, and I would write up the story for Wheels magazine. George said he would love to hear it going and I could work on it for as long as it took. This 555 Ferrari was raced on the European GP circuits throughout 1955 but was too heavy and slow to match the Mercedes straight-eight cars,althoughits2.5-litrefour-cylindermillmade 270hp. It was front-engined, with a five-speed transaxle almost underneath the pilot’s seat, and sported 16-inch Borrani wire wheels and huge alloy drum brakes. Given a long enough straight, the car’s top speed was almost 300 clicks, and the twin-cam alloy engine breathed through two of these aforementioned 58mm DCO Webers, sucking alcohol fuel. My wife Jan and I worked on the car for almost a week and discovered that much of it had seized up. When we pulled the flat sump plate off, mainly to check if the original castor-based oil was now a congealed lump, we found broken lock wire. Then we got Dunlop to check whether the old racing tyres were safe, and BP donated fuel and enough oil for the event. The rear drysump oil tank held 20 litres, the three fuel tanks took heaps, and the 14:1-comp engine was originally fired up on raw benzol fuel. Racing fuel was to be a mix of methanol, avgas and benzol, with 2 per cent of castor oil added to lubricate the two mechanical fuel pumps. Once we’d finished working on it, we took the car to the quiet dead-end street beside the museum, which was long enough to pump up fuel and oil pressure. I dropped the clutch and the twin magnetos and eight sparkplugs fired the engine almost immediately, the big singlepipe exhaust making wonderful booming echoes to the amazement of a busload of tourists who had gathered to watch. Race day came at Surfers, and with the alloy bodynowfitted,weweretoldthatmymateTrevor could drive a few laps in the Ferrari, in company with Doug Partington in his MG Special. Then triple AGP winner Doug Whiteford would jump in to show us how the car could really go. And that it did, on old tyres and rusty brakes, running lap afterreally fastlap to the cheers ofthe crowd. Later, we were invited to a special Ferrari owners’ day at that same circuit to show off the car and put in a handful of quick laps. I put in my usual 1min 27sec circuits, and although most of the Ferrari owners tried very hard, only one driver, who had spent a lot of money on go-faster bits for his engine, beat the time I had set! Those huge Webers on the engine only let me down once. We were booked to run the car for a photoshoot at the Surfers circuit, and it wouldn’t start. I checked magnetos and plugs, looked for mud wasps up the exhaust pipe and kicked the tyres several times. Finally, I lifted the lid off one of the Webers and found a severe shortage of that essential stuff, fuel. We had plenty of fuel pressure, so I traced that back to where the fuel line fed the float bowls. Underneath the two big brass nuts were two small mesh-tube filters, totally blocked with white, dried-up methanol! THE FERRARI’S TOP SPEED WAS ALMOST 300 CLICKS, AND THE ENGINE BREATHED THROUGH TWO 58MM DCO WEBERS 122 STREET MACHINE
HammerS- Dollies- Bags Create it with VIEW OUR FULL RANGE AT MACHINERYHOUSE.COM.AU/RESTORATION-TOOLS SAND BAGS AUTO PANEL RESTORATION Master auto body panel repair hammers & dollies sets are designed & manufactured from drop forged heat-treated steel with ground & polished faces for metal shaping, Paired these up with Nylon Bossing Mallet Sets and used in conjunction with shot bags you will have the right tools for your next restoration project. CURVED T-DOLLIES Dollies are used to form flanges and edges by hammering the metal with a hammer or slapper over the rounded part of the dolly. These dollies are smoothly finished to prevent damaging the material you are forming. EDGE SEAMING AND JOGGLING These range of Metalmaster hand tools are ideal for bending and straightening sheet metal, or repairs that involve flange joining metal pieces and punching holes ready to for spot welding no metalworker should be without their Joggler & Punch Pliers or Edge/Seaming Plies. MALLET SETS ABR-10M - AUTO PANEL RESTORATION KIT - MASTER PPS-7 - HOLE PUNCH SET Punches & Dies - 3/32", 1/8", 5/32", 3/16", 7/32", 1/4" & 9/32" 1.2mm Thickness Capacity JPP-1 - JOGGLER & PUNCH PLIER Dual Head: Crimp Flange & Punch Tool 1mm Sheet Metal Capacity EP-180 - 180º STRAIGHT EDGE/ SEAMING PLIER 275mm Overall Length 57mm Jaw Width, 60mm Depth EP-90 - 90º EDGE/ SEAMING PLIER 260mm Overall Length 57mm Jaw Width, 55mm Depth ABR-7P - AUTO PANEL RESTORATION KIT PROFESSIONAL 07_SM_03082 NSW (02) 9890 9111 3 1/2 Windsor Rd, Northmead QLD (07) 3715 2200 625 Boundary Rd, Coopers Plains VIC (03) 9212 4422 4 Abbotts Rd, Dandenong WA (08) 9373 9999 11 Valentine Street Kewdale METAL PANEL RESTORATION TOOLS
URBAN WARFARE S T O R Y M A R K A R B L A S T E R P H O T O S M A T T E V E R I N G H A M & C H R I S T H O R O G O O D T HEWEPNnumberplateis spot-on; Lee Murray’s LJ Torana is one badarse ride. We featured it in Street Machine in October 2015, with its Holden V8 mill sporting an F1 ProCharger and blow-through carby set-up. Since then, Lee has been busy revamping the combo, to the point that the Torry now runs mid-eights over the quarter! The car retains the 355-cube lion from 2015; hard to believe that after 10 years of Powercruise and drag-race beatings, the stroked 308, built by Zoran at Zox Performance in Brisbane, remains untouched and still sings like a canary. In the days before billet Holden V8 blocks, the 355-cuber was really the best you could build at the time, based around a VT roller-cam block with four-bolt main caps, half grout-filled. A Scat billet crank with a big-block Chevy snout swings Callies Compstar conrods and JE pistons. Heads are Yella Terra –9 items, with the valves operated by a solid-roller camshaft. Zoran employed plenty of tricks to keep the plastic healthy, including an external coolant crossover to the rear of the heads, > LEE MURRAY’S PROCHARGED HOLDEN V8-POWERED TORANA IS REALLY SINGING THANKS TO EFI OLD LION, NEW TRICKS KON AND LEE BUMPED THE BOOST UP TO 20PSI, AND THE TORANA BELTED OUT 870HP AT THE HUBS ON E85 AND 970HP ON METHANOL 124 STREET MACHINE
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a heavily modified oiling system, bronzed lifter bores, diamond-coated piston pins, a Newby crank support timing case, –12 breathers located in the valley, and the disused fuel pump port on the timing cover. More recently, Lee decided to pull the pin on carby life and go EFI. “I got lucky and found a Shaun’s Custom Alloy billet inlet manifold to suit a Holden motor,” he says. “Then I jumped on the phone to Kon Michaloudakis at Wollongong Automotive Services, andhegaveme a list of everything I needed. “I pulled the engine from the car and sent it to Owen’s Paint & Panel Repairs on the Central Coast for what was supposed to be an engine bay repaint, but it turned into a full car respray. [I also] lashed out with a new set of headers.” Once the car was back together, it went to Kon for a rewire, and eventually made it to the hub dyno. With the old blow-through carby set-up on E85, the best the engine made was 795hp on 15psi boost and E85. With the new EFI combo, Kon and Lee decided to bump the boost up to 20psi, and it belted out 870hp at the hubs on E85 and 970hp on methanol. The next big gain came when Lee fabricated a cold-air intake pipe via the front scuttle area. At the recent Holden Nationals in Heathcote, Lee ran without the intake during testing and netted a 9.1@148mph, but come race day, the intake was reinstated and the car went 8.80@158mph – pretty stout on a 275 radial! The intake paid further dividends when the car ran 8.54@161mph at Grudge Kings in Sydney. That’s pretty wild for a Holden motor with Cometic head gaskets and stock-sized head studs. It’s amazing the difference a set of smart coils, a Holley Dominator EFI system with an ICE dual-sync distributor, and a seven-gallon in-tank brushless fuel pump can make to a car. Oh, and let’s not forget some great tuning by Kon. “I knew the car had an 8.90 in it, so an 8.54 is just a bonus,” Lee says.“Will I turn it up? No, it’s happy the way it is. I don’t want to wreck it, but I figure it can run an 8.40 with some suspension upgrades. “It’s taken me a few years, that’s for sure,” Lee concludes. “The biggest challenge has certainly been waiting for people to get stuff done. Luckily, it was worth the wait.” He ain’t kidding! RIGHT: Lee and son Jai at the 2023 Holden Nationals at Heathcote Park Raceway, where the LJ ran a best of 8.8@158mph. The car went even better at Grudge Kings, netting an 8.54@161mph I DON’T WANT TO WRECK IT, BUT I FIGURE IT CAN RUN AN 8.40 WITH SOME SUSPENSION UPGRADES STREET MACHINE 127
IN GEAR To have your product featured here, call Joseph Lenthall on (02) 8114 9421 or email [email protected]. UNDER PRESSURE WHETHER you’re at the drags or deep in the scrub in a 4x4, the ability to adjust tyre pressures can make all the difference. Lugging around big compressors is a pain in the balls, so Ryobi has come up with the 18V ONE+ Digital Pressure Inflator as a compact solution. No bigger than a cordless drill, it uses Ryobi’s normal 18V rechargeable batteries, so you can just use your existing gear. The digital gauge on the back gives an accurate pressure reading in real time, and the lock-on fitting for valves means you won’t have to worry about air leaks. For just $99, this inflator is a steal, and you can grab one now from your local Bunnings, by visiting ryobi.com.au, or scanning the QR code. 01 01 128 STREET MACHINE
NOW YOU’RE TORQUING! THERE’S nothing worse than a dud torque converter sapping away your power. A higher-stall torque converter enables you to launch the car in a higher rev band where more power and torque are available, and RTS now offers a cool new range of Stalker and Bandit high-stall converters. Cool features include new stator caps, bearings, springs and rollers. They’re also pressure-tested to ensure all the welds are top-notch and up to the task, and assembled by the best in the USA. To find a converter that suits your needs, just head to rts.com.au or scan the QR code. 02 02 BETTER OFF RED BILLET Specialties has been churning out some ripping pro street-style race wheels lately, and the company’s new Redline rim is suitable for both street and strip duties. The Redline wheel features forged centres, one-piece spun barrels to save weight, and machined serrations at the bead to improve tyre-to-rim grip and reduce tyre slip on those heavy launches you’ll be doing. They’re available to order now from Speed Pro by calling (03) 9794 5177, visiting speedpro.com.au, or scanning the QR code. 03 03 STREET MACHINE 129
IN GEAR 06 REST EASY NO CAR door is complete without a place to rest your arm. Rare Spares’ exclusive, newly developed VB-VL Commodore armrest kits are exactly what any earlymodel Commodore needs to give their drivers and passengers a comfy ride. These armrests have been manufactured to be identical to factory standard, with the correct grain and ashtray insert, making them the perfect replacement or addition to your early Commodore. They’re also available as individual parts if you don’t need the full set! Grab yours by visiting your nearest Rare Spares outlet, or go to rarespares.net.au. 07 AIR APPARENT GOT a 2018-2023 S550 Mustang in need of some extra induction kick? Well, the Roush 5.0L V8 Cold-Air Intake Kit should suit nicely, and it’s now available to purchase through local mob Mustang Motorsport. The kit is a complete plug-andplay deal and doesn’t require a re-tune. Cool stuff includes a dry filter, a clear airbox lid and all the required mounting hardware. Given it replaces the factory airbox, it uses all the original mounts for a seamless installation. You also get the benefit of more induction noise and response, so it’s a win-win in our books. Retail is $695, and you can order one now at mustangmotorsport.com.au. 04 CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF GOT an XA-XF Falcon with a Barra conversion but having clearance issues with the front sway-bar? Well, the team at the Castlemaine Rod Shop have come up with a neat solution, offering a kit to replace the factory unit with one to suit a Barra conversion. For $295, you’ll get the new bar, D-link bushes and mounts to suit. You can order one now from The Rod Shop on (03) 5472 2853, or by visiting rodshop.com.au. 05 HARNESS THE POWER IF YOU’RE restoring an HK-HG Holden and you’re either missing the wiring or want to replace the old crusty stuff, the gang at Bluewire Automotive have you covered with their new plug-and-play Classic Update wiring harness to suit HK, HT and HG Holdens. They’re made to suit sedan and twodoor Monaro bodies, and work with either the V8 or six-pot engines. They’re priced from $2200, which we think is a steal for such a convenient product, and you can order one now at bluewireautomotive.com. 05 07 04 06 130 STREET MACHINE
CUSTOM RADIATOR > B Three yea U r warranty ILDS on all radiators. > LS conversion radiators in stock > Street and Strip range - high performance > Burnout King range - built to stand the abuse > Over 500 performance radiators in stock > Same day world wide shipping for most orders placed before 12 noon.* > Custom radiator built within 48 hours in most cases 351 Settlement Road, Thomastown 3074 [email protected] 03 9465 8806 • www.aussiedesertcooler.com.au • www.aussiedesertcooler.shop Aussie Desert Cooler has been a well known part of the modified car scene for over 20 years sponsoring events and appearing at major car events across Australia. We have moved to:
READERS ROCKETS SEND photos of your car and a few details of what went into the build to Readers’ Rockets, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170 or email [email protected]. Please note: Send us copies of prints as we are unable to return your photos. “HERE’S possibly Australia’s cleanest VX SS! Before builder’s fever hit the car, it was a standard, plain, untouched one-owner vehicle with under 80,000km on the clock. It wasn’t long before me pouring money into it became a familiar sensation. It’s only running a baby cam and freshened LS1 heads (with all the supporting mods as well), but the Harrop 2300 supercharger sure woke this beast up, as it makes just shy of 500hp at the wheels. From frying the tyres to Nan driving it to the shops, it offers the best of both worlds. It tucks 10in-wide Lenso D-1R wheels thanks to the Air Ride suspension, and a full exhaust system including ceramic-coated extractors gives this car the perfect note at all times. With the interior being in immaculate condition, it had to be kept. I hydrodipped the dash fascia trims, custommoulded the airbag gauge and added some rear cup holders to set it off while still keeping a sleek appeal. The boot again had to be kept practical and clean, hiding the airbag set-up along with a hidden storage compartment for all the cleaning gear. It also features a genuine Monaro bonnet, Calais rear garnish, custom drop tank cover and more!” Photos: Ben Hosking DYLAN MATWIJOW VX COMMODORE SS 132 STREET MACHINE
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LINDA RENNIE FORD CORTINA “OVER eight years, my husband Dave lovingly restored my Mk1 Cortina. The car was made a convertible by a previous owner, and it was ready for the car graveyard. She has had major structural work to strengthen her, which includes a rollcage and a complete box frame. We purchased a donor car for the engine, which is a 4.6-litre Range Rover V8. She has a five-speed automatic gearbox with overdrive, and HiSpec disc brakes all ’round. We had Porsche seats shipped from Scotland, and retrimmed the interior ourselves, which included leather to match the seats. The paintwork is candy purple, and all the bodywork was completed by my husband. Wheel-wise, instead of going for the norm, which would have been Minilites, we decided to have a set of rims custom-made for the car. She also has electric power steering, which helps make it an amazing ride.” 134 STREET MACHINE
“THIS is my 1973 LJ Torana, which is a replica of the great Peter Brock’s 1972 Bathurst-winning car. I have owned it for almost two years and love driving it. I had the pleasure of taking it around the Bathurst track last October for the 50th anniversary of the Great Race; it was an awesome event organised by Muscle Car Events Australia. There were 72 LC and LJ Toranas at the track that day, and 12 of those cars had just completed a lap around Australia in the ’Round the Block for Brock rally. Such an awesome achievement celebrating a great Australian icon.” TROY BILLINGTON LJ TORANA TROY HEARD FORD FAIRLANE “THIS is my 1963 Ford Compact Fairlane, with a 434ci Clevo up front that is good for 680hp through a Powerglide transmission. It’s mini-tubbed and runs Calvert suspension.” STREET MACHINE 135
THE CALAIS KIDS MERCEDES W114 “HERE’S my Mercedes. It used to race back in the day, but had been stored away for a decade or so. I purchased it and am starting to rebuild it to finally bring it back to life. In terms of running gear, it had a 454ci BBC and ’Glide in its early days, but I have opted to go down the nice and efficient turbo LS and Powerglide path. It will be getting a different colour, but will keep its original name, The Bahnstorma. You can find more about it on The Calais Kids YouTube channel.” CHRISTIAN HANSCOMBE BF FALCON “MY BF Falcon wagon packs a built turbo Barra that’s fed 22psi. Behind that is a T56 manual and M86 diff. It makes 383hp at the wheels, with 737lb-ft of torque, and is engineered and mod-plated as my daily driver.” 136 STREET MACHINE
PAUL BERRYMAN HQ ONE TONNER “MY 1972 HQ One Tonner runs a 355 stroker and a fully manualised TH400 trans with a 4500rpm stall. The rear end has a nine-inch diff with 31-spline billet axles and 4.33:1 full spool. I’ve had the Tonner for about three years now, and I still have some work to do on it.” SHAUN RICHARDSON 1956 BUICK SPECIAL “THIS is my wife Debbie’s fully restored 1956 Buick Special that runs a factory 322 nailhead and Dynaflow auto.” STREET MACHINE 137
YOUR ENGINE DRESS UP & BILLET SPECIALIST LOWEFABRICATIONS.COM.AU VB–VS, VT-VZ & TORANA FRONT END DOLLY EARL’S PERFORMANCE HAS MOVED New Address: Level 1/51 Sammut Street Smithfield NSW, 2164 Ph (02) 9748 6011 www.earls.com.au CALL US FOR YOUR NEXT BUILD! Phone: 0417 768 143 5/127 LAHRS ROAD, ORMEAU atomickustomfab We deal direct with the US manufacturers and can offer service, backup and support that otherresellers cannot. Ph 08 8363 5566 [email protected] www.autopd.com.au Importer of High Performance Auto Parts For Over 20 Years Special Orders & Custom Cams Airfreighted Weekly SRC POSITIONS VACANT • Mechanic/Assembler • • Body and Paint Technician • Southern Rod & Custom located in Shepparton Victoria is looking to hire a fulltime experienced Mechanic/Assembler as well as a Body and Paint Technician. Both positions will require trades persons that are used to working to a very high level of detail. If you are interested in applying for any of these positions, please forward your resume as well as your references along with a short covering letter to: [email protected] 15-17 Provincial Crescent, Shepparton VIC 3630 GASOLINE ALLEY
Superior Transmissions STREET & STRIP TRANSMISSIONS SPECIALIST Contact us for Pricing & Transmission Specification 3 Ericksen Street, Springvale, VIC 3171 0452 317 864 [email protected] WARRANTY All Superior Transmissions carry a 90-day warranty free from defects in materials and workmanship • Transmission Refresh Service • • Powerglide Aftermarket Cases • • High Capacity Powerglide Clutch Drums • • Hi Stall Converters • Aftermarket Powerglide Turbo 400 600HP Turbo 400 850HP Ford C 6 OEM Powerglide Now available! Powerglide Transbrake Valve Body FG Falcons V8 & Turbo HQ-WB Torana Chrysler TUFF MOUNTS LS Conversion Mounts Commodore Tubular X-Members VB-VT Commodores 5 Litre V8 www.musclegarage.com.au P: 08 8374 0011 GASOLINE ALLEY
LOL Send your favourite funnies to: LOL, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170, or email them to: [email protected]. LAW-IMBIBING CITIZEN A BARTENDER asks the customer sitting at the bar, “What’ll you have?” “A scotch, please,” the man replies. The bartender hands him the drink and says, “That’ll be 10 dollars.” “What are you talking about?” the man says. “I don’t owe you anything for this.” A lawyer sitting nearby overhears the conversation and says to the bartender, “You know, he’s got you there. In the originaloffer,which constitutes abinding contract upon acceptance, there was no stipulation of remuneration.” The bartender is not impressed, but says to the man, “Okay, you beat me for a drink. But don’t ever let me catch you in here again.” The next day, this same bloke walks into the bar. “What the heck are you doing in here?” the bartender demands. “I can’t believe you’ve got the audacity to come back!” The man replies, “What are you talking about? I’ve never been in this place in my life!” “Oh, I’m very sorry, sir,” the bartender replies, “but this is uncanny. You must have a double.” To which the guy replies, “Thanks very much – make it a scotch.” Al Kahole, email > GAG OF THE MONTH Doing nothing is very hard to do. You never know when you’re finished – Leslie Nielsen > THOUGHT OF THE MONTH I’ve done to deserve this!” “I don’t know about you, love,” the handsome man says, “but I trod on a duck.” Pearl E Gaites, email CARD HOUND THERE’S a travelling salesman who loves to play poker. Every town he visits, he manages to find a game. One night he’s led to the back of a saloon, and seated among the locals is a German Shepherd. The salesman is surprised to see a dog at a poker table, but the dog appears to be very well behaved, so the man sits down to play. Well, after a couple of hours, the salesman and the dog are in a showdown. The salesman raises, the dog raises back, the salesman raises again, and the dog calls. The salesman shows his hand: three queens. The dog turns over his hand: a flush. The salesman is so impressed with the dog, he isn’t even mad that he lost the hand. “You know,” he says to the one of the locals, “not only can that dog play, but he’s really pretty good.” “I guess he plays okay,” says the local, “but we usually beat him.” “Is that right?” says the salesman. “Yeah,” says the local. “Whenever he has a good hand, he wags his tail.” E Zagoodboi, email SHORT STUFF MY PASSWORD needed to be eight characters. So I used, “Snow White and the seven dwarves.” I THREW a ball for my dog the other day. A little over the top, maybe, but he looked great in a tuxedo. JUST got fired from my job as a set designer. I left without making a scene. WHY do Peruvian owls always hunt in pairs? Because they’re Inca hoots. I CALLED the tinnitus hotline yesterday, but it just kept ringing. DID you hear about the bloke whose left arm DUCKING HELL TWO women die and go to heaven, only to find it full of ducks. St Peter appears and says, “Hello! Welcome to heaven. There’s only one real rule here, and it’s because God really loves ducks: do not EVER step on a duck.” The women, slightly confused, agree to the terms – what other choice is there? – and head off to explore heaven. Well, barely a day goes by before one of the women treads on a duck. St Peter appears in an instant and immediately chains her to a disgusting, smelly, ugly beast of a man. St Peter is gone almost as soon as he appeared. The second woman is now more cautious than ever, and weeks go by without incident. Then, one day, St Peter suddenly appears and wordlessly chains her to a handsome, muscly man with a chiselled jawline and wondrous eyes. Again, St Peter disappears without explanation. “Oh wow,” the woman says. “I wonder what and leg were severed in an accident? He’s all right now. I TRIED fly fishing once. I didn’t catch any flies. I TOOK my puppy for his first swim at the beach the other day. I wasn’t surprised when he floated – good boy in sea. AFTER an unsuccessful harvest, the farmer decide to try a career in music. After all, he had plenty of sick beets. Juan Liners, email PROBABILITY A MAN walked into a bar and ordered a drink for himself and the empty seat next to him. The bartender, perplexed as to why the man would order a drink for an empty chair, nonetheless made the two drinks. This seemed to happen every time the man entered the bar; he would order a drink for himself and an empty chair next to him. Finally, curiosity overtook the barman and he said to the customer, “Every time I see you come in here, you always order a drink for the empty chair next to you. Why do you do that?” The man replied, “Well, you see, I am a physicist, and quantum physics states that it is possible for the matter above the chair to spontaneously form into a beautiful woman, whom I hope to give this drink to and go out on a date with.” “Well, plenty of women come to drink here every night; why don’t you buy one of them a drink?” the barman asked. “Maybe one of them will go out on a date with you!” The man snorted. “Yeah, right. What’s the likelihood of that happening?” Slim Chantz, email > FUNNY FOTO Hey, if you’re going to fall, give it some pizzazz! 140 STREET MACHINE
TAILSHAFTS MADE TO ORDER GJ Drivelines are the complete tailshaft specialists, boasting more than 50 years of combined experience. We manufacture, repair and balance tailshafts for all makes and models. THE COMPLETE TAILSHIFT SPECIALISTS -Chromoly -Aluminium -Carbon Fibre Ph: 03 9706 3166 | [email protected] www.gjdrivelines.com.au BRAKEUPGRADES FOR AUSSIE&AMERICANMUSCLE CARS – and even Volvos! Whether it’s two, four or six-piston kits, from 290mm rotor size right up to 343mm, on almost any vehicle you can think of, Hoppers Stoppers has the brake upgrade package to suit you EMAIL: [email protected] 9 Nevada Court, Hoppers Crossing, Victoria 3029 GIVE US A CALL! (03) 9748 6950 WWW.HOPPERS.COM.AU ALL OUR KITS ARE 100% ADR COMPLIANT
SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY SEND your photos of fun with cars to: Sunday Too Far Away, Street Machine, Unit 9/3-5 Gilda Court, Mulgrave, Vic 3170, or email high-resolution images (1mb+) to: [email protected]. Please send copies of prints as we are unable to return your photos. NICHOLAS STUBBS DAVE WADDINGTON WILL WALLACE 142 STREET MACHINE
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MILL OF THE MONTH S T O R Y A N D R E W B R O A D L E Y P H O T O S S H A W N M C C A N N GATHER ’round, Holden V8 fans; this one’s a doozy. Ever encountered a 900+hp all-motor plastic before? Ange at Molinari Race Engines has screwed together this absolute screamer for Domenic D’Agostino’s street-and-strip LX Torana hatch, aided and abetted by Pete Murray at Horsepower Engineering. It measures in at 411ci, and while it uses a Torque-Power Little Paw cast-iron block, arguments we’ve seen online that it’s somehow “not a Holden” as a result are pure nonsense. The Little Paw accepts OEM-style Holden cylinder heads, crankshaft, timing case and bracketry, and this engine retains the factory firing order. It is simply an aftermarket block, and this mill is no less a Holden than an SBC built using a Dart block is a Chev. “I first built the car in 1996, and it’s only ever had a Holden V8 in it,” Dom says. “At first it was a red 308 with an Edelbrock Performer on it. Then I went to VN heads, then the first stroker combo. Ange has always built my engines, and I said to the boys that this time we were going to have a fair-dinkum crack.” That fair-dinkum crack yielded a monumental 944hp and 600lb-ft on ETS XPRODRAG 3 fuel, turning to 8800rpm with a single carby on a cast manifold – impressive numbers in anyone’s language. There is a surprising amount of off-the-shelf hardware in the engine, including the Scat steel crankshaft and Oliver rods. Pistons are custom CP forgies to suit the meaty 4.175-inch bore, because cubes were an important component of making the heads perform like they were designed to. Compression is a lofty 14.75:1, which was the ceiling for this combo while sticking with a flat-top piston. Cylinder head castings are Torque-Power 240s with Victory titanium valves, T&D 1.75:1 rockers, PSI valve springs and considerable R&D invested by Pete in the porting department. The Torque-Power block is designed for a 50mm cam core, and the camshaft in this combo is a custom Comp Cams solid-roller, acting on BAM .904 bushed offset lifters and 7 /16-inch Jet Engineering pushrods. The induction system consists of a TorquePower Domi Paw single-plane intake, topped with a custom Ray Edwards 4150 BX4X bigblade, four-circuit carburettor. “It made more power than we expected, and we were a bit amazed by the way it carried the torque; from 6800rpm to 8300rpm, it didn’t drop under 590lb-ft,” says Dom. “The car is untubbed and runs a 255 radial with standard-style suspension, and it went 9.48@142mph on the old factory Holden-block combo with a lot less power. It might end up a little heavier than it was, but eight-something has always been the goal.” Is this the toughest naturally aspirated V8 ever built? We reckon it might be. 411CI HOLDEN V8 > MOLINARI RACE ENGINES, MORWELL, VICTORIA DRESSED TO KILL VERY few engines this serious look this good, but Dom’s hatch is a stunner, and the mill had to match. The inlet manifold copped 40 hours of external polishing for a show-like finish, and the billet rocker covers are one-off custom pieces from Fastlane Industries. “I disassembled the Clear View oil filter, painted it and reassembled it, because I wanted it the same silver as the rest of the bits on the engine,” says Dom. “Everything on the engine has been looked at – if it’s not HPC-coated, it’s two-packed.” 146 STREET MACHINE