Killer Rides #15

THE HOME OF AUSTRALIA’S Toughest STREET CARS

ISSUE #15 - AUG 2019

FUTUREVISION !

NA RA TO A TO IN R TO NA SE V HS RE TI EN AN NG FI STUF

BLOWN ’57 CHEV - 10-SEC HQ UTE - BIG BLOCK OLDSMOBILE CONVERT - NSW HOLDEN DAY GOODGUYS NATIONALS - GRUDGE KINGS KILLER RIDES LIVE #3 AND MUCH MORE!

TWIN-TURBO HEMI-MUSTANG

From the Desk DON’T LIKE SOMEONES CAR? I HAVE A GREAT IDEA – LETS BAG THE CRAP OUT OF IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

®

Social media, especially Facebook, has a lot to answer for. I have no doubt it has contributed greatly to the demise of the publishing industry and the amount of cyber-bullying are well documented. One other aspect that has been bothering me lately is just how the Aussie car fraternity reacts to car builds they don’t like.

I have witnessed this personally with the ex-Rex Webster FJ Holden that Kathy and I purchased and then rebuilt twice. Sure, the car was a stunner and well ahead of its time when it was shown here and in the USA. But, that was in the late 80’s and when I purchased the car, it had been sitting under a tarp in a car port and was, for want of a better word, stuffed.

The paint was blistered. The chrome work was peeling off and the car needed a complete rebuild. At this stage, I decided to keep the car blue (albeit a Candy this time), keep it powered by a six pack, but ditch the webers and add EFI and update the trim and wheels. Long story short, after its somewhat dismal unveil at MotorEx, the sink backs started showing up in the paint. Another 12 months passed before I got the car back and to be honest, it looked like I painted it. But thanks to Wally at Dreamworks Restorations, the car was stripped back and redone – in a completely different colour and that’s where people started to criticise publicly.

OK I get it, you don’t like it. Shake your head and walk away. Don’t keep carrying on about it every time some one posts a pic of the car and how it looked in the 80’s. It started to get very personal and had me thinking “Is this the Australian way?” Of course, I’m not the only one, I have seen it so many times and because these people hide behind a keyboard, they seem to think that they have the right to tell you how wrong you got it with the build. Here’s an idea! Instead of shit-canning everyone else, why not post a pic of the car you’ve built so we can offer our opinion too…

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Paul

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Contents ISSUE NO.15 Aug 2019

REGULARS

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08 WHAT’S HAPPENING News, views and things of interest 14 5 MINUTES WITH... WA Engine Guru Ed Tassone 16 HAVE YOUR SAY Tell us what you think

Blown 427ci 57 Chev

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Grudge Kings - the greatest Drag Meet in Australia!

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Building a Torana from a HSV Senator

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HISTORY REPEATS Killer Rides Live #3

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HOLDING A GRUDGE After a rain-affected start, the Grudge Kings delivered!

60 STILL HOLDEN ON The NSW All Holden Day impressed yet again.

82 GOODTIMES WITH THE GOODGUYS The Goodguys upped the Ante with the PPG Nationals in Columbus.

102 IN THE SPOT LIGHT Tri 5 Chev’s!

4 Twin-Turbo Hemi Mustang 700hp Ragtop Oldsmobile 120 KILLER PIC Up, up and Away

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122 SHOWTIME What’s on, where and when.

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124 PERFORMANCE DIRECTORY Quick Find Ad’s 126 ANSMA NEWS Street Machine Association news.

128 ASRF NEWS Hot Rodding Happenings

60The NSW All Holden Day

FEATURES 26

TWO WORLDS COLLIDE HSV-spec LH Torana

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SILVER STREAK Blown ‘57 Chev Sedan

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JUST PLAIN TOUGH Twin-turbo Hemi-powered Mustang

10-sec HQ Ute

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HIGH-POWERED HAULER 10-sec HQ Street Ute

110 EVERYTHING OLD’S IS COOL AGAIN A rare 442 Olds Convert.

18 Killer Rides Live #3

Goodguys PPG Nationals - Columbia

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What’s Happening C8 CORVETTE BOUND FOR OZ! The biggest news to hit our shores in recent times was the announcement from GM Global that the next Corvette, the C8, will be the first ever to be manufactured RHD in the factory and shipped to Australia! That’s huge news for a company that is struggling with sales here. The C8 will feature a complete redesign with rear-mount engine, new chassis and suspension and an interior to die for. The exterior is very “Supercar” like but forget any similarities to Ferrari and others when the 485hp V8 rumbles into life – and that’s just the base model. I have no doubt there will be upgrades and can’t wait to see what HSV have planned for the coupe when it gets here. Stay tuned…

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What’s Happening GAME ON!

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What’s Happening CRUISIN’ TUNES

Hot Cars and good old rock music go hand in hand. Whilst I think everyone has that desire to play in a band, at the very least now you could look the part with these ultra-cool custom guitars! Even if you can’t play, having one or two of these cool creations hanging on your wall would be awesome! No news on the rumour that Justin Bieber is releasing a pin-striped (stick on only) Auto-tune machine along with a flamed (again, stick on only) drum machine…

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What’s Happening

VALE - JOHN PETERSON

The Original Burnout King has left the pad..

FREE MAGAZINE OFFER

Just as I was preparing to upload this issue to the website, I received the news that my old mate, and the original Burnout King, John Peterson had passed away early on Wednesday 21st August 2019 - a date that will be etched in the minds of anyone lucky enough to have had any contact with the burnout legend himself.

Personally, I spent many hours with John at various events and at his home when photographing his amazing Zephyr, listening intently to his entertianing stories usually involving his antics on the street with his cars. He was a very funny guy and one that had time for everyone, whether he had just met you, or had known you for years - he treated eveyone the same way.

Visiting the Vic Hot Rod Show will never be the same again without you there Johno.

I’m going to miss the stories and above all else, I am going to mis that smile and that laugh - that infectious laugh. RIP Johno. Gone too soon, always in our memories. Till we meet again...

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Have Your Say! Got something to say? Send it to paul@killerrides.com.au or message us from the Killer Rides Facebook page.

THE REAL DEAL

G’day Paul, Going to Du Quoin for the US Street Machine Nationals has long been a dream of mine and looking over your coverage of the 2019 event makes me yearn for that time even more! The variety of the cars on offer are awesome, but what I like the most is the laid-back nature in their approach to the event.

From what I see, it’s all about the cars. One day I will get there. Until then, it’s great to know we’ll be able to read all about it in Killer Rides.

Regards, Paul W – Via Messenger

Hi Paul, I agree, the US Street Machine Nationals are all about the cars and like you, its high on my bucket list too. Maybe we should organise a Tour to the US 16 Nats sometime soon…

PRO STREET, NO WAIT, PRO-TOURING…

Hi Paul, Really loving Killer Rides – you’re doing a bang-up job mate. It’s getting better with each issue. Anyway, I have just purchased a 1950 Ford sedan from the US which was a one owner car, but has been fitted with an oldschool 302 BOSS engine, 5-speed and four-linked rear. I dearly love the Pro-Street deal and love the look of this Spinner with its 15-inch wheels, but I also love the big-diametre wheel look as well. I just don’t know which way to go. Any suggestions?

Thanks, Hey Clive, thanks for the kind words. The only suggestion I can offer is to buy a set of 18’s and 20’s and when the mood takes you away from the Pro-Street feel, bolt on the big wheels for a change. When you get sick of that – change them back again. You’ll have the best of both worlds. I plan doing exactly that with the Studebaker for all the same reasons…

TOO MUCH USA CONTENT

Hi Paul, Don’t get me wrong, I love Killer Rides and really look forward to reading each new edition, but sometimes I think there’s a little too much US-based content. Sure, they have a much wider base of cars to build and have access to some cool products, but I think we should be promoting Aussie car builders and owners first and foremost. Apart from that small gripe, Killer Rides is awesome. Keep the great work!

Scotty J – Via Email G’day Scotty, Thanks for taking the time to write. It’s true that the US stuff appears frequently in Killer Rides, but the magazine will always remain more biased towards Australian cars, companies and builders. It’s just hard to ignore the cool stuff coming from across the US. Thanks for your support…

WHERE ARE THE BURNOUT SHOWS?

Hi Paul, I love burnouts. My friends love burnouts.

Everyone I know loves burnouts. But why is it that magazines don’t cover burnout events anymore? The crowds are generally huge and the cars are awesome – yet still no coverage. What’s going on?

17 Andrew D – Via Email HI Andrew, I can’t speak on behalf of any other magazine, but man-power is my biggest problem. Trying to be everywhere at all times is just impossible. I’m all for showcasing ALL motoring events and I’ll do my best to make that happen in the future.

HISTORY KILLER RIDES LIVE #3 - ILLAWARRA HOCKEY CENTRE – AUGUST 17/18, 2019 WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

REPEATS

After Mother Nature decided to kill off our first venture outdoors with damaging winds, a quick decision was made to return to our original plan of bringing the Illawarra its only indoor car show…

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It only seems like yesterday that I walked into the packed Indoor Hockey Centre one Thursday night enquiring about staging a car show into what essentially was an indoor sports stadium. The shocked look on the collective faces of those responsible for the venue told me it was going to be an uphill battle. It was, but eventually, we managed to stage the first ever Hot Car Titles. The year? 1994!

My brother Rod and I wanted to bring a prestigious event to the Illawarra area – already a hot bed of custom and modified cars.

The plan was simple. Offer 40 spots, personally invite the owners to attend and unless the car had changed dramatically, it couldn’t be on display two years in a row! Sounds simple enough…

A steady flow of people filed into the venue on Day one, all taking the time to check out the wild cars on display as well as a number of traders.

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Over the years changes were made to the concept and the name as we decided to add custom bikes to the mix. A name change to Hot Car Titles & Custom Bike Expo followed. The event grew to be well known enough for the major players in the show car scene contacting us to be part of the line-up.

After 15 straight events, times had changed and it was time for us to take a break only to return under the new title of Killer Rides Live. Despite the name change, the concept remains the same.

For 2019, it was a whole new mix of cars and bikes that made the move into the Illawarra Hockey Centre on Set-up day.

Amongst them, tough street cars, show-stunning Hot Rods, drag cars and elite level show cars took up all the available across the Hockey Centre’s floor. The view from the mezzanine level revealed an amazing mix of colours on the assembled entry list of cars and bikes.

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WHAT MAKES KILLER RIDES LIVE UNIQUE?

I heard the perfect description of Killer Rides Live at the show – it’s a Boutique event! We don’t have hundreds of cars over multiple buildings. Instead we bring together a gathering of handpicked, high-impact vehicles in a spec21 tator friendly, initmate environment.

Sure, there’s only 40 cars, but each one is personally invited to be part of the show and no vehicle car enter two years in a row unless that vehicle has changed dramatically. For spectators, knowing that they will be seeing new stuff every year is a bonus.

A steady flow of people filed into the venue on Day one, all taking the time to check out the wild cars on display as well as a number of traders. Day two, Sunday, saw bigger crowds make their way to the event with many sticking around to see who own what at the presentations. A full list of winners is at the website.

TONY ROBERTS MEMORIAL AWARD.

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Tony Roberts was a diehard car guy. Best remembered for his razor-sharp black HQ sedan, Tony was a master-painter who lived life in the fast lane. Tony was a mate of mine and we honour him each year with a trophy in his name, for a car his family think we would have loved. In 2019, this award went to Judy & Peter Beauchamp’s stunning FB Holden Tudor.

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STEVEN DAVITT MEMORIAL AWARD

By all accounts, the 3rd Killer Rides Live event was a complete success thanks to the support of Coastal Windows, Lovells Suspension and Talak Electrical. I’d also like to thank Aeroflo, R&J Batteries and Shannons Insurance for contributing to the substantial Entrants Bags and Brendan Caunt at X-Piggy Customs for the awesome trophies yet again and Les adams at Autofest events for the free entry giveaway to the Bathurst Autofest! At the time of writing this article, the dates for 2020 were still being sorted. Keep an eye on Killer Rides magazine for details…

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Like Tony, Steve was a mate of mine and the brother of my close mate Brian. His love of HQ Holden’s and his expertise of reworking panels and laying on silky smooth paint will never be forgotten. Steve would always put others before himself and loved his family dearly. Steve’s family picked Dave and Sharon Dorman’s yellow ’32 Ford Coupe to receive the trophy in his honour.

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PHILLIP DUNBIER – 1974 LH TORANA SEDAN

WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

two WORLDS ide!

Coll

What happens when you have a Torana in need of a full resto and an VZ HSV Senator that is no longer suitable for road use? You make one good car out of the two…obviously!

Phillip Dunbier found himself in this very predicament. The Torana he dragged home from Kempsey had seen better days and was destined to become his new project. Sitting beside it was a wrecked HSV Senator that was the suitable 26 donor for the Torana’s next life as a reworked street car. Now at this point, Phillip could have taken two roads. The short cut home would have seen the Torana score the Senator’s six-litre LS2 engine and six-speed auto box with the rest of the Torana rebuilt as planned. Or he could take the long way… Yep, you guessed it. Almost four years later, Phil got to drive the Torana from the home garage finished…

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But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Taking that long, long road was a twisting, uphill drive at times as Phillip added almost 100% of that HSV into the LH Torana. Right from the outset, Phillip wanted to have himself the closest thing to a HSV Torana as possible. So how far did he go? Well it’s obvious the engine and gearbox were added, and if you’re like most people, you would have already scanned an eye over the photos of the Torana and seen the seats and dash carefully sculptured into the Torana’s interior as well. But there’s things you just don’t see that sets this Torana apart from other Pro-Touring inspired builds.

If you can look passed those gorgeous 18-inch Schott billet wheels for just a second, you’ll notice that the Senator also donated the big Harrop discs and 4-piston rotors – a fairly straight forward swap. But what you can’t see is that Phillip also adapted the full ABS system! The Torana is now in a league of its own when comparing braking capabilities amongst other Torana owners. The VZ master cylinder replaces the ’74 spec Torana item as well.

One of the biggest conquests of combining an LH Torana and a VZ Commodore was the fitting of the dash and other interior components.

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Whilst he was focussing his attention to the underside, Phillip also rebuilt the entire suspension system adding King Springs to each corner along with Koni adjustable shocks to provide a much more positive ride and enhancing the handling at the same time. I think it would be fair to say it handles like a HSV Senator.

The front end also copped a pair of drop spindles, the VZ steering column and a Subaru power rack and pinion steering assembly.

Using the HSV-spec 6-litre LS2 engine was a no brainer for Phillip. With 297kw of finely-tuned HSV power on board in the relatively light weight Torana, it was always going to be a step up from how it performed in the bigger, heavier Commodore so modifying the engines internals weren’t high on the list of priorities. Being a mechanic, Phillip added a Mast Motor Performance sump to allow fitment around the Torana’s cross-member, performed some mild headwork and added a set of Crane pushrods. The four-into-one headers were fabricated by Liverpool Exhausts to suit the Torana’s tighter engine bay confinements and the radiator is a custom unit from PWR that Phillip adapted the VZ fans too. Apart from those minor mods, the engine package is pure HSV. It’s not an obvious modification, but much of the Torana’s firewall is now also VZ Commodore – used to house the factory air conditioning. The conversion is so good that I reckon you would have never picked it if I didn’t say anything…

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The four-speed auto box stayed connected to the engine when removed from the VZ, with the only modification made to it was the addition of a 2500rpm converter. Down the back, Phillip didn’t want to add any parts from the opposition, the any thoughts of a nine-inch diff were squashed by adapting an M86 Crewman rear end assembly with 3.46-gears – perfect for quick acceleration and cruising the highway in overdrive.

Using the HSV-spec 6-litre LS2 engine was a no brainer for Phillip. With 297kw of finelytuned HSV power on board in the relatively light weight Torana, it was always going to be a step up from how it performed in the bigger, heavier Commodore

One of the biggest conquests of combining an LH Torana and a VZ Commodore was the fitting of the dash and other interior components. Just think for a minute the task involved in making that dash fit like a factory unit and then making sure items like the centre console, shifter assembly and door trims all fit how they should to make the interior feel complete. Brett at All Trim Macarthur did an amazing job transforming the interior of the Torana.

Making everything fit the way it should and fabricating custom parts to combine certain area’s together without it looking like an afterthought.

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Whilst there’s no interior airbags – for obvious reasons, Phillip did go to the extent of fitting the dual-zone air-con, central looking, electric windows and power seating. There’s probably not much more you could add. Even the wiring in the door jambs used the Commodore’s fittings! Covered in Charcoal leather with that vibrant orange stitching the interior is simply a work of art!

After almost four-years of construction, the Torana hit the road with a smiling Phillip behind the HSV-spec steering wheel.

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Compared to the rest of the build, the body and paint could almost be considered plain, Fact is though, the Torana had seen better days when Phillip first purchased it, so bringing it back to the quality of the rest of the build was to be no easy task. But when you have a perfectionist like Angelo from Cool Customs on the job, you are pretty much guaranteed a top notch job. After massaging years of abuse from the Torana’s panels, Angelo fired up the compressor, filled the paint gun and laid on the new colour. Phillip found the colour in the Renault colour chart. Called Arizona Orange, it was certainly an unusual choice, but it does set his Torana apart from every other Torana on the planet.

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35 After almost four-years of construction, the Torana hit the road with a smiling Phillip behind the HSVspec steering wheel. And he hasn’t stopped since.

I’m not sure where he found the time, but since the sedan has been finished, Phillip has built a blown LX Hatch as a stable mate. More on that one soon.

Stay tuned…

THANKS TO

Liverpool Exhausts. Jeff at Genuine Auto Electrics.

Brett at All Trim Macarthur. Angelo at Cool Customs.

GRUDGE KINGS – SYDNEY DRAGWAY – JULY 20TH, 2019 WORDS – Paul Beck PICS – Paul Beck, Tim McCormack

HOLDING A

e g d u r G

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Following on from an amazing 2018 event, The Grudge Kings team return with a bigger program and much bigger prize pool…Eventually!

Due to the wet stuff falling on and around Sydney Dragway for a few days leading up to the event, Po made the call that no one wanted to hear. The 2019 Grudge Kings event had been postponed for two weeks. For some, it gave them more testing time, but for others, like reigning Champ Jet Martin, the new date saw them having to sit out due to family (and other) commitments.

Talk to anyone in the Pro-Street / Pro-Mod scene and ask them what the best event of 2018 was and I reckon every single answer will be the same – the Grudge Kings! Without doubt, it was the most hard-fought, most impressive drag meet for a long, long time.

So what made the Grudge Kings so exciting? Obviously the $50,000 winner takes all prize money certainly didn’t hurt, but it was the overall atmosphere from the racing, to the huge show and shine and everything else happening during the day. From concept to completion, it was a brilliant day.

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The show side of the Grudge Kings event has proven to be a huge hit with Sydney car enthusiasts with a couple of hundred standout rides on display.

Fast forward 12 months and the rescheduled 2019 Grudge Kings event promised to be twice as good as its previous event. Why? Well the prize money has doubled - $50K to the winner of the Turbosmart Pro-Street bracket and $50K to the winner of the FuelTech Pro-Mod bracket and if that’s not an incentive, I have no idea what would be. Add to these classes the Pro Elite $10K, Pro Modified $10K, Outlaw, Small Tyre Fighter, Street Outlaw, Grudge and Extreme Bike brackets and you have a full day of hardcore racing like never seen before.

Yet again, the Grudge Kings event proved that the Blower, Nitrous, Turbo and Aspirated racers can provide a spectacle that drags people into the stands (pun intended) and keeps them there.

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There were big names scattered around the entry list including Kelly Bettes, Paul Mouhayet and Tristan Ockers – who piloted the Hemi-powered Nova for the first time. Steve Bezzina, Craig Burns, Dom Lupino, Paul Todarello and Jason Mansweto were amongst those going for the $50K in Pro-Street in a field where anyone can take home the gold.

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Fast forward 12 months and the rescheduled 2019 Grudge Kings event promised to be twice as good as its previous event. Why? Well the prize money has doubled - $50K to the winner of the Turbosmart Pro-Street bracket and $50K to the winner of the FuelTech Pro-Mod...

As you’d expect, there were plenty of huge burnouts, massive wheel-stands and some big drives as everyone tried to push their cars beyond its limits in an effort to get the win bulbs lit. It kept the big crowd on the edge of their seats all day.

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RESULTS FUELTECH PRO MOD Greg Tsakiridis TURBOSMART PRO STREET Jeremy Callaghan GAS RACING/ROTORMASTER PRO ELITE 1st Michael Haimandos 2nd George Rehayem RGM CIVIL PRO MODIFIED 1st Daniel Camilleri 2nd Steve Athans TODARELLO’S FRUIT OUTLAW 1st Adam Attard 2nd Josh Ploeger 46

RC MASTERS PRO SMALL-TYRE FIGHTER 1st Craig Lewis 2nd Danko Knezevic RC MASTERS RADIAL SMALL-TYRE FIGHTER 1st Moose Salina 2nd Luke Purdie PLOT CLOTHING STREET OUTLAW 1st David Muscat 2nd Cameron Sleeper URBAN LIFE CONSTRUCTIONS EXTREME BIKE 1st Darren Foley 2nd Ian Smith SPEED FOR SALE WILDEST RIDE Steve Athans HAYES CRANES BIGGEST BURNOUT George Rehayem

In between the racing, spectators were treated to a massive show and shine, held on the Eastern hill where there was also a great mix of traders and food outlets. The show side of the Grudge Kings event has proven to be a huge hit with Sydney car enthusiasts with a couple of hundred standout rides on display.

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Yet again, the Grudge Kings event proved that the Blower, Nitrous, Turbo and Aspirated racers can provide a spectacle that drags people into the stands (pun intended) and keeps them there. Po Tung and his team of helpers should stand justifiably proud of what proved to be another outstand success story. Bring on 2020!

138 DUNSTERS LANE, CROOM, NSW 2527 20-minutes South of Wollongong

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Talk to anyone in the Pro-Street / Pro-Mod scene and ask them what the best event of 2018 was and I reckon every single answer will be the same – the Grudge Kings!

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SILVER k a e r t S 50

When Frank Vitacco decided it was time to give his already cool ’57 Chev sedan a makeover, he didn’t intend to go this far. Sound familiar?

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FRANK VITACCO – 1957 CHEV SEDAN

WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

Before the Chev emerged in its latest guise, it sported a slick coat of blue paint, Simmons wheels and an aspirated engine combo that got more air through a Subaru bonnet scoop flush mounted into the ’57 bonnet. Yeah, it was cool enough, but Frank wanted more than just cool.

In no time at all, the Chev was stripped down to its bare bones in readiness for a new colour. The familiar blue paint was soon to go after Frank finished straightening out every inch of the 1957 sheet metal. From there, good mate Nathan Bennett laid on the Silver Aluminium colour from the Glasurit range. With all that chrome work shiny again and bolted back into place, the Chev’s body was looking like a million dollars.

The entire build went off without a hitch this time around, and the build quality has ensured plenty of trophies have been riding shotgun with Frank on the way home from many shows.

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While the body and paint was getting all the attention, Frank decided it was time for the ’57 to cop a little more power. After a visit to engine guru Sam Fenech at Westend Performance, the power level went from a little to “hang the hell on!” Sam started the engine combo off with a small block Dart block which soon received a C5B 4-inch crank, large-journal H-Beam rods, 400 pistons and a Howards cam that lets everyone know this engine is far from stock. Mind you, if the black 8/71 blower and black Diamond 750cfm carbs don’t give you that impression, nothing will. The reworked AFR heads were bolted onto the bottom end to complete a tough, but user-friendly engine combo. A 3-inch mandrel-bend dual exhaust system gets rid of the gases after the MSD ignition puts the fire in the hole. Power wise, the 427-cube small block makes a credible 850hp on 98-octane pump fuel.

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A full-manual Turbo 350 auto box, kitted out with a 4000rpm Dominator converter backs the pumped and stretched small block and has no problem with feeding those ponies through to the 9-inch diff where the 31-spline Moser axles push the power to the ground via 255/60/15 ET Street tyres mounted to 15x8.5-inch Street-Pro rims. The fronts measure just 15x4.5-inch and are shod with 26x8-inch Sportsman SR tyres. The black rims against the silver body certainly look better than the polished Simmons did with the blue paint…

Any car built in the ‘50’s certainly won’t be remembered for its handling capabilities. Having spent plenty of time behind the wheel of his Chev, Frank knew the Chev’s underside needed some attention too, so he fitted the stock chassis with lowered King Springs and Koni adjustable shocks to each corner for a marked improvement in the ride. Nolathane bushes are used exclusively, replacing the aging rubber. The braking system was upgraded to include VS Commodore disc on the front, XF Falcon disc on the rear with a VK Commodore master cylinder and VX Commodore booster controlling them all. Like the top side, the underside is well detailed too.

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Inside, it’s as far from 1957 as you could possibly get. Sure, the seats are still bench front and rear, but that’s where the old and new similarities start and finish. Garry’s Motor Trimming covered the seats, door trims and headlining in Smooth Cream leather complimenting the body colour that also found its way on to the custom dash. The retractable seat belts are colour coded to the dash as well.

After a visit to engine guru Sam Fenech at Westend Performance, the power level went from a little to “hang the hell on!”

Mixing it up with the cream and silver is lavish amounts of billet aluminium with the window winders, steering wheel and steering column all polished alloy. The dash insert is a multi-gauge unit from the Dakota catalogue and a Kenwood flip out stereo head unit controls the same branded speakers and amps that provide the cruising tunes. The interior is a great place to spend time now…

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The entire build went off without a hitch this time around, and the build quality has ensured plenty of trophies have been riding shotgun with Frank on the way home from many shows.

Sure the ’57 is detailed like a seasoned show car, but Frank see’s it more as a nicely detailed driver. And that what he continues to do – drive the car to as many different events as he can get to. After all, driving them is more than half the fun of owning them.

LEO VANGELOVSKI

THANKS TO:

My son Ben for all the help during the build. My boss Tommy for all the ordering of the necessary parts and having it at the workshop. Nathan Bennett for the paint!

PHONE: 4285 0300 MVRC LIC: 54814

STOCKISTS OF

MOB: 0415939307 ABN: 73669 696 204

NOW WITH IN-HOUSE CHASSIS DYNO!

www.blautomotive.com.au

leo@blautomotive.com.au

Still

NSW ALL HOLDEN DAY - CLARENDON SHOWGROUNDS, RICHMOND – AUG 3-4, 2019 WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

N E D L O H

You know it’s going to be a huge event when the only road into the event is backed up with traffic from both ends for as far as you can see. The hour-long wait was worth it to get into the biggest NSW All Holden Day yet.

On

The NSW All Holden Day is more than just a car show, it’s an event with a huge swap meet being a precursor to the annual show and shine. Spread across the southern part of the expansive Clarendon Showgrounds, the swap meet attracted hundreds of parts peddlers all eager to sell off those unwanted parts that were collecting dust 60 at home. Some made a fortune, whilst others went home not only with what they started with, but also some new additions as well.

In previous years, the trend in entrants vehicles leaned towards the resto crowd. This year there seemed to be more modified stuff than ever before – just the thing we love to see here at Killer Rides.

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Each year, Holden enthusiasts converge on the Richmond Showground enmass to be a part of what is considered the largest gathering of Holden vehicles in Australia. This year was to be no different. From the very first FX to the latest models on display from the local dealership, it was wall to wall Holden – an automotive feast for those fans of the General’s product.

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In previous years, the trend in entrants vehicles leaned towards the resto crowd.

This year there seemed to be more modified stuff than ever before – just the thing we love to see here at Killer Rides. There were blown cars, turbo cars, nitrous cars and even a couple of former Killer Rides cover cars – Brett Hewerdine’s HT Monaro and Byron Prouse’s rammed EH sedan.

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Selling everything from model cars to books, flags, replacement panels and anything else you required, the traders were kept busy buy the thousands of people who visited the show.

One thing the All Holden Day never fails to deliver is variety. Pristine A9X Torana’s sat next to blown small block-powered LJ’s and early Holden’s powered by just about everything imaginable were scattered across the grounds. Custom hearse’s mixed it up with many late-model Commodores and there was even a few replica race cars on display.

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Each year, Holden enthusiasts converge on the Richmond Showground enmass to be a part of what is considered the largest gathering of Holden vehicles in Australia. This year was to be no different.

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Along with the swap meet stalls, the All Holden Day attracted lots of traders situated both indoors and outside amongst the car displays. Selling everything from model cars to books, flags, replacement panels and anything else you required, the traders were kept busy buy the thousands of people who visited the show.

Although initially cold and overcast, the weather was car show friendly the entire weekend ensuring the 2019 NSW All Holden Day was a complete success. Almost 1000 cars, hundreds of swappers and thousands of spectators made sure of that.

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With the 2020 event likely to be bigger again, the organisers will need to work out a game plan to get the entrants cars in more quickly and without the aggression associated with jamming so many cars into one venue at the same time. Maybe some clubs may want to set up on the Saturday and camp out during the night?

There could even be the opportunity for some old-fashion club games to take place during the evening to take the event to another level yet again. Time will tell‌

ROB MATHEIS - 1965 MUSTANG FATSBACK WORDS – Paul Beck PICS - Stephen Taylor

JUST PLAIN

H G U O T

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So, you think white is boring, a little on the ho-hum side? Think again. Under this all-white ’65 Mustang Fastback lies a heart that’s all about excitement!

We all know to expect the unexpected when it comes to cool Pro-Street rides and Rob Matheis’ cool white Mustang is no exception. The way LS-engines are being spread around these days, there’s no reason why this Ford couldn’t be running with the devil. Thankfully it’s not, but it is using a foreign engine package to turn those big rear tyres. Can you say HEMI? As owner of Matheis Race Cars, Rob decided his new project Mustang was going to be a little left of centre, to the point where the Ford purists were going to turn up their noses in disapproval. Unperturbed, Rob put the plans in motion to tub, cage and completely rework a stock 1965 Mustang Fastback into a wild, quarter-mile pounding street car.

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Rob kickstarted the project by building the tube chassis to his usual high standard incorporating an inhouse-designed Promod Strut front end with Strange springs and struts, Wilwood brakes with 4-piston calipers and a Strange master cylinder.

Down at the rear, there’s a Pro-Mod 4-link set-up again with Strange coil-overs controlling the ride and Wilwood 4-piston brakes providing ample stopping power. Blacked out American Racing Torque Thrust wheels measuring 15x15 and 15x3.5 contrast the all-white body perfectly.

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After a six-year build that consumed almost $230,000, Rob has decided to take this Speaking of which, the Fastback shell scored as year out to do some shows before hitting the 1320ft of drag racing blacktop at full force. many new panels as they could get before a few body mods were added. These include a reverse opening bonnet, trick door handles, shaved drip rails and aluminium rear wing. Once the body work was completed, the compressor was fired up, allowing Kullin Shoefell the opportunity to help Rob lay on the new body colour courtesy of House of Kolor.

Inside is all business. A pair of Kirkey seats replaces the no-longer-required factory seats while the original dash copped the body colour and no less than 5 important gauges from Dakota along with some technology in the form of a 7-inch touch screen display. There’s a mass of roll cage tubing to keep the driver and passenger safe. The trans tunnel and door trims are made from quality carbon-fibre.

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Down at the rear, there’s a Pro-Mod 4-link set-up again with Strange coil-overs controlling the ride and Wilwood 4-piston brakes providing ample stopping power.

But its what’s under the bonnet that makes this Mustang unique. Obviously, any prior thoughts of a big blower and injector hat combo never came to fruition, but what did happen was the fitment of a Twin-turbo 354ci Hemi! Originally built by Bill Waterhouse and Tim Habel, the force-fed Mopar powerplant is rated at around 1200hp and features a tough as nails top end which includes twin Precision 66mm turbo’s, a custom Matheis Racecar fabricated intake with LSX throttle body and race-spec alloy Hot Heads.

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Inside the 1957-spec block is a steel crank swinging K1 rods and Ross 9.5:1 turbo pistons. A high-volume oil pump (also from Hot Heads) keeps all the important parts well lubricated the first instance the ignition key is flicked. After the engine fires into life, extracting the spent gases is left up to a pair of stainless 2-inch primary headers and 3.5-inch dual pipes.

Transferring those 1200-ponies to the fabricated diff housing with 3.90-gears, full-spool and 40-spline gun drilled axles is the sole purpose of the built Turbo 400 auto that uses a 4500rpm stall to get those turbo’s spooling quicker from the get go.

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At the Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin earlier this year, Rob and his Hemi-powered Mustang were a hit all weekend with cruising being the major objective of the weekend.

After a six-year build that consumed almost $230,000, Rob has decided to take this year out to do some shows before hitting the 1320ft of drag racing blacktop at full force. At the Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin earlier this year, Rob and his Hemi-powered Mustang were a hit all weekend with cruising being the major objective of the weekend. Come next year though, those big turbo’s will be making sure this Mustang is ready for a tour of duty around the race tracks of the USA. Bring it on!

COMING IN 2020!

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All Pro-Street & Pro-Mod

style cars only!

DATE AND VENUE TO BE ADVISED! REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE! IN SUPPORT OF MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH. Bought to you by

THANKS TO;

My wife Tin Matheis, my sons Nic and Trent, Matheis Race Cars, Bill Waterhouse & Tim Habel, Kullin Shoefell.

22ND GOODGUYS PPG NATIONALS, OHIO EXPO CENTER, COLUMBUS JULY 12-14, 2019 WORDS – PAUL BECK PICS – SHUTTERFUEL

GOOD TIMES ith W The

GOOD GUYS

The Goodguys Rod & Custom Association stage a huge number of events across the USA every year. The most recent being the 22nd PPG Nationals held in Columbus, Ohio…

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The Goodguys Association is a big deal in the US custom car scene. In 2019, they have no less than 18 events happening across the country.

It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen in Australia and those that I know that have been lucky enough to attend some of their events rave about just how good they are.

Dedicated to the Rod, Custom and Muscle Car fraternity, the Goodguys events feature so much more than just a show and shine. For the PPG Nationals in Columbus, over 6500 Rods, Customs, Classics, Muscle Cars and Trucks through to 1987 entered the event which includes Indoor and Outdoor show areas, all the action of the Autocross and Burnout events, along with over 450 vendors, new product displays, swap meet, Cars 4 sale, live music and much more. The kids are well catered for too with a Kids Zone set up for the little ones to be entertained with free arts and crafts, games, prizes and more whilst Mum and Dad played cars.

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The PPG Nationals was the chosen venue for the naming of the 2019 Street Machine of the Year and Street Rod of the Year. In the Street Machine section, Jimmy Shaw’s ’71 Ford Maverick out scored some high-end competition to take out the honour, while Phil & Debbie Becker’s ’32 Ford Vicky did the same in the Street Rod of the Year section.

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Nostalgia Drag Racing plays a big part at a lot of the Goodguys Events and even when there is no track to run the cars at, like here in Ohio, the guys like to stage the Nitro Thunderfest – an exhibition of vintage Top Fuel Dragsters, Altered’s and Funnycar’s that will fill the air with the sounds and smells of Nitro Drag Racing! This proved to be a huge hot with the crowds over the weekend.

It’s not all about the static displays in Ohio. Yes, there’s plenty of cruising to be had over the weekend but there’s also two big driving events – the Burnouts and the Autocross.

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It’s not all about the static displays in Ohio. Yes, there’s plenty of cruising to be had over the weekend but there’s also two big driving events – the Burnouts and the Autocross. So, before you get too excited about the burnout comp, forget about seeing anything as spectacular as we do it here in Australia. Basically, the owner reverses the car into a sectioned off area and holds it flat out in the one spot to create smoke. The crowds seem to love it, but I can’t help think how they would lose it Aussie-style!

The Autocross is a whole other ball game. With a tight, twisting course set up, drivers put their cars through one at a time in a race against the clock. The event has proven to be so popular that people are now building cars just to compete in this part of the Goodguys events. Through the screaming tyres and hard-revving engines, the Autocross event is spectacular.

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At the Columbus event, the Autocross section was dubbed the “Summer Shootout” and ran at various times during the events three days including two 8-car shootouts.

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Most guys are dead serious with supercar-like handling added to their Camaro or Mustang, whilst others enter their regular driver for just a bit of fun – they are the more entertaining entrants as the get all out of shape when taking their cars way past its limits on the tight track. The Pro-guys are lightning quick and make getting through the course at speed look incredibly easy.

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The Goodguys Association is a big deal in the US custom car scene. In 2019, they have no less than 18 events happening across the country.

At the Columbus event, the Autocross section was dubbed the “Summer Shootout” and ran at various times during the events three days including two 8-car shootouts. Danny Popp was the big winner over the weekend taking home first place in the Pro X Class, Summer Shootout Pro X/Pro Class and the Sponsor Shootout Class as well. His ’72 Corvette proving to be best on the day. Dan Ballard drove his ’72 Nova into the winners spot in both Summer Shootout SM/HR/TR Class and the overall Street Machine Winner. The win in the Hot Rod section went to Pat McGinnis in a ’32 Ford Highboy whilst Brad Bedsaul scored the bragging rights in the Truck class with his ’68 Chevy C10.

Each Goodguys event has plenty of trophies on offer, but it’s the categories that makes these cool. Awards such as “Awesome Olds”, “Best Bitchin’”, “Chopped and Dropped”, “Cool Caddy” and “Homebuilt Heaven” give everyone an even chance on scoring a trophy as you don’t need to have the best car on the grounds to win.

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By Sunday evening, the Ohio Expo Center was starting to empty out. The rumbling of the cruising cars was getting quieter and one of the best PPG Nationals was coming to an end.

By all accounts, the event was a complete success. Next stop, the Griot’s Garage-sponsored, 32nd Pacific Northwest Nationals to be held at the Washington State Fair Events Center, Puyallup. For more details on all of the Goodguys events, log onto www.good-guys.com

High-Powered

HAULER

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With a proven low 10-sec combo under the bonnet, this stout HQ Ute is anything but an old workhorse.

MARK DAWSON – 1973 HQ HOLDEN UTE WORDS / PICS – PAUL BECK

Mark Dawson is no stranger to tough cars with a big block HQ Statesman and a 383ci-powered LJ Torana previously occupying the family driveway.

Both cars provided Mark with the adrenaline rush he needed, but like all good things, both cars needed to be moved on, leaving Mark with a hole in the garage waiting to be filled.

When looking for a replacement, Mark found this Ute in Melbourne. We was actually looking at a HG Holden and saw the HQ in the background of the photos. Deciding the HQ was the better option, Mark sealed the deal and then waited three long weeks for the white, 308-powered HQ to arrive on his doorstep. Once it did, Mark set about making some changes. First to go was the white paint.

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Wanting to keep the classic styling of the HQ intact, Mark limited the body mods to the fitment of a fibreglass reverse cowl bonnet – a necessity to cover the carby that protruded through the factory body.

Luckily, Mark’s son Cameron is handy on the body shaping tools and his mate Brad Lemon is just as handy with the spray gun. Wanting to keep the classic styling of the HQ intact, Mark limited the body mods to the fitment of a fibreglass reverse cowl bonnet – a necessity to cover the carby that protruded through the factory body. Cameron spent plenty of time getting the sheet metal straight and prepped so that Brad could do his thing with the colour. Not wanting to keep the boring white, Mark decided on a custom mix Silver Metallic with distinctive orange stripes.

GTS guards were added before the colour and the fit-up included a GTS grille. Finishing off the external upgrades include the 15x4.5” and 15x8 Weld Draglites for that timeless, tough car look.

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Inside, it’s a mix of factory GTS and traditional street machine. The low back bucket seats remain, and have been retrimmed in the familiar HQ patterned inserts surrounded by black vinyl. The original GTS dash and matching steering wheel have also been retained and joined by an AutoMeter tacho with shift light, B&M shifter and a custom switch panel mounted between the seats. A trio of smaller AutoMeter dials are added to the underside of the dash too. Mark told us he wanted to “keep the interior as low key as possible.” That box has certainly been ticked.

Its functional and practical.

Inside, it’s a mix of factory GTS and traditional street machine.

The 308 that came with the Ute just couldn’t cut it for Mark, so it was junked in favour of a Westend Performance built 383-cube small block stroker that has been powering a mates Torana and was a regular running in the low 10-sec zone. Not wanting to go down the LS road, Mark opted for a tried and proven combo that included forged pistons, stroker crank and rods, solid roller cam and lifters and a pair of race-prepped AFR 235 alloy heads. Feeding the premium fuel into the stout small block is a single Quick Fuel 850cfm carb mounted to an Edelbrock Super Victor intake. The complete MSD ignition system ignites the fuel to start the fire in the Chev’s belly, with the spent gases shown the door via a pair of Castle Headers and dual 3-inch system fabricated by Mark. The engine is good for around 650hp – enough to keep a smile on Mark’s face…for now anyway.

A full-manual, reverse-pattern Turbo 400 auto with a Dominator 8-inch 4800rpm converter, handles the power transfer to the nine-inch diff that is equipped with 3.7-gears, an Eaton Tru-Track and strong billet axles. Joining the two together is a custom, heavy-duty tailshaft. So far, the driveline combo has withheld any and all stresses that Mark has put it through – including plenty of Roll Racing at Sydney Motorsport Park.

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Roll Racing Pic by Bero Photography

The HQ’s underpinnings aren’t what you’d call Supercar-spec, but they do get the job done. The ride height is dramatically reduced thanks to the lowered King Springs. The front end scored a pair of KYB shocks while the rear has adjustable Calvert’s and Gazzard Bros Traction bars. Hooking up is no longer an issue for Mark and his Ute.

Mark is pretty happy with the way the Ute has turned out. In the ten years he has owned it, it’s only been of the road for minimal time, each time. The initial build on the body, paint etc took around 3 months and the next upgrade to the driveline, fuel system, wiring and exhaust took longer but was well worth it. There’s still things he would dearly love to do to the Ute, but can’t bring himself to take it off the road again, just in case there’s an event he wants to get to. Mind you, there’s still a nitrous-sniffing Suzuki Hyabusa in the shed with a supercharged Harley V-Rod parked right alongside. Maybe when the weather gets warmer Mark will reconsider his decision and get the work done. Till then. He’s going to keep enjoying the Ute as much as he can.

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THANKS TO:

Special thanks to my wife Priscilla for putting up with me. Our son Cameron for all his help with the bodywork. Brad Lemon for the paint. Steve Grech for helping Cameron buff the Ute. Charlton Sherry for painting the fibreglass bonnet. Daryl Elliot for selling me his engine.

Stephen at Shift Right for the gearbox. Luke Jago for the diff housing. Chris Loumanis at Ford 9” Diffs for the centre. Ian at Kreative for doing the driveshaft. Martin Donohue for the tyres and Ken McKenzie for just being Ken McKenzie…

ENTER NOW

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In the Spotlight

WORDS – Paul Beck

TRIPLE ! t a e r T

The classic era of all Chevrolets remains the 55-56-57 years. No matter where you go in the world, people know and worship these cars. The ’57 Chev is probably the all-time favourite car of anyone with even a slight interest in cars. They are, without doubt, forever classics.

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This months spotlight shines brightly on the Tri-5 Classic Chev Fraternity.Considered by many as Chev’s golden years!

One of the most desirable of all 1955 Chev’s is the Nomad. Esentially a two-door wagon with long side windows, they are demanding top end dollars for a good example.

There’s something about bright red paint, shiny chrome and a stackinjected engine that gets the senses racing!

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How big is too big? Normally, a ‘55 would look just right with a blower and a couple of carbs hangng through the bonnet. The owner of this ‘55 Sports Coupe decided to up the ante just a little. Impressive? yep. Over the top? Hell yeah!

195519551955 One of the greatest ‘55 Chev’s ever built was Cheez Whiz - Scott Sullivan’s all-orange Pro-Streeter.

With a single carb big block, giant rubber out back and superb detailing, Scott defied all those who trailered their cars, by driving it across America!

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Pro-Street cars in any make or model always look sensational and this fattyred ‘56 tudor-post is a great example of how the Pro-Street theme works wonders.

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Bagged, tubbed and rolling on big diametre rims - that’s the latest trend swooping across the states. And when the results look this good is it any wonder why the styling trend is so widely used?

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There’s a couple of different styles of mouldings on the sides of Tri 5 Chev’s, This pillarless coupe if a Belair and gets the dual moulding whilst the “210” model (below) gets the ‘55 style single moulding.

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It’s not just the USA where the ‘57 Chev is popular, these four high-impact show cars were all built right here in Australia!

Anthony Sant’s inj big block tudor-post; Mark Jones one-time four-door FAT 57, Joe’s BOSS57 sports coupe and Ray Gruppetta’s STOCK7 sedan from when it was first built in 2011. Its since had a change of graphics!

Widely regarded as Boyd Coddington’s greatest ever build, Chezoom was a world wide hit. The futuristic ‘57 Coupe toured the world and put Boyd at the top of the custom car world!

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1957195719571957

In the show car world, being picked in the Great 8 as a Ridler contender is about as good as it gets. The only higher accolade is actually winning that award. In 2018, Greg and judy Hrehovczik’s full-tilt custom ‘57 coupe founds itself in that very position, being named the Ridler winner for that year. Dubbed “Imagine”, the “150” base model Chev has had so many modifications made, its hard to find anything that has been untouched. And that’s what it takes to win the highest show car award in America!

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EVERYTHING OLD’S IS COOL KEVEN O’SULLIVAN – 1971 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 442 CONVERTIBLE WORDS / PICS / VIDEO – Paul Beck

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Keven O’Sullivan has a penchant for building odd-ball cars. When everyone wanted a Camaro, he built an LS-powered 69 Chevelle and an even cooler LSA-powered ’72 Chevelle. His latest ride, this cool Oldsmobile is just as unique!

Keven’s a hands-on car builder and enjoys nothing more than creating something different to what everyone considers normal. His Chevelle was a great example.

When everyone was settling for a basic LS-conversion, Keven went for the LSA option that certainly made the Chevelle a standout, pro-touring ride.

With that coupe gone to a new home, Keven found the Oldsmobile advertised in Just Cars as a nut and bolt resto. It seemed too good to be true, so he jumped on a plane and headed south with a pocket full of cash. What Keven found was a long way from what he was told on the phone. Not only had the car not received a full resto as described, but the original 455ci Old’s big block had been swapped out for a 400-cube small block Chev. Not being a matching numbers car had just worked in Keven’s favour as he had always intended to up the ante in the driveline department.

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Even though it drove like a pig, looked like a fire had broken out in the engine bay, had numerous engine oil leaks and showed a wiring harness that resembled something you would see hanging from a pole in Bali, the car had appeal. Keven sent some pics to wife Lyndle who liked the look of it too.

Once home, Keven idled the Old’s into the garage where the engine stopped on its own accord. That was it. The Chev engine had died that day and was never to start again.

With the price now reduced considerably, a deal was done and a short time later, Keven and Lyndle headed home behind the wheel of their new project car. Armed with a NSW Unregistered Vehicle Permit, Keven was home ward bound. The problem with cruising a long-distance home in an old car is the fear of the unknown.

Before Keven picked up the Old’s, he asked the seller to get his mechanic to give it the once over – to ensure the trip home was relatively hassle free. It was to be anything but…

It would appear that this guy’s mechanic either never looked once at the car or has no idea what the hell he was doing. The first problem appeared just down the road where they stopped to fill the car up. The large puddle of oil under the car was a concern, but after fixing the rocker cover and the lack of PCV valve issue (and finding a container of oil in the boot), Keven and Lyndle set off again. More fuel was needed after 150klms, and then again after 120klms.

Because the permit only allowed for daylight driving, they found a motel and stayed the night.

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Under the lights of the motel carpark, Keven did some investigating and found the poor fuel economy was due to the mixture screws being almost all the way out. That was an easy fix and resulted in better starting, idling and much better fuel usage, jumping from 120klms to around 400klms! Then when he thought he was done for the night, realised the door locks were inoperable.

Not wanting to leave the car unlocked for the night, Keven played it safe and removed the coil lead and steering wheel – just to be sure…

To date, Keven hasn’t touched the body or paint on the Old’s. The Matadore Red with white stripes is still presentable and was probably painted by Mexican’s living illegally in the US before the car was shipped to Australia.

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The long hours spent behind the wheel revealed some home truths about the car. There were lots of lose bolts in and under the old girl, and just 150-kays from home, the clunking under the car got so bad under braking, Keven had to pull over. What he found was the control arms missing bushes and were now metal to metal. Being so close to home and knowing he was going to replace the suspension anyway, they decided to push on and gently guide the old girl home. Once home, Keven idled the Old’s into the garage where the engine stopped on its own accord.

That was it. The Chev engine had died that day and was never to start again. It lasted as long as it needed to get home and then called it a day. Let the rebuild begin…

To date, Keven hasn’t touched the body or paint on the Old’s. The Matadore Red with white stripes is still presentable and was probably painted by Mexican’s living illegally in the US before the car was shipped to Australia. The body is all factory including the cool bonnet. So too is most of the interior. The white upholstery is standard issue Oldsmobile as is the dash complete with the TIC TOC TAC option. The steering wheel and tilt column are from Billet Specialties and look period correct anyway. What appears to be the original radio is actually a Bluetooth enabled digital unit that offers Keven any music he requires.

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One cool item is the factory option His/Hers Hurst dual gate shifter.

Fitted from new when the box was ticked, it allows for the driver to either use the standard drive position (Her’s) and when the mood arises, full ratchet mode (His). All the glass is electric as it the factory convertible roof.

With the 400 cube Chev no longer an option and the original engine passed on, Keven though finding a period correct 455ci block would be like finding that elusive other sock! But, he managed to track down a rusty old block in Newcastle. The owner obviously knew what he had and priced it accordingly. Keven wasn’t really in a position to argue so he paid the required price and started on the build of Old’s new heartbeat.

After getting the old block prepped, Keven installed Dick Miller Racing forged main bearing caps and a full main cap girdle after the Eagle stroker crank, forged H-Beam rods, forged Mahle pistons and a Howards cam into the new tough bottom end. From there, he added the port-matched Edelbrock Performer alloy heads, polished alloy Offenhauser low-rise, dual-quad 60-degree intake manifold that now plays host to a pair of Fitech fuel-injection carbs. Ceramiccoated Hooker headers send the gases outward via a 3-inch system with Hooker Aero-chamber mufflers. Keven built the engine himself and after seeing a similar package dyno’d in the USA, he is confident the now 495ci big block makes around 675hp with over 600lb-ft or torque. Visually the engine looks the part thanks to some satin alloy and that stylish CVF Racing billet alloy front drive system that also utilises a ribbed belt.

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Backing the big engine is a turbo 700 auto from Eagle Auto Parts. Utilising some tough internal parts and a TCI 2700rpm lock-up converter, the 495ci Old’s engine has chewed up no less than 3 boxes so far. It’s not the horsepower hurting them, it’s the torque. So far, this box has been reliable…so far. Down the back is a factory 10-bolt Oldsmobile LSD with UMI adjustable tubular control arms.

It’s no secret that cars of this size and vintage simply don’t handle corners well. Keven wanted his “442” to handle much better so he fitted each end with QA1 adjustable coilover shocks which improved the rock and roll of the heavy convertible immensely. So too did the sticky Nitto tyres that are wrapped around 18x8” and 18.9.5” Ridler chrome rims. And if you take a look inside any wheel, you’ll find a disc brake and caliper kit care of Hoppers Stoppers.

BY THE NUMBERS

The Oldsmobile 4-4-2 (also known as the 442) is a muscle car produced by Oldsmobile between the 1964 and 1987 model years. Introduced as an option package for US-sold F-85 and Cutlass models, it became a model in its own right from 1968 to 1971, spawned the Hurst/Old’s in 1968, then reverted to an option through the mid-1970s.

The name was revived in the 1980s on the rear-wheel drive Cutlass Supreme and early 1990s as an option package for the new front-wheel drive Cutlass Calais. The “4-42” name (pronounced “Four-four-two”) derives from the original car’s four-barrel carburettor, four-speed manual transmission, and dual exhaust.

So after all the hassles, unexpected expenses bringing parts in from the US etc, Keven, Lyndle and their two kids try to enjoy cruising the Old’s as much as they possibly can.

But Keven being Keven, has purchased a 1935 Chev Master to hot rod and has already started buying gear for its transformation. So if the right offer was to come along for the Convertible, it would be off to a new home and those funds would be poured into the Chevy. If not, then it will take longer to complete. He also has a couple of HQ’s he is helping his father-in-law out with. So there’s no chance Keven is going to get bored in the foreseeable future…

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THANKS TO

My Wife Lyndle for being so supportive of my hobby and flexible with our time and bank account. Rob Garcia for helping work through some electrical issues when incorporating technology into an old car. Brian (Beefa) Green and Brad (Hilpickle) Hills – the reason I am into cars so much. Here’s to all the fun times, late nights, skinned knuckles and the odd silly antic or two that kept us entertained. Cheers boys.

Killer Pic

PRO-MOD PIC - Paul Beck

Madness

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With Tristan Ockers behind the wheel of his stunning Nova Pro-Mod, Mick Duggan could only watch as TO punted the Hemi-powered coupe down the quarter-mile during the recent Grudge Kings meet at Sydney Dragway.

Whilst the boys didn’t celebrate a $50,000 win, just getting the Nova down the track in anger was certainly a reward in itself!

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Showtime!

To have your event listed here, send details to paul@killerrides.com.au

SEPT - 2019 30 Aug - 01 Sept - NT Red Centre Nats Alice Springs, NT www.redcentrenats.com.au 01 - QLD Chrysler Expo Rocklea Showgrounds doug@realres.com.au

15 - NSW Appin Wheels Festival Appin Public School 10am-3pm Melissa - 0420 662396

20 - NSW 33rd NSW All Chrysler Day Museum of Fire, Penrith www.allchryslerday.com

15 - NSW Kyogle Motor Vehicle Club Show Kyogle Football Grounds Summerland Way Cristy - 0427 443193

20 - VIC 20th Early Falcon Nationals Nagambie Lakes Pino - 0417 106052

21-22 - NSW Australian T-Bucket Nationals 01 -VIC 6th Showcars Melbourne Fathers Day Club Manangle, Menangle Park tbucketnationals@gmail.com Acland Street, St Kilda 10am-6pm showcarsmelbourne@hotmail.com 26-30 - VIC Majestic Vanners - Albury/Wodonga 08 - VIC Van-In 2019 Wagon Nationals Carribean Gardens, Ferntree Gully Rd Burnzy - 0439 483525 Check the FB Page for more details 27-30 - QLD HK HT HG Holden Nationals 08 - NSW Glenview, Sunshine Coast, QLD KIller Rides / Illawarra Street Scene www.hktgclubqld.com Coffee and Cars Catch Up Bunnings Albion Park Rail 7am-9am OCT - 2019 Phone Paul - 0432 795336 10 - NSW North West Swap Meet Gunnedah Showground Phone 0498 180966 14-15 - NSW Toranafest, Maitland Park Hosted by Hunter Valley Torana Club 15 - NSW American Muscle Car Show Towradgi Beach Hotel 11am-3pm www.towradgibeachhotel.com.au 15 - QLD 2019 Super Sunday Show & Shine Beaudesert Showgrounds www.scenicrimmotorsports.com.au

06 - WA All Ford Day Blue Steel Oval, Bassendean Paul - 0498 289351 12 - SA Car & Bike Show ‘n’ Shine for Vrain Cancer, Keith Stephenson Park, Mount Barker. 9am-4pm rlrose4.rebeccarose4@gmail.com 18-19 - NSW World Time Attack Challenge Sydney Motorsport Park 8am to late. www.worldtimeattack.com

20 - SA Aust Vs. American Muscle Car Showdown, Lyndoch Recreation Park. holdencommodoressfc@yahoo.com 20 - VIC Marsh Rodders 14th Show n Shine Maddingley Park, Bacchus Marsh Tony - 0409 746792 20 - VIC 2019 Victorian Monaro State Titles Cheltenham Secondary College www.monaroclubvic.com.au 25-27QLD Torquefest Maryborough Showgrounds manager@torquefest.com.au 26 - NSW Hot Rods for the Homeless Sydney Trash & Treasure Bazaar hotrodsforthehomeless.com.au 27 - VIC All GM Day - Ballarat Ballarat Turf Club, Miners Rest Scott - 0419 106264 27 - VIC 2019 Annual Route 66 Car Show Taylors Lakes route66carandbikeclub@outlook. com

Performance

y r o t c e r i D

Advertise your business here from just $55 per month* * Based on 6-month Booking @ 1/8 page size.

Email: paul@killerrides.com.au for more info.

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ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE!

PHONE: Paul - 0432 795336

EMAIL: paul@killerrides.com.au

www.prostreet.com.au

UPDATE ON CONDITIONAL REGISTRATION SCHEME IN NSW

Many of you in NSW are likely to have one or more of their vehicles on Historic or Classic Plates and are probably unaware of a recent change to the registration process that the RMS and Service for NSW have introduced about a month ago, with no notice and no consultation I must add. The change is that the “Historic Vehicle Declaration” and the “Classic Vehicle Declaration” can no longer be emailed to your Club for endorsement as they are required to be the original. RMS and Service for NSW will reject any document that appears to be a copy. There was no official information released by RMS when these changes were made so we are in the dark as to why such a change was made?

ANSMA has now reached a size that was unexpected when it was created by Graham Stubbs (RIP) back in 1985. We now have over 100 Affiliated Clubs across Australia and inexcess of 2,500 Individual members and growing. This growth is our strength in dealing with the Government over registration issues with our members vehicles but it is also a legacy to the foresight of Graham Stubbs when he started the Association!

More information can be found at www.ansma.com.au

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e c n e r e f f i D a g n i Mak Monthly Meets at Greenway Plaza, The Horsley Drive, Wetherill Park

SEPT 7 - OCT 5 - NOV 2 - DEC 7

Sundown Car Fest at Penrith Homemaker Centre

SEPT 14 - OCT 12 - NOV 9 - DEC 14

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www.asrf.org.au

www.carsunderthestars.com

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PUBLISHING EDITOR

Paul Beck paul@killerrides.com.au Phone 0432 795336

MAILING ADDRESS

PO Box 165 Oak Flats NSW 2529 129

WEBSITE

www.killerrides.com.au

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 Greg “Beach” Ball - Vincent De Rossi Joe Crispin - Flaming Rim Productions Jimmy T Photography - Andy Mack Stephen Taylor - The Motorsports Project