Super Rod Magazine #1_Feb 2020

ISSUE #1 - FEB 2020

TER S D E E P S D R O F 1933

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D E S R CU 1932

NG I K A M E H T N I S YEAR 0 2 T E L O I R B A C FORD

ON S D U H R E P I V 1 195

Also Inside

Custom ‘35 Willys Tudor 8-sec ‘30 Ford Coupe 60’s Race-style ‘32 Coupe Home-built ‘25 Dodge Tudor The Hottest Fire Truck

e g a r e v o C t n e v E l o o C

Vic Hot Rod & Cool Rides Show - Lygon St. Breakfast Cruise Yokohama Rod & Custom Show - CRAKK Run Canberra 71st Annual Grand National Roadster Show USA

t h g u o f r a c “That damn ” . . . y a w e h t us all

r e n w O , n a m r o D Dave

FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF

Welcome to the first Super Rod Magazine - Australia’s Only Dedicated Online Hot Rod & Custom Magazine!

Hey Guys and Girls. The decision to release a Hot Rod & Custom Magazine has been be on the agenda for a long time, but with 12 issues of Killer Rides to put together each year, finding the time to make it all happen was proving to be difficult. Determination took over and I made the time to finish off the first of what will be a quarterly online-only publication.

First up, I need to stress the point that we’re not here to take anything away from either Aust. Street Rodding or Cruzin Magazines. Both have spent years forging their place in the Australian Hot Rod community and both magazines make up a big part of my vast magazine collection as well. We’re here to showcase my interest in the Rod & Custom scene through my camera lens.

So what makes Super Rod different? First up, we are only available online. There will be no printed version of Super Rod. However, each of the four issues published every year will be available to read for free. Yes, that’s right FREE, at anytime via the Super Rod website. Apart from being free, the magazine is interactive. All advertisements are “live” and can take you directly to the companies website or social media pages by clicking anywhere on the ad and if I manage to get some video footage on certain events, you’ll be sure to find that added to the feature as well. It’s a digital world, might as well embrace it!

So lets get down to the content. Super Rod will be showcasing a unique mix of high-end show cars, home-built drivers and everything in between. Hot Rods, Customs and the Lifestyle that goes hand in hand with the scene. To ensure you are notified when each issue of Super Rod is uploaded, jump onto the website and sign-up to subsribe. It’s free and you’ll never miss an issue.

Until then, enjoy the first issue of Super Rod and if all goes to plan, we’ll be increasing the frequency in no time. Please feel free to share this mag around to every Hot Rod & Custom fan you know.

Unitl next time...

Paul

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HIGH CRANKING HIGH CAPACITY

HIGH PERFORMANCE 1972 LJ Holden Torana, Dubbo NSW Recommended battery: Fullriver HC70

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NEW LOOK

FULLRIVER HC SERIES The Fullriver HC Battery Series features advanced AGM (Absorbent Glass Mat) technology to provide a genuine no-compromise dual-purpose battery.

9 Non -spillable AGM desgin with no corrosion Fullriver HC Batteries are available at R&J Batteries stores and distributors across Australia and New Zealand: AUS: rjbatt.com.au | 1300 769 282 NZ: rjbatt.co.nz | 09 636 5980

9 Low self-discharge

9 Safe for installation in racing cars, motorsport 9 Low resistance design, ideal for both starting & applications and classic cars.

cycling

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SUPER ROD MAGAZINE Po Box 165 Oak Flats NSW 2529 PUBLISHING EDITOR Paul Beck (0432) 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au

ISSUE NO.1 Feb 2020

WEBSITE www.superrod.com.au

06 THE DASHBOARD News, views and things of interest 16

IN FOR THE LONG HAUL 1932 Ford Cabriolet

30 HAVIN’ A CRAKK 30th Anniversary CRAKK Run 40 BACKYARD BLITZ 1925 Dodge Tudor

52 BLACK TOP RUMBLE 1930 Ford Coupe 62

8 AIN’T ENOUGH Custom Viper-powered Hudson

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CRUISE CENTRAL Breakfast on Lygon Street

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STEP BACK IN TIME 1932 Ford Coupe

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DOIN’ IT TOUGH 1933 Ford Speedster

106 SEASON STARTER 38th Victorian Hot Rod & Cool Rides Show 118 MISSION POSSIBLE 1935 Willys Tudor 130 CALIFORNIA DREAMIN Yokohama Rod & Custom Show 142 CYBER CRUISIN’ The World’s Hottest Fire Truck

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146 THE GRAND DADDY OF THEM ALL The 71st GNRS

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T-BUCKET NATIONALS

Due to inclement weather, the organisers of the Australian T-Bucket Nationals have had to postpone the event until Feb 22nd, 2020. The same venue will be used, the Trash and Treasure Bazaar at 1895 Camden Valley Way, Horningsea Park. As well as the Show and Shine, there will be free kids activities, jumping castles, drift-trikes, simulators and more. An array of Food Trucks will be on hand as well as live entertainment.

For more information, email: tbucketnationals@gmail.com or phone 0407 419939

ASRF REGIONAL NATIONALS GOULBURN 2020

The inland NSW city of Goulburn will be wall to wall Hot Rods and Customs come Easter 2020 with the staging of the Regional Nationals. Based at the Showgrounds, the event promises to be a fun-filled, stress-free and perfect for families to enjoy. The ASRF have been working closely with the Goulburn Mulwaree City Council to ensure the event runs as smoothly as possible.

DOIN’ THE HOT ROD HUSTLE

The 2020 Hustle Tour won’t include taking your own Rod to the states, but it will be no less fun with the tour taking in many shops and cool events. The 13 day / 12 night departs March 26th and returns to Australia on April 7th and travels from So Cal to San Fransico to Vegas and back with all accommodation, shop and event admissions, transport and tours all included in the $2950 per person tour fee.

The event kicks off on Thursday 9th April with the first two days being Entrant Only days, with both Saturday and Sunday open to the general public. Inside the showground, there will be lots to see and do for both entrants and spectator.

There will be driving events including the Rod Balance and novelty events such as the Belt Sander Racing and Rocker Cover racing. Amongst the many trade stands will be a huge show and shine, exhibition stands and of course a variety of food vans on offer.

Entries close March 28th, so make sure you get in early to avoid disappointment.

Don’t forget to Subscribe at www.superrod.com.au You’ll visit such shops as Shine Speed Shop, Brizio Street Rods, Hollywood Hot Rods, So Cal Speed Shop and others as well as Goodguys Pleasanton Get Together and NHRA Nitro Drag Racing Nationals events. So why not organise a cheap flight to the US and take in the first Hustle Tour planned for 2020.

To find out more about this tour and others to be announced, contact Dean on 0401 309176 or via email at roguerodncustom@gmail.com 8

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SEMA STYLE

Mention the word SEMA to any car guy or girl and instantly images of the latest and greatest cars on the planet flood your senses. It’s known as the greatest Car Show on Earth - and with good reason! Check out some of the coolest Hot Rods and Customs that were on display in 2019! Pics courtesy of Jason Lowe - Cubbro Images!

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SHOW US YOUR SHED

It’s no secret that Hot Rodders care just as much about their garage as they do the vehicle(s) they store in it.

Some ae amazing works of art, whilst others have more memorabilia than most museums. If you’ve got a garage you’re proud of, send us a couple of pics and we’ll show the world. Don’t worry, we don’t need an address or even town – just the pics! Here’s one I found on the internet to get proceedings started!

HOT ROD VIDEO OF THE MONTH Ridler Winner - “Impression” by Chip Foose

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DARE TO BE DIFFERENT - ENGINES Each issue, we’ll highlight a certain part of a Hot Rod’s anatomy and what etter place to start that right at the heart!

Check out these amazing engines I found on the Net! PROCHARGED BIG BLOCK CHEV

ARIAS HEADED INJECTED LS

BLOWN / INJECTED ALLOY HEMI NELSON RACING TWIN TURBO CHEV

HELLCAT HEMI

INJECTED FLATHEAD

HEMI HEADED FORD WINDSOR

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6-CARB BUICK NAIHEAD

e h t r o f in L U A H G LON

Any problems associated with car crafting will take time to overcome. The bigger the problem, the longer it takes to rectify.

Dave Dorman’s ’32 Cabriolet has been subjected to so many issues, it’s no wonder it’s taken 20-years to complete!

Building any car from scratch is going to bring with it a few headaches. But when the end game involves creating a top-shelf elite show car, those problems are intensified ten-fold. Dave has had more than his fair share with his ’32, but persistence and help from a select group of people ensured it made its debut at the Sydney Hot Rod & Custom Auto Expo in 2019 looking the very best it could be – and the ensuing trophy haul certainly backed that up!

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Dave Dorman 1932 Ford Cabriolet Words / Pics - Paul Beck

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d to import the ne an pl d ha e av D p, -u ck s ’34 Chev Roadster Pi hi ith w ny Little did he know that pa d. m ul co g co in he as y kl ic After part qu ild as e frame, actually Z and complete the bu tim N t or om fr sh y dy el bo tiv t la le re io a br in Ca as supposed to happen w t ha W , after problem. Dave s. m ea le id r ob he pr r ot te af m le fate had ob pr ’32 had fought ears, thanks in part to e -y th 20 t at os th m d al t an , ou ild d bu ge e th drag e so many issues with er w e er th ”. e us ca be said that med the Ford “KURS32 na ck ni ily m fa e th d, e en them all the way to th

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Essentially a Roadster with a removeable hardtop, the Cabriolet offers the best of both worlds - with or without a roof.

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Dave decided to power his Ford with a 350-cube small block Chev topped with what could almost be considered as an "old-school" TPI injection.

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The ’32 Cabriolet body isn’t one that we see a lot of in Australia, and that’s why Dave imported it from Pete Osbourne in New Zealand. Essentially a Roadster with a removeable hardtop, the Cabriolet offers the best of both worlds – with or without a roof. Covered in a silky-smooth coat of PPG Lamborghini Yellow that was rectified by Andy’s Restorations, the body also features custom touches such as a pop-up fuel cap, modified roll pan, moulded headlight stalks, hidden windscreen wipers and the addition of an electric bonnet and boot lid. The changes made a so well done and integrated, that they are hardly visible…

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Building any car from scratch is going to bring with it a few headaches. But when the end game involves creating a top-shelf elite show car, those problems are intensified ten-fold.

In stark contrast to the body colour, the interior is finely crafted in black leather imported from Italy. Jesse from Custom Interior Designs added the material to the modified Honda Prelude bucket seats, custom centre console, door trims and panelling situated behind the seats that house part of the impressive Alpine sound system.

The factory dash panel now plays host to the billet aluminium facia that holds a host of Dakota Digital gauges and blends in nicely with the Billet Specialties steering column and wheel. The Lokar shifter sits within the console surrounded by a bevy of billet buttons and electric windows switches and the head unit for the sound system. The same material occupies the boot space to complete the interior fit out.

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Dave decided to power his Ford with a 350-cube small block Chev topped with what could almost be considered as an “old-school” TPI injection. To get the highest possible finish on the injection, Dave sent it to America to be chromed as he couldn’t locate anyone locally wanting to do the job required. Brett at St Mary’s Engine’s gave the engine the once over to ensure that when the time comes for the ’32 to become a regular driver, Dave will have many thousands of hassle-free cruising miles. Brett fitted the otherwise stock 5.7-litre engine with a mild cam upgrade and flat top pistons for a little more power. A twin, 2.25-inch, stainless steel exhaust dumps the gases through its polished and HPC coated pipes. Like the entire exhaust system, the engine and all of its components have been detailed to the enth-degree – as you’d expect from a high-end show car build like this.

The Turbo 700R4 box has obviously been subjected to thorough detailing too and has been rebuilt to stock specs, sending the power through to the trick rear end. Starting life as a basic S-type Jag centre section, there’s now fabricated tapered half-shafts that have been adapted to the Corvette hubs. The rear end also features QA-1 coil-over shocks and polished calipers clamping over Wilwood discs. The rear-end is a master piece and gains plenty of attention when the car is set up on display. Built by John Reid at Rods by Reid in NZ, Dave can’t speak highly enough of the man and his ability to look after his customers. And his products are of the highest quality.

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On the pointy end, the independent front sports polished QA-1 coil overs, stainless tube A-arms, VN Commodore steering rack, P76 discs and VR Commodore calipers and master-cylinder all work with each other to make sure the ’32 stops, steers and handles like a later model car. The chassis, floor pans and inside each guard and running boards are as smooth as the top part of the car, and have also been coated in the same colour as the body. With its many tube cross-members in place connecting to the standard-style rails, the detailed underside is a big part of why the ’32 is held in such high-regard by show judges and spectators alike. Keeping all that hard work off the black top are 17x7 and 20x9-inch billet Foose Knuckle wheels wrapped in appropriately sized rubber.

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home garage to have the paint and the left ly on ’32 the n, ctio stru con g lon During its on d of guy and played a big part in all facets kin on d’s han a ve’s Da to. ed end att r erio int jor back surgery and raising a young ma ing hav to e du t bu ld, cou he en wh ild the ‘32’s bu tes en needed, he had a group of hardcore ma family, this wasn’t always possible and wh that he could call on to help out. h good mates, the ’32 wouldn’t be half suc of p hel the ut ho wit t tha its adm y Dave openl to find ll, in three show outings, Dave has had as good as it is. And how good is it? We l continue for a little while yet. But wil t tha nd tre a – ies ph tro 20n tha s les space for no and dusted, Dave will be ne do is g tin ou w sho e itiv pet com t las t rest assured, when tha as he can. Let’s hope that when that ch mu as ay hw hig the wn do let rio Cab t steering tha …

D” tag that is currently attached to the car time comes, they have shaken the “KURSE ny Steve Rich, PPG, Mothers Polish, Antho Andy’s Restorations, Douvlas, Pete Denning, Mark Dunn, HPC, Designs, The Chrome GTR Fibreglass, Jesse at Custom Interior s by Reid in NZ, Pete Shop in Taren Point, Glass 4 Classics, Rod Mary’s Engines, DS Osborne Productions in NZ, Brett at St Rowan Wilson Signs Automatics in Seven Hills, Craig Green, who have been there and my family, Sharon, Jessica and Josh – through it all!

THANKS TO:

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Dave openly admits that without the help of such good mates, the '32 wouldn't be half as good as it is.

And how good is it? Well, in three show outings, Dave has had to find space for no less than 20-trophies!

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A ’ n i v a H

CRAKK

The long weekend in January saw a couple of hundred Hot Rodders head to Canberra for the 30th running of the Canberra Rod & Kustom Krooze.

Affectionately known as the CRAKK Run, the event catering for Hot Rods and Customs has been a mainstay on the calendar now for 30-years, a huge achievement for the crew from the Canberra Hot Rod Association.

Since 1991, the CHRA have put together a weekend of cruising, showing and generally having a great time around cars.

Now based at the fabulous Capital Country Holiday Park, the event kicked off on Friday with a cruise to the Australian War Memorial for a

wreath laying ceremony on behalf of the host club, at the Last Post Service.

A meet and greet followed with a presentation to 12 of the 13 previous event co-ordinators, who between them, staged all 30 CRAKK Runs, including Ian Walton, the driving force behind the very first event. In amongst the refreshments on offer, they were all acknowledged for their valued contribution to keeping the event thriving. Speaking of the event’s history, a display showcasing all 30 CRAKK Run’s T-Shirts were on show during the course of the event.

Canberra Rod and Kustom Kroose 24th-27th January 2020

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Words – Vicki Munday

Pics – Les Rice / Corey Aldridge - Show ‘n’ Go Photography / Shelley La Belle

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A new feature added to the proceedings this year was “Chooze a Crooze” where entrants could spend their Saturday at several different outlets. Some chose the thrills and excitement of punting their rides around on a wet skid pad, whilst others headed out to such places as the Retro Garage in Fyshwick, with the young at heart making the trip to Way Too Fast slot car racing, while others headed off to do some shopping at Federation Square. The full-on Saturday culminated in cruising around the Tourist Park in your favourite 50’s gear, with Burgers for dinner and the ‘ever popular’, Wes Pudsey and the Sonic Aces returning to the CRAKK run to provide the tunes late into the night.

Affectionately known as the CRAKK Run, the event catering for Hot Rods and Customs has been a mainstay on the calendar now for 30-years...

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Those that could manage an early start after a big Saturday night, headed out for the cruise to the show and shine to be held at Vikings Erindale, with a short stop over for a photo opportunity at the National Arboretum which overlooks the Nations Capital. Once at Erindale, the cars provided a great way to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease. The Ladies High Tea was held in the afternoon, whilst entrants returned to the Park for another afternoon of cruising, this time the theme being “Australia Day.” Keeping with the all-Aussie theme, the “Great Aussie BBQ” was held to supply dinner followed by music supplied by DJ Leaping Les.

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The full-on Saturday culminated in cruising around the Tourist Park in your favourite 50's gear, with Burgers for dinner and the ever popular, Wes Pudsey and the Sonic Aces returning to the CRAKK run to provide the tunes late into the night.

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After the fires devastated the local area, special auctions were held during the event with all money raised heading straight to the Southern District Rural Fire Service located in Tharwa. The Top 8 trophies this year were hand-painted Bowling Pins by Alan Smith – the pinstriping guru who also donated an awesome, handpainted bar fridge that was won by Geoff Lamb. Other entrants prizes included a $1500 Kincrome Tool kit from Capital Bearing Supplies among many other items donated by valued sponsors.

For the little ones, there was colouring competitions and lots of giveaways for everyone!

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The 30th CRAKK Run was, by all accounts, a roaring success and the organisers would like to thank the local clubs, volunteers and sponsors for making the 2020 event the great time that it was.

Events like this don’t happen without the help and support of these people, so well done to all involved.

CAN YOU SEE YOUR AD HERE?

Planning is already underway for the 31st CRAKK Run, so make sure you keep the Australia Day long weekend free and get yourself booked in for some Hot Rodding fun in the Capital.

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Contact Paul Beck now for advertising rates and information.

Click Here!

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BACKYARD BLITZ Rod Darling took a standard-spec 1925 Dodge Tudor and over 17-years, transformed it into the Hot Rod he always wanted.

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Rod and Glenda Darling

1925 Dodge Tudor Words / Pics - Paul Beck 41

Check out the photo of the Dodge the day Rod bought it home. For Rod, it was always going to be a long-term project. After spending plenty of weekends in the mid ‘70’s racing a Mini in the sports sedan ranks before moving up to a Rotary-powered Datsun 1600 in the 80’s, Rod decided to take the slower lane for a while and dived head-first into his first, and so far, only, Hot Rod project.

Not one to send his cars out to get other people to work on them, Rod would come home from his day job as a courier and head straight into the garage to work on the Tudor – and there was lots to work on! Being a hands-on guy, Rod took every part of this build in his stride and what he couldn’t do, he called on some knowledgeable mates to help out when required.

Not one to send his cars out to get other people to work on them, Rod would come home from his day job as a courier and head straight into the garage to work on the Tudor - and there was lots to work on!

The Dodge was almost all there when Rod dragged it home, but some of the sheet metal was in very poor shape as you’d expect for something of this age. Not fussed in the slightest, Rod set about repairing what he could salvage, and replacing what he couldn’t. The body has been left almost how the factory had intended, with just a few small tweaks here and there. The firewall is one such change.

In 1925, this car had a timber firewall, but when Rod found a steel version from a Tourer, he cut and shut it to suit his car.

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The doors that came with the car were destined for the scrap heap, so Rod folded up new frames from pressed steel and then went searching for appropriate steel to make the door skins. With a template of the doors’ profile, Rod scoured wrecking yards trying to get something close. What he found was that the XA-XC Falcon roof had the same shape and profile as the Dodge door. Problem solved! He then moved onto the window frames – or the lack of them due to rust that had rotted away anything even remotely usable. Rod had Peter Jackson make up all the curved sections for the window frames and surrounding areas and then Rod welded them into place. In fact, the entire sheet-metal from the body line up, is all new. The front guards were also modified to accept the new front suspension that was grafted to the chassis. And yes, those raised sections are factory items! Cool, huh? Whilst the original wood is still in place, the body has been completely steeled out including a roll cage not just for safety, but to act as a mounting point for the seat belts.

In standard form, the peak over the windscreen is actually part of the roof, but with a new roof section needing to be made, it was decided to leave it off. Rod then found one at a swap meet that looked about the right width and shape and adapted it to the Dodge body. With the body shaping all done and dusted, Rod called on good mate Michael Snell (who had helped out with the body) to lay on the Mazda Classic Red Acrylic paint.

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The interior now features way comfier ’79 Mazda 626 bucket seats in the front and a reshaped factory rear bench. Wanting to handle the trim work himself, Rod enrolled in TAFE to learn the fine art of Auto Trimming. Week after week, for two-years Rod took what he had learnt that month and put his new skills to use by covering the interior in Grey velour. Rod also stitched up the door trims and headlining before fitting darker grey carpet to the floors.

VDO Vintage gauges now reside in the flat panel dash, and for everything else including the Pioneer CD head unit, dual glove boxes and speakers, there’s a custom-made overhead console. A Valiant steering column was adapted and now plays host to the original Dodge steering wheel, playing homage to the vehicle’s heritage. Rod isn’t into an interior full of billet alloy and all the latest gadgets and toys. His Dodge is comfy and does the job required. What more could he want?

Rod enrolled in TAFE to learn the fine art of Auto Trimming. Week after week, for two-years Rod took what he had learnt that month and put his new skills to use...

No doubt the Dodge purists would have loved to see some sort of Mopar engine up front. Hell, I think everything should have a Hemi – but that’s just me. Rod’s more practical than that and opted for a 289ci small block Windsor. Cars from this era are very narrow and the Windsor’s compact size made it the ideal choice. With help from mate Ian Fahey, Rod rebuilt the 289 keeping in mind that his racing days were in the past and he needed reliability above all else.

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The 30-thou over block scored a standard issue Ford crank and rods while the pistons are from ACL. The cam is a stage 2 Heatseeker that provides a slight rumble without being annoying in traffic and a set of straight cut gears are used instead of a timing chain.

The heads are slightly modified 289 cast iron items and have an Edelbrock Street Master intake bolted between them. A single 600cfm Holley carb supplies the 98-octane fuel from the restored original fuel tank. Standard Ford headers flow into a single, 2-inch system. The engine may not win any dyno comps, but with Rod now 71-years young, huge amounts of power is no longer the end result he was chasing.

A C4 auto is bolted to the back of the 289 and sends the power to a Centura diff (and suspension) that has been adapted to the Dodge chassis. Rod found the diff to not only be strong, but was the perfect width for the Tudor, meaning no modifications had to be made to the wheel tubs etc.

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Speaking of the chassis, Rod kept the original frame in place, but spent plenty of time —— upgrading the chassis that was fine for 1925, but not so much now. The front end is now a mix of Mitsubishi L300 that has had HK Holden uprights added with the tapers re-machined to accept the L300 ball joints.

A Holden Commodore rack was fitted along with Leyland P76 discs and calipers to complete the mix and match front end.

As mentioned, the rear end sees a complete Chrysler Centura diff and suspension assembly cleverly grafted to the Dodge’s frame. Rod then replaced the Crown wheel and pinion with one from an XB Falcon ute for a more user-friendly 3.55-ratio.

He also adapted larger Ford drum brakes to the Centura diff. The wheels are an unusual choice for a Hot Rod and measure 15x6-inches all round. They may not be big, but they fill the guards perfectly and look right at home against the red paint. Rod can’t thank his mate Bill, enough, for the unlimited use of his engineering workshop, making some jobs so much easier to complete.

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THANKS TO:

Most of the build was done

by Rod himself, but he couldn’t have done it without the invaluable assistance from Michael (Body and Paint); Ian (Engine); Allan (Electrical); Dennis (Stainless Steel bolts); Jim (Interior and Roof ); Bill (Use of his Engineering workshop).

Thanks, one and all…

Now in their retirement years, Rod & Glenda are enjoying life in the slower paced lane. When the opportunity arises, they jump into the Dodge and take in a Hot Rod event around the country. The pair cruised the Dodge to the Street Rod Nationals in Bendigo in 2017 and proved that even a home-built hot rod can still turn heads in amongst some big dollar company. As expected, the Dodge performed effortlessly there and back. After 17-years of building, here’s hoping there’s plenty more trips like that on the agenda. Cruise on!

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CAR & BIKE ENTRY BY INVITATION ONLY! ALL NEW CARS AND BIKES ON DISPLAY FOR 2020!

4 # E V I L

NEW FOR 2020

REVEALS!

AUGUST 15-16, 2020

ILLAWARRA HOCKEY CENTRE, UNANDERRA

www.killerrides.com.au

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON: CAR & BIKE ENTRY TRADE STANDS & SPONSORSHIP Please contact Paul Beck @ Killer Rides (0432) 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au or Via Facebook

STREET MACHINES HOT RODS DRAG CARS CUSTOM BIKES TRADE STANDS & MORE!

BLACK TOP e l b m Ru

After deciding to take a break from Drag Racing, Joe Condello is looking forward to cruising his 8-sec, 1100hp Model A Coupe on the street.

Joe Condello 1930 Ford Coupe

Words / Pics - Paul Beck 52

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Right from the outset, Joe wanted a quick, tough Hot Rod. Being one of these guys that can do anything with his hands, Joe latched onto the 1930 Model A body and set himself the task of building his dream car at home in the garage. Day after day, night after night, Joe got stuck into fabricating the chassis, working out the suspension for both ends, building the driveline and piecing together the interior. Four years later, Joe got to drive the Coupe from its garage for the first time‌ The project started as a raw, fibreglass body. Nothing more, nothing less.

With a firm plan in place, Joe knew that the coupe was going to cop some serious horsepower which meant the chassis had to be up to the task of dealing with the horsepower as the last amber bulb flashed!

Having done plenty of fabrication work before, Joe set about constructing the frame for the coupe body to sit on, ensuring that it was never going to try to turn itself inside out. Lots of strengthening was incorporated into the basic rails to handle the pressures of drag racing and history shows us that he did the job right the first time. Watch the video footage and you’ll see the coupe picks up the passenger side front wheel and carries it through the 60foot before staying straight for the rest of the run. Pass after pass, it reacts the same way. And we all know consistency win races.

Although the 30 Ford has a history of storming down the quarter on a regular basis, Joe has decided to take some time out and enjoy using the Coupe on the street going to different car meets with his mates.

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The chassis was narrowed enough in the rear to handle the 15x12 Weld rims and appropriately sized tyres with the rear end secured by the adjustable four-link. Up front, Joe incorporated a Commodore rack set-up along with the Rod-Tech stainless A-arms. Strange coil-overs are mounted to each corner and work well for both racing and cruising. The front wheels are 15x4.5 Weld Magnum.

With the body mounted to the new chassis, Joe tied it all together by fabricating a 6-point roll cage into the coupe’s relatively small interior space – as per drag racing rules when you run quicker than a 10-second pass. Confidant that the coupe will dip well under that limit, Joe added a mass of pipe to ensure his safety if anything was to go astray whilst on a run. The interior also features a pair of SAAS seats complete with RCI harness belts, a Hurst Quarter stick shifter and a dash full of AutoMeter gauges to keep Joe informed on everything happening. With everything in place, Daniel at Perspective Motor Trimming covered the seats, door trims and headlining in Black leather.

Joe’s brother-in-law Charlie Zammit just happens to be a gun body and paint guy, so there’s no prizes for guessing who handled that area. The benefit of using a brand-new fibreglass body is there is minimal body preparation to do. Charlie gave the body a thorough rub down before shooting a coat or two of Sunset Red over the body and associated panels.

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Whilst all the work was being lavished on the chassis, body and interior, Joe was slaving away on the driveline. With the machining done at Westend Performance, Joe had all the parts required to build the motor he had always wanted for the coupe. Starting with a prepped 502ci block, Joe added a nitrided Chev crank and Callies Ultra rods along with JE pistons and Speedpro rings. The roller cam and lifter kit is from Crane as is the Fireball ignition system. The Edelbrock alloy heads complete the long engine and lay the foundation for the hero of the engine – the all-important induction.

Supplying ample amounts of fuel to the engine is the sole job of the twin 1050cfm Holley Dominator carbs that are mounted high upon the Blower Shop 8/71 supercharger. It makes plenty of power, sounds the part and has looks to die for. What more could you want in an engine?

1075HP BLOWN 502CI CHEV

8-SEC 1/4 MILE

TWIN 1050 DOMINATOR CARBS Joe designed and fabricated the complete exhaust system including the headers with 2.25” primaries and 4-inch collectors. Joe added some Flowmaster mufflers to get the noise to a road-friendly level. Making almost 1100hp and around 1025 ft. lbs of torque, there’s no wonder the Coupe has run a best ET of 8.7 over the Sydney Dragway quarter mile.

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The 4.11-geared nine-inch diff easily deals with the power that is gets fed through the Al’s Raceglides built JW Powerglide that has been fitted with a bolt-together Neil Chance 5000rpm converter. The combo has proven itself to be ultra-reliable – proof that when you spend money with the right bits straight up, you’ll get the result you need.

Although the ’30 Ford has a history of storming down the quarter on a regular basis, Joe has decided to take some time out and enjoy using the Coupe on the street going to different car meets with his mates. And on the NSW south coast, there’s something to go to every weekend, so the Coupe won’t be parked for too long.

Like the coupe, Joe won’t be sitting around twiddling his thumbs. He has finally decided to get stuck into the next project – an all-steel ’38 Ford Coupe that he purchased from yours truly many years ago. This will be one tough coupe when it’s done. Add to these the Chev roadster that just joined the family and you can see Joe is going to be busy for a long time – both building and cruising. Let’s get ready to rumble!

Supplying ample amounts of fuel to the engine is the sole job of the twin 1050cfm Holley Dominator carbs that are mounted high upon the Blower Shop 8/71 supercharger. It makes plenty of power, sounds the part and has looks to die for. What more could you want in an engine?

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8

AIN’T

Pics - Bart Cepek Words - Paul Beck

ENOUGH

Sometimes you have to think waaaay outside the box when creating a true custom car!

In Hot Rodding circles, the Hudson isn’t exactly what you’d call a popular choice for a high-end custom build! But there are people out there that live by the old adage “dare to be different!” One such person rocked into Kenny’s Rod Shop in Boise, Idaho with a plan to turn his once stock Hudson into a full custom rod. The team that work at Kenny Welch’s shop create dreams, and that’s what this owner had, a dream to own something unique in the Hot Rod world.

Sometimes though, dreams get interrupted and part way through the build, the owner decided to part ways with the Hudson. Enter Mike Dennison. He too had the passion for owning an “oddball” custom and couldn’t get his cheque book out quick enough to make the project his! For Mike, being different is what it’s all about, and you have to admit, this Hudson is different! The chances of rocking up next to another at the local Cars and Coffee meet are pretty slim.

With the project now back on track, Kenny and his crew got back into creating the worlds most unique Hudson Wasp.

Mike Dennison 1951 Hudson Wasp Built by Kenny’s Rod Shop - Boise, Idaho USA 62

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So, let’s check out the build. The body is now so much smoother than the factory had intended – that’s obvious with the removal of all side trim, badges, handles and anything else that could be shaved. The KRS team also fabricated the entire rocker to mid-bodyline section of the Tudor as well as folding up some cool custom rear fender skirts for that oh-so-sleek look.

While they had the metal working tools out, they also reshaped the rear of the hood to suit the cowl, and then focussed their attention on making the front edge of the hood fit more snugly to the grille. Both the front and rear bumpers have been reworked and now sit closer to the body and to finish off the sheet-metal shuffle, the boys changed the shape of the roof rail.

Even though Kenny’s team handle the body work, they have a deal with nearby Regenerated Rides who handle the paint work to the highest standard imaginable. In this case, they cover the KRS efforts with a silky-smooth coat of PPG Black Toner with the bumpers and grille sections being coated in bronze Cerekote. Jeff Devey was called into apply the subtle pinstripe.

With all of the components coming together as one incredible package, the Hudson was ready to hit the show scene.

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Open up either door and an acre of Burnt Brown and grey leather with basket weave inserts on the door trims, seats, steering wheel, dash and parcel tray. Interior Revolutions can take the credit for handling the stitch work after Kenny’s Rod Show created the custom dash using a ’55 Hudson gauge cluster filled with cool Classic Instrument dials. The seating is as far from 1951 as you can get. Up front, the big bench seat is now a part of history, with a pair of Jeep buckets occupying the same space, but doing a much nicer job in both comfort and visually. There’s now no rear seat to speak off, with the area remodelled with what appears to be a pair of suitcases.

They are in fact cool storage units that are hinged for access. One of which hides the air suspension compressor. Different, huh?

Between Kenny's Rod Shop and Interior Revolutions, the Hudson sports an interior that almost defies description. Almost.

The steering wheel (and column for that matter) is a late model Corvette unit whist the custom centre console houses the Lokar shifter and Kenwood stereo head unit that was installed by Dicks Stereo. The same theme carries through into the boot area where the custom fuel cell is once again, made to look like a piece of luggage! From the custom interior light, to the black switches and all the cool custom touches, the insides of this Hudson are as good as custom cars get. Between Kenny’s Rod Shop and Interior Revolutions, the Hudson sports an interior that almost defies description. Almost.

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Before the body got reacquainted with the rolling chassis for the last time, the factory ’51 frame had to have some major upgrades done. An independent front end by Art Morrison replaces the tired old Hudson front and offers disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and Fox coil-over shocks.

Down the back, there’s a 4-link assembly with Ridetech air-suspension.

Again, disc-brakes were added along with a big sway bar to help the big old Hudson handle a little better. The colour-coded wheels are by Schott and measure 19x8 inches on the front and 18x10 on the rear. You’ll just have to trust us that the rears aren’t plain old steel wheels hidden from sight!

In stark contrast to the body and bay colour, the Viper engine is coated to match the wheels and the bumpers.

The chassis wasn’t complete until the driveline was in and bolted up. What’s the last thing you’d expect to see powering such a cool sled like this one? A late model Ford diesel V8? Yeah, me too, but thankfully, the KRS crew fitted a suitably modified Viper V10 engine and six-speed manual trans into the chassis adding not just plenty of power, but also massive amounts of coolness in the process.

Lifting the bonnet reveals a bitchin custom intake by Hogan’s and a fabricated air intake that flows from the moulded engine bay.

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In stark contrast to the body and bay colour, the Viper engine is coated to match the wheels and the bumpers. You can tick the Yes box for a huge amount of Wow factor! Essentially stock, the Viper engine relies on KRS fabricated stainless headers and dual, three-inch stainless exhaust system to dump the gases on its way to producing 525hp. The power is fed through the six-speed Tremec box to the Ford 9-inch diff that houses ‘cruising-friendly’ 3.9-gears and 31-spline axles.

But it's not just about impressing the show judges. Kenny's Rod Shop builds cars to drive.

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C A ATFR V A E A L IL O E A G B U L E E

NROEDW UCTS

P

ELECTRIC & MANUAL BEAD ROLLERS

With all of the components coming together as one incredible package, the Hudson was ready to hit the show scene. The KRS crew under the guidance of Kenny himself, spent 2019 showing the USA just what they are capable of building in house. To say the Hudson made a huge impact on the show circuit is a massive understatement. Lots of Best in Show, Top 5’s and more awards were gathered during that time. But it’s not just about impressing the show judges. Kenny’s Rod Shop builds cars to drive. And Kenny proved it could do just that by cruising from the shop to the Goodguys Colorado show – a trip that totalled some 2500-miles. The trip included sunshine, rain and even a shattered windscreen, but it also provided plenty of smiles along the way. And that impresses everyone, including owner Mike who is now no doubt creating memories of his own. Cruise on…

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Pic by Lane - Kenny’s Rod Shop Media

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CRUISE

Central

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Hot Rod Social Breakfast Gathering

Thanks to Rob Bellio and the team at Kingpin Events & Social Club, the 3rd Hot Rod Social Breakfast gathering on Melbourne’s famous Lygon Street attracted a big mix of Hot Rod’s, Customs and Muscle Cars!

November 24th, 2019 - Lygon St, Melbourne Words - Paul Beck Pics - Jimmy Tee Photography & 4V Images

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For me, there’s no better cruise road than Lygon Street. Lined with cafes and restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets and offering dual lanes each way, it’s the perfect place to show off your pride and joy.

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The sight, sounds and atmosphere on Lygon Street this morning is exactly what the car scene is all about - having fun with cars!

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The tree-lined roadways were filled with the rumbling of big engines as the cars started to arrive around 6am in an effort to find the ideal parking spot. By 7am, the streets were filled with all kinds of cool cars and even cooler people, all hungry and looking for that perfect breakfast spot.

The sight, sounds and atmosphere on Lygon Street this morning is exactly what the car scene is all about - having fun with cars!

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But not everyone was content with parking and eating, many people attended the event just to cruise the strip, reliving what it must have been like back in the days when you could fill your fuel tank for ten bucks and cruise all day! The sight, sounds and atmosphere on Lygon Street this morning is exactly what the car scene is all about – having fun with cars!

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Lined with cafes and restaurants catering for all tastes and budgets and offering dual lanes each way, it's the perfect place to show off your pride and joy.

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Rob and his team have a huge array of events planned for 2020. To find out more, jump onto their Facebook page at - Kingpin Events & Social Club.

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Sandra Horne is a Pin-Up and Promo model with a passion for cool cars, and when the opportunity came along to buy an unfinished ’32 Ford 5-window coupe, she knew exactly the theme to follow.

K C A B P STE

IN TIME

Sandra Horne 1932 Ford Coupe Pics - Olskool Photography

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Words - Paul Beck

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When purchased from West Oz after spotting the ad on Gumtree, the coupe needed a complete respray after the paint failed to adhere to the fibreglass body. That fault alone was enough reason for Sandra to transform the style into one that resembled a 60’s race car. “ I love Ryan Ford’s work, so that was definitely the way to go for me,” Sandra explained. “Ryan was given the name for the car along with the other details I wanted to add to the body and then set about doing his thing. He absolutely nailed it!” The name “High Maintenance” was chosen by Sandra as she is often referred to as this by people who comment on her look. Not one to take offence, Sandra thought it suited the car and added it to make a joke of the comments.

It was at this time that Sandra requested the red pinstripe for the bodyline to break-up the abundance of PPG black colour laid on by Tony, Clinton and Daniel Horne at Horny Performance after the trio stripped and prepped the Deuce Customs body. After lots of use in the first 12 months, Sandra managed to score quite a few stone chips in the newly laid on paint, so she had Shannon at Tankards Panel Service to freshen up the paint and then protect it with HaloEFX to combat any future paint blemishes.

The name High Maintenance was chosen by Sandra as she is often referred to as this by people who comment on her look.

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The 32 was always destined to be a street driven hot rod the more miles put on the speedo, the better.

Inside, the modified Rodeo seat forms the basis of the traditionally styled trim with red tuck and roll leather chosen to contrast the body colour which extends across the period-styled’38 Ford dash and window frames. The shifter and steering wheel oozes ‘60’s style and suits the build theme perfectly. Just the AutoMeter tacho and Alpine sound system break the traditional look. The ’32 Ford chassis has been boxed and upgraded with a 4-bar Rodtech front and rear end utilising XY Falcon steering, Commodore front disc brakes and drum brakes on the 9-inch diff. The wheels of choice are 15-inch Radir wrapped in American Classic Radials with wide white walls supplied by Antique Tyres. Visually, I don’t think Sandra could have added a more suitable wheel and tyre combo to match the paint scheme.

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The ’32 was always destined to be a street driven hot rod – the more miles put on the speedo, the better. With that mindset, Sandra opted for a 350ci Chev crate engine from parts supplied by Precision International. Being a hands-on type of girl, Sandra and her Dad Paul, set about putting the triple carb small block and Turbo 350 auto into its rightful place in the now detailed chassis. The engine exudes the period-perfect style with traditional finned rocker covers and cool Hooker exhaust system completing the overall package. Sandra is awaiting a new engine package that will sport more cubes and more power and will be fitted to the coupe once Frank Marchese at Dandy Engines finishes the build. The new 383-cube Chev should propel the coupe into the 10’s whilst retaining its street credibility.

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TRIPLE CARB 350 CHEV

60S RACE E L Y T S R A C PERIOD COOL RADIR RIMS

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After a year-long rebuild that consumed around $80K, Sandra literally hit the road running. Just two days after screwing the number plates to the coupe, she hit the long road from Melbourne to Alice Springs to perform her duties as an Announcer at the Red Centre Nats. To date the coupe has travelled some 25,000klms through Victoria, South Australia, Canberra and NSW taking in many rod runs and events along the way.

Pic by Chad Silvey

The engine exudes the period-perfect style with traditional finned rocker covers and cool Hooker exhaust system completing the overall package.

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“The car has been pretty much bullet-proof and a pleasure to drive!” said Sandra. “High Maintenance is my business car for my freelance business and although not a trophy winner, I have thoroughly enjoyed the miles I have put on it travelling all over Australia.”

They say half the fun is driving them. For Sandra, that’s all the fun she needs with her daughters Lola and Peyton riding shotgun!

CAN YOU AFFORD TO LET YOUR

S R O T I T E COMP

ADVERTISE HERE? Pic by Chad Silvey

THANKS TO: Daniel, Troy and Clinton Horne at Horny Performance. My

Dad Paul Simpson. Precision International for their assistance with engine parts. Frank and Lou at Dandy Engines for the new engine coming. Shannon at Tankards Panel Service in Ringwood for the upkeep of the paint.

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JOIN THE DIGITAL REVOLUTION AND GET INNOVATIVE WITH YOUR ADVERTISING DOLLAR!

CONTACT PAUL BECK FOR ALL YOUR ADVERTISING NEEDS! (0432) 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au www.superrod.com.au

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DOIN’ IT h g u o T

John Thompson 1933 Speedster Words / Pics - Paul Beck

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Inside, its a continuation of the body colour with Orange leather added to the custom bench seat, roof lining, door trims and floor.

The problem you face when building a high-end custom car to current trends is that though trends can change rapidly, and if you’re planning on a multi-year build, you’d better be prepared to either continue on your chosen path or stop the build and follow whatever trend is flavour of the month. Thommo, thankfully, had gone too far to change his ways. His ’33 Speedster was going to be tough. Don’t like it, he couldn’t care less!

Already the owner of a traditional-styled ’33 Ford Tudor, which he has owned for over 25-years, Thommo wanted something different for his new build. Having seen the Speedster bodies on offer from Rats Glass Bodies and knowing they aren’t as common as your run of the mill three-window Coupes, the decision was made to bring one in from the US and get cracking on the build.

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The body was sent to Rod City Repros where the boys set about building the custom chassis for the Speedster body. Overall, the chassis was 4.5-inches longer than what they are used to making in their jig to suit the unique style of the Rats Glass body.

Before copping the same colour as the body, the chassis was fitted with an independent front end and modified Corvette independent rear. Aldan coil-over shocks feature on each corner as do disc brakes and multi-spot Wilwood calipers. At the time of ordering the body, the trend was to add big diametre wheels, so Thommo ordered a set of 18x8 and 20x10-inch Boyd billet rollers to compliment the style of build he was chasing. Whilst many may think this style is no longer relevant, take a look at the profile of the coupe and tell me this would look better with 15-inch wheels!

With the body working tools finally finished with, Thommo turned to Matt J to lay on the custom PPG Carrot Gold�paint to the body, chassis and associated components.

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Thommo always wanted a blown engine and what better engine to add a blower to than a big block Chev? OK, maybe a Hemi, but you’d have to sell your first born to finance that build! The Chev started with 454-cubes, but thanks to the Dart block having the bores opened up and fitted with a Lunati crank and rod combo, the capacity now sits at a respectable 540ci.

A pair of Patriot alloy heads complete the long engine.

850HP

6/71 BLOWN 540CI

TURBO 400 AUTO

CUSTOM CORVETTE REAR END

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You don’t just slap together Hot Rods of this calibre. They take time, care and money – lots and lots of money. And the right people! Thommo wants to acknowledge those that had a hand in the build process through-out the years. They are: first and foremost, my wife Carol for her patience and understanding; Matty J for the paint; Trim by Shaun for the interior; Les Rinnie and Arthur Gobbal for the body work; Perfection Automotive for the engine build; Kane Fattorini, Phillip Hopking. This build is dedicated to Thommo’s late friend Lisa Monahan “who got me to start it in the beginning.”

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Season opener January 25-27 2020 - Royal Exhibition Building Carlton

Words & Pics - Paul Beck

The 2020 Indoor Car Show season kicked off in style with the Victorian Hot Rod & Cool Rides Show inside the stunning old Exhibition Building in Carlton.

The long weekend in January is a busy time in and around downtown Melbourne. The city is full of tourists either shopping, checking out the Australian Open Tennis or for those with high-octane fuel running through their veins, it’s time for the annual Victorian Hot Rod & Cool Rides Show - one of my favourite shows of the year.

Normally, you prepare for very hot weather this time of year (especially inside the building) and after the recent fires that ravaged the area, that’s what we expected. Hell, we weren’t entirely sure whether we’d even be able to get down the Hume Highway from Wollongong into Melbourne because of possible road closures. But thankfully, the area’s affected by the fires got a reasonable dumping of rain which helped the Fire fighters take control over the area’s, keeping the roads open.

Our thanks go out to those who spent their Xmas and New Year period out in the front line keeping people as safe as they could. The weather forecast for the three days of the show saw temperatures to be perfect conditions to take in the event. Thankfully, the weather gods were smiling…

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Victorian Hot Rod and Cool Rides Show

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Once inside the building, you were greeted by a mass of cool cars, custom bikes and lots of traders. There was a new floor plan in place that really opened up the show area and made it much easier to navigate around the cars on display. A pair of Chev’s were the first thing you came in contact with when walking through those big doors. One was a finely crafted ’59 El Camino that sat low and sported a nicely detailed “cruiserspec” small block. What sat beside it couldn’t have been further from what the “El-Co” offered. The orange and black late model Camaro was built with just one thing in mind - destroying rear tyres as quickly as possible, thanks to the blown injected power plant that sat level with the roof! These two cars set the theme for the 2020 Victorian Hot Rod & Cool Rides Show.

There seemed to be more Hot Rods inside the building this year which ranged from regular drivers, to those high-end, big-ticket show cars that, combined with their street machine counter-parts, occupied the centre-stage right under the buildings dome section.

Dave Dorman was the big winner this year not only taking home Top Car of Show, but also Top Standard Paint, TopEngine Bay, Top Undercarriage, Top Roadster and Top 5!

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There seemed to be more Hot Rod’s inside the building this year which ranged from regular drivers, to those high-end, big-ticket show cars that, combined with their street machine counter-parts, occupied the centre-stage right under the buildings dome section. Making the trip down the Hume from Sydney were Graham Barker with his stunning silver FX Holden Ute and Dave Dorman with his equally impressive, yellow ’32 Ford Cabriolet. Both cars gained plenty of attention from those who really appreciate the level of detail cars of this calibre display.

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Jeff Hind’s ‘37 Slamback was built as a tribute to his brother Rowdy and was a hit on debut!

Keeping the NSW pair company, were Paul Caccamo’s high-tech ’37 Slamback, Tony Wilson’s CHOODA, Peter Olver’s LEETHL ’34 Coupe, Steve McDonald’s DEFNIN 31 A Coupe, John Mercieca’s recently completed big block Ford-powered ’33 3-window coupe, Jeff Hind’s ’37 Slamback which was built as a tribute to his brother Rowdy and the tough as nails, blown injected Hemi-powered ’32 coupe owned by Chris Thomas. Greg from Maskell’s Customs and Classics had not one, but two stunning Holden’s on display, a slick HK Monaro and an injected small-block EH Holden - both cars worthy of their spots in the centre of the venue.

Everyone I spoke to during my time at the event all had the same opinion, the 2020 show certainly saw an increase in quality...

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There were quite a few cars that really grabbed my attention. These “Super Rods” included “TOOSKI” the blown, yellow ’34 3-window coupe; Mario Abela’s ORSM32 Roadster; the candy red early custom Caddy; the big block, silver and flamed ’41 Willys coupe; the pro-street, twin-turbo ’55 F-truck and the all-white, nitrous LS-powered pro-street ’34 Coupe.

Once inside the building, you were greeted by a mass of cool cars, custom bikes and lots of traders.

There were lots of traders scattered around the building too, selling everything from memorabilia to model cars, vintage signs, period clothing, magazines and books and car care products. This part of the show is always congested with people looking for that cool collectable to take home from the show…

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But it’s not all about what’s happening inside the building. The organisers have transformed what was the rear car park into an outdoor “drive-in show area” where spectators can park their cool rides securely and in the process, stage an impromptu show and shine with food outlets, shaded seating and to top it off, live music! It was a popular place to hang out with many suggesting some of the cars should have been inside!

I tend to agree… Traditionally, the front of the building also offers space for those people wanting to bring their custom cars to the show to have a look. This offers a revolving car show for free and served up the perfect precursor for what was awaiting inside.

But it's not all about what's happening inside the building. The organisers have transformed what was the rear car park into an outdoor drive-in show area where spectators can park their cool rides securely and in the process, stage an impromptu show and shine...

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Everyone I spoke to during my time at the event all had the same opinion, the 2020 show certainly saw an increase in quality and with the new layout, all agreed the event was a great way to open the indoor show season. If this is any indication, I can’t wait for the Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide events to follow suit‌

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e l n b o i i s s s s o Mi P latest e h t r o ls o o t y fancy n a f o id a trick e h is h t d e r u t Without t lp illeri scu m a C s e m a J or that o d r u o f t gadgets, u o a worn m o r f s ly il W Tudor ’35 eap. h p a r c s e h t r o f was destined

Determination means more than any fancy equipment when it comes to creating a custom, one-off Hot Rod like this Willys.

It’s like the guy with all the latest and greatest snow-skiing gear that spends all his time at the bar, because he can’t ski at all. It’s the same with panel-beating. No good having all the gear if you can’t use it. James on the other hand created his cool Willys on a budget, using the gear he had and the skills he had built up over the years.

The Willys was originally owned by a Doctor in Braidwood, NSW but by the time James found it, it was in nearby Queanbeyan and had seen much better days. At that early stage, most people would have passed it in, shoving their wallets back into their pockets and moved on. James though could see the bigger picture. Sure, it was a massive job, but James knew that he possessed the skills to tackle the project head on and promptly laid down the cash, loaded up the then four-door onto the trailer and made the trip back to his workshop.

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1935 Willys Tudor Words / Pics - Paul Beck

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No doubt during the trip back to the Illawarra, James’ mind was racing with ideas of what he could do to the Willys to create a true one-off custom. It may not look like it, but the body is full of custom work. The body no sports two less doors, with James having to hand fabricated all of the interior sheet metal and rework the exterior panels to make it look like it was a factory deal. It’s the same with the front sheet metal. Usually made up from no less than eight individual pieces, James fixed that by welding the nose together and then smoothing it all off. The removal of all those seams looks like it was meant to be. The lack of a front bumper bar also adds to the smoother look. James also hand fabricated the grille. The Willys does have a bonnet, in fact it tilts forward over the front of the grille, but James tends to let the engine run cooler without it.

Other custom touches include late-model side indicators flush-mounted to the cowl, the relocation of the wipers to above the windscreen and the cool, hand-beaten Willys logo on the firewall that James painstakingly did in steel. New floors were added along with a custom dash before the body scored any colour. When that time came, James, with the help of mate Daniel Erkin, laid on the stunning Nitro Blue from the FG Ford range.

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There was very little interior trim to speak of for James to start with, so a full custom fit out was required. Being a relatively small space, careful thought had to go into the seating. After scouring wrecking yards with a tape measure at the ready, James finally decided on a pair of Hyundai buckets for the front and a Mitsubishi Lancer rear bench that needed to be sliced, diced and chopped to make fit properly. P&L Quinlan, located down the road from James’ workshop, stitched up the new seats in matching blue vinyl along with the headlining. The same material was used on the floors in lieu of any carpet. Retractable seat belts are added to each corner.

At that early stage, most people would have passed it in, shoving their wallets back into their pockets and moved on. James though could see the bigger picture.

For something a little different, the front door trims (and rear panels) have been sculptured in fibreglass and paint body colour, the same treatment made to the dash. There’s very little reminder of the factory-spec inclusions on the dash.

James added a late-model, tilt steering column and wheel along with a host of Dolphin gauges and the stereo head unit that feeds the speakers to fill the cabin with cruising tunes. The blue on blue theme may not be to everyone’s liking, but James built what he wanted, not you…

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You know an engine bay is small when a small block Windsor is a tight fit. Originally powered by a four-cylinder flathead engine, the engine bay was re-shaped to allow the 302-cuber to fit in snuggly. Built by Blast from the Past, James purchased the 5-litre as a running engine and is unsure of the internals. Obviously, there’s a 650cfm double-pumper Holley carb mounted to the Airgap intake and the heads are AFR items, and apart from the fabricated headers, it’s a mystery. He does know though that it made 550hp on the dyno. Add that power to the lightweight Willys and it becomes a little rocket ship. A C4 auto with a 2200rpm converter backs the small block and sends the power through to the narrow 9-inch diff featuring a 3.25 LSD centre and 28-spline axles. The driveline does exactly what James wanted. Reliable power that provides enough power when required and stays beneath the bonnet line keeping it user-friendly.

The build consumed around three-years of part time work all up to get it from the worn-out mess it was to the masterfully crafted Tudor it now is...

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The standard Willys chassis needed lots of work to bring it up to the point where it was able to handle the planned power. There’s new crossmembers added and boxing of the rails for added strength. The new front end was added bringing with it VN Commodore disc brakes with VY calipers and more positive steering. The rear discs are from a VS Commodore with a Toyota Tarago master cylinder controlling the fluid.

Finishing off the build is a set of 18-inch polished Simmons wheels that suit the body colour perfectly and is a nice change from the big billet rollers we are used to seeing.

After scouring wrecking yards with a tape measure at the ready, James finally decided on a pair of Hyundai buckets for the front and a Mitsubishi Lancer rear bench...

THANKS TO: My wife Renata and sons Vatsuave and Darius for their

patience during the build process. Daniel Erkin for helping with the paint.

P&L Quinlan for the interior. Blast from the Past for the engine package.

Steve from Quickhitch Towing for the towing and wiring. Don Borg from Electri-cool for the electrical and air-con. Victor Borg from Coastwide Engineering for help on the chassis. Steve and Ray Tickner for wheel alignment and fine tuning. Everything else was done inhouse.

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The build consumed around three-years of part time work all up to get it from the worn-out mess it was to the masterfully crafted Tudor it now is, though there were periods where the car would sit for months at a time with life tending to get in the way occasionally. James has proved that with the right attitude, skills and perseverance, anything is possible. Whilst relatively happy with how the build finished up, James is considering some changes. For now though, he’s just happy to load up the family and cruise…

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CALIFORNIA

’ n i m a e r D

There’s no denying that the Hot Rod & Custom scene is big in Japan thanks in part to the team at the world-famous Mooneye’s company. Their annual show held in Yokohama brings the best cars, bikes and people from all over the world to join in the festivities…

Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show December 1st, 2019 - Yokohama, Japan Words - Paul Beck Pics - Lyndon Stephenson / Cadillac Kings

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The annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom show brings a part of the California hot rodding lifestyle to the people of Japan and in 2019, the show’s 28th running still impressed with lots of Hot Rods, Customs, Bikes, Lowriders, Trucks and more on display for one day only! Drawing a massive crowd, the show proved yet again that no matter when you are from, the Rod & Custom lifestyle is still as popular as ever.

Their annual show held in Yokohama brings the best cars, bikes and people from all over the world to join in the festivities!

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From a land where high-tech, small cars are considered the norm, it’s amazing to see the growth of outrageous styled cars, big engines and the care-free attitude that makes the 50’s way of life so appealing. Of course, the event is much more than just a car show, with Pin Up Girl contests, pinstriping exhibitions, live bands, swap meet and lots of trade stands.

Organised by Mooneyes, the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show is the largest indoor custom car and motorcycle show in Japan.

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Organised by Mooneyes, the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show is the largest indoor custom car and motorcycle show in Japan. Its popularity not only draws in spectators from all over the world, but also entrants and vendors making it a true international show.

Its popularity not only draws in spectators from all over the world, but also entrants and vendors making it a true international show.

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Each year, the organisers invite celebrity guests to bring their car or bike to Yokohama to be part of the show. In 2019, that list included John D’Agostino who showed off his ’62 Pontiac Grand Prix dubbed Creamsicle; Bob Reisner’s “Bathtub” Show Rod built by Dave Shutten and Ed Roth’s “Tweedy Pie” T-Bucket. There were also eight full-tilt custom bikes invited as well.

The annual Yokohama Hot Rod Custom show brings a part of the California hot rodding lifestyle to the people of Japan and in 2019, the show's 28th running still impressed with lots of Hot Rods, Customs, Bikes, Lowriders, Trucks and more on display for one day only!

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As you’d expect, the 28th running of the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show was a huge success. A massive effort to get everything set up for a one-day show resulted in a huge mix of cars and bikes on display for the big crowd to enjoy. The 2020 show will need to be special to top 2019. Bring in on‌

Easter 9th-12th April

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Truckin’ Hell

1944 MACK FIRE TRUCK - BUILT BY PRECISION DESIGNS FABRICATION - OWNED BY ROGER BROWN

Cyber Cruizin’

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When you think about Fire Trucks, you instantly think red, but that’s not how Tommy Stark, owner of Precision Design Fabrications thinks. His client, Roger Brown, wanted to redo a 1944 Mac Fire Truck as a Hot Rod, and straight away Tommy suggested Black! I bet Roger is now happy he agreed! Complimented with plenty of gold leaf, the paint is absolutely killer!

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The colour scheme wasn’t the only thing that Tommy went outside the box with when building the trick truck. The powerplant too wasn’t going to be what you’d expect. With enough room for a big cube big block, Tommy decided a Viper V10 was the obvious choice. How’s that for a conversation starter? The engine is mated to a 48RE auto trans and narrowed 2008 Dodge rear end.

When you think about Fire Trucks, you instantly think red, but that's not how Tommy Stark, owner of Precision Design Fabrications thinks.

So you think these guys have built a pure show truck, designed just to collect trophies? Guess again! Check out this Fire Truck smokin’ those massive 24” rollers!

The build also scored a custom air-bag suspension set up, 4-bar front and rear, 15-inch brakes and massive, 24-inch American Force billet wheels that fill those big guards perfectly.

The one-of-a-kind Fire Truck made its debut back at the 2011 SEMA Show in Vegas where it won the Mothers Choice award – the first of many awards gathered over the years…

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71st GRAND NATIONAL ROADSTER SHOW JAN 24-26, 2020 – FAIRPLEX, POMONA WORDS – Paul Beck PICS – Dan’s Hot Rod Photo’s

y d d a D d n The Gra ! l l A m e h t of

n and ru n e e b s a h w o h S r e nal Roadst The 2020 Grand Natio elsham, whose B te n o M n a th re o m g in won, and no one is smil e! ’32 Ford won the big on Formally known as the Oakland Roadster Show, the Grand National

Roadster Show attracts entrants from all over American, filling the Fairplex in Pomona with the highest quality cars imaginable. Now in its 71st year, the event can boast as being the longest running indoor car show in the world! This year marked the 17th appearance at the Fairplex.

Officially, there’s more than 500 vehicles on display inside the seven Fairplex buildings, with another 400-800 vehicles attending the Grand Daddy Drive-In during the Saturday and Sunday opening times.

That’s quite a collection of cars to make your way through. Thanks to Dan from Dan’s Hot Rod Photo’s, we have a great selection of pics to showcase the variety of vehicles on display this year. On top of that, more than 600 awards were handed over to deserving winners. While we are talking figures, more than 50,000 people walked through the buildings ensuring this year’s GNRS was a huge success!

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Officially, there's more than 500 vehicles on display inside the seven Fairplex buildings, with another 400-800 vehicles attending the Grand Daddy Drive-In during the Saturday and Sunday opening times.

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In amongst those vehicles was one very special ride. Monte Belsham’s stunning black and flamed ’32 Hi-Boy Roadster not only amazed those who took plenty of time to check out the build, but it also impressed the judges, being awarded the big one – America’s Most Beautiful Roadster. Built by Jerry Kugel, the ’32 Kugel Muroc is the No.4 car built, and beat nine other red-hot contenders for the major award. Powered by a Hilborn-injected LS1 backed by a 4L60 trans, the Roadster was originally one of ten created by Kugel 20-years ago for then owner Nick Barron. When Monte secured the car, it needed a make-over and was repainted by Squeeg’s Kustoms. The result is nothing short of amazing! The win not only gave Monte bragging rights for the next 12-months, but also a sizeable cheque for $12,500 and a spot upon the 9.5-foot perpetual trophy, his name now sharing space with the likes of Foose, Coddington, Barris, Brizio and more…

Elevated to the same stature as the AMBR award, was the prestigious Al Slonaker Memorial Award. This two carried a $12,500 purse thanks to ARP. Al Slonaker and his wife Mary, founded the Grand National Roadster Show in 1949 and this award ensures their memory lives on. Awarded to the Best Non-Roadster vehicle of the show, it too carries massive bragging rights. This year, the award went to a beautiful 1936 Willys “77” owned by Ron & Vicki Ernsberger and created by The Tins Man Garage. The Willys features insane detailing throughout and is powered by an ultra-rare 498ci Arias V6 Hemi backed by a Tremec five-speed. The body features a hand-built body along with the associated panels making this a truly unique custom car. The smooth PPG Rosso Mugello paint sealed the deal for the judges.

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Rob Zahabi from Rides By Kam in Queensland sent his amazing Challenger dubbed “Havoc” to the US to make some show appearances and absolutely blew the mind of the mostly American crowd. Whilst they can relate to the car itself, no doubt many of them would be scratching their heads about it being built “down-under”. Powered by a crank-driven Procharged Hemi big block, the Challenger impressed with its slick paint, insane fabrication work and reworked interior – Rob’s speciality. Rob left the show with the Outstanding Street Machine / Competition award as well as 1st place in the Street Touring 65-79 category!

The win not only gave Monte bragging rights for the next 12-months, but also a sizeable cheque for $12,500 and a spot upon the 9.5-foot perpetual trophy, his name now sharing space with the likes of Foose, Coddington, Barris, Brizio and more...

The show attracts plenty of celebrities too, all eager to see what’s new in the world of custom cars. It was no surprise to learn that Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and Michael Anthony (Van Halen / Chickenfoot) was wondering through the crowds. Dave Kindig was there too, taking time out from running Kindig-It Designs and filming Bitchin’ Rides to accept his Builder of the Year award.

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Whilst the main focus seams to be placed on the high-end creations, the GNRS is more than just about the extreme show car set. The show also caters for many unique, special-interest cars including all types of Hot Rods, Customs, Race Cars, Muscle cars, Rat Rods, resto’s and lowriders. If it’s on wheels, chances are you’ll find it there.

PHOTO’S SUPPLIED BY

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Planning is already under way for the 2021 Grand Nationals Roadster Show which runs from 29-31st January inside (and outside) the Fairplex in Pomona, California. For more pics, check out Dan’s Facebook page by clicking on the link in the feature!

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e c n e r e f f i D a g n i Mak 2020 DATES

Monthly Meets at Greenway Plaza, The Horsley Drive, Wetherill Park

JAN 4 - FEB 1 - MAR 7 - APR 4 - MAY 2 - JUN 6 JUL 4 - AUG 1 - SEP 5 - OCT 3 - NOV 7 - DEC 5

Sundown Car Fest at Penrith Homemaker Centre

JAN 11 - FEB 8 - MAR 14 - APR 11 - MAY 9 - JUN 13 JUL 11 - AUG 8 - SEP 12 - OCT 10 - NOV 14 - D12

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www.carsunderthestars.com

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EASTER 2020

9th April - 12th April FOUR BIG DAYS OF HOT RODDIN’ FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY! CRUISING - SHOW ‘N’ SHINE - SWAP MEET - MARKET STALLS PIN-UP COMPETITION - LIVE MUSIC - EASTER BUNNY FOR EVENT INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT RAY OR BARB - (03) 9761 6706 b/h STEVEN - (03) 57972062 Email: narranderarodrun@outlook.com Website: narranderarodrun.com.au

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All Chrome-Bumper Cars Welcome!

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Australia’s Toughest Car Show!

PROMOTING MEN’S MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES!

PRO-STREET & PRO-MOD CARS ONLY!

March 22nd, 2020 Fairfield Showgrounds 443 Smithfield Rd, Prariewood NSW

ENTRIES NOW OPEN! For More Information Phone Paul - 0432 795336 paul@killerrides.com.au www.killerrides.com.au

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PUBLISHING EDITOR

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

MAILING ADDRESS

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WEBSITE

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VALUED CONTRIBUTORS

Jason Lowe - Chubbro Images Vicki Munday Les Rice Corey Aldridge - Show ‘n’ Go Photography Shelley La Belle Bart Cepek Jimmy Tee Photography 4V Images Andy Mack - Olskool Photography Lyndon Stephenson - Cadillac Kings Dan’s Hot Rod Photo