“I bought my Dart from a mate around 2009; it was a ’67 two-poster sedan. It originally ran a slant six; then it had a mild 440, which I’ve done over the years Tuned, but it broke a rod at 5500rpm in a sunday 2019 Mopar. I almost saved my head (one was broken) and I was lucky enough to get a virgin hole 440 to stop the one that was waiting for him Val makes the batsman’s teammates.
Local Mopar guru Ash Knowles got to work and built me a mild 494 stroke with a full Scat rotary assembly, SRP pistons and Howards hydraulic roller cams (0.600″) and tappets.After locking, I had to make some fixes to the Eddy RPM heads.It also runs 850 Quick Fuel carb and ICE ignition.
The Auto is a B&M 727 with some slick Hurst rods, and when building the engine I mounted it on a shortened 9″, 35 spline aluminum center with Dutch axles.The new combination’s first drive was at the Murray Chrysler track.
Thanks to Ash Knowles as it first lit up on the trailer the night before I left and it worked fine on COTM except for a faulty ignition coil.It also underwent a closed-door respray about six years ago after a scratch at Mopar Mayhem.I love driving it and always have my co-pilot driving it.”Photo: Luke Hunter
“This is a 1980 XD that I built. It was driven to weird shows and had family adventures a few weekends a year. I did almost everything from scratch, excluding engine machine work and stitching new seats.
It runs a well-built, high-performance 351 with SRP forged pistons, massive Crow street cams and roller rockers, sending power back to a TCT-built built-in C4 with a 3000rpm stall.
At the back is a spool Dana 78 with 3.5:1 gearing.It ended up being done to a much higher standard than originally planned.I’m a little carried away!But it’s still a tram, not a trailer queen – even though it looks like it’s raining forever!”
“This is my 2006 Saleen S331 F150 with a supercharged 5.4L 3V. It’s build number 63 and my daily routine. Mods include 1.75″ 4-in-1 SS header, 3″ high flow cat, X-tube and dual 2.5″ side outlet exhaust.
It runs a 10 psi pulley, a fabricated intake elbow and a 5″ intake and airbox.The truck is lowered 2.5 inches with track suspension and anti-roll bars.I did all the mods and factory work myself.
She makes 345hp at 10psi and ignites 305/40R23s with ease.My truck used to be owned by company owners Steve and Elizabeth Saleen.As one of only six people in Australia, I get so many comments that my kids love being sent to school by her.”
“This is my 302 Cleveland-powered 1971 XA GS Fairmont. It was the daily driver in my family from the mid-’90s until 2009, when my dad gave it to me when I was 19.
My dad bought this fairly straight and very original unrestored car for $1800.I have fond memories of road trips, towing the family boat, having my dad burnt out once or twice, learning to drive, wearing my L race car on the highway, and (allegedly) stealing a car when I was 17 when my dad went fishing Go for a ride with my mates.
Between 2010 and 2013, the car was parked in Dad’s driveway before it moved to my shed.In 2017, my cousin lost his life in tragic circumstances and I realize that anything can change in an instant, so why not build a car and enjoy it with the family instead of letting it rust?
So in October 2017 it was sent to my good friend Glen Hogg with a plan to restore it within three years, give or take.After more than four years, we are done!After nearly two years overseas, I drove it for the first time on Christmas Eve last year.”
“This is my 1983 VH SL Commodore. I’ve had it for years. It used to be my old man’s race car, driving a 253. I built a 355 stroker for it over a year ago and she’s bigger than the old one 253 Work harder!
This is a VN 304 block with 355 Scat cranks, Scat connecting rods, heavy duty intakes with larger intake valves, Harrop high-rise intake, 750 Holley HP street carbs, Camtech solid cams, 1.65 adjustable Rocker, 30thou oversized piston, MSD 6AL and MSD billet dizzy.I put a lot of time and effort into this motor and every time I press that key it makes my heart beat faster.
I put it in the In The Build section last November and now I’ve finished the motor and installed it on the club rego.This is an achievement I am very proud of.”
“Here’s my ’69 Charger R/T. It’s a 440ci/four-speed manual from Kentucky that was imported to Australia in 2006. It had serious rust issues so it required a complete teardown and replacement of the 90 % steel: chassis rails, floor, rear, front fenders, hood – everything had to be replaced with new OE parts.
I decided to do at least the rings and bearings on the engine, but that became everything – connecting rods, pistons, valves, manifolds, cams – replaced by something new.The exterior colors are from the 2013 Viper, and the interior is finished in leather.
There’s new eight-piece glass, new bumpers and taillights, and a rebuilt grille, which sits on 20-inch Streeter wheels.The three-inch stainless steel exhaust sounds great!”
“I’m Alex and I’m 22. I own this 1977 XC Fairmont. It currently has a new build 408ci stroke Cleveland and a four-bolt main arrow block that took me 1.5 years to build.
My dad originally built this car 16 years ago; it had a 302 Cleveland at the time, and he raced it on nitrous.Then he turbocharged that 302, but unfortunately it couldn’t handle the boost.Then it had multiple engines, including another 302 and a tunnel rammer 351. In 2019, my dad gave me the keys.I removed the ram and put a carby back in with a nitrogen kit.That 351 had a PB of 11.87@111mph.
Unfortunately it had a bite on the cam, so I pulled it out and decided to build this engine.When I did, I smoothed and repainted the engine bay.The body will be repainted at some stage.I recently bought a Paul Rogers TH400 rated at 1200 hp, it is reverse mode manual and braked because the engine has more power than the little C4 can handle.
There are a few other things I still need to get done, like a roll cage and parachute for the race car and a stronger 9″.My goal for this car is to run on the Drag Challenge and would like it to go into the low 10s or high 9s.I drove this car for the Summernats 35 from Tasmania.”
“In 2018 my 2007 VE Commodore was repainted from Phantom Black to VS HSV Cherry Black by Nathan Utting of Utz Kustoms and ‘bagged’. That’s when it acquired Dark Demon (DRKDVL) status.
Rob of HAMR Coatings provides us with an incredible and exclusive HAMR coloring.At Kut Kustomz, a new front handlebar with ECM diverter, newly revised Maloo side skirts, HDT rear lip and G8 rear handlebar diffuser were installed, in new colors.
In January 2020, the car had an accident that damaged the entire driver’s side, then COVID hit, and the car went from a repair and finishing job to a wild custom repaint and more.During the repair, we saw the folks at BNB Products and customized the interior to complement the paint.
On top of that, we looked at all the finer details and made a lot of custom detailing parts including scuff plates, fire extinguishers and floor mats, and even had Unspoken Design make some custom headlights.”
“This is my ’66 Mustang. It’s an ongoing project. I recently rebuilt a 377ci stroker Clevo in it and it makes 460 hp and 440 lb-ft. Four-speed top loader and with 3.5 gears The 9″ differential completes the drivetrain. I was lucky enough to get this car from my old man after losing my Mk2 Escort (hit thong by a drunk driver) on the way home from the local auto show .I hope you like it!”
“I bought a 1971 HG Kingswood in 2018 with an unremarkable 253 in it. The first thing I did after owning it was lower the rear suspension and install a set of Auto Drags. Then came the more horsepower ones Eager to match the tough new look so it now has a carby LS1 which is fun. Perfect for a summer night out!”