Patrick Lawler
Valiant Charger

“My latest build is this one-of-one E57 Valiant Charger that came with a factory 360 V8, which has not been on the road since the 80s.

“It was a Plum Crazy purple car from new, with a white interior and factory 360 V8. I got it in November 2024 and have since stripped it all back to bare metal, fixed a few minor rust spots and straightened the rest.

“I primed and painted it at home, just like all my builds. I also rebuilt the suspension, and fitted a tough 360 and strengthened 727 auto.

“I’m hoping to have it on the street cruising in a few months.”

Wayne Clayton
Ford XP Falcon

“I have a 1966 XP Falcon coupe that’s been a long time in the making.

“Under the bonnet sits a 302 Windsor topped with a 174 Weiand blower, just to add a bit of fun (and noise) to the mix. It’s paired with a stage-three, fully manualised three-speed C4 that’s built for performance rather than comfort.

“The 9in diff is still to come, but it’s all part of the plan to make this thing hook up hard. It’s rolling on 17in American Racing wheels, so it’ll have the perfect stance of tough, low, and purposeful.

“The build still needs some finishing touches like paint, the diff, suspension and the final tune. It’s a passion I share with my son, who owns an XB coupe.

“To us, it’s more than just cars; it’s a shared obsession, and years of laughs and swearing in the shed. This XP’s a tribute to the time spent together and the machines that have brought us even closer.”

Ben Richmond
Chrysler VG Valiant

“In October 2023, I ticked another one off the bucket list – a 1970 VG Valiant Pacer, bought in Whangarei and shipped to the opposite end of New Zealand.

I already own several Valiants and Fords, including a Hemi Orange VH Pacer, so this VG was the natural next step. The car had been de-registered since the mid-90s and used as a business promo vehicle.

It had a non-matching 245, swapped-in four-speed and an LSD diff. I tracked down the owner who’d taken it off the road, and he sent me the original ownership papers. I also spoke to owners from the early 80s to help fill in its history.

It’s build number 1912, which came A88-optioned with Mod Pack stripes, bonnet blackouts and tinted glass. It was Hot Mustard with a black X8 interior.

I sent it to Bodyline Panel & Paint in Gore for a full resto. The chrome was redone, the interior was retrimmed to factory spec, and most of the missing parts were sourced from Southern Classic Spares in Dunedin. I kept the engine mostly as-found, adding bolt-ons like a Holley four-barrel carb and an Aussiespeed intake.

It’s now sitting on 14x8in widened steel rims and 245/50 Bridgestone Eagers, with just the wiring and rego to go, so it should be on the road soon!”

Got a sweet ride that’s currently in the build and want to share it with our readers? Email photos of it (2MB+ each) along with some details on the build to inthebuild@streetmachine.com.au.