Stacey Fountis’s passion for Holden’s big-rig luxo-barges is so great that she’s had it inked onto her body! She’s owned three examples across the Statesman and Caprice range, with her most recent project being this ’bagged, twin-throttlebodied, 355ci-powered ’94 VR Caprice dubbed URATOS – ‘Toss’ for short.

What started your obsession with long-wheelbase Holdens, Stace?

I grew up with Dad and my brother Peter working on cars. I then bought a WH Caprice when I was 25, and I’ve had Statesmans and Caprices ever since. I currently own a VQ Caprice and WN Grange, and I bought this HSV-optioned VR Caprice in 2019. It was unregistered, not running and was rough around the edges, but had no rust.

What were your plans for the car?

It was going to be my daily. A new fuel pump got it running, but the engine was tired, so I decided to freshen it up and add a mild cam. Instead, I did a full rebuild! Peter helped me build Toss starting in February 2020, and it was completed in 2026. Finding a decent workshop took a while, until we found Garage Worx.

Tell us about that sweet twin-throttlebody Holden V8!

Peter mentioned a VN Group A twin-throttlebody that was for sale – as a joke. So, I went and bought it! Garage Worx then built the 355ci stroker with a Scat crank, forged CP Bullet pistons and a Comp Cams custom-grind, topped with the twin-throttle manifold. It makes 323kW [433hp] at the rears. To hear the 355ci on that first start-up brought a massive smile to my face – I love the unique sound of worked 5.0-litre engines.

What is going on underneath?

A built TH700 with Dominator 5500rpm stall, and the M80 diff has 3.9s and a Harrop Truetrac. The brakes are upgraded to VT discs, and the ’bagged suspension is a mix of AccuAir and VIAIR, rolling on 20in HDT Aero rims. Also, the body was resprayed in the factory Alaskan White over Opaline Grey, and the HSV Devonish interior was retrimmed in the factory beige leather and suede. Toss is all engineered, too!

Tell us about the URATOS plates.

Roughly 15 years ago, I purchased the URATOS plate to give people a laugh – mostly people giving me a hard time for being a female driving a 5.0-litre Statesman or Caprice! The plate is a big hit – everyone has a big laugh when they read it.

Now that the car is a driver, what do you get up to in it?

I wanted a tough cruiser, and driving Toss makes me smile. We do car shows and cruises – when the weather permits, as I don’t take it out in the rain! I cruise a lot with Peter; and sometimes Dad will join us at car shows. Being a female who’s built a tough Caprice that has made it into Street Machine is my dream come true!

Girls — wanna be famous? Become an Iron Maiden! Email car details, pics (2MB+) and contact deets to gday@streetmachine.com.au. You and your ride could appear in the mag!